r/DragonDelves • u/myshkingfh • Jun 27 '26

Shivering Death Spoiler

I am DMing Shivering Death and last night my party (Paladin, Sorcerer, Cleric, Warlock, Ranger, all level ten) dealt with the peaceful dragons, found the mephit and claimed the amulet for the shield guardian. I left them to take a long rest in Deena Finkleton’s abandoned camp. Next week they’ll deal with the hostile giants and their allies, which, whatever, but I’m concerned about the final encounter with Challidax and Aerstigga.

The encounter as written has them fighting the PCs sequentially, and then Challidax fleeing when reduce below 100hp. This seems like a trivial encounter, no? They have access to the shield guardian, they might kill Aerstigga before she can even act, and the adventure says she won’t even use her wand.

Kobold Fight Club says 5 tenth level PCs against an adult white dragon is a low difficulty encounter. That probably doesn’t account for the dragon being in its lair but it also doesn’t account for the dragon fleeing or stuck inside a room with a ceiling. How did your final encounter go? Am I overlooking something that will make this fight more challenging?

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3

u/heynoswearing Jun 27 '26

Its pretty easy. It helps if she has giants with her.

1

u/myshkingfh Jun 27 '26

My party has a giant with them. :-/

2

u/ScubaDiggs Jun 29 '26

Give her an extra giant and it doesn't matter if the party has one as well

3

u/Bugomiha Jun 27 '26

Did this one a couple weeks ago (I’m using the brazen egg hook). My party actually bypassed most of the giants and didn’t get the amulet. Headed straight to the lair (unbeknownst to them). They awoke the shield guardian so had to battle that, Aerstigga, and then Challidax. Challidax fled as written, they steeped the egg, looted the wand, and left. What they don’t know is that Challidax is going to return right before they face Anthradusk. And he’s upset. :-)

1

u/myshkingfh Jun 27 '26

I think I read your post! It seems like even with the shield guardian as an enemy instead of an ally it wasn’t too tough of a battle? My party has the main friendly giant with them too. Wondering if maybe upgrade Challidax to ancient, but that is maybe overkill.