TOPIC: Fun with Team Draco Snacks

I don't usually power-game to this extent, but this one struck me as a fun one to share. I was mulling over potential strategies for dealing with DracoSmoak and thought of a fun six person run next year against her using the Draco Snack load-out. Due to the Mithral class restrictions, the team would need to be Barbarian, Bard, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, and one wildcard who would be Guarded by the Paladin (probably a Cleric to handle the massive amount of healing required).

The goal would have everyone except the wildcard equipped with the following Draco Snack equipment:

• Mithral Quintet Set (Sword, Cap, Chain, Gauntlets, Boots)
• Amulet of Thorns
• Dragonbane Surcoat
• Ring of X Elemental Command
• Ring of Y Elemental Command
• Charm of the Urchin
• Bracers of Greater Stunning

Everyone would also wear Violet Prism Ioun Stones.

This would mean that on a successful melee attack (against the valid targets) DracoSmoak would take 28 points of damage back, 32 if she kills the target. If she misses with a 1, she does 6 damage to herself and ends her turn. If she shoots spells, they fizzle (unless she's tossing out 4th level or higher spells). So, either she does massive amounts of damage to herself, wastes spells, or has to rely on some Dracolich ranged attack. The Cleric either gets to toss out fun undead hurting magic or play team medic.

As an undead, DracoSmoak might be immune to certain forms of elemental damage, so the total might drop down to 26 per hit with only the Supreme Ring of Elemental Command equipped.

This build would rely on a a lot of healing consumables and all the Snacks can't get to 5th level. But, it still struck me a fun concept.

Thoughts?

I would only add that if the person uses the following consumables
Salve of Stoneskin - Not only does Smoak take the damage, but the player takes none.
And for the bard if they can add in all the E-damage shields, so the scrolls of Frostshield and Fireshield (+6 more damage each), and Eelskin (3 more) the bard when hit can do another possible 15 more points of damage (depending on Elemental resistance of a evading hilt made lich, vs. a 3.5 lich, which is immune to Cold and Lightning).

And if you do have to go with the Supreme Ring of Elemental Mastery, then I would look at taking the Ring of Iuz (half damage from Undead Melee attacks) or ring of Pelor (+2 damage vs. Undead).

I love it!

You could also have the dwarf fighter, so 7 in the group.

Breath weapon = POOF. Smoak breathed like every round you didn't snatch the egg if you were on nightmare. You couldn't even salve your way through that. I don't think we even saw a melee attack. She just kept lighting us on fire.

It should also be noted that a Barbarian cannot use Mithral Chain so he's actually out. So you're back down to 6. Although this sounds really cool!!!!!!!!!!

You've hit on my intended strategy for 2012. I've also added a Dragonhide Shirt (for 4 pt. melee damage reduction). It might be worthwhile to trade out the Charm of the Urchin for a Dragontooth Amulet to help with spells. I completely agree that Salve of Stoneskin is necessary, too.

I think that the Ring of Fire Resistance is going to be necessary, too, for the reasons that Henwy stated. We can't necessarily guarantee that the breath weapon will still be fire, though. I'm hoping we find out more beforehand.

If you pull this together, I'd love to be a part of the group. I don't have enough of the pieces (specifically, Mithral) to complete the buildout for my friends, but I'm fully loaded for this type of run. I'd happily be the Ranger for Team Draco Snacks.

I would be interested. I play a ranger and I have the full mithral set and a few extra surprises and a plan, but I will not tell on a public post.

I have to say, if this is going to be another fiasco like the first Smoak, then I'm not interested. I really don't want to have to build around a 100pt (This time, probably) breath weapon every round again.

henwy wrote: Breath weapon = POOF. Smoak breathed like every round you didn't snatch the egg if you were on nightmare. You couldn't even salve your way through that. I don't think we even saw a melee attack. She just kept lighting us on fire.

Good point. That is the biggest hole in my strategy. But, at least the Mithral sets and the appropriate Ring of X Resistances would help mitigate it to some extent. Also, I'm not sure Jeff will have her breathing TPKs every round, due to the rancor it generated in 2009. But, it is a Dracolich, so I'm not ruling it out.

I wonder if the Salve of Shadowvien would work against the breath attack since she is an Undead creature now and a breath weapon is a special attack. It is a big stretch of the token's text. If so, that becomes an immensely powerful consumable.

Raywind wrote: I have to say, if this is going to be another fiasco like the first Smoak, then I'm not interested. I really don't want to have to build around a 100pt (This time, probably) breath weapon every round again.

By all means, let's prep and plan again, but to the people writing next year's adventure, please let's not make this a fight that only the most purple of parties can win (on Normal). Especially if this is Smoak's last appearance (at least in this arc)-- it would be pretty anti-climactic if only a dozen parties won.

I may be way off here, but it seems to me that a well-equipped party that works well together should always beat the dragon on Normal. Newbies who maybe traded for weapons appropriate to their classes should have at least a chance, too.

Dont forget that the Mithral 3 item power is half damage from Breath attacks. So if everyone is wearing it in this scenario, then depending on what her breath damage type is flagged as the Supreme ring would mitigate some of that as well.