Depending on what classes they are, how many of them there is, ant their gear, they could have actually tried fighting it. While it shouldn't be easy, they still could have a fairly good chance, or even try to run away from the dragon. The options may be improbable, but possible, and they could have found a way out.
A red dragon might certainly do something like this to a group of travelers but it's kind of a boring encounter.
First, characters level 5 to 10 might have access to teleport circle, invisibility, fly or dimension door so what prevents the players from simply scattering in all directions? What is a dragon to do if the players just cut and run? Kind of the main issue with traveling encounters.
Second, if the party kills the dragon what reward can they expect? Obviously the dragon will not be flying around with his treasure. Will the dragon's treasure just spill out like in a video game?
Third, a group of characters can take out an individual creature pretty fast. A couple of good rounds for the PC's will easily drop your dragon. Or cause it to have to fly away for it's life. And a single encounter in a day doesn't support the typical encounter structure which is based on multiple encounters in a day.
So during travel I tend to plan several encounters for a given day. So instead of just dropping a monster randomly in front of the PC's I plan out a day of encounters.
Example:
Bandit Canyon
In order to arrive at their destination the PCs must travel through a short canyon. The walls rise up over 100 feet on either side of the road they are travelling down and the stony ground would be impossible to travel around with wagons or horses. A shallow river runs along side the road and travelling through the canyon will take the better part of a full 8 hour travel day.
Unbeknownst to the PCs the young red dragon Vhirmanyx has taken up residence in a cave at the top of the cliffs. He has dominated a local orc tribe (the Blood Skull tribe) into helping him attack nearby travelers.
Encounter 1 - Ambush. Near to the middle of the canyon a group of orcs attack from some caves about 30 feet up from the floor of the canyon. Aim for this to be a medium encounter. Maybe one or two orcs per PC. If they are higher level than add in a ogre or orc war chief or two. They stay above in their caves and rain down arrows, javelins or rocks. Allow the PCs a perception check to spot a red dragon watching from a ledge or flying far overhead.
Encounter 2 - Rockslide. Regardless of which way the PCs go from the ambush the orcs use a system of signal fires to alert a group ahead of them. This group triggers a rockslide ahead of the characters and then descends to attack. Make this a hard encounter. Maybe a few orcs, a giant scorpion and or some ettins. Again they may see the dragon circling overhead.
Encounter 3 - Full Orc Assault. Again the signal fires allow the orcs to alert groups in front of the PCs in whichever direction they go. Ahead of the characters a group of orcs mounted on worgs or giant scorpions come charging down the canyon floor at the PCs. Another hard encounter and above the dragon continues to circle.
Encounter 4 - Dragon. Now that the PC's have been softened up the dragon attacks with the end of the canyon in sight. Depending on the level of the PCs you might need to add something to this fight. Possibly a wyvern or manticore or two. Or more orcs. I would aim at somewhere between a hard and deadly encounter. Dragon fights should always be memorable.
Now the players will have a encounter that should challenge them and has some small amount of logic to it. If the players defeat everything they will be able to loot the orc tribe and possibly even find the dragon's cave. Maybe a orc prisoner will tell them where it is. Possibly the orcs will parley with the players to work against the dragon. Always good to consider the possibility of some role playing.
A red dragon might certainly do something like this to a group of travelers but it's kind of a boring encounter.
First, characters level 5 to 10 might have access to teleport circle, invisibility, fly or dimension door so what prevents the players from simply scattering in all directions? What is a dragon to do if the players just cut and run? Kind of the main issue with traveling encounters.
Second, if the party kills the dragon what reward can they expect? Obviously the dragon will not be flying around with his treasure. Will the dragon's treasure just spill out like in a video game?
Third, a group of characters can take out an individual creature pretty fast. A couple of good rounds for the PC's will easily drop your dragon. Or cause it to have to fly away for it's life. And a single encounter in a day doesn't support the typical encounter structure which is based on multiple encounters in a day.
So during travel I tend to plan several encounters for a given day. So instead of just dropping a monster randomly in front of the PC's I plan out a day of encounters.
Example:
Bandit Canyon
In order to arrive at their destination the PCs must travel through a short canyon. The walls rise up over 100 feet on either side of the road they are travelling down and the stony ground would be impossible to travel around with wagons or horses. A shallow river runs along side the road and travelling through the canyon will take the better part of a full 8 hour travel day.
Unbeknownst to the PCs the young red dragon Vhirmanyx has taken up residence in a cave at the top of the cliffs. He has dominated a local orc tribe (the Blood Skull tribe) into helping him attack nearby travelers.
Encounter 1 - Ambush. Near to the middle of the canyon a group of orcs attack from some caves about 30 feet up from the floor of the canyon. Aim for this to be a medium encounter. Maybe one or two orcs per PC. If they are higher level than add in a ogre or orc war chief or two. They stay above in their caves and rain down arrows, javelins or rocks. Allow the PCs a perception check to spot a red dragon watching from a ledge or flying far overhead.
Encounter 2 - Rockslide. Regardless of which way the PCs go from the ambush the orcs use a system of signal fires to alert a group ahead of them. This group triggers a rockslide ahead of the characters and then descends to attack. Make this a hard encounter. Maybe a few orcs, a giant scorpion and or some ettins. Again they may see the dragon circling overhead.
Encounter 3 - Full Orc Assault. Again the signal fires allow the orcs to alert groups in front of the PCs in whichever direction they go. Ahead of the characters a group of orcs mounted on worgs or giant scorpions come charging down the canyon floor at the PCs. Another hard encounter and above the dragon continues to circle.
Encounter 4 - Dragon. Now that the PC's have been softened up the dragon attacks with the end of the canyon in sight. Depending on the level of the PCs you might need to add something to this fight. Possibly a wyvern or manticore or two. Or more orcs. I would aim at somewhere between a hard and deadly encounter. Dragon fights should always be memorable.
Now the players will have a encounter that should challenge them and has some small amount of logic to it. If the players defeat everything they will be able to loot the orc tribe and possibly even find the dragon's cave. Maybe a orc prisoner will tell them where it is. Possibly the orcs will parley with the players to work against the dragon. Always good to consider the possibility of some role playing.
Good luck
I was planning to use kobolds but this is getting interesting
thanks man
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yesterday I had a thought for a new encounter (lvl 5-10)
So Party is traveling in the wilderness and a young red dragon stands in their way and demands all of their money or threatens to kill them
its pretty straight forward but do you think its unfair in any way
like gimme all yo money and die is it overkill
Depending on what classes they are, how many of them there is, ant their gear, they could have actually tried fighting it. While it shouldn't be easy, they still could have a fairly good chance, or even try to run away from the dragon. The options may be improbable, but possible, and they could have found a way out.
All's fair in love and dragon encounters.
Also known as CrafterB and DankMemer.
Here, have some homebrew classes! Subclasses to? Why not races. Feats, feats as well. I have a lot of magic items. Lastly I got monsters, fun, fun times.
thanks man
A red dragon might certainly do something like this to a group of travelers but it's kind of a boring encounter.
First, characters level 5 to 10 might have access to teleport circle, invisibility, fly or dimension door so what prevents the players from simply scattering in all directions? What is a dragon to do if the players just cut and run? Kind of the main issue with traveling encounters.
Second, if the party kills the dragon what reward can they expect? Obviously the dragon will not be flying around with his treasure. Will the dragon's treasure just spill out like in a video game?
Third, a group of characters can take out an individual creature pretty fast. A couple of good rounds for the PC's will easily drop your dragon. Or cause it to have to fly away for it's life. And a single encounter in a day doesn't support the typical encounter structure which is based on multiple encounters in a day.
So during travel I tend to plan several encounters for a given day. So instead of just dropping a monster randomly in front of the PC's I plan out a day of encounters.
Example:
Bandit Canyon
In order to arrive at their destination the PCs must travel through a short canyon. The walls rise up over 100 feet on either side of the road they are travelling down and the stony ground would be impossible to travel around with wagons or horses. A shallow river runs along side the road and travelling through the canyon will take the better part of a full 8 hour travel day.
Unbeknownst to the PCs the young red dragon Vhirmanyx has taken up residence in a cave at the top of the cliffs. He has dominated a local orc tribe (the Blood Skull tribe) into helping him attack nearby travelers.
Encounter 1 - Ambush. Near to the middle of the canyon a group of orcs attack from some caves about 30 feet up from the floor of the canyon. Aim for this to be a medium encounter. Maybe one or two orcs per PC. If they are higher level than add in a ogre or orc war chief or two. They stay above in their caves and rain down arrows, javelins or rocks. Allow the PCs a perception check to spot a red dragon watching from a ledge or flying far overhead.
Encounter 2 - Rockslide. Regardless of which way the PCs go from the ambush the orcs use a system of signal fires to alert a group ahead of them. This group triggers a rockslide ahead of the characters and then descends to attack. Make this a hard encounter. Maybe a few orcs, a giant scorpion and or some ettins. Again they may see the dragon circling overhead.
Encounter 3 - Full Orc Assault. Again the signal fires allow the orcs to alert groups in front of the PCs in whichever direction they go. Ahead of the characters a group of orcs mounted on worgs or giant scorpions come charging down the canyon floor at the PCs. Another hard encounter and above the dragon continues to circle.
Encounter 4 - Dragon. Now that the PC's have been softened up the dragon attacks with the end of the canyon in sight. Depending on the level of the PCs you might need to add something to this fight. Possibly a wyvern or manticore or two. Or more orcs. I would aim at somewhere between a hard and deadly encounter. Dragon fights should always be memorable.
Now the players will have a encounter that should challenge them and has some small amount of logic to it. If the players defeat everything they will be able to loot the orc tribe and possibly even find the dragon's cave. Maybe a orc prisoner will tell them where it is. Possibly the orcs will parley with the players to work against the dragon. Always good to consider the possibility of some role playing.
Good luck
Current Characters I am playing: Dr Konstantin van Wulf | Taegen Willowrun | Mad Magnar
Check out my homebrew: Items | Monsters | Spells | Subclasses | Feats
Beating down a young red dragon and making it flee is a great way to make an enemy that shows up again later in your story.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Can they take the dragon? Because if they cant, your encounter is literally 'give up your loot and magical items or be eaten'
I was planning to use kobolds but this is getting interesting
thanks man