I've seen some really good tactics on taking out the dragons, but what I have found most effective is the wand of Cloudkill. The regular spell won't work very well, but using the wand chokes 'em out like a charm. Simply stand out of visible range, fire about three shots of cloudkill so that it engulfs tha dragon (works on either one) and collect your prize when he keels over.
Hope that helps.

Ah, this is a commonly used tactic and also labeled as a "cheese" tactic by the majority of the members here at Ironworks. It is very efficient though, I give you that.

Is it less cheezy now that the patch has fixed the AI so that the the dragon moves away from the cloudkill, heals itself (if possible) and attacks you?

At least, thats what happened when I tried the cloudkill stunt....

Terence

i used Yoshimo effectively, and my main character being a Thief to place traps all around the dragon before it attacked. Then split up your party to avoid certain dragons gust wing attacks, and hit it with all youve got!!!!

Timestop is very usefull (i found) and generally any magical defense

alternatively, a host of summoned monsters one side and your invisible fighters the other worked for me against the Shadow Dragon

summoned monsters is reasonable, but I would put the trap setting in the cheesy category. Are you going to tell me that a dragon would just stand there and watch you set traps all around him, and then walk across them? I don't think so...

I tried it once, sans patch, and the Dragon healed itself.... so I killed it the old fashioned way...

I don't find it cheesy to use the traps skill.
If you can pickpocket without someone noticing, then you can probably lay a magical trap without them noticing either. Otherwise, what't the point of having this ability at all?

Anyway, don't forget magic resistence to LOWER the dragon's resistence and I also find that the 'Greater Malison' spell (opponent has to make saving throw at -4)is a nice way to improve the odds during the good, old fashioned 'hack and slash' battle.

Finally, what's cheesy about any tactics when you are a low level and your opponent has the following stats?:

**********SPOILER*********************************
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RED DRAGON:
Strength = 25
HP = 184
AC = -11
Attacks = 3
Base THAC0 = -5

resistence:
Fire = 100
All types of weapons = 30
Magic = 65%

Those kinds of stats make them god-like and so you have to adopt whatever tactic works if you want to beat them...

Some methods to kill Dragons, some cheesy, some not. All of them work, because I personally took the effort to try them all out.

1) Cloudkill method: Widely popular among those who are not used to fighting Dragons yet, you basically cast multiple Cloudkills out of the Dragon's sight, The area of effect will hit the Dragon, but the Dragon will not fight back because it cannot see you.

2) Trap method: Mostly nerfed with ToB, but basically you lay traps galore around the Dragon before talking smack to it. Instant kill. In ToB however, do not use this method, the Dragon will go hostile if you lay traps within it's visual range. You can still however, lay traps outside it's visual range, then lure it to your trap fest.

3) Polymorph method: Works best if you cast Greater Malison and Doom beforehand, Lower Resistance will help too. Basically, you end up fighting a squirrel that cn wing buffet but nothing else. No magic casting, no melee attacks, no dragon's breath. Highly recommended for the laugh factor.

4) Fear method: Basically, you chase the Dragon around, instead of the other way round. As with Polymorph, Greater Malison, Doom and Lower Resistance will help.

5) Instant Kill method: Lvl 12 Chromatic Orb, Finger of Death, etc... ... GM, Doom and LR applies here as well. Be warned of using Petrify or Disintergrate though, you will end up destroying the loot too.

6) Chain Contingency Bomb method: If you are high enough level, store 3 Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting inside a Chain Contingency and set it to trigger to nearest enemy when enemy is sighted. Cast a Spell Trigger with 3 Lower Resistance the moment you see the Dragon. This method will either kill the Dragon outright, or bring it to near death. It's a confirm kill if you have two mages doing this.

7) Feeblemind method: If successful, Dragon will just stand there and let you hack away for free... ...

8) Hack it to death, with summons to help as well. This should provide the most 'thrills'. http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...miles/wink.gifhttp://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...es/biggrin.gifhttp://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...miles/wink.gif One of my favourite methods.

9) Others?

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If not a Sorcerer, then a Paladin.
http://www.gifs.net/animate/dflysb2.gif
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Baldur's Gate Item Mart

hehe
instant kill works well. I've done it with my monk and his ability to kill once a day =)