Melee sting +6 (1d3–2 plus poison), bite +6 (1d2–2)
If I get that right, that means they can only deal 1 point of damage per round, max. Is there a way of making them just a teensy bit more challenging?
Are you a player with a familiar? Telling us the situation can help us figure out the options and limitations.
Remember, if you would deal 0 or less damage you do one point of non-lethal damage.
That means, most of the time the sting will do 1 non-lethal, sometimes one actual damage and the bite will always do one point of non-lethal damage.
First of all, you need the Impslayer feat.
Second, you need say... thirteen levels of Fighter.
Third, dip into a couple 3.5e books on dragons.
Fourth and finally, be the DM. This tough guy is my DMPC to a part of 16th-level PCs in the Slumbering Tsar game I run. Originally another NPC's cohort, he's become my voice.
LILY
Male pseudodragon fighter 13
NG Tiny dragon
Init +4; Senses blindsense & darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +6
DEFENSES
AC 29, touch 21, flat-footed 22; Mobility (+6 armor, +2 natural, +1 deflection, +1 dodge, +2 size, +1 insight, +6 Dex)
hp 145 (2d12+4 & 13d10+39)
Immune paralysis, sleep; SR 26
Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +9; +3 vs fear
OFFENSE
Speed 25 ft., fly 80 ft. (good)
Melee sting +27/+22/+17 (1d3+11/x2 plus poison plus 1d6 electricity) & bite +27 (1d2+9 plus 1d6 electricity/x2)
Attack Options poisonDC16(sleep 1 min)
Space 2½ ft.; Reach 0 ft. (5 ft. with tail)
STATISTICS
Str 7, Dex 22, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +15; CMB +15; CMD 29 (33 vs. trip)
Feats Weapon Finesse1, ImpslayerB, Ability Focus(poison)3, Weapon Focus(sting)F1, Combat ReflexesF2, Improved Speed5, Weapon Specialization(sting)F4, Bodyguard7, DodgeF6, Improved Spell Resistance9, ToughnessF8, Virtuous Creed(protection)11, MobilityF10, Rapidstrike13, In Harm’s Way F12, Improved Rapidstrike15
SQ weapon training(natural +2, thrown +1), armor training(-3 ACP, +3 MaxDex, heavy)
Skills Diplomacy +5, Fly +28, Sense Motive +6, Stealth +32 (+37 in forests), Survival +6; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth (+8 in forests)
Languages Draconic; telepathy (60 ft.)
Gear
+1 limning shock amulet of might fists
16,000gp belt of dexterity +4
13,075gp +3 mithral chainmail barding [+6, MaxDex +8, ACP -0]
5,000gp dusty rose prism ioun stone (+1 insight to AC)
2,000gp ring of protection +1
28,247gp
Not sure 13 levels counts as "a teensy bit" more challenging, but that's certainly one way to go about it.
I routinely use the advanced template on virtually everything in any AP I run, because adventure paths are not written for heavily optimized players, and my (heavily optimized) players tend to chew through most encounters in a round or two without me modifying things.
That would put the damage at a flat 1d3 and 1d2, increase their AC by 4, their to hit and all saves by 2, as well as the DC of their poison. They're still not quite as fearsome as Lily, but they are at least a bit of a threat.
That really depends on the adventure path, the party in question, and often the individual encounter. We got TPK'd by a single not-even-midboss in Haunting of Harrowstone because
Melee sting +6 (1d3–2 plus poison), bite +6 (1d2–2)
If I get that right, that means they can only deal 1 point of damage per round, max. Is there a way of making them just a teensy bit more challenging?
To answer the OP, if you're the GM playing a pseudodragon as a fair fight combatant, you're doing it wrong. A craftily-played pseudo can drop an entire low-level party singlehandedly. It's a great way to get one or all of the party members taken prisoner while still giving them a fair shot.
Of course, disregard all of this if the party is all elves....
Yep, pseudodragons aren´t supposed to be a straight-up challenge. They are sort of in the "familiars and pets" category for most adventurers. Mind you, a pseudodragon who is someone´s familiar can use his/her ranks in skills and be used to channel touch spells... all in one nice, cute package :) .
Are you a player with a familiar? Telling us the situation can help us figure out the options and limitations.
Ah no, I'm a GM who will be starting a dragon-centric campaign this Friday. I wanted to give the players a taste of dragons without giving them true dragons to fight straight away. This pseudodragon will be their first encounter, and they're level 3.
Not sure 13 levels counts as "a teensy bit" more challenging, but that's certainly one way to go about it.
I routinely use the advanced template on virtually everything in any AP I run, because adventure paths are not written for heavily optimized players, and my (heavily optimized) players tend to chew through most encounters in a round or two without me modifying things.
That would put the damage at a flat 1d3 and 1d2, increase their AC by 4, their to hit and all saves by 2, as well as the DC of their poison. They're still not quite as fearsome as Lily, but they are at least a bit of a threat.
Didn't even know about the advanced template, that's fantastic thank you! Yeah I'll definitely use that, cheers.
If you want more low CR dragons you can find a bunch of them in the "Monsters by CR" section of the d20pfrd.com website. Somebody over there has taken the time to stat out the various age categories of dragons, and some of them start as low as CR2.
For more dragon-related enemies or allies, you might also want to use the half-dragon template, and its little buddy, the draconic template from 3.5 . They can be quite useful for, say, dragon cults or magically "enhanced" creatures.
I'd also suggest using some of the lesser dragons, like Drakes and Wyverns. A Tatzlwyrm is a fairly low-level dragon you can throw at people.
