Breath weapon based character

[hushblade]

Does anyone have good builds for this? I'm not looking for "lets see how many breath weapons we can cram into a convoluted build that makes no sense character wise" Just a character that specializes in using breath weapons effectively.

[GodGoblin]

Dragon Fire Adept, exactly what you need, its also effective and fun to play! Pretty much a breathy Warlock but a bit higher on the power scale.

[MesiDoomstalker]

I made a thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220697)about this not too long ago. Take it as you will as I was looking for something explicitly not DFA.

[Tr011]

I made a thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220697)about this not too long ago. Take it as you will as I was looking for something explicitly not DFA.

I don't really understand why you don't suggest Exiled Dwarfes (#320), they are much better.

If you go Breath weapons you need to think about some things:

1. Where do you get your Breath Weapon from? DFA is pretty good because it levels the damage and gains bonus effects. And see point 2.

2. What else do you want to do? Since most Breath Weapons are cones with not much range, you should go at least Off-Tank. That's another thing why DFAs are quiet good. And they get 4+ skills/level and nice class skills to do something more (like being the face of the group, or getting all those knowledge-skills, or getting Spot, Listen & Sense Motive).

3. You should think how you improve your Breath Weapon. DFA is nice for that, too, because they increase damage, get some bonus effects and have UMD as class skills. For spells that increase your Breath Weapon's effectiveness read the Guide above.

And now, something really BIG wasn't said (neither here nor in any DFA-guide I know): Multiheaded. The multiheaded-template comes from Savage Species and offers a whole new opportunity to breath-weapon-user. But it comes with a cost:
1 additional head gives you +2 HD, +2 LA and +1 LA for "every head-based special attack of the base creature, such as a breath weapon or a gaze attack." If you go by RAW, this says you gaing +2 Racial HD and +2 LA, because your base creature (Dwarf, Human, whatever) doesn't have any head-based special attack. Maybe you can talk with your DM that you take that +3 LA but not the +2 HD, so you are only off with 3 level loss for the additional head.
Why should you get another head? First, it grants some great RP-opportunities to have two heads. Second, you get some nice things, i.e. +2 Con, Improved Ini, Combat Reflexes, Superior TWF, bonus to listen, spot and search, +1 NA and AN ADDITIONAL BREATH ATTACK PER ROUND. You can blast with double damage at the same cone or blast in diffrent directions.

[MesiDoomstalker]

I don't really understand why you don't suggest Exiled Dwarfes (#320), they are much better.

If you go Breath weapons you need to think about some things:

1. Where do you get your Breath Weapon from? DFA is pretty good because it levels the damage and gains bonus effects. And see point 2.

2. What else do you want to do? Since most Breath Weapons are cones with not much range, you should go at least Off-Tank. That's another thing why DFAs are quiet good. And they get 4+ skills/level and nice class skills to do something more (like being the face of the group, or getting all those knowledge-skills, or getting Spot, Listen & Sense Motive).

3. You should think how you improve your Breath Weapon. DFA is nice for that, too, because they increase damage, get some bonus effects and have UMD as class skills. For spells that increase your Breath Weapon's effectiveness read the Guide above.

And now, something really BIG wasn't said (neither here nor in any DFA-guide I know): Multiheaded. The multiheaded-template comes from Savage Species and offers a whole new opportunity to breath-weapon-user. But it comes with a cost:
1 additional head gives you +2 HD, +2 LA and +1 LA for "every head-based special attack of the base creature, such as a breath weapon or a gaze attack." If you go by RAW, this says you gaing +2 Racial HD and +2 LA, because your base creature (Dwarf, Human, whatever) doesn't have any head-based special attack. Maybe you can talk with your DM that you take that +3 LA but not the +2 HD, so you are only off with 3 level loss for the additional head.
Why should you get another head? First, it grants some great RP-opportunities to have two heads. Second, you get some nice things, i.e. +2 Con, Improved Ini, Combat Reflexes, Superior TWF, bonus to listen, spot and search, +1 NA and AN ADDITIONAL BREATH ATTACK PER ROUND. You can blast with double damage at the same cone or blast in diffrent directions.

Lack of access to Dragon Magazine mostly. I use what I have. My build would love multiheaded if it wasnt for the fact its caster based :smallannoyed:

[Rubik]

I had a build that used a dragonborn (heart) warforged psion that used a mix of metabreath feats (for his breath weapon) and metapsionic feats.

It doesn't sound like much until you grab the Gemstone Breath power from Dragon Magic. Then you can use both types of meta feats on it, since it's a breath weapon generated by a power (Triple-Empower? Yes!). You can alternate breath weapons round-by-round to blast to your heart's content. Just boost your ML for it and augment the heck out of it for some decent-damage blasting every round for a reasonably low power point cost.

[Randomguy]

If you want a bit of a non-standard option, you could make a DMM persist cleric of Bahamut/Tiamat that persists the spell "Dragon's Breath" once a day. You can even apply other metamagic feats normally for extra awesomeness. Although, with a cleric the downside is that you have so many other options that they draw attention away from your breath weapon a bit. On the bright side, you can do a bunch of other stuff during the 1d4 rounds that your breath weapon is recharging.

The two classes that actually get breath weapons are dragonfire adept (from dragon magic) and dragon shaman, from PHB2.
Dragonfire adepts get invocations, an at will breath weapon that does fire damage (your choice of line or cone every time you use it), d8 HD, poor BAB, 4+int skill points per level, natural armour and other goodies relating to breath weapon.
Dragon Shamans get draconic auras (swift action at will buffs that affect allies in the area), d10 HD, medium BAB, 2+int skill points per level, a breath weapon usable every 1d4 rounds starting at level 4, some weak healing and a draconic adaptation, which is a nifty at will ability depending on the dragon you emmulate (like water breathing or spider climb) that you get to share with your allies at higher levels. They also get energy immunity to their breath weapon type and, at high levels, wings.

The final alternative is sorcerer, duskblade or hexblade going into dragon disciple. There's a feat that half dragons can take, either from dragon magic or races of the dragon, that lets you use your breath weapon at will every 1d4 rounds instead of once per day.

There are also some metabreath feats in races of the dragon that you should look over, and a feat you can take at lvl 12 if you're a dragon shaman to project 2 auras simultaneously.

[JaronK]

A Dragonborn gets to use a breath weapon regularly. Combined with metabreath feats and spells, you can open each fight with one terrifying breath (and then switch to something else the rest of the fight).

JaronK

[hex0]

Dragonborn and Dragon Shaman are the best options. DFA doesn't have a real breath weapon for the breath feats.

Or play a Half-Dragon Dwarf if you can buy off the LA, of course. You could go Dwarf Paragon/Barbarian/Deepwarden etc.

[Igneel]

Dragonborn and Dragon Shaman are the best options. DFA doesn't have a real breath weapon for the breath feats.


Ah, but you can change this with one of several methods.

The Dragonborn factor- Obvious choice as it grows as you gain levels, and your able to change it to a different element to augment your own Dragonfire Adept breath. Also good with the Crown of the North Winds [Dragons of Faerun?] item. Only downside is losing most beneficial base race abilities [I've heard this includes Human bonus feats?]
Power Surge [as mentioned in the DFA Guides, Dragon #313]- If your Dm allows material from Dragon Magazines this is by far one of the simplest methods. I have yet to have a Dm allow it though which is why I depend on other methods.
Other Classes that grant Breath Weapons- Another method that tends to be a waste of levels. Typically I skip this.
Metabolic Fire dragon graft [Races of the Dragon]- Expensive way to meet the requirements, but if your starting a Mid-High level game shouldn't be too hard to obtain.


I'm pretty sure [since I've asked this multiple times in the past, but I always ask the DM first] that upon obtaining a breath weapon that has a recharge that is expressed in rounds you can apply any Metabreath feat to any breath you have. So by going at least the Dragonborn/Dragonfire Adept/Metabolic Fire method you have 3 breaths you can apply your metabreaths too with two of them granting you access.

Also, I seriously don't know why I haven't thought of it before, but I love the idea of Dvati + Multiheaded now [x4 breath weapons]. :smallbiggrin:

[nedz]

You could just go Sorceror.
Take the Draconic Heratage and Draconic Breath feats from CArc and your breath weapon is effectively another spell known since you can convert spells into breath weapon attacks.
Also you can add various other breath weapon spells.
Plus you get all of the other stuff Sorceror gives you, like spells and the ability to PrC into an Arcane casting class:smallcool:

Ed: Ninja'd by another thread - what do you call that ? Ghost Stepped ?

[MesiDoomstalker]

You could just go Sorceror.
Take the Draconic Heratage and Draconic Breath feats from CArc and your breath weapon is effectively another spell known since you can convert spells into breath weapon attacks.
Also you can add various other breath weapon spells.
Plus you get all of the other stuff Sorceror gives you, like spells and the ability to PrC into an Arcane casting class:smallcool:

Ed: Ninja'd by another thread - what do you call that ? Ghost Stepped ?

Hey was that my thread that ninja'd you?! Cause I know I thought of it and posted in my thread the idea. Though by no means was I the first to think of it period. Otherwise there wouldn't be breath spells in SpC.

[hex0]

You could just go Sorceror.
Take the Draconic Heratage and Draconic Breath feats from CArc and your breath weapon is effectively another spell known since you can convert spells into breath weapon attacks.
Also you can add various other breath weapon spells.
Plus you get all of the other stuff Sorceror gives you, like spells and the ability to PrC into an Arcane casting class:smallcool:

Ed: Ninja'd by another thread - what do you call that ? Ghost Stepped ?

Go into Dragonheart Mage is what you are saying, right?

[Qwertystop]

1 additional head gives you +2 HD, +2 LA and +1 LA for "every head-based special attack of the base creature, such as a breath weapon or a gaze attack." If you go by RAW, this says you gaing +2 Racial HD and +2 LA, because your base creature (Dwarf, Human, whatever) doesn't have any head-based special attack. Maybe you can talk with your DM that you take that +3 LA but not the +2 HD, so you are only off with 3 level loss for the additional head.
Why should you get another head? First, it grants some great RP-opportunities to have two heads. Second, you get some nice things, i.e. +2 Con, Improved Ini, Combat Reflexes, Superior TWF, bonus to listen, spot and search, +1 NA and AN ADDITIONAL BREATH ATTACK PER ROUND. You can blast with double damage at the same cone or blast in diffrent directions.

Personally, I would say that if you can persuade the DM to change the LA and HD that are added, I'd go with taking extra HD instead of extra LA. They both increase ECL, but HD adds to saves, HP, and BAB. Not much for humanoid, but better than nothing.

Unless you play with LA buyoff, of course.

[Big Fau]

Really, there are two primary methods of getting a Breath Weapon: DFA and Totemist. The third, Binder, suffers a problem (can only do Fire damage with it), and the fourth (Dragon Shaman) shares that problem and has another (lower damage).

You could also do Sorcerer, but that method is terribad as far as Breath Weapons go.

[Tvtyrant]

Really, there are two primary methods of getting a Breath Weapon: DFA and Totemist. The third, Binder, suffers a problem (can only do Fire damage with it), and the fourth (Dragon Shaman) shares that problem and has another (lower damage).

You could also do Sorcerer, but that method is terribad as far as Breath Weapons go.

I think sorc is actually okay, because you can add both magical benefits like energy admixture as well as metabreaths.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Really, there are two primary methods of getting a Breath Weapon: DFA and Totemist. The third, Binder, suffers a problem (can only do Fire damage with it), and the fourth (Dragon Shaman) shares that problem and has another (lower damage).

You could also do Sorcerer, but that method is terribad as far as Breath Weapons go.


I think sorc is actually okay, because you can add both magical benefits like energy admixture as well as metabreaths.

With Dragonborn, Sorcerer becomes an awesome class for breath-weapon focused character, including fluff which is awesome. I guess you could do it via Wizard but thats just spitting in fluff's face. And that ain't cool :smallannoyed:

[Big Fau]

I think sorc is actually okay, because you can add both magical benefits like energy admixture as well as metabreaths.

Only if you are a Dragonborn, as Meis said. You can't qualify for Metabreath feats as a pure Human Sorcerer.


Metamagic is nice, but being a Blaster (especially a blaster based on Breath Weapons that are one-use only) is very poor for a Sorcerer.