fatal flaw: low hitpoints

[Herzog]

We (the DM as well as the players) think the stats and the hp rolls are as much part of the game of chance as the other rolls you make during play.

I've had DM's who would allow re-rolls when your total started to drop below average, but this is not the case here.

For reference, I'll post my rolled stats and modified stats:
rolls: -> racial -> 4th
STR 12 -> 8 -> 8
DEX 12 -> 14 -> 14
CON 13 -> 11 -> 11
INT 16 -> 16 -> 16
WIS 9 -> 9 -> 9
CHA 15 -> 15 -> 16

so yes, it was my third highest stat.

Although I appreciate the thought behind it, I'm going to state it one more time: I'm not going to change my feat selection or ability point.

Edit:
Also, I would like to point out that the 'concept' is not to 'collect all draconic feats'. The concept is of a dragon-kobold growing up under unusual circumstances, blending two types of magic, while her draconic heritage keeps asserting itself more and more. The draconic feats form part of this process, but are a means, not an end. Taking Toughness or Improved Toughness, in retrospect, may be a way to 'assert' the strength of the dragon within this character, and I may even decide to do this after all. However, the 'take this feat or you are being stupid' (my interpretation of things being said) approach is getting old, and I would appreciate it if the discussion would take another direction.
/Edit

That said: this discussion has raised a related question: how much hitpoints should a (7th level) arcane caster actually have to be considered 'survivable'?

Any thoughts on that would give me a target-number. Then all I'd have to do is find a way to get there....

 

[Theroc]

A little while back I created a "Drow"(used the Drow of the Underdark racial levels to create a 0 LA Drow that lost many of the benefits) to make a Sorcerer/Warlock/Eldritch Theurge.

Level 9 character, 42 HP at that level, with 10 constitution. Rather than rolling for HP though, the DM decided "max HP per die" so this may not be particularly helpful to you, but might give you an "Upper end" sort of deal. Game was 28 point buy for stats.

Hope that was at least marginally helpful

Edit: I can link you to the character sheet in it's current (As of yet not fully approved) form, so you can see it in general, though I'm not sure that'd help you too much. Progression was Sorcerer 4 Warlock 3 Eldritch Theurge 2 (Not in that exact sequence, though, due to Favored class XP penalties)

 

[NewJeffCT]

Sorry if some folks came across as condescending. I did not mean to if I did.

With no CON adjustment, you should have 19 hit points at 7th level. 4 for first level and an average of 2.5 hit points per level for the next 6 levels, or 15 hit points. 4+15=19.

 

[Herzog]

I asked a fellow player the same question, and he proposed the character should be able to survive an average 10th lvl fireball.

in other words, 35 hp.

the key-word is 'survive', so this includes hp at -9, which would make his hp requirement 26.

my kobold currently has 11 hp, so that leaves 15 hp.

an amulet of health +2 would cover 7 of those hp. (amulet of health +4 would cover 14, but I'm not counting on DM's approval for that)

False Life would add 1d10+CL, or 1d10+6 (7-16) assuming I'm casting as a wizard.

That would provide a reasonable survivability (using the abovementioned target).

Any thoughts on this target-number?

 

[Theroc]

I asked a fellow player the same question, and he proposed the character should be able to survive an average 10th lvl fireball.

in other words, 35 hp.

Any thoughts on this target-number?

That sounds about in line with my glass cannon Eldritch Theurge, whether that is wise or not I'm unsure. Depends how your DM plays. If he focuses on attacking casters first, you may want to overshoot the target slightly, just in case. If he doesn't, the target sounds reasonable... but my experience is mostly theoretical and not related to actual gameplay.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Yeah, your target number sounds fine in general, but I would strive to be at least 10 higher than it. That's the average fireball damage afterall, and single target spells and attacks can do more. It's better to leave a margin for error, as it were.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

You might consider this as well:

Ring of Force Shield

An iron band, this simple ring generates a shield-sized (and shield-shaped) wall of force that stays with the ring and can be wielded by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield (+2 AC). This special creation has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance since it is weightless and encumbrance-free. It can be activated and deactivated at will as a free action.

Moderate evocation; CL 9th; Forge Ring, wall of force; Price 8,500 gp.

Although what you really need is a Ring of Regeneration. Got a spare 90kGP?

 

[Herzog]

Funny how the same conversation you are having on a board can come over much more reasonable and civilized when you hold it in real life.

After asking around here, I got the chance to talk to some of my friends and fellow players about this. They are basically giving me similar advice.....
So I guess I owe some of you an apology.

That said, here's some info update that will probably bring joy to the hearts of some of you, and some info that will probably make some of your cry....

Joy:
-I've decided to spend my 4th lvl stat increase on Con after all. That in combination with an amulet of health +2 increases my hp to 25. Still not much, but a significant improvement. I'm also considering Draconic Toughness (which gives +2 hp per draconic feat). Not as good as Improved toughness, but better than regular toughness. Won't be able to take that one before lvl 9 though....

Cry:
-It looks like the amount of money I will be able to spend on magic items will be somewhere in the 7000-8000 gp range. Less then half of what the DMG proposes for characters of that lvl. This is mostly because the DM has been a bit reluctant in giving out treasure up to now, so the other characters don't have that much money either. (my previous character was an artificer, and this was a real pain to deal with) So no ring of regeneration, or even an amulet of health+4

Thanks everyone for thinking about this with me.
Any further improvement spells and items appreciated!

 

[JacktheRabbit]

You need to make some adjustments and get your hitpoints up quick. First off any trap is going to fry you for good and most spells being taken are not going to help there.

Ambushes are also going to be an issue.

Finally you are putting your DM is an akward position. Any foe you encounter more than once is going to know how much death you deal and is going to target you. Even 1 round of targetting by a decent mook an put you down. So either you are going to croak right away or the DM out of pity is going avoid hitting you if he can because a player always unconcious is annoying.

The party is going to get fed up as well. The cleric will be healing you constantly because a stiff wind has you nearly dead. The fighters are going to spend all their time on "how to keep the baddies from the frail wizard" to the point that they are going to feel like bodyguards instead of PCs. This will also annoy the party rogue who finds he can rarely get a flank attack in as all the party melee guys are focused on keeping danger at arms length from you.

As a character levels certain threats should become irrelevant. At 7th level no character, even if he was sleepwalking in the nude, should fear a 10ft spiked pit. Your character doesnt just fear them, he has nighmares about them.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

Ummm...I wouldn't say a PC with a huge number of Draconic feats has an offense/defense imbalance. While some of the feats do provide a little offensive punch, by and large, its not a Power Gamer's path. He may be hell on earth to lesser beings, but to characters of similar XP levels, he's probably just so-so.

And I mean that in general, not just this HP-starved PC.

This is more of a concept trumping mechanics type build...a dogged pursuit of a PC build that provides an unusual RP experience rather than combat dominance.

The offensive inbalance isnt the Draconic Feats on their own, its the fact that every feat he has taken has been aimed at offensive ability. He refuses to spend any feats on defense. To make worse the player is willing to sacrifice defense (giving up hitpoints) to gain other offensive abilities.

I think we have a new classification here. This isnt a glass cannon. This is an eggshell cannon.

In the end I think this will prove to be a failed character. He has hit the point of diminishing returns, another character created that does 3/4 of what he did in offense focus will have 2 to 3 times the defense and will wipe the floors with him.