Building a Dragon shaman for dummise help please!

[NullShadow]

Hi guys. I am hoping to build a dragon shaman specializing in his breath weapon but I am unsure where to begin, so i come to you for suggestions. Please and thank you!

[Feytalist]

I'm pretty sure the consensus here will be "don't, rather go for DFA".

Nothing really boosts breath weapons, but there are some feats in Dragon Magic and Races of the Dragon that might help you.

[NullShadow]

DFA? I'm sorry, I haven't heard of it before. What is it?

[Psyren]

DFA? I'm sorry, I haven't heard of it before. What is it?

Dragonfire Adept. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060912a&page=2) Gets at-will invocations, can breathe every round, and you can even give it an aura like the DS has.

[Fearan]

The only issue with DFA is that it can't take metabreath feats from draconomicon.

[NullShadow]

Nice. With some looking around I am thinking that gnome would be a good class to use for it. Good idea or not?

Edit: Now that's just depressing, here I was hoping for some bad breath shenanigans

[Amphetryon]

The only issue with DFA is that it can't take metabreath feats from draconomicon.

Be a Dragonborn! Problem solved. DFA Handbook (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19870954/The_New_Dragonfire_Adept_Handbook!).

While I'm at it. . .
Dragon Shaman Handbook (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19865414/The_Dragon_Shaman_Handbook).

Dragon Shaman generally plays like a support caster, like a Marshal or an Earth Shugenja. DFA generally plays like a somewhat more versatile Warlock.

[NullShadow]

Yeah, I was planing on being support anyhow. Its just that I don't have any experience with this type of class.

[Fearan]

Be a Dragonborn! Problem solved. DFA Handbook (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19870954/The_New_Dragonfire_Adept_Handbook!).


Actually, the same DS Handbook that you're referring to states that DFA+Dragonborn cheese does not work.

[Amphetryon]

Actually, the same DS Handbook that you're referring to states that DFA+Dragonborn cheese does not work.

The DS handbook is not the DFA handbook, though I linked both assuming one link isn't borked. Their authors apparently came to different conclusions.

[NullShadow]

Ok, I think i know where to start for my theme (Minor Battlefield control/Buffs)
Mainly using breath weapons. Though I read somewhere that dragonwrought kobolds do not get the penalty to their str, dex, and con due to old age. Is this true?

[RagnaroksChosen]

I like Dragon shaman.

I highly recomend though taking a 2 level dip in marshal(minis handbook)

go Con and charisma as your higher stats and it can be a lot of fun.

I'm a huge fan of DS though.

[Tvtyrant]

Dragon Shaman is pretty good at noving things at mid levels; stack on every metabreath feat you own on the first round of combat and then sit.

[NullShadow]

So, what are some good metabreath feats?

[Fouredged Sword]

A dragon shaman / martial / paladin with the dragon aura feats from dragon magic exists solely to stand around and passivly make everyone awsome. Gestault with bard for even more support goodness.

You can be putting something like 6 auras out - dragon shaman aura, double draconic auras, 2 martial auras, paladin aura.

I have a plan for a necromancer BBEG with a dragon shaman / martial / paladin of tirany slaymate companion.

[kestrel404]

So, what are some good metabreath feats?

Entangling exhalation is generally considdered to be the best 1st level metabreath you can get.

If you can get breath weapons from more than 1 source (dragon shaman/DFA/Dragonborn/Dragon Disciple/half-dragon/etc) then Quicken Breath is a really nice ability (allowing you to use 2 breath weapons in a round). After that, rapid breathing (reducing wait time between breath weapons), empower and maximize are all nice choices.

Perhaps one of the nastiest tricks you can pull is if you can start scaling the size ladder and pick up Tempest Breath (requires large size and power attack). By itself it's a mediocre ability, but pick up a Pandemonic Silver weapon and suddenly you've got yourself an awesome fear attack (goes straight to cowering, so no need for fear stacking) tied to your breath weapon.

As for Dragonwrought Kobold, yes, by taking the feat you can basically get +3 to all mental stats at little or no cost. It's well known cheese, but one of the few reasons to actually take Kobold (that and getting the Dragon type).

[magwaaf]

coincidentally i'm playing a dragon shaman in our next campaign. we are starting at level 1 and i was wondering where to go with this. my backstory is solid and every attack is gonna lead with rolling a bluff check and then breath weapon whenever its up. other than that im unsure to go with feats. we are limiting this campaign to core books, faerun campaign setting and phb 2 and because i'm going way outside my normal fighter or barbarian i smash **** with big weapons type character that i can take some feats from draconomicon but not meta feats.

[MeeposFire]

The idea is that metabreath feats require you to have a BW with a recharge in order to take the feat but the feats do not say you cannot use it on BWs that lack it. This is the reasoning behind dragon born.

Entangling exhalation isn't a metabreath feat but a breath channeling feat (similar but not the same as those feats do not require a recharge to be taken).

It is debatable whether a tiamat breath or bahamut breath gives you a one round recharge.

DFA's are great at controlling a battlefield. Shamans don't really excel at anything.