Racial attacks and damage

[BobTheNob]

So one of the players in my group is playing a dragornborn and loves the whole "Im a dragon" thing. Lately though his face has been turning down at the pitiful damage he has been doing with it. Given he doesnt have a great constitution (the basis for damage) but even if he did it was still sub par compared to other comparative blast style attacks.

Thing is, our paty is up to +2 gear (Just starting to push into the +3 range) and here is the difference.

The power does have compensation for lack of enhancement bonus on the to-hit (+2 at heroic, +4 at paragon, +6 at epic) though this does not translate back into damage. I have scanned thorugh the racial paragon paths and the same pattern can be observed (Moonstalker/Call to the moon, Turathi Highborn/Thrall of Turath, Scion of Arkosia/All attacks).

Is there a rule I am missing in this?

If I were to house rule that the powers that fall into this category can also have the +X (teired) to hit also apply to damage, do you think I would break things?

(p.s. the player is really keen on Scion of Arkosia. He even went to the trouble of writing his background around the nature of his toon and I want to help him with a character that is thematically accurate without needing to sacrifice potentcy)

 

[DracoSuave]

Given he doesnt have a great constitution (the basis for damage) but even if he did it was still sub par compared to other comparative blast style attacks.

What is a 'comparable blast style attack'?

To be comparable, it would have to be:

A) Minor action
B) Heroic tier
C) Not using a class power slot
D) Minor action
E) Encounter power
F) Minor action

 

[Flipguarder]

Comparing racial powers to class powers is not a good idea. Also comparing a minor action power to standard action powers is a terrible idea.

 

[BobTheNob]

Ok, but what about the scion of Arkhosia powers? They are standard actions AND consume an encounter power slot and a daily power slot which another PP would have powers with the weapon or implement keyword

 

[Flipguarder]

Ok, but what about the scion of Arkhosia powers? They are standard actions AND consume an encounter power slot and a daily power slot which another PP would have powers with the weapon or implement keyword

I really don't understand what you are trying to say here. It sounds like you are comparing an racial encounter minor action power to a level 20 PP daily standard action power.

Or are you comparing Clinging Breath to other blast powers?

 

[Shin Okada]

Dragon breath is very useful for melee defenders, strikers & leaders to eliminate multiple minions (or for a Dragonborn fighter to mark a lot of opponents at once).

And, at paragon tier, you can take Empower Dragon Breath feat. Close blast 5, 2d10+con damage attack is not bad as a minor encounter power even at that level.

In case of Scion of Arkhosia, it's real strength is in Dragon Wings power. Still, Clinging Breath is a close blast 3 attack with ongoing damage 10.

And Versatile Breath is useful when you unexpectingly meet monsters vulnerable to some type of damage or which need some type of damage to stop regenerating.

 

[BobTheNob]

I really don't understand what you are trying to say here. It sounds like you are comparing an racial encounter minor action power to a level 20 PP daily standard action power.

Or are you comparing Clinging Breath to other blast powers?

The vast majority of powers that do damage in the game get either a weapon of implement keyword, yet these powers do not. As such, whilst they receive a to hit bonus that would be comparable for weapon/implement of that teir, they dont get any relative damage bonus.

I look at other area attacks from paragon paths (you can always look at solar wrath....) and they do. So, by lvl 30, These racial attacks do a full 6 points less than powers that have the weapon/implement keyword. Quite substantial for an area attack.

Looking at the damage the scion powers do (Dragons wrath is on par with a lvl 7 wizard encounter power, which does get implement bonus), its a little under-whelming.

 

[Flipguarder]

These racial attacks do a full 6 points less than powers that have the weapon/implement keyword. Quite substantial for an area attack.

I believe that dragon breath power as a minor action accounts for the damage that would come from an implement.

By the way the Scion power isn't REALLY a racial power, its a paragon level 20 daily.

 

[BobTheNob]

I believe that dragon breath power as a minor action accounts for the damage that would come from an implement.

By the way the Scion power isn't REALLY a racial power, its a paragon level 20 daily.

I was talking of dragons wrath, which is the lvl 11 encounter. But both it and the lvl 20 daily have the same crutch to bear.

 

[Turtlejay]

Sure, and if he is a wizard, he should be underwhelmed by the damage. If he is not a wizard, he just got, for virtue of being *born* a dragonborn, a free power.

Dragon's breath was not included in the racial benefits package to be a damage powerhouse. It never will be. It has cool, niche uses (several good ones have been outlined here), and can be improved via feats to be a pretty cool power in its own right.

Jay