Mar 9, 2016 12:34 pm
Looking for help!
I'm running Rise of Tiamat, and we're nearing the end. The player's have (wisely, I think) decided the best way to reach the final battle destination is on the backs of metallic dragons (whom they've already secured as allies). The adventure doesn't provide guidance for this approach, and so I've been left to my own devices (perhaps for the best, the adventure isn't that great). As the Cult they are opposing has its own army of chromatic dragons I though a cinematic clash of armies in the skies would be cool. The player's need to break through the enemy lines so they can reach their destination in time. Instead of tracking the minutiae of hundreds of dragons locked in aerial battle with 7 little humanoids participating, I've decided to blend 4e Skill Challenge with what I think is inspired by 3.5 Mass Battle tables. Here's the encounter so far:
***
The players are considered to have 'broken' then enemy line when they collectively deal 120 Hit Points (varies based on the target difficulty of the encounter) worth of damage. The defenses and saves for all attacks are noted below (this is an 'average adult dragon'). The players begin mounted each upon the back of a metallic dragon, characters with ranged attacks will have 1 round before the melee clash to fire arrows or shoot spells, then roll initiative and begin the encounter with the following description:
Description of dragon's clashing
If players leap from their dragon atop an enemy dragon they must succeed on a DC 15 Athletics or Acrobatics check.
Before each character's turn, roll for an event. If a character starts their turn falling, on the back on a friendly dragon or on the back of an enemy dragon, roll on the appropriate event table below. In the chaos of battle, unless a specific player's effectiveness at felling dragons demands the attention of the enemies, the dragons simply attack enemies that they see and do not coordinate their efforts. The player whose turn it is about to, however, should always be included as a target in the attack (unless they made special effort to avoid being targeted, such as a Rogue Hiding - in which case, they are targeted only if their Stealth roll failed to meet DC 18).
Falling Event
1 - An allied dragon swoops by and catches you in its claws (you may be dropped onto an enemy dragon, or swing onto the back of the dragon that caught you)
2 - An enemy dragon dives towards you, jaws open preparing to bite you! (Bite Attack +8, on a hit the target takes 3d6 damage and may make an attack against the dragon. On a miss the targets actions interacting with this dragon are at Advantage)
3 - The air churns around you as a dragon swoops by, sending you spiralling towards the ground (you are disoriented and your actions are at Disadvantage this round)
4 - You crash onto the back of an allied dragon (take 1d6 damage for each round you have been falling)
5 - You crash onto the back of an enemy dragon (you and the dragon take 1d6 damage for each round you have been falling)
6 - An allied dragon catches you with a well timed swoop (you are on the back of an allied dragon)
7 - An enemy dragon flies past, breathing a fire at you (Dexterity Save DC 16, 4d6 Fire Damage. On a successful save, take half damage)
8 - You continue to fall (nothing special happens)
9 - You land on the back of an allied dragon in the midst of a fierce battle (roll on the 'Mounted on Ally table')
10 - You land on an enemy dragon and it immediately tries to shake you off (roll on the 'Mounted on Enemy table')
Mounted on Ally Event
1 - Flyby Acid Breath (1d4 players make a DC 16 Dexterity Save. On a failed save, they take 4d6 acid damage. On a successful save, they take half)
2 - Flyby Poison Breath (1d4 players make a DC 16 Dexterity Save. On a failed save, they take 4d6 acid damage. On a successful save, they take half)
3 - Flyby Cold Breath (1d4 players make a DC 16 Dexterity Save. On a failed save, they take 4d6 acid damage. On a successful save, they take half)
4 - Flyby Fire Breath (1d4 players make a DC 16 Dexterity Save. On a failed save, they take 4d6 acid damage. On a successful save, they take half)
5 - Flyby Lightning Breath (1d4 players make a DC 16 Dexterity Save. On a failed save, they take 4d6 acid damage. On a successful save, they take half)
6 - An enemy dragon flies over and tries to grasp you in its claws (Melee Attack +8, on a hit the target takes 4d6 damage and is grappled as the dragon carries them off. The DC to escape the grapple is 18, and when they escape they start falling)
7 - The dragon rolls suddenly to avoid a blast of fire (DC 12 Strength check. On a failure, start falling)
8 - An enemy dragon is tailing you, trying to get a good line for a breath attack (At the end of your turn, if the dragon is still there you are attacked by an appropriate breath weapon using the statistics above)
9 - The dragon you are on is bathed in a corrosive acid breath. It protect you, but starts to plummet as the acid eats through the flesh of its wings (If you are still on this dragon at the end of the turn, start falling)
10 - The dragon flies steady, giving you the perfect opportunity to attack (Your rolls have Advantage this turn)
Mounted on Enemy Event
1 - The dragon attempts to shake you loose by violently weaving side to side (DC 16 Acrobatics or Athletics. On a failed save, the target starts falling)
2 - An enemy dragon flies over and tries to grasp you in its claws (Attack +8, on a hit the target takes 4d6 damage and is grappled as the dragon carries them off. The DC to escape the grapple is 18, and when they escape they start falling)
3 - The dragon dive bombs into a metallic dragon, spinning to slam you against your ally (Attack +8, on a hit the target takes 3d6 damage and must make a DC 12 Strength check to hold on or start falling; the target may elect to start falling to grant the attack Disadvantage)
4 - The dragon beats its wings and tries to shake you off (DC 15 Acrobatics or Athletics. On a failed save, the target starts falling)
5 - The dragon, engaged in battle as it is, has not taken further notice of you giving you a rare opportunity for surprise (Your attacks against the dragon you are mounted on have Advantage)
6 - The dragon flicks its tail, trying to strike you with a blade that has been attached to the tip of its tail (Attack +8, 3d8 magic slashing damage)
7 - The dragon does a barrel roll and you lose your grip, but an allied dragon is there to catch you (roll on the Mounted on Ally Table)
8 - A metallic dragon slams into the bottom of the chromatic you are clinging to. The beast shrieks and starts clawing back at the metallic dragon, tossing you violently side to side but giving you an opportunity to strike (DC 15 Acrobatics or Athletics. On a failed save, the target starts falling. On a successful save, the target has Advantage on attacks this round)
9 - The dragon looks back over its shoulder and belches fire at you (DC 14 Dexterity save; 3d6 Fire damage, take half on a successful save)
10 - The dragon stops to hover while another chromatic dragon latches onto its back and begins to claw and bite at you (Claw Attack +5, 2d6 damage; Claw Attack +5 2d6 damage; Bite Attack +8 2d8 damage)
I'm running Rise of Tiamat, and we're nearing the end. The player's have (wisely, I think) decided the best way to reach the final battle destination is on the backs of metallic dragons (whom they've already secured as allies). The adventure doesn't provide guidance for this approach, and so I've been left to my own devices (perhaps for the best, the adventure isn't that great). As the Cult they are opposing has its own army of chromatic dragons I though a cinematic clash of armies in the skies would be cool. The player's need to break through the enemy lines so they can reach their destination in time. Instead of tracking the minutiae of hundreds of dragons locked in aerial battle with 7 little humanoids participating, I've decided to blend 4e Skill Challenge with what I think is inspired by 3.5 Mass Battle tables. Here's the encounter so far:
***
The players are considered to have 'broken' then enemy line when they collectively deal 120 Hit Points (varies based on the target difficulty of the encounter) worth of damage. The defenses and saves for all attacks are noted below (this is an 'average adult dragon'). The players begin mounted each upon the back of a metallic dragon, characters with ranged attacks will have 1 round before the melee clash to fire arrows or shoot spells, then roll initiative and begin the encounter with the following description:
Description of dragon's clashing
If players leap from their dragon atop an enemy dragon they must succeed on a DC 15 Athletics or Acrobatics check.
Before each character's turn, roll for an event. If a character starts their turn falling, on the back on a friendly dragon or on the back of an enemy dragon, roll on the appropriate event table below. In the chaos of battle, unless a specific player's effectiveness at felling dragons demands the attention of the enemies, the dragons simply attack enemies that they see and do not coordinate their efforts. The player whose turn it is about to, however, should always be included as a target in the attack (unless they made special effort to avoid being targeted, such as a Rogue Hiding - in which case, they are targeted only if their Stealth roll failed to meet DC 18).
Falling Event
1 - An allied dragon swoops by and catches you in its claws (you may be dropped onto an enemy dragon, or swing onto the back of the dragon that caught you)
2 - An enemy dragon dives towards you, jaws open preparing to bite you! (Bite Attack +8, on a hit the target takes 3d6 damage and may make an attack against the dragon. On a miss the targets actions interacting with this dragon are at Advantage)
3 - The air churns around you as a dragon swoops by, sending you spiralling towards the ground (you are disoriented and your actions are at Disadvantage this round)
4 - You crash onto the back of an allied dragon (take 1d6 damage for each round you have been falling)
5 - You crash onto the back of an enemy dragon (you and the dragon take 1d6 damage for each round you have been falling)
6 - An allied dragon catches you with a well timed swoop (you are on the back of an allied dragon)
7 - An enemy dragon flies past, breathing a fire at you (Dexterity Save DC 16, 4d6 Fire Damage. On a successful save, take half damage)
8 - You continue to fall (nothing special happens)
9 - You land on the back of an allied dragon in the midst of a fierce battle (roll on the 'Mounted on Ally table')
10 - You land on an enemy dragon and it immediately tries to shake you off (roll on the 'Mounted on Enemy table')
Mounted on Ally Event
1 - Flyby Acid Breath (1d4 players make a DC 16 Dexterity Save. On a failed save, they take 4d6 acid damage. On a successful save, they take half)
2 - Flyby Poison Breath (1d4 players make a DC 16 Dexterity Save. On a failed save, they take 4d6 acid damage. On a successful save, they take half)
3 - Flyby Cold Breath (1d4 players make a DC 16 Dexterity Save. On a failed save, they take 4d6 acid damage. On a successful save, they take half)
4 - Flyby Fire Breath (1d4 players make a DC 16 Dexterity Save. On a failed save, they take 4d6 acid damage. On a successful save, they take half)
5 - Flyby Lightning Breath (1d4 players make a DC 16 Dexterity Save. On a failed save, they take 4d6 acid damage. On a successful save, they take half)
6 - An enemy dragon flies over and tries to grasp you in its claws (Melee Attack +8, on a hit the target takes 4d6 damage and is grappled as the dragon carries them off. The DC to escape the grapple is 18, and when they escape they start falling)
7 - The dragon rolls suddenly to avoid a blast of fire (DC 12 Strength check. On a failure, start falling)
8 - An enemy dragon is tailing you, trying to get a good line for a breath attack (At the end of your turn, if the dragon is still there you are attacked by an appropriate breath weapon using the statistics above)
9 - The dragon you are on is bathed in a corrosive acid breath. It protect you, but starts to plummet as the acid eats through the flesh of its wings (If you are still on this dragon at the end of the turn, start falling)
10 - The dragon flies steady, giving you the perfect opportunity to attack (Your rolls have Advantage this turn)
Mounted on Enemy Event
1 - The dragon attempts to shake you loose by violently weaving side to side (DC 16 Acrobatics or Athletics. On a failed save, the target starts falling)
2 - An enemy dragon flies over and tries to grasp you in its claws (Attack +8, on a hit the target takes 4d6 damage and is grappled as the dragon carries them off. The DC to escape the grapple is 18, and when they escape they start falling)
3 - The dragon dive bombs into a metallic dragon, spinning to slam you against your ally (Attack +8, on a hit the target takes 3d6 damage and must make a DC 12 Strength check to hold on or start falling; the target may elect to start falling to grant the attack Disadvantage)
4 - The dragon beats its wings and tries to shake you off (DC 15 Acrobatics or Athletics. On a failed save, the target starts falling)
5 - The dragon, engaged in battle as it is, has not taken further notice of you giving you a rare opportunity for surprise (Your attacks against the dragon you are mounted on have Advantage)
6 - The dragon flicks its tail, trying to strike you with a blade that has been attached to the tip of its tail (Attack +8, 3d8 magic slashing damage)
7 - The dragon does a barrel roll and you lose your grip, but an allied dragon is there to catch you (roll on the Mounted on Ally Table)
8 - A metallic dragon slams into the bottom of the chromatic you are clinging to. The beast shrieks and starts clawing back at the metallic dragon, tossing you violently side to side but giving you an opportunity to strike (DC 15 Acrobatics or Athletics. On a failed save, the target starts falling. On a successful save, the target has Advantage on attacks this round)
9 - The dragon looks back over its shoulder and belches fire at you (DC 14 Dexterity save; 3d6 Fire damage, take half on a successful save)
10 - The dragon stops to hover while another chromatic dragon latches onto its back and begins to claw and bite at you (Claw Attack +5, 2d6 damage; Claw Attack +5 2d6 damage; Bite Attack +8 2d8 damage)
Last edited March 13, 2016 3:00 pm
