Mid-level Dragon Slayers?

[uriel222]

So, with the recent releases of the Dragon Slayer's Handbook, Dragon's Unleashed, The Dragon's Demand, and even Kobolds of Golarion, along with the Reaper Minis I got in the kickstarter, I'm eager to run a "Dragon-slayers-for-hire" game (with a strong Skullkickers vibe).

My basic plan is this:
[list]

Start with the Dragon's Demand to give the champaign structure, and get the PC's up to seventh level.

?

Have the PC's run a freelance business hunting dragons, using the dragons from Unleashed.

But the question is: What kind of dragons can you fight at seventh level? Not having read any of the above books (yet!), I figure they'll be too weak to go after full dragons right after Dragon's Demand, but I'm not sure how to carry them up levels without abandoning the "dragon-hunters" theme for the mid-levels.

Any ideas?

[GM Arkwright]

Dragons have stats for every stage of their life cycle. Have them wipe out a few dragon teenagers or children. You'll be bound to find something level-appropriate.

[Nails]

GM Arkwright wrote:

Dragons have stats for every stage of their life cycle. Have them wipe out a few dragon teenagers or children. You'll be bound to find something level-appropriate.

There are boatloads of dragons to fight at every level, plus tons of dragon-esque creatures like drakes, wyverns, or even dinosaurs.

Plus cults of hostile humanoids who worship dragons, militant PETA style dragon preservationists, Ghost Busters style beurocratic EPA agents that disagree with your characters methods (for social encounters), etc.

Man, you could build a pretty kick butt dragon slayer game.

[uriel222]

Okay, looking through the books it looks like I can find more than I thought to make a single "epic" or "hard" encounter for an APL of seven:

Adult Dungeon Dragon (CR 9)
Dracolisk (CR 9)
Dragon Turtle (CR 9)
Dragonkin (CR 9)
Juvenile Copper Dragon (CR 9)
Juvenile Green Dragon (CR 9)
Rift Drake (CR 9)
Spitting Sea Serpent (CR 9)
Very Young Gold Dragon (CR 9)
Young Adult White Dragon (CR 9)
Young Blue Dragon (CR 9)
Young Bronze Dragon (CR 9)
Young Cloud Dragon (CR 9)
Young Sky Dragon (CR 9)
Adult Crystal Dragon (CR 10)
Adult White Dragon (CR 10)
Juvenile Blue Dragon (CR 10)
Juvenile Bronze Dragon (CR 10)
Korir-kokembe (CR 10)
Peluda (CR 10)
Young Adult Black Dragon (CR 10)
Young Adult Brass Dragon (CR 10)
Young Forest Dragon (CR 10)
Young Red Dragon (CR 10)
Young Silver Dragon (CR 10)
Young Umbral Dragon (CR 10)

I'd rather not use non-adult dragons (for stylistic reasons), so that leaves:

Adult Dungeon Dragon (CR 9)
Dracolisk (CR 9)
Dragon Turtle (CR 9)
Dragonkin (CR 9)
Rift Drake (CR 9)
Spitting Sea Serpent (CR 9)
Adult Crystal Dragon (CR 10)
Adult White Dragon (CR 10)
Korir-kokembe (CR 10)
Peluda (CR 10)

Which should really be plenty. Add in some downtime goodness (thank you Ultimate Campaign, and I think I've got myself a campaign!

[Mike Shel]

I'm loathe to do any spoiling of Dragon's Demand, but let me remind you that dragons run the gamut of the CR range based on their ages and there are ways that you can boost a party's effectiveness vs. a specific type of foe with the gear and experience they gain along the way.

I feel very confident that the new module, combined with the other books you mentioned which are coming out during the same release cycle will provide a very clear idea how you can hunt dragons at 7th level and beyond.

[Foxdie13]

One thing to note here: if the players know exactly that this campaign will be about slaying dragons, They will create characters in consequences....

So that means that the fights vs dragons could be higher CR.

Exemple: favored ennemy dragons, order of the dragons, dragon bane weapons.....all these things that a player in regular game will not prepare 100% of the characters to fight but in a specific campaign......well it's a different game :)