Have any of you other DMs had “issues” running dragons in your games? I just finished a conversation with a couple of people that say they think dragons are not dangerous enough in 5E. Specifically we were talking about 4 level 10 PCs against an adult green dragon in the woods within a mile of its lair. I haven’t had any issues with dragons not being dangerous enough. Quite the opposite actually. What are you thoughts and experiences?
Alas, I haven't run one yet, but form what I've read it's more about how you run it than the beast itself. If it sits and lets people hit it, then it's an easy kill. If it swoops down, grabs someone, carries them up and them drops them, it's decidedly more deadly!
A group of level 10 PCs that knows an adult green dragon exists, can prep for it, and doesn't have to deal with any static defenses should be able to win fairly handily. A group that was doing something else and suddenly ran into the same dragon as a wandering monster is going to be decidedly unhappy about life, though I'd still expect them to win unless already ground down by other encounters.
In my experience, dragons are deadly if run like an apex predator with a genius level IQ. Something akin to Hannibal Lecter. Think of the most aggressive, lethal, cunning serial killer and triple it. That's the effect to aim for.
Agree with Pantagruel that prepared parties will wreck house. If any monster is played like a wooden dummy, they're gonna get rolled, quick.
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Have any of you other DMs had “issues” running dragons in your games? I just finished a conversation with a couple of people that say they think dragons are not dangerous enough in 5E. Specifically we were talking about 4 level 10 PCs against an adult green dragon in the woods within a mile of its lair. I haven’t had any issues with dragons not being dangerous enough. Quite the opposite actually. What are you thoughts and experiences?
Alas, I haven't run one yet, but form what I've read it's more about how you run it than the beast itself. If it sits and lets people hit it, then it's an easy kill. If it swoops down, grabs someone, carries them up and them drops them, it's decidedly more deadly!
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A group of level 10 PCs that knows an adult green dragon exists, can prep for it, and doesn't have to deal with any static defenses should be able to win fairly handily. A group that was doing something else and suddenly ran into the same dragon as a wandering monster is going to be decidedly unhappy about life, though I'd still expect them to win unless already ground down by other encounters.
In my experience, dragons are deadly if run like an apex predator with a genius level IQ. Something akin to Hannibal Lecter. Think of the most aggressive, lethal, cunning serial killer and triple it. That's the effect to aim for.
Agree with Pantagruel that prepared parties will wreck house. If any monster is played like a wooden dummy, they're gonna get rolled, quick.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
Wow. Ok. I haven’t had issues with any parties (or groups of players) easily besting a dragon.
Are folks taking CR versus party option calculations into account? Feats, multiclassing, magic items, etc.?