Topic: How do you kill a dragon?

[yammahoper]

If a magic dragon slaying weapon is not an item you want to hand out, then

Option #1; an absurd Dragon Lore skill check (with mods for lighting including) could allow a PC to SPOT the weak spot, evectivelly making his blows slaying against that beast.  Still, the slaying column on the SL table is not friendly and a good roll is still required.


Option #2; Like the rush in the hobbit, the PC could describe the location to the attacker.  Either deliver a slaying crit (perhaps with a successful perception mnv) or allow the attacker to add his ranks in perception to the critical roll (greatly increasing chance for an open-end roll).  Take a close look at the normal/magic colums on the SL table and you will see even an open end roll isnt a sure win.

Option #3; crush the party and remind them somethings are to be feared, period.

[CatotheElder]

You kill a drake... if your lucky, with an army and a suprise attack.  One of the most memorable moments of roleplaying was when found this huge treasure trove.  My curious hobbit decided he would climb up to a window instead of play with the treasure and he came face to eyeball of a dragon. 

Although, the time I was running a dragon who was waiting for the party just beyond the door.  The priest was really happy he happened to look into the future.  The escape was a great adventure.

[rdanhenry]

Tell it Chuck Norris is coming to fight it. It will die of a heart attack.

[ Note: This is the folk tale Chuck Norris, not the real one. Obviously, he's just an actor and would be a laughable opponent for a dragon. But since we're dealing with a fantasy world creature, I think I'm allowed fantasy Chuck Norris. ]

[markc]

Tell it Chuck Norris is coming to fight it. It will die of a heart attack.

[ Note: This is the folk tale Chuck Norris, not the real one. Obviously, he's just an actor and would be a laughable opponent for a dragon. But since we're dealing with a fantasy world creature, I think I'm allowed fantasy Chuck Norris. ]

A quick side note maybe a Chuck Norris joke thread should be started in the general section?
MDC

[yammahoper]

Tell it Chuck Norris is coming to fight it. It will die of a heart attack.

[ Note: This is the folk tale Chuck Norris, not the real one. Obviously, he's just an actor and would be a laughable opponent for a dragon. But since we're dealing with a fantasy world creature, I think I'm allowed fantasy Chuck Norris. ]

A quick side note maybe a Chuck Norris joke thread should be started in the general section?
MDC

Please don't.  Chuck Norris jokes are already very old and continue a line that wasn't very funny when they first came out.

[Right Wing Wacko]

Please don't.  Chuck Norris jokes are already very old and continue a line that wasn't very funny when they first came out.

In YOUR opinion, of course...

[RandalThor]

How is it done? How do you kill a great drake?

I say: NUKE THEM FROM ORBIT!!!! It's the only way to be sure...   

[David Johansen]

.50 caliber machine gun...

What this is RMSS it's cannon... (badum bum)

[DangerMan]

If a magic dragon slaying weapon is not an item you want to hand out, then

Option #1; an absurd Dragon Lore skill check (with mods for lighting including) could allow a PC to SPOT the weak spot, evectivelly making his blows slaying against that beast.  Still, the slaying column on the SL table is not friendly and a good roll is still required.


Option #2; Like the rush in the hobbit, the PC could describe the location to the attacker.  Either deliver a slaying crit (perhaps with a successful perception mnv) or allow the attacker to add his ranks in perception to the critical roll (greatly increasing chance for an open-end roll).  Take a close look at the normal/magic colums on the SL table and you will see even an open end roll isnt a sure win.

Option #3; crush the party and remind them somethings are to be feared, period.

Im not overly happy of the thought of having dragon slaying weapons sold for pennies at every corner, but I guess such items should be avaiable to some degree. I also like Option #1 a lot. Good thinking!

Thus a group of strong warriors, with slaying weapons or a developed dragon lore skill, could manage a drake, I guess, given that the beast doesnt overcome them with his/hers spells. I'll leave that last part to them to figure out, when/if the day comes

[providence13]

Thus a group of strong warriors, with slaying weapons or a developed dragon lore skill, could manage a drake, I guess, given that the beast doesnt overcome them with his/hers spells. I'll leave that last part to them to figure out, when/if the day comes

Well, it sounds like you've got the Hook, Line and Sinker of the adventure figured out. But, if you'll hear an alt idea..

I was thinking of a multi-generational approach. After they get all ready and everything planned out, they find that it's only going to provoke the dragon into attacking the country side. Or they could leave it alone and it'll sleep for another century or three. Their son's daughter's son's, sons might be ready when the time comes.

Elves may very well leave the thing alone but remember it's location and gently steer humans away by growing a forest around the area, populating it with monsters (so it can eat without ranging) and spinning long epic horror stories about the haunted woods. If they train bards in the area, all the better. With apologies to Robert Frost, Fear makes good fences.

Dwarves might begrudge the dragon, but know that they'll likely need an army (of dwarves) to take "back their mountain of gold". Then they may seethe for a hundred or so years until one charismatic dwarf gets a curly hair in his beard and leads his fellows to add to the dragons collection; as it were.

Humans will hear of the dragons existence, raise an overwhelming army and all die, angering the creature so that it also attacks the Dwarves and Elves. 

[ob1knorrb]

How is it done? How do you kill a great drake?

I say: NUKE THEM FROM ORBIT!!!! It's the only way to be sure...   

Hmm, might be interesting to check Spacemaster to see if it has damage for Nukes, just to be sure if that would actually work...

[TerryTee]

Hmm, might be interesting to check Spacemaster to see if it has damage for Nukes, just to be sure if that would actually work...

Space Master 2 Armored Assault has nuke stats.
An MK50 nuclear warhead will simply eliminate any target with AT24 or below, in an 8 km radius.
Regular DB does not work, as you need Armor Quality force Shields etc.

If we give the dragon the benefit of doubt and call the armor AT21 (as I can't find rules for attacking AT20), and we assume a spell provides some DB, and the attack roll is very low, then the beast may survive.
Attack roll = 05 + 150 MK bonus – 30 DB = 125 gives 110F.
Attack result of 135-136 gives 800 and an I crit.
Any attack roll above 137 results in complete elimination.


Spacemaster Privateers gives similar results for Apocalyptic weapons. The attack bonus for first blast radius is only +100, and a result of 127 is needed to eliminate a target with the weakest construction armor type (XI).

-Terry

[PiXeL01]

afaik being within the blast radius of a nuke in anything aside from vehicles equals a nice return to the character generation screen

[dutch206]

Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure...   

  NFO for the win!

[yammahoper]

Hmm, might be interesting to check Spacemaster to see if it has damage for Nukes, just to be sure if that would actually work...

Space Master 2 Armored Assault has nuke stats.
An MK50 nuclear warhead will simply eliminate any target with AT24 or below, in an 8 km radius.
Regular DB does not work, as you need Armor Quality force Shields etc.

If we give the dragon the benefit of doubt and call the armor AT21 (as I can't find rules for attacking AT20), and we assume a spell provides some DB, and the attack roll is very low, then the beast may survive.
Attack roll = 05 + 150 MK bonus – 30 DB = 125 gives 110F.
Attack result of 135-136 gives 800 and an I crit.
Any attack roll above 137 results in complete elimination.


Spacemaster Privateers gives similar results for Apocalyptic weapons. The attack bonus for first blast radius is only +100, and a result of 127 is needed to eliminate a target with the weakest construction armor type (XI).

-Terry

And if like many GM's Greater Dragons are declared immune to all elemental damage, then some GM's are bound to think a dragon would survive a nuke.

Also, aren't the hits on the MK10+ tables multiplied against non vehicles/constructs/buildings?

[DangerMan]

If a nuclear bomb would do the trick, most adventurers would have to develop an insane planar lore skill, then travel into a game system/version og RM that carries such weapons, return home and then nuke the poor dragon Tiresome, to say the least..                                                                 

[Arioch]

[ob1knorrb]

Of course if the Dragon sees it coming and has some decent teleport or long door spells...

[RandalThor]

Alright, alright... taking this "nuke" thing waaay tooo literal.. 

Plus, it seems to me that too many people are thinking that just because Smaug had a missing scale / weak spot every dragon in the game has such. I don't think so. That was a Tolkein-thing, not a dragon-thing, I believe.

Personally, I actually think that the first idea by the hero of Dragonslayer (fantastic movie with such a cool looking dragon: Vermithrax) where he tried to collapse the mountain on the beast. Much better idea than getting anywhere near a dragon - even bow range is too close.

[OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol]

Plus, it seems to me that too many people are thinking that just because Smaug had a missing scale / weak spot every dragon in the game has such. I don't think so. That was a Tolkein-thing, not a dragon-thing, I believe.

Not even that: that was a Smaug thing. I don't recall any mention of Glaurung The Golden or Ancalagon The Black having such a weakness.