Dragonwrought Kobold

[Hylas]

I've heard a couple of times that this is the most powerful race. Other than Pun-Pun, what makes dragonwrought kobolds so special?

I see that you can get a (limited) fly speed at 6th level for 3 feats, which becomes real flight at 12th level. But I haven't seen anything else in the book.

So what am I missing?

[Ernir]

The Dragon type has perks of its own, but more importantly, it enables a few shenanigans. It qualifies you for Sovereign Archetypes (Dragons of Eberron) and dragon psychoses (Dragon Magazine 313), allows you to fiddle with age categories, which again leads to high mental stats (dragons don't take age category penalties) and epic feat qualification (a passage in Draconomicon, if I recall).

In other words, the benefits are not immediately obvious by just reading RotD.

[Aegis013]

Dragonwrought changes your type to Dragon instead of Humanoid, which means you don't suffer the penalties of aging, but you still gain the benefits. Thus, a Dragonwrought Kobold can be venerable age category for -0 str, -0 dex, -0 con, +3 int, +3 wis, +3 cha. This alone makes the feat considered cheesy by most DMs. There are other shenanigans that can be taken with the Dragonwrought feat involving Loredrake, among other things that I am less familiar with, but are also considered cheesy.

[Callyn]

They are dragons, which qualifies them for a whole lot of dragon cheese along with all the kobold cheese that is out there.

[Emperor Tippy]

It give you the Dragon type. If you age is old or older than per Draconomicon page 66 you qualify to take Epic Feats.

You can't take them all but look at the Great X feats. How would you like to trade a feat for +1 to your casting stat?

Whether or not Dragonwrought qualifies you for Loredrake (and thus +2 Sorcerer levels) is debatable.

[Lonely Tylenol]

Here's what a venerable Desert Dragonwrought Kobold gets at level 1:

Abilities: -4 STR, +2 DEX, +3 INT, +1 WIS, +3 CHA
Size: +1 on attack rolls and AC, +4 on Hide checks, -4 on grapple checks, encumberance penalties
Movement: 30 ft. base land speed (but are eligible for Draconic Wings if they so choose)
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Skills: +4 Hide (from small), +2 Survival, +2 Search, +2 Craft (trapmaking)
Armor Class: +1 natural armor (plus bonuses from size and DEX bonus)

With 32 Point Buy, that means 16 DEX, 16 CON, and 20 to your casting stat with 3 points left over (or 16 DEX, 16 CON, and 18 to your casting stat with 8 points left over; enough, in fact, to have 18 to both INT and CHA right out of the starting gate, which is great if you're an Ultimate Magus or something), complete with Darkvision, a number of skill bonuses, and Armor Class benefits from DEX, size and natural armor (a Human with the same Point Buy allotment as above would have 12 AC vs. a Kobold's 15). That's a pretty good chassis for LA+0 and one feat.

Then, there's all the gouda that gets laid out on top of it, which, frankly, I don't have the optimization know-how to explain. In my opinion, the chassis alone makes it one of the best caster class options in the game (especially if you're going for a theurgic type; an arcane/arcane theurge gets double 18s on INT and CHA out of the starting gate with Desert Kobold and keeps 16 DEX/CON, and an arcane/divine theurge gets double 18s on WIS and CHA with Jungle Kobold with 16 DEX/CON). To achieve the same benefit as a Human, you'd need 52 Point Buy (and then your third mental stat would still be worse - although you'd have the benefit of being physically stronger).

[Hylas]

Oh dear.

Thank you all for your wisdom.

[kardar233]

The biggest reason not to be a Dragonwrought Kobold is that it effectively costs you two feats: one that you spend on Dragonwrought, and one that you would otherwise get by going (Silverbrow/Azurin) Human or Strongheart Halfling. In games without flaws available, that can be crippling. I know one particular build (my WarClawPalaBardLock) that goes from feat-tight to every-feat-set-beforehand by changing from Silverbrow to Dragonwrought Kobold. DWK gets you Rapidstrike in that build though, which is something few races can get you and none of them can get DFI as well.

[eggs]

Nobody's mentioned the Races of the Dragon (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a) web enhancement. It does two things that contribute:

Firstly, it gives the Kobold a unique and nifty ability (Slight Build) and three natural weapons.

Secondly, Greater Rite of Passage flat-out grants an extra Sorcerer level for a feat. No debatable interpretations or borderline rules abuse involved.

[Tokuhara]

I admit, DWK is good for Sorcerer-centric builds, but some classes (Warlock, PF Witch, Melee, Divine) where other races simply trump the DWK.

For instance:

PF Witch gets much more from Elf (Dreamwalker) than DWK. Yes, DWK has better scores, but a bonus to Sleep Spell DCs with Slumber isn't something to scoff at.

[kulosle]

Correct me if I'm wrong but can't you get 3 levels of sorcerer from being a Kobold? And isn't there a way to get those levels to be Wizard levels instead?
Well, in my opinion, the important part is Dragon Fire Inspiration. Because Bards are my favorite class.

[Golden Ladybug]

Yep, but its fairly cheesy. Using the Loredrake Sovereign Archtype, a True Dragon can change their HD from d12s to d10s in exchange for 2 Levels of Sorcerer Casting. Dragonwrought Kobolds (arguably) qualify as True Dragons, as defined by the Draconomicon, so they can have Loredrake applied to them.

After that, you take the Greater Rite of Draconic Passage, which gives you another level of Sorcerer Casting. At this point, you can become a Spellhoarding Dragon, which changes your casting from Sorcerer to Wizard, and probably some other stuff on top of that.

But yeah, Dragonwrought Kobolds are simply better at everything than everyone.

[Malachei]

Dragon type -> Alter Self.

[LordBlades]

Dragon type -> Alter Self.

Actually, due to the existence of Dwarf Ancestor, I'd rate Outsider type as better than Dragon for the purpose of Alter Self

[Malachei]

Still a huge improvement from humanoid (reptilian).

[LordBlades]

Still a huge improvement from humanoid (reptilian).
True:smallsmile:

[Alleran]

After that, you take the Greater Rite of Draconic Passage, which gives you another level of Sorcerer Casting. At this point, you can become a Spellhoarding Dragon, which changes your casting from Sorcerer to Wizard, and probably some other stuff on top of that.
You forgot the White Dragonspawn template that adds another level of sorcerer casting that can then be turned into wizard casting.

[Telonius]

It's particularly nice for Theurge builds. With Loredrake and the Rites of Passage, you can achieve no loss of caster level in the top casting class, plus 17-ish in the secondary casting class (depending on what the particular build is). Add in some Venerable shenanigans, and you have an extremely powerful, extremely versatile mage. The big drawback is that it's very feat-intensive.

[Prime32]

Other than Pun-Pun, what makes dragonwrought kobolds so special?Pun-Pun far predates the existence of the Dragonwrought feat or any of the special options for kobolds. I like to think he looks down from the omni-heavens and grumbles about how kids these days don't know how easy they have things. :smalltongue:

Also, no one's mentioned templates like Draconic Ghost or Dracolich which base their effects on your age category, where a venerable DW kobold counts as a great wyrm.

[Foreverknight]

Here's what a venerable Desert Dragonwrought Kobold gets at level 1:

Abilities: -4 STR, +2 DEX, +3 INT, +1 WIS, +3 CHA
Size: +1 on attack rolls and AC, +4 on Hide checks, -4 on grapple checks, encumberance penalties
Movement: 30 ft. base land speed (but are eligible for Draconic Wings if they so choose)
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Skills: +4 Hide (from small), +2 Survival, +2 Search, +2 Craft (trapmaking)
Armor Class: +1 natural armor (plus bonuses from size and DEX bonus)

With 32 Point Buy, that means 16 DEX, 16 CON, and 20 to your casting stat with 3 points left over (or 16 DEX, 16 CON, and 18 to your casting stat with 8 points left over; enough, in fact, to have 18 to both INT and CHA right out of the starting gate, which is great if you're an Ultimate Magus or something), complete with Darkvision, a number of skill bonuses, and Armor Class benefits from DEX, size and natural armor (a Human with the same Point Buy allotment as above would have 12 AC vs. a Kobold's 15). That's a pretty good chassis for LA+0 and one feat.

Then, there's all the gouda that gets laid out on top of it, which, frankly, I don't have the optimization know-how to explain. In my opinion, the chassis alone makes it one of the best caster class options in the game (especially if you're going for a theurgic type; an arcane/arcane theurge gets double 18s on INT and CHA out of the starting gate with Desert Kobold and keeps 16 DEX/CON, and an arcane/divine theurge gets double 18s on WIS and CHA with Jungle Kobold with 16 DEX/CON). To achieve the same benefit as a Human, you'd need 52 Point Buy (and then your third mental stat would still be worse - although you'd have the benefit of being physically stronger).


Can you be a desert and dragonwrought at the same time? It's not one or the other?

[Malimar]

Can you be a desert and dragonwrought at the same time? It's not one or the other?
Desert Kobold is a race of Kobold, Dragonwrought is a feat takeable by any Kobold. No incompatibility.

[daremetoidareyo]

I forget the page, but in the draconomicon, dragons get a +2 competence bonus to appraise checks.

[Arael666]

Dragonwrought changes your type to Dragon instead of Humanoid, which means you don't suffer the penalties of aging, but you still gain the benefits. Thus, a Dragonwrought Kobold can be venerable age category for -0 str, -0 dex, -0 con, +3 int, +3 wis, +3 cha. This alone makes the feat considered cheesy by most DMs. There are other shenanigans that can be taken with the Dragonwrought feat involving Loredrake, among other things that I am less familiar with, but are also considered cheesy.

I'm away from the books right now, but if I remember correctly having the dragon type does not make you immune to age penalties, thats a particularity of the DWK itself (I believe it was mentioned in a side table in races of the dragon), also, the entry for the dragon type in the SRD mentions nothing about age penalty imunity.

[Nifft]

Pun-Pun far predates the existence of the Dragonwrought feat or any of the special options for kobolds. I like to think he looks down from the omni-heavens and grumbles about how kids these days don't know how easy they have things. :smalltongue:

I just want to emphasize this.

Pun-Pun has nothing to do with Dragonwrought; both are merely examples of how kobolds are highly amenable to cheese.

[flappeercraft]

If you take the side of the debate that DWK are true dragons then this (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/monsters/dragonAdvanced.htm) also adds quite a bit. Keep in mind that it never says the HD need to be RHD so class levels count.

Edit: Now that I notice, it doesn't say they have to be True Dragons to apply, only a dragon and have age categories which DWK has regardless of the side you take on the argument.

[Fouredged Sword]

Yeah. Spellhoarding dragons are their own cheese. The ability to cast spells from your spellscales as scrolls allows you to spend scribing costs to get acess to scrolls of wish. Casting 30 or so wishes at level 8 or so to get +5 to all stats for a few thousand gold is unfair and the LEAST abusive cheese you can do with discout wishes.

[Telonius]

Another little-known feature of Dragonwrought Kobolds is their ability to come back to life six years after they die. :xykon:

[Ruethgar]

You forgot the White Dragonspawn template that adds another level of sorcerer casting that can then be turned into wizard casting.

You forgot that Kobold is not a Human so Dragonspawn Abomination is auto added for another potential +6 sorcerer spellcasting levels. Though depending on interpretation you might need Human Heritage to qualify which starts to get weird. Mmm ECL 2 with sorc 9 casting before classes.

Also note that while the sovereign archetypes highly suggest True Dragon requirement they only say Dragon. So all you get from True Dragon(which is the more debatable part of DWK) is the psychosis which you can honestly do without.

Edit: Oops, 6yr old thread, sorry. Can we get a lock?

So as not to bump a 6yr old thread but answer the below question. It suggests for abominations that don’t have listed bonus traits that you roll again. So three rolls on the table for roll twice gets you +6 spellcasting levels from Dragonspawn Abomination. Dragonspawn itself also gives one so 7, then 2 from Loredrake, then one more at 6 with the Greater Draconic Rite of Passage for a total of 10 sorcerer spellcasting levels without a level of sorcerer.

[lylsyly]

depends on allowing 3rd party stuff (all of dragonlance except for the DLCS). How are you getting +6? Most I can see is +5.