Seeking Ideas to Build a Brass Dragon Cohort

[TanisFrey]

My new PC has a Brass Dragon Cohort which I now need to build. I ran it in a combat yesterday and got trounced, but that was straight out of the MM without any feats.

Anyone have on what a Young Brass Dragon with 10 HD and Mage Armor and Cure Light Wounds as his first level spells, should take as his 4 feats?

Edit: He worships Tamara and Bahamut as his gods of choice.

 

[Runestar]

I would focus on its sleep breath weapon. Maybe give it ability focus and perhaps heighten breath. The key is to crank up its DC high enough to affect at least 1-2 foes (to justify being able to use it only 1/encounter). Perhaps shape breath to make it easier to aim. Try to boost its con as well.

 

[Empirate]

In my opinion, Multiattack is a must have feat for any dragon, as is Flyby Attack. Power Attack, Snatch, and Improved Toughness are other good options. This is just in general, though. If you want to focus on Breath Weapons, definitely consider Quicken Breath and Entangling Breath (both found in Draconomicon). Later on, Practiced Spellcaster is important.

Spell selection: I'd skip CLW, a Wand does that better. Mage Armor can also be cast better by your Wizard buddy (much better duration).

 

[TanisFrey]

To clarify the dragon as is currently:
1) Forgotten Relms setting
2) Cohort to a 13 level Cleric Of Sharress, female PC, using Dragon Cohort feat (would be a too big of a cohort otherwise.).
3) Male young Brass dragon. This makes him medium, Chaotic Good, 10 HD, equal to a 1st level sorcerer with cleric, chaos, knowledge spells added to his class spell list. +9 natural armor.
4) Worships Tamara (dragon goddess, NG, of mercy and healing) as his primary god, Bahamut (Dragon God, LG, of good and wisdom) as a secondary god he reveres.
5) Spells known: 0th level: Read Magic, Detect Magic, Ray of Frost and Disrupt Undead; 1st level: Mage Armor and Cure Light Wounds
6) has a ring that gives him Assume Form that other good dragon races enjoy.

I chose the spells based on his 19 AC and his worship of Tamara.

The DM is allowing up to 2 Flaws from Unearthed Arcana, to gain up 2 extra feats.



The vampire he got trounced by was CR 20+ Githyanki vampire, equipped like a PC. The Party average level is 14 with 8 players. The vamp using a 2-handed sword did 3/4 of his hit points in one round. Yes, the dragon used Mage Armor before physicality attacking and after he use his breath weapon to no effect. The vamp had a item that protected him from fire.

It did not help that the party was camping and only 1/2 the PC were present. My PC, the Paladin of Sune and Gnome Wizard were back at the Paladin's barony and the Dwarf ranger/deep warden was the trade caravan we had been with. We left the caravan to investigate a very large fallen meteorite that passed over the night before and landed "close" to us.

 

[TanisFrey]

In my opinion, Multiattack is a must have feat for any dragon, as is Flyby Attack. Power Attack, Snatch, and Improved Toughness are other good options. This is just in general, though. If you want to focus on Breath Weapons, definitely consider Quicken Breath and Entangling Breath (both found in Draconomicon). Later on, Practiced Spellcaster is important.

Spell selection: I'd skip CLW, a Wand does that better. Mage Armor can also be cast better by your Wizard buddy (much better duration).

Not big enough for Snatch, Improved Toughness can be duplicate (and better) with an amulet of health. Without a amulet of health he cannot take Quicken Breath, requires CON of 19. His natural CON is 15.

I will take Multiattack.

Under consideration are Improved Natural Attack from MM.
Impoved Multiattack, Shape Breath, Clinging Breath and Lingering Breath from Draconomicon. Plus the other that have been mentioned.

Where is Entangling Breath? I do not see it in Draconomicon, unless you mean Enlarge Breath. I see little point when the breath weapon is 60 line of fire or 30 ft cone of sleep gas, both DC 17. Most intentional enemies the DM will use can easily make a Ref DC:17. More likely to take Heighten Breath to increase the DC by up to his CON modifier.

 

[TanisFrey]

I would focus on its sleep breath weapon. Maybe give it ability focus and perhaps heighten breath. The key is to crank up its DC high enough to affect at least 1-2 foes (to justify being able to use it only 1/encounter). Perhaps shape breath to make it easier to aim. Try to boost its con as well.

3.5 game, breath weapon can be used every 1d4 rounds and I do like you suggestion of Heighten breath and Shape Breath.

 

[Dandu]

Where is Entangling Breath?

Dragon Magic.

 

[TanisFrey]

Dragon Magic.

Can you give me a page number, because I do not see any large section of Dragon Magic that is meant for true dragons to use. There is a small section behind the monster giving alternate spell-like abilities for standard dragons but no feats for them.

I see in Races of the Dragon, the Entangling Exhalation which is not an megabreath feat but requires dragonblood subtype. Looks interesting if I can get the DM to agree that a True dragon is a dragonblood subtype. For a half-dragon this feat is not over powering, who gets 1 use of a breath weapon a day, but with a true dragon who can get it every 1d4 rounds? The Metabreath feats in Draconomicon work because they slow down the breath weapon.

Based on what the start of the Breath channeling feats section says claiming that True Dragons and part of the dragonblood subtype should be no problem.

Someone mentioned Fly-By Attack, its good, but does not integrate well with the fighting style a party of 4 humans, 2 gnomes, a dwarf and a Half-Elf. Not sure if the gnome bard or her brother, the Shadow Wizard would want a dragon for a mount. Thankfully, the wizard does not use the shadow weave magic, only shadow illusions.

 

[Dandu]

Hm, it must be from Races of the Dragon, then. Entangling Exhalation's a pretty good control oriented feat.

 

[TanisFrey]

We do get to equip the cohorts like PC of same level. I am planing to get him the following:
Amulet of Mighty Fists
Belt of Dwarvenkind
Bracers of Armor
Cloak of Charisma
Handy Haversack
at least 5k-10k in cash so he can sleep upon a horde sometimes
Ring that gives him the alternate form the Gold dragons get (51,400 gp)

Any one with other ideas for magic items?