(Pathfinder)

Ancient White Dragon vs 4 level 14 PCs. They did about 40 damage on this dragon during this encounter. The cleric ended up using Word of Recall to get them all out of the situation. They fought it a second time and it ended the campaign (they fought this dragon one more time and it had different tactics but it perma killed their fighter and forced them to magically flee a second time).

Below is the battle plan I laid out for the dragon.

Casts before combat:

• Displacement – 9 rounds, 50% miss chance
• Bull Str – 9 minutes, +2 att/dmg rolls
• Resist Fire – 90 minutes, DR 20 to fire
• Shield – 90 minutes, +4 AC and immunity to magic missiles
• See Invisibility – 90 minutes
• Invisibility
• Frightful presence - PCs make DC 23 Will Save. Success = no effect. Failure = Shaken condition for 5d6 rounds (-2 att, saves, skill/ability checks).

Situational tactics and feat usage:

• Will land 10 to 15ft from PCs when going to engage in melee
• Uses Greater Vital Strike every time he only has a single bite attack. +33 (8d8+18) 19/20

• Uses Power attack on all full attacks which are as follows: bite +27 (2d8+34), 2 claws +26 (2d6+20), 2 wings +21 (1d8+14), tail slap +21 (2d6+25)

• Will cast dispel magic on any obviously buffed troublesome foes (x3) pushing up the round count.

• Will use dimension door to flee back to Rimeskull when under 80 hps

Round by round tactics:

Round 1: He becomes visible Flyby attack w/ breath – DC 27 Reflex save or take 51 damage

Round 2: Move, bite/grapple attempt with Greater Vital Strike, (provokes AoO) +36 (8d8+18), success = can move ½ rest of movement speed with PC in his mouth. If this fails, he tries again in Round 3.

Round 3: Must succeed at another Grapple CMB check +39 (8d8+18), Moves as high as possible (300 feet + how high he got in round 2) and drops PC.

Round 4: Casts Fire Shield and moves closer.

Round 5: Lands and casts Freezing Fog

Round 6: Breath weapon - DC 27 Reflex save or take 45 damage.

Round 7: Full attack melee combat for several rounds. He will target Santiago immediately if he has seen the dwarf healing anyone.

Round 10: Breath weapon

Round 11: Flies 200 feet up to the landing at the mouth of Rimeskull. Casts Displacement.

Round 12: Casts Dimension Door to appear on the ground 10 feet from PC to setup melee and breath attack.

Round 13: Breath attack – DC 27 Reflex save or 51 damage

Round 14: Melee

Round 15: Breath weapon – DC 27 Reflex or 44 damage

Round 16 +: Melee