Dragonborn, Wintertouched & Lasting Frost

[Kzach]

I noticed an interesting synergy whilst making up a character for hong (swoon) with the dragonborn's breath-weapon.

If it's a cold breath weapon, then wintertouched and lasting frost would give you combat advantage against all foes hit by it, right?

Dragonborn rogue anyone?

 

[Surgoshan]

Holy CARP that's awesome!

 

[Final Attack]

As far as I can tell its Dragonborn everything. Cleric, Paladin, Fighter, Warlord. Now rogue, and quote someone that says he imagines "dragonbornlock" to be common.

Every class is Dragonborn class. I guess except maybe wizard ... or then again ...

 

[Minigiant]

Works with half elf grabbing Ray o' Frost too. Less targets but longed range plus slow.

 

[Erisea]

Well, yes, but:

i) Dragonborn breath is not a light blade, crossbow or sling, so you can't sneak attack with it. (Same is true with Ray of Frost.)
ii) Lasting frost grants combat advantage for cold attacks made until your next turn after you hit, but not for the attack that granted it
iii) Dragonborn breath is a per-encounter ability

Now, if you have a light blade, crossbow or sling with Frost Weapon, then sure, this is a method of setting up combat advantage for you to then sneak attack. A pretty nice use of a minor action, but it is per encounter, you can't get it until paragon tier, and you need to buy a specific magic weapon to use it to full advantage. Doesn't seem overpowered to me.

 

[ZombieRoboNinja]

I noticed an interesting synergy whilst making up a character for hong (swoon) with the dragonborn's breath-weapon.

If it's a cold breath weapon, then wintertouched and lasting frost would give you combat advantage against all foes hit by it, right?

Dragonborn rogue anyone?

You get CA "when you use a power with the cold keyword," unfortunately, so no sneak attacking. Unless there's a melee weapon power out there with the "cold" keyword.

Sounds like a broken combo to look out for in the Swordmage class, when it comes out.

 

[HukdUnFonx]

Given the wording of the feats, I'd think you wouldn't gain combat advantage until after your second attack; the first would give vulnerability, using Lasting Frost, and the second would grant combat advantage with Wintertouched

Anyway, by the time a rogue reaches paragon level and is eligible for Lasting Frost, he already has access to the encounter powers Sand in the Eyes, Topple Over, Setup Strike, and Dazing Strike, as well as the daily powers Easy Target, Blinding Barrage, Walking Wounded, Knockout, and Crimson Edge, all of which grant combat advantage for at least one turn after a hit.

There could be some advantage if you were multiclassing with a wizard or something and took an at-will power with the cold keyword, but that'd mean spending two feats and taking Wizard as a paragon path in order to gain combat advantage on a single enemy after two rounds of subpar (for a Striker) at-will attacks.

EDIT: Erisea beat me to it, and it'd only be one round of subpar attacking, since Dragon Breath's a minor action (whoops)

 

[Kzach]

Now, if you have a light blade, crossbow or sling with Frost Weapon, then sure, this is a method of setting up combat advantage for you to then sneak attack.

I'm just glad I didn't have to spell it out.

At least, not for everyone.

 

[Incendax]

It's a nice way to get Combat Advantage in the first round of combat, instead of waiting for the second round for that damage to roll in.

But you're probably better off asking your party Wizard to pick up those feats also and lay down some delicious AOE for you to shred people. Heck, the more the merrier.

The breath weapon i's a minor convenience in an encounter, and does not necessarily worth picking Dragonborn based purely on this perk.

 

[Zurai]

Now, if you have a light blade, crossbow or sling with Frost Weapon, then sure, this is a method of setting up combat advantage for you to then sneak attack.

No, actually it isn't. Both Lasting Frost and Wintertouched specify that you gain their advantages only when attacking with a power with the Cold keyword. While a Frost weapon can make your damage Cold typed, it doesn't grant the Cold keyword to your powers*.

* - not explicitly, anyway. It's a reasonable assumption, but there's not really any direct wording to back it up.