PDA

View Full Version : How Would You Rule? {4E}



Foeofthelance
2011-02-22, 09:23 PM
I'm currently playing a Dragonborn aiming to focus on my breath weapon. I'm a sorcerer with the Dragon Soul option and the Ancient Soul feat. Ancient Soul says that along as my Dragon Soul resistance and breath weapon type are the same, I can recharge my breath weapon when I take damage "that my breath weapon deals."

I currently deal and resist fire damage. If I take Adaptable Breath (allowing me to deal cold damage as an option instead) and Scion of Arkohsia (for a choice of lightning damage) would you allow just fire or all three types of damage to recharge my breath weapon? Why or why not?

RTGoodman
2011-02-22, 09:32 PM
As long as you only deal one damage type at a time, I'd say (by the Rules As Written) any of the three types recharge your breath. If you wanted to RP it a little more, maybe only let you deal the damage of the type that recharged it, but that's not in the rules.

Disregard, I didn't read the actual feat description. I think the Rules as Intended say it basically just works for the one energy type you resist from your Dragon Magic feature. I think you could argue otherwise, but that's not what it's SUPPOSED to do.

Oracle_Hunter
2011-02-22, 09:34 PM
Relevant Text:


Your dragon breath power is considered an arcane attack power. In addition, if your dragon breath power deals damage of the same type as your Dragon Magic class feature gives you resistance to, you gain the following benefit:

Whenever you take damage of the type dealt by your dragon breath (after the damage dealt is reduced by your resistance), you regain the use of your dragon breath if you have already expended it in this encounter.
Since you only trigger the benefit when your Dragon Breath Power deals damage of the same type as your Dragon Magic, I would argue that the recharge benefit only triggers when you take damage that your Dragon Magic would resist.

It's not straightforward RAW, but I think the intent is clear.

Mando Knight
2011-02-22, 09:37 PM
I would rule that it only works when it deals the same type of damage as the character resists. After all, that's the trigger for what allows the Ancient Soul boost. If you had Dragon Soul resistance and Dragon Breath damage to multiple types, I would allow them then as well.

Also, I don't recommend using the Hurl Breath suicide attack to get infinite Dragon Breath. Ancient Soul turns your Breath into an Arcane attack, which you won't resist.

Fox Box Socks
2011-02-22, 09:45 PM
Looking at the feat, it specifically mentions that the damage need to be reduced by your Dragon Soul class feature, which is keyed to fire. It doesn't matter if you take Adaptive Breath five times, your Dragon Soul is still keyed to fire.

If you were to go Dragon Guardian at paragon, choose lightning damage, then take Adaptive Breath (Lighting), then you'd recharge on either fire or lightning damage, but that's the only way I can see you doing this.

Dimers
2011-02-22, 11:38 PM
Arcane Wellspring paragon path also grants a second resistance type.

Kurald Galain
2011-02-23, 04:19 AM
Looking at the feat, it specifically mentions that the damage need to be reduced by your Dragon Soul class feature, which is keyed to fire.
It's already been said, but yeah.

The obvious combo here, if you want it, is to use Hurl Breath to include yourself in your breath weapon attack, causing it to recharge itself.

MeeposFire
2011-02-23, 04:33 AM
Which is the secret behind some of the more damaging sorc builds when you use a feat to make dragon breath an arcane power thus getting your striker bonus with it.

Master_Rahl22
2011-02-23, 10:41 AM
Kurald, I had noticed that but isn't that slightly risky to purposely damage yourself to recharge Dragon Breath? Is there usually something else thrown in to generate THP or something?

Daftendirekt
2011-02-23, 11:09 AM
Arcane Wellspring paragon path also grants a second resistance type.

Was going to cite this myself. A Dragon Magic Dragonborn with this and the feat that lets him add/change (forget) an additional energy type for his breath weapon. Has two resistances, two options for breath weapon damage, and I'd say two ways of getting it recharged.

Kurald Galain
2011-02-23, 11:18 AM
Kurald, I had noticed that but isn't that slightly risky to purposely damage yourself to recharge Dragon Breath?

Well, yes. And you have to hit yourself, or the power won't recharge. This should probably be combined either by sticking vulnerability on the enemy, or by having your breath invoke a condition that you don't mind but enemies do, or by combining it with immortality cheese.

Or THP, as you say. Isn't there a feat out there that grants some THP when using dragon breath?

Foeofthelance
2011-02-23, 06:45 PM
Ok, so multiple damage types would be allowed to recharge but only if there are also multiple resistances to go with.

In that case, what are some good way to pick up extra resistances, preferably ones that don't have a time limit?

TalonDemonKing
2011-02-23, 06:58 PM
Isn't there a feat called 'Heat Adaptaion' which gives +5 fire resist + some bonus? I think theres a Cold Adaptation as well....

Kurald Galain
2011-02-23, 07:01 PM
Isn't there a feat called 'Heat Adaptaion' which gives +5 fire resist + some bonus? I think theres a Cold Adaptation as well....

Yes, they both exist, and neither allows you to recharge your dragon breath this way.