Feats to make Dragon Shaman Better

[Darklone]

Well, it may not be mathematically correct... but you quote "A creature without natural armor has an effective natural armor bonus of +0."

That means you could say "an effective natural armor bonus of +0" equals "no natural armor". So no, a human would not qualify for Imp Natural Armor.

About the dragonfire adept: Go ahead and try it, yet a warlock like class whose most important ability is CON is already pretty strong, even without allowing many nearly broken draconic feats.

 

[MarkB]

Same with the dragonfire adept's breath weapon: (quote; "To take a metabreath feat, a creature must have a breath weapon whose time between breaths is expressed in rounds" Dr66) This simply isn't expressed with the dragonfire adept's breath weapon, so no metabreath feats, according to me.

If that's how the rule is written, then I'd have to agree with you. An ability that can be used "at will" is definitely not one that has a time between breaths expressed in rounds, even if it does require a standard action to use - there are ways to gain an extra standard action in a particular round, and there may be feats which can reduce that activation time.

 

[ShadowChemosh]

I really think you guys are being too literal in the difference between rounds and round and that it was only meant to stop a behir creature from taking metabreath feats as its breath weapon is 1/minute. I can't find any black and white answer that proves this however.

For fun I sent the question into AskWizards just to see if we ever get an answer that way. Otherwise play what ever way your group feels happy with.

later

 

[blargney the second]

Reading through the descriptions of metabreath feats (Draconomicon p.66) and the dragonfire adept's breath weapon (Dragon Magic p.25), the class doesn't qualify for the feats and it looks like a fairly deliberate design choice. However, they are good to go for the breath channeling feats in Races of the Dragon (p.101-102).
-blarg

 

[SadisticFishing]

One build I've read involved going Cleric 3 and Marshal 1 - max out cha, get Wings from Dragonborn, and just dive attacking with power attack and divine might.

But, I'm starting a character this weekend, and I figure I'll post it.

Dragonborn (Human) Paladin 2/Dragon Shaman 2

Stats: (32 point buy, +1 for level 4)
Str 14, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 16

Feats: Shield Specialization (Heavy), Shield Ward... or possibly Improved Initiative and Power Attack, using a Glaive, I'm not sure yet. I'm definately taking Entangling Breath at 6 though, for battlefield control.

Gear: Full Plate, Heavy Steel Shield, Longsword, Morningstar (all masterwork)

Special stuffs: I chose Heart as my Dragonborn aspect, because it's going to be a dungeon heavy campaign and wings wouldn't be that useful.

My totem dragon is silver, which makes wings even less useful.

I'm giving up Paladin spellcasting for the extra feat at 4.

The basic plan is to go Paladin 2/Dragon Shaman 5, give up an aura for Beguiling Influence (See Dragon Magic, Shamanistic Invocation), then Paladin 2, take Power Attack and Divine Might at 9.

After that, who knows.

Storyline: Um. I felt the call to paladin as a kid. I went to paladin, then heard the call of Bahamut and decided to like dragons too. The end.

 

[EyeontheMountain]

Reading through the descriptions of metabreath feats (Draconomicon p.66) and the dragonfire adept's breath weapon (Dragon Magic p.25), the class doesn't qualify for the feats and it looks like a fairly deliberate design choice. However, they are good to go for the breath channeling feats in Races of the Dragon (p.101-102).
-blarg

I agree. The recharge of 1d4 rounds is very specific, and I think deliberately chosen. Draconic adepts do not qualify for metabreath feats.

 

[Kmart Kommando]

The 1d4 rounds thing was designed so dragons didn't just breathe a constant jet of flame/frost/whatever until every adventuring party was completely wiped out.
It's like a psion going nova for the 3 rounds of his NPC life.

I've been in a group that fought a dragon that had insane save DCs and breath every round, sometimes two, and it was tooth and nail the whole way. And that was with around a double-sized party with at least one cohort.

Dragonfire Adept, I'd allow metabreath feats, whether they are supposed to qualify or not, haven't read the books yet to be sure. The Dragonfire adept in our group does a bit of constant damage, and a boost won't break him. Breathe.. breathe.. breathe.. is kinda boring, IMO.

 

[Thurbane]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Double Draconic Aura from Dragon Magic.

While not breath weapon related, it certainly makes for a more useful Dragon Shaman...

Also, the Ability Focus feat makes your breath weapon harder to resist.

 

[iceifur]

Well, you could always be a Dragonborn with the Heart draconic aspect (gaining you another breath weapon). That way, your metabreath feats pull double duty.

Oh, and I second the Double Draconic Aura suggestion.

 

[Rvdvelden]

For fun I sent the question into AskWizards just to see if we ever get an answer that way. Otherwise play what ever way your group feels happy with.

Let us know what the answer is, i'm curious about it. That is, if you ever get an answer. I sent three different questions to them on seperate occasions, never got a response, not even an acknowledgment that they received my question but can't get around answering it.