Combat rating 26
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DRACOLICH: How to Use Immortality as an Unfair Cheat
How to Use – Dracolich “Suicide” Tactics Fighting back isn’t the only way a villain can respond to the heroes’ aggression. Another way is to go after a city, or other civilians, forcing the heroes to either risk themselves in order to save the civilians, or to suffer the effects of massive unpopularity. [See below].… Continue reading
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DRAGON TURTLE: Battle of the Living Island
How to Use Combat Encounters Ideas 1 (difficulty 18): Dragon Turtle Island Legends tell of islands that are actually giant sea beasts. This likely inspired D&D’s dragon turtle, and this is my first combat encounter. When setting this up, we’ll immediately run into two problems. The first is that the dragon turtle doesn’t have… Continue reading
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ANCIENT SILVER DRAGON: Perils of the Fogbound Lair
The silver dragon has a lair that seems simple, but is actually a deadly maze to its enemies. Let’s explore why that is. How to Use – The Silver Dragon’s Lair (difficulty 24) Unlike with the other dragons, the silver dragon’s lair actions are actually better suited for the path to the dragon, as… Continue reading
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ADULT GOLD DRAGON: Robbing a Dragon, and What Comes Next
When players are forced to rob a gold dragon to gain the item they need, we get to see just how powerful Dnd’s adult gold dragon is. How to Avoid Using – Keeping the Players in Charge Let’s start with my usual. The list of possible reasons for the good-alignment creature to refuse to join… Continue reading
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ANCIENT COPPER DRAGON: The Host Hiding in Plain Sight
This ancient copper dragon can uses Change Shape to trick players, lure them into danger, mess them up, and strike when they least expect it. Change Shape as Combat Tactics How to Use (difficulty 24) The ancient copper dragon, like all ancient metallic dragons and several of the adult metallic dragons, has the ability to… Continue reading
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ANCIENT RED DRAGON: HOW TO FIGHT WITH FIRE
While the red dragon is known to despise strategies as tools of the feeble, an ancient red dragon is old enough to know that they’re sometimes a necessary evil. Either that, or it’s grown tired of fighting off fools, Continue reading
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ADULT RED DRAGON: Battle of the Burning City
Perhaps the most interesting place to put a red dragon is in the middle a city that it’s attacking. Fighting in the city forces the PCs to split their attention between the dragon, the fires, and any people that might need help. Let’s look at them individually. Continue reading
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ANCIENT BLUE DRAGON: The Ultimate Boss Battle Dragon
The ancient blue dragon maintains a tight watch over its territories, and the PCs should not be able to approach it (except magically) without it knowing about it well beforehand. Continue reading
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ADULT BLUE DRAGON: Defenses Inside and Outside the Lair
How to Use: Wilderness Combat encounters (difficulty 18) The blue dragon has quite a number of tactics he might employ against his enemies. Among them are: Barrage of Glass Boulders Glass is made by sand melting under extreme amounts of heat. Being struck by lightning will do it. Whether the dragon knows how to shape… Continue reading
About Me
I’ve been a DM since I was about 10 years old. (Not of D&D, admittedly, but still.) After growing bored of fights that were all the same, dungeons heavily populated by one monster type, and a general shortage of ideas, I figured I’d embark on my own trip through the Monster Manual, one monster at a time. Feel free to join the quest.