I've got good news, and I've got bad news.

First, the good news. Dragon (and similar) breath attacks will never again melt, burn, freeze, or otherwise destroy gear.

The bad news is, these attacks are more varied and frightening than ever. Would-be dragonslayers, beware.



The net result is that dragons are more likely than ever to kill you, but fighting them is no longer almost exclusively the province of shapeshifters or groups with invokers.

Speaking of invokers, while they're no longer necessary in dragon fights to safeguard armor (but more helpful than ever in safeguarding lives), it seems worth mentioning that the interplay between especially powerful breath attacks and elemental shields has also gotten more interesting. A strong affinity in the element the invoker wishes to protect against may prove helpful, though even the (very unlikely) shield from a 0-affinity invoker is far from useless.

As always, items that improve your saving throw vs. breath attacks will be especially helpful in dealing with breath attacks.