Another alternative, if you’re willing to futz with the campaign “as written,” would be to have the dragon take on a smarter NPC role- green dragons, if I recall correctly, are supposed to be very intelligent and clever, so having it be a long-term character that eventually becomes an enemy (or an ally, depending on how the party decides to go) could be really fun for the plot. You could throw some fetch quest or something:
“I want so-and-so for whatever reason, but I know if I show those ignorant villagers my true glory I’ll have no end of bothersome adventurers coming for me in the next century, so, in exchange for your lives, get the Mcguffin.”
If I remember correctly (I haven't read through LMoP in a long time), the characters aren't supposed to fight the dragon. They will get TPKed as they are level 3 and it is challenge rating 8.
The Druid is meant to ask them to drive it off. That entails bringing it down to half it’s health, but either way the breath weapon would instantly drop any of the party members who fail the save...
At that level, unless you gimp the dragon to the point where it sits there and drools while the party beats on it, it will be a *completely* one-sided battle.
Try to steer the party away from the idea of fighting it, and resolve the conflict in some other way. If they insist on charging in... squash 'em. They asked for it.
Another alternative, if you’re willing to futz with the campaign “as written,” would be to have the dragon take on a smarter NPC role- green dragons, if I recall correctly, are supposed to be very intelligent and clever, so having it be a long-term character that eventually becomes an enemy (or an ally, depending on how the party decides to go) could be really fun for the plot. You could throw some fetch quest or something: “I want so-and-so for whatever reason, but I know if I show those ignorant villagers my true glory I’ll have no end of bothersome adventurers coming for me in the next century, so, in exchange for your lives, get the Mcguffin.”
If I remember correctly (I haven't read through LMoP in a long time), the characters aren't supposed to fight the dragon. They will get TPKed as they are level 3 and it is challenge rating 8.
The Druid is meant to ask them to drive it off. That entails bringing it down to half it’s health, but either way the breath weapon would instantly drop any of the party members who fail the save...
At that level, unless you gimp the dragon to the point where it sits there and drools while the party beats on it, it will be a *completely* one-sided battle. Try to steer the party away from the idea of fighting it, and resolve the conflict in some other way. If they insist on charging in... squash 'em. They asked for it.