How to Tame A Dragon: Session 3

As the player characters and dragon successfully complete skill checks, try reducing skill checks of the same kind by 1, but set a minimum of 8 or 10, to represent the characters getting better and the dragon learning from them.

Encourage the players to engage in role-playing during the training process, using their character’s skills and creativity to interact with the dragon and reinforce their commands. They can also offer treats or rewards to reinforce positive behavior and encourage the dragon’s learning.

The players should aim to succeed in at least 4 out of the 8 skill checks to demonstrate their proficiency in training the dragon to follow hand and voice commands. If they succeed, the dragon becomes increasingly responsive and obedient, making it easier for the players to give instructions during future encounters. However, if they fail 5 or more of the checks, the dragon might struggle to understand or respond to their commands consistently, presenting challenges during critical moments.

Customize the DCs and consequences of failure to fit your campaign and players’ abilities. Also, remember to consider factors like weather conditions, dragon temperament, or additional hazards that might influence the skill checks.

Animal Handling: Riding a Dragon (ground)

To learn to ride a dragon on the ground through the dense forest, the players will need to make a series of Animal Handling checks. The difficulty of these checks will depend on the complexity and challenges they face during the training process. Here’s a suggested format for the skill checks:

Dragon Riding Skill Checks:

1. Controlling the Dragon’s Movements: The players attempt to learn how to control the dragon’s movements and navigate through the dense forest.

   • Success (DC 12): The player successfully guides the dragon through the forest, avoiding obstacles and maintaining control.
   • Failure: The dragon becomes startled or loses focus, causing the player to struggle in controlling its movements. This might lead to veering off course or colliding with trees or obstacles.

2. Bonding and Trust: The players focus on strengthening their bond with the dragon, ensuring it feels comfortable and secure with them as riders.

   • Success (DC 15): The player establishes a deeper connection with the dragon, earning its trust and loyalty.
   • Failure: The dragon shows signs of anxiety or fear, making it difficult for the player to establish a strong bond. This might result in the dragon refusing to follow commands or displaying signs of aggression.

3. Communication and Nonverbal Cues: The players practice using nonverbal cues to communicate with the dragon and convey their intentions effectively.

   • Success (DC 14): The player successfully communicates their intentions to the dragon through nonverbal cues, allowing for smoother coordination.
   • Failure: The dragon misinterprets the player’s cues or fails to understand them, leading to misunderstandings and potential conflicts during training.

4. Obstacle Navigation: The players train to maneuver the dragon through a series of obstacles within the forest, testing their agility and coordination.

   • Success (DC 16): The player and dragon adeptly navigate through the obstacles, smoothly dodging and avoiding any potential collisions.
   • Failure: The dragon struggles to navigate through the obstacles, leading to clumsy movements or collisions. This might cause the player to lose balance or even fall off the dragon.

Animal Handling: Riding a Flying Dragon

Learning to ride a flying dragon is a more challenging endeavor. The players will need to make a series of Animal Handling checks to demonstrate their ability to handle the complexities of dragon flight. The difficulty of these checks will vary depending on the circumstances and challenges they face while attempting to ride a flying dragon. Here’s a suggested format for the skill checks:

Flying Dragon Riding Skill Checks:

1. Mounting and Takeoff: The players attempt to mount the dragon and initiate takeoff smoothly.

   • Success (DC 14): The player mounts the dragon successfully and coordinates with it for a smooth takeoff.
   • Failure: The dragon becomes agitated or uncooperative during the mounting process, making it difficult for the player to take off smoothly. This might result in a bumpy start or even the player failing to get on the dragon altogether.

2. Controlling Flight Path: The players focus on controlling the dragon’s flight path and maintaining a stable trajectory.

   • Success (DC 16): The player effectively communicates their desired flight path to the dragon and maintains control throughout the journey.
   • Failure: The dragon struggles to follow the player’s commands or becomes disoriented during flight. This can lead to erratic movements, sudden drops or ascents, and potential loss of control.

3. Maneuvering and Evasive Actions: The players practice maneuvering the dragon in mid-air, performing evasive actions to avoid obstacles or attacks.

   • Success (DC 18): The player skillfully guides the dragon through evasive maneuvers, avoiding obstacles and potential dangers.
   • Failure: The dragon fails to respond to the player’s commands or misjudges the evasive actions, potentially colliding with obstacles or exposing the riders to harm.

4. Landing: The players learn how to safely land the dragon, ensuring a smooth descent and landing.

   • Success (DC 15): The player guides the dragon into a controlled descent and executes a smooth landing.
   • Failure: The dragon struggles with the landing, resulting in a rough touchdown or even a crash landing. This might cause injuries to the players or damage to the dragon.

Animal Handling: Training a Dragon to Hand and Voice Commands

Teaching a dragon to respond to hand and voice commands requires patience, consistency, and effective communication. The players will need to make a series of skill checks to demonstrate their ability to train the dragon to understand and follow their instructions. Here’s a suggested format for the skill checks:

Dragon Training Skill Checks:

1. Hand Signals: The players focus on training the dragon to respond to hand signals, using precise gestures to communicate specific commands.

   • Success (DC 14): The player successfully teaches the dragon to recognize and respond to a set of basic hand signals, such as “stop,” “come,” or “attack.”
   • Failure: the dragon struggles to understand or differentiate between the hand signals, leading to confusion or misinterpretation of the intended commands.

2. Vocal Commands: The players work on training the dragon to respond to vocal commands, using clear and consistent verbal cues.

   • Success (DC 15): The player effectively trains the dragon to understand and follow a set of vocal commands, such as “fly,” “land,” or “guard.”
   • Failure: the dragon has difficulty comprehending or distinguishing between the vocal commands, resulting in inconsistent responses or misunderstanding of the intended instructions.

3. Combined Hand and Voice Commands: The players practice integrating hand signals and vocal commands to create more complex instructions for the dragon.

   • Success (DC 16): The player successfully combines hand signals and vocal commands to convey complex instructions to the dragon, such as “fly higher and circle to the left” or “land gently and stay in position.”
   • Failure: the dragon struggles to grasp the combined hand and voice commands, leading to confusion or partial execution of the desired actions.

4. Advanced Commands: The players attempt to teach the dragon advanced commands that require higher levels of understanding and training.

   • Success (DC 18): The player successfully trains the dragon to perform advanced commands, such as intricate aerial maneuvers, retrieving objects, or attacking specific targets.
   • Failure: the dragon struggles to comprehend or execute the advanced commands, leading to incomplete or inaccurate performances of the desired actions.