My big bad is a dragon, seeking The Dragon Slayer as it's the only thing standing in her way. I wanted to add a twist maybe if my plot needed it. I have a few here but I would like to hear from you guys what you all thought, do you have any suggestions?
1. The blade was never made, so the player ether go on without it or have to make it.
2. The blade doesn't present itself right away and the players must prove themselves worthy to wield it.
3. One of the bbeg allies will betray them and aide the players only to betray them.
4. The long battle with the bbeg isn't the end, now that the dragon is dead her allies move in to fill her lost position and kill the players.
The Dragon Slayer must be assembled. The Blade, Hilt, and the Gem (the magic source) must be located in different locations. In addition the characters must Locate or Craft a Mithral Hammer and Locate a Forge of Gond, Moradin, or other crafting god to reforge the weapon once again. Allowing them to select the specific sword that it ends up as and giving them an adventure.
The Dragon uses their ability to assume a Humanoid form to attempt to monitor and thwart the party. Possibly causing a conflict of interest if the party begins to like this seemingly friendly NPC that keeps popping up.
The Weapon is Intelligent and Violent.
The Weapon is currently owned by someone not willing to give it up or only willing to give it up after the party do them a huge favor.
The Weapon doesn't work unless the wielder also has other magic items that it's linked to. For instance a Suit of Dragon Scale Mail.
The Weapon is both in the Shadowfell and the Feywild at the same time. It isn't the true Dragon Slayer until both are united.
The Dragon Slayer is not the blade, properly translated from the ancient Draconic, the phrase is plural, "Those Who End Dragons." Turns out that it refers to the party, who must somehow find a way to fulfill this destiny.
The Dragon Slayer is not a blade, it's an ancient title, lost in time bequeathed to the rightful person somehow (you can figure out the how).
The Blade was used against this dragon centuries ago, leaving it with a huge scar and drawing some of it's essence into the blade to power it. The dragon seeks the blade to regain it's essence and be at full power once more.
The Dragon Slayer must be assembled. The Blade, Hilt, and the Gem (the magic source) must be located in different locations. In addition the characters must Locate or Craft a Mithral Hammer and Locate a Forge of Gond, Moradin, or other crafting god to reforge the weapon once again. Allowing them to select the specific sword that it ends up as and giving them an adventure.
The Weapon is Intelligent and Violent.
The soul of the dragon is drawn into the gem and influences to the wield to perform XX acts.
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The sword is the actual BBEG and the dragon is guarding the world against it. If the dragon is slain, the sword awakens and summons a portal to hell.
The Dragon Slayer is actually a transformed dragon itself, which the BBED is trying to set free: and if they players are tricked into freeing it, they will have two dragons to contend with. Ot maybe, if it helps kill the BBED, that will be what the dragon in the blade needs to be freed.
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Edeleth Treesong (Aldalire) WoodElf Druid lvl 8 Talaveroth Sub 2 Last Tree StandingTabaxi Ranger, Chef and Hoardsperson lvl 5, Company of the Dragon Team 1 Choir Kenku Cleric, Tempest Domain, lvl 11, Descent Into Avernus Test Drive Poinki Goblin Paladin, Redemption, lvl 5, Tales from Talaveroth Lyrika Nyx Satyr Bard lvl 1, The Six Kingdoms of Talia
As the Dragon Slayer pierces its heart, the dragon crashes to the ground, lying completely still. You all stand over its body, exhausted, broken, triumphant. Suddenly, the hilt of the Dragon Slayer becomes warm in your hand and you hear an ethereal voice in your mind:
"I. Want. Another."
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Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3,720 to 1!
Maybe as they fight their way through the caves and twisting ruins of the forgotten elven city of a forgotten elven race who lived underground ( dunno where you are but this is what came up at the top of my head), they finally meet the dragon. In a heated argument with another figure. A fey entity who has made a contract with the dragon. The dragon is a scourge. And when everyone is defeated the dragon gets the treasure and the fey gets to rule the prime material plane. Or at least a part of it. Or a devil with the same agenda. Or perhaps the dragon is in truth an undead. And in the end it seeks the PCs help to defeating the entity who has it bound to a contract by soul. Etc.
Other planar entities are a good way of tossing in a twist. Maybe it is a dragon who was punished or cursed long ago, to be rid of emotions or be weakened until she has slain 1000 heros or mages. And so the dragon can be a say, copper dragon. Or a silver dragon. The metallic ones you rarely get to use could be a nice twist. If you want more of this emotions lacking curse, it is inspired by Pathfinder Kingmaker. Or maybe the dragon is another creature. Maybe a powerful mage. Subject to a spell or curse (maybe of her own casting) which transformed her permanently into a dragon. But the side effects was that she don't remember her other self. She became a dragon. A true dragon. Killing her will greatly wound the true form of the bbeg. So only a 6th lvl cure wounds or a heal spell could save her. Or divine intervention. Etc.
Maybe it is just a young dragon. Who managed to get her hands on a scroll of some charm stuff. This mage serves her, whether by force or willingly is up to you. And creates scroll and potions of enlarge person. So the dragon is much weaker than expected. And might beg for mercy. And in truth the mage would be the bbeg.
Hope this helps. Good luck with your campaign! I wish you the best of loot and luck in the future! ^^
If you want to rip a twist from MTG, the blade is actually worthless. The dragon is weak to something entirely different, and put out the rumor that she was weak to that blade in order to distract the players from her actual weakness.
If you want to rip a twist from MTG, the blade is actually worthless. The dragon is weak to something entirely different, and put out the rumor that she was weak to that blade in order to distract the players from her actual weakness.
Man that is such a dick move! And I love it! The players are gonna be so ******* pissed if that's what he's going with! I wanna use that at some point. I hope you don't mind! ^^
The Dragon Slayer is not a blade but a person. And the person turns out to also be evil but that's not apparent until later. Think of how the One Ring corrupted Isildur. Maybe killing the dragon can lead to something like that.
The Dragon Slayer is a blade that is good at killing Dragons, but your BBEG want's the Dragon Slayer because it's their Phylactery. If the party slays the dragon, and you use this idea, a couple options off the top of my head:
The Dragon's Consciousness awakens in the sword, and the sword disappears. The players can assume it's because the sword has served it's purpose, the BBEG was able to teleport the sword to another location where it is taken up by an adventurer who is then dominated by the sword/BBEG and begins plotting their revenge.
More traditional lich route, the BBEG comes back as a powerful Dracolich, and again begins plotting the party's demise.
So I should give more background about the story then what I have so fat. The blade was apart of the dragon long ago. It was once it's horn that it had lost in a fight with a powerful paladin. The horn was turned in the magic blade, which had the effect of a dragon killing sword. The paladin used it to push back the dragons but eventually got old and died, the sword was burred with the paladin to keep safe from those who would destroy or miss use it.
The dragon who lost it's horn wants it back to destroy the blade and once again rampage through out the world.
The dragon could get some kind of holy power by destroying the blade and growing its horn back. Maybe a few levels in celestial warlock, or paladin abilities.
I had a party that has only been destroying every enemy but in a single fight go up against a dragon that I gave warlock levels to, which made it an interesting fight. They came out barley winning. And the battle they didn't win before was against someone who's immortal, so yeah.
I used the dragon's CR as his level in warlock. It can be whatever you like, if you are good at feeling out what a party can handle. I just do quick thoughts on health and damage between enemies and the party when doing bosses.
They were level 10 at the time, it was an adult dragon, and there were 4 people in the party, with a kind of npc. The npc came in later, and the dragon was a celestial warlock, so I only had him use his abilities once he came back with searing vengeance. I also shied away from damaging spells, because hes a dragon, that's overkill. I also didn't give him class health as a bonus, just dragon health.
I did however use a homebrew dragon. It was an adult iron shadow dragon I made, I really needed to give them a hard time with how easily they did everything.
Maybe the sword adds on features and alters those who possess it. Such as giving the wielder a sense of greed, red scales, a strong sense of hunger. I don't think the Dragon should know where it is, fore I already gave the Dragon minions who would go to the location immediately, game over.
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My big bad is a dragon, seeking The Dragon Slayer as it's the only thing standing in her way. I wanted to add a twist maybe if my plot needed it. I have a few here but I would like to hear from you guys what you all thought, do you have any suggestions?
1. The blade was never made, so the player ether go on without it or have to make it.
2. The blade doesn't present itself right away and the players must prove themselves worthy to wield it.
3. One of the bbeg allies will betray them and aide the players only to betray them.
4. The long battle with the bbeg isn't the end, now that the dragon is dead her allies move in to fill her lost position and kill the players.
The Dragon Slayer must be assembled. The Blade, Hilt, and the Gem (the magic source) must be located in different locations. In addition the characters must Locate or Craft a Mithral Hammer and Locate a Forge of Gond, Moradin, or other crafting god to reforge the weapon once again. Allowing them to select the specific sword that it ends up as and giving them an adventure.
The Dragon uses their ability to assume a Humanoid form to attempt to monitor and thwart the party. Possibly causing a conflict of interest if the party begins to like this seemingly friendly NPC that keeps popping up.
The Weapon is Intelligent and Violent.
The Weapon is currently owned by someone not willing to give it up or only willing to give it up after the party do them a huge favor.
The Weapon doesn't work unless the wielder also has other magic items that it's linked to. For instance a Suit of Dragon Scale Mail.
The Weapon is both in the Shadowfell and the Feywild at the same time. It isn't the true Dragon Slayer until both are united.
The BBEG seeks it so that she can defeat other dragons , then not even her own kind could stand in her way
The Dragon Slayer is not the blade, properly translated from the ancient Draconic, the phrase is plural, "Those Who End Dragons." Turns out that it refers to the party, who must somehow find a way to fulfill this destiny.
The Dragon Slayer is not a blade, it's an ancient title, lost in time bequeathed to the rightful person somehow (you can figure out the how).
The Blade was used against this dragon centuries ago, leaving it with a huge scar and drawing some of it's essence into the blade to power it. The dragon seeks the blade to regain it's essence and be at full power once more.
The soul of the dragon is drawn into the gem and influences to the wield to perform XX acts.
------------------
The sword is the actual BBEG and the dragon is guarding the world against it. If the dragon is slain, the sword awakens and summons a portal to hell.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
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"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
The Dragon Slayer is actually a transformed dragon itself, which the BBED is trying to set free: and if they players are tricked into freeing it, they will have two dragons to contend with. Ot maybe, if it helps kill the BBED, that will be what the dragon in the blade needs to be freed.
Edeleth Treesong (Aldalire) Wood Elf Druid lvl 8 Talaveroth Sub 2
Last Tree Standing Tabaxi Ranger, Chef and Hoardsperson lvl 5, Company of the Dragon Team 1
Choir Kenku Cleric, Tempest Domain, lvl 11, Descent Into Avernus Test Drive
Poinki Goblin Paladin, Redemption, lvl 5, Tales from Talaveroth
Lyrika Nyx Satyr Bard lvl 1, The Six Kingdoms of Talia
The Dragon Slayer is cursed, where the wielder becomes evil, and will even attack their closest allies.
Or maybe, The Dragon Slayer is already wielded by a man who doesn't care what the dragon does, and would kill the party over the sword.
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.
As the Dragon Slayer pierces its heart, the dragon crashes to the ground, lying completely still. You all stand over its body, exhausted, broken, triumphant. Suddenly, the hilt of the Dragon Slayer becomes warm in your hand and you hear an ethereal voice in your mind:
"I. Want. Another."
Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3,720 to 1!
Never tell me the DC.
Maybe as they fight their way through the caves and twisting ruins of the forgotten elven city of a forgotten elven race who lived underground ( dunno where you are but this is what came up at the top of my head), they finally meet the dragon. In a heated argument with another figure. A fey entity who has made a contract with the dragon. The dragon is a scourge. And when everyone is defeated the dragon gets the treasure and the fey gets to rule the prime material plane. Or at least a part of it. Or a devil with the same agenda. Or perhaps the dragon is in truth an undead. And in the end it seeks the PCs help to defeating the entity who has it bound to a contract by soul. Etc.
Other planar entities are a good way of tossing in a twist. Maybe it is a dragon who was punished or cursed long ago, to be rid of emotions or be weakened until she has slain 1000 heros or mages. And so the dragon can be a say, copper dragon. Or a silver dragon. The metallic ones you rarely get to use could be a nice twist. If you want more of this emotions lacking curse, it is inspired by Pathfinder Kingmaker. Or maybe the dragon is another creature. Maybe a powerful mage. Subject to a spell or curse (maybe of her own casting) which transformed her permanently into a dragon. But the side effects was that she don't remember her other self. She became a dragon. A true dragon. Killing her will greatly wound the true form of the bbeg. So only a 6th lvl cure wounds or a heal spell could save her. Or divine intervention. Etc.
Maybe it is just a young dragon. Who managed to get her hands on a scroll of some charm stuff. This mage serves her, whether by force or willingly is up to you. And creates scroll and potions of enlarge person. So the dragon is much weaker than expected. And might beg for mercy. And in truth the mage would be the bbeg.
Hope this helps. Good luck with your campaign! I wish you the best of loot and luck in the future! ^^
If you want to rip a twist from MTG, the blade is actually worthless. The dragon is weak to something entirely different, and put out the rumor that she was weak to that blade in order to distract the players from her actual weakness.
Man that is such a dick move! And I love it! The players are gonna be so ******* pissed if that's what he's going with! I wanna use that at some point. I hope you don't mind! ^^
In accordance with an ancient ritual to keep the churning Abyss locked away, the dragon is the door. The blade is the key.
The Dragon Slayer is not a blade but a person. And the person turns out to also be evil but that's not apparent until later. Think of how the One Ring corrupted Isildur. Maybe killing the dragon can lead to something like that.
The Dragon Slayer is a blade that is good at killing Dragons, but your BBEG want's the Dragon Slayer because it's their Phylactery. If the party slays the dragon, and you use this idea, a couple options off the top of my head:
Personally, I like #1, but do you!
So I should give more background about the story then what I have so fat. The blade was apart of the dragon long ago. It was once it's horn that it had lost in a fight with a powerful paladin. The horn was turned in the magic blade, which had the effect of a dragon killing sword. The paladin used it to push back the dragons but eventually got old and died, the sword was burred with the paladin to keep safe from those who would destroy or miss use it.
The dragon who lost it's horn wants it back to destroy the blade and once again rampage through out the world.
what kind of twist could I add to that?
The dragon could get some kind of holy power by destroying the blade and growing its horn back. Maybe a few levels in celestial warlock, or paladin abilities.
I had a party that has only been destroying every enemy but in a single fight go up against a dragon that I gave warlock levels to, which made it an interesting fight. They came out barley winning. And the battle they didn't win before was against someone who's immortal, so yeah.
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.
How did you determine the level for the dragon?
I used the dragon's CR as his level in warlock. It can be whatever you like, if you are good at feeling out what a party can handle. I just do quick thoughts on health and damage between enemies and the party when doing bosses.
They were level 10 at the time, it was an adult dragon, and there were 4 people in the party, with a kind of npc. The npc came in later, and the dragon was a celestial warlock, so I only had him use his abilities once he came back with searing vengeance. I also shied away from damaging spells, because hes a dragon, that's overkill. I also didn't give him class health as a bonus, just dragon health.
I did however use a homebrew dragon. It was an adult iron shadow dragon I made, I really needed to give them a hard time with how easily they did everything.
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.
Maybe the sword adds on features and alters those who possess it. Such as giving the wielder a sense of greed, red scales, a strong sense of hunger. I don't think the Dragon should know where it is, fore I already gave the Dragon minions who would go to the location immediately, game over.