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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ahnehnois" data-source="post: 5758762" data-attributes="member: 17106">I happen to really like the Dragon Shaman. Then again, I don't entirely disagree with your point(s). My campaign setting always postulated dragons and deities as opposed forces, and I always wanted to represent that mechanically. I liked the "Dragon Magic" trend in general. I like classes that work within the d20 system but are significantly different from the core. I liked the auras for what they were, although in retrospect they do presage the disaster that was the 4e leader "role" and the "warlord" as well as the general idiocy of making Dragonborn a core race. I guess my feeling is that D&D is its own mythology, and that classes based on the second "D" are natural developments and I'm glad they did some.That said, if I hadn't already created my own background for the dragon shaman I would have liked it less. The rules are merely a means to an end, not the end themselves, and I agree creating a class just to fill a rules niche is a bad thing.I also agree that the CW samurai made no sense and sucked, although I found plenty of other flavorful useful material in that book.And I think you're both being too kind to 4e.Now, on to the OP...***I think you're taking a class that was underpowered to begin with and not bumping it up enough. The auras are nice, but this is a fighter who never hits anything, deals real damage, or has any *really* useful special powers (the breath weapon is for dealing with swarms or a few other things but not general combat use because of the low damage). What is this character's typical action during combat? It was a question before and it still is.I see that the claws have been emphasized, but I don't think that's the answer, as noted, all they do is provide a mediocre alternative to normal weapon usage. Frankly, I'd rather see the character be able to take a normal weapon and use it well, possibly by adding supernatural effects to its attacks.I'm also not really a big fan of the shapeshifting. It seems tacked on at the end. If you want to make a draconic druid, you have to match the wild shape progression and grant the ability much earlier. If not, I'd stick with making it better at granting supernatural benefits to itself (or allies).Flight should also be earlier, although this is a problem with the original class.Examples of supernatural benefits the class could be getting might be elemental damage on its attacks, dragon-like fear effects, or a spell-like abilities that a dragon might get. I'd really like to see a PC class with a strong, useful fear effect. I'd also advise adding divination-like abilities to reinforce the "shaman" concept (and because dragons do know a lot of things).I do applaud the rationale for removing the healing ability and changing the aura to self only. Dragons don't get these things, so why should this shaman? I would add the area aura back in as a feat though.Aren't HD and BAB tied together in PF (such that you'd have to either reduce the former or increase the latter)?All in all, an effort worth making, though I would change a number of things.</blockquote>

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