Ashardalon-Themed PC [3.5]

[Tokuhara]

I've become a massive fan of Ashardalon, thanks entirely to Dragon Magic. Yeah, he's referenced in Draconomicon, but he truly reveals his awesome in Dragon Magic. So, in a Play-By-IM game I'm in, I want to play a Spellscale supposedly descended directly from Ashardalon's bloodline.

What would be y'all's idea of a "best bet" for this.

Here's the rules:

Race: Spellscale
Class: Probably either Sorc or Binder. Possibly both (high enough to be able to bind Ashardalon, but low enough to get higher-level spells)
Level: Starting @ lv4 and going to about 17-19th level


and a question for y'all: Could a Favored Soul be the favored of a Vestige (such as Ashardalon)?

[dsmiles]

I've become a massive fan of Ashardalon, thanks entirely to Dragon Magic. Yeah, he's referenced in Draconomicon, but he truly reveals his awesome in Dragon Magic. So, in a Play-By-IM game I'm in, I want to play a Spellscale supposedly descended directly from Ashardalon's bloodline.

What would be y'all's idea of a "best bet" for this.

Here's the rules:

Race: Spellscale
Class: Probably either Sorc or Binder. Possibly both (high enough to be able to bind Ashardalon, but low enough to get higher-level spells)
Level: Starting @ lv4 and going to about 17-19th level


and a question for y'all: Could a Favored Soul be the favored of a Vestige (such as Ashardalon)?

That's...EPIC!

I don't know much about Binder, but Sorcerer is the way dragons cast, IIRC. So, that's got the flavor thing going for it.

I'm not sure about the favored soul thing, but as a DM myself, I'd let it fly if you convinced me that Ashardalon was your deity.

[Eldariel]

Unrelated to the question, but You will want to play/DM Bastion of the Broken Souls! Seriously.

[Zaydos]

Well you could go straight binder and then go into Knight of the Sacred Seal at 16th level (since Ashardalon is an 8th level vestage and you can't bind him till 15th, right*).

You could go Sorcerer/Binder/Anima Mage, although unless you use early entry to reduce the sorcerer requirement that means no binding Ashardalon till 19th level (ouch).

Straight sorcerer is a fine thing to do. Depending upon optimization level of the game (okay if it's really low op) you could Draconic Heritage feats and Fiendish Heritage feats; otherwise I'd suggest possibly taking some Draconic Heritage feats for extra dragon-y goodness.

Although the real Disciples of Ashardalon take his PrC** found on page 88 of the Draconomicon.


*I haven't checked in a long time so he might be lower level in which case bad WotC making the super cool dragon so weak.

**Disclaimer I in no way endorse taking Disciple of Ashardalon as a smart move and would heavily warn against it.

[Psyren]

and a question for y'all: Could a Favored Soul be the favored of a Vestige (such as Ashardalon)?

I would definitely rule that Ashardalon is close enough. Certainly he came closer to godhood than most vestiges do, judging by his backstory.

As for your build, consider a Bard/Binder/Sublime Chord/Anima Mage build to boost your late-game power; it would allow you to front-load Binder and accel to 'shard like you want. Something like Bard 1 (PA, Sanctum Spell later)/Binder 9/Sublime Chord 1/Anima Mage 9. You'll get top-level spells and Vestiges that way, and still be able to bind the dragon by ECL 17 with Practiced Binder.

Alternatively, go the divine route - Tenebrous Apostate's adaptation lets you create a similar class for any Vestige (ToM pg. 66), and Anima Mage's adaptation lets you switch it to divine magic (ToM pg. 53). Combine them both and you can be an Ashardalon Apostate. Favored Soul 4/Binder 1(Practiced Binder)/Anima Mage 10/Apostate 5 will give you just enough EBL to bind Ashardlon (15+2), and you will cast like a FS 18 (9ths.)

[Zaydos]

and a question for y'all: Could a Favored Soul be the favored of a Vestige (such as Ashardalon)?

Oh yeah forgot this.

RAW Answer: Unlike clerics, favored souls are not able to devote themselves to a cause or a source of divine power instead of a deity.

A vestige would fall under the latter.

Personally: I'd allow it, it's flavorful, it's neat and game mechanically restricting clerics to deities only and favored souls to everything is much more balanced.

[Psyren]

A vestige would fall under the latter.


Several vestiges are/were deities, though; Tenebrous, The Triad, Savnok, even Karsus (briefly) if you want to get technical. As for Ashardalon himself, he was worshipped by a cult prior to dying; the story is not clear whether he was able to grant spells, but as it is not explicitly ruled out it's up to DM interpretation. To them he was a deity though, which means he is not automatically disqualified.

[Runestar]

Although the real Disciples of Ashardalon take his PrC** found on page 88 of the Draconomicon.

Which as written doesn't work properly (caster lv = class lv? So a cr30+ dragon has a caster lv of just 12?), and dragons are actually better off just taking the half-fiend template and additional racial HD instead.

Though it is funny that a dragonwrought kobold can technically qualify for said prc. Which isn't a bad deal, since the dragon prcs have errata stating they don't trigger epic bab progression. So a kobold fighter18/disciple12 has bab30. :smallcool:

[Zaydos]

Several vestiges are/were deities, though; Tenebrous, The Triad, Savnok, even Karsus (briefly) if you want to get technical. As for Ashardalon himself, he was worshipped by a cult prior to dying; the story is not clear whether he was able to grant spells, but as it is not explicitly ruled out it's up to DM interpretation. To them he was a deity though, which means he is not automatically disqualified.

Except that they lack Divine Ranks, and by RAW are not deities, hence my answer was "RAW: No." with the addition that I would personally allow it because it made since flavor-wise. Note that Tenebrous is no longer a deity even though he still has clerics, meaning he falls under "other sources of divine power".

Also Primus is a vestige and used to be a god (and still is because whenever Primus is killed a new one rises to take his place and... when they made him a vestige they didn't intend to bring the modrons back). Savnok though was not a deity but merely the servant of Heironeous and Hextor.


Which as written doesn't work properly (caster lv = class lv? So a cr30+ dragon has a caster lv of just 12?), and dragons are actually better off just taking the half-fiend template and additional racial HD instead.

Though it is funny that a dragonwrought kobold can technically qualify for said prc. Which isn't a bad deal, since the dragon prcs have errata stating they don't trigger epic bab progression. So a kobold fighter18/disciple12 has bab30. :smallcool:

Hence the disclaimer at the bottom saying it was a bad idea.

[Psyren]

Except that they lack Divine Ranks

Can you link to their statblocks?