Making an NPC Party

[ColossusCrusher]

So, for next semester's D&D game our DM is giving us the option to help create some of the setting, as it's the old setting 500 years into the future. I decided to create a group of NPCs that my character used to work with before being reassigned to [Insert Party Gathering Device Here].

Since my character is from a draconic theocracy I'd prefer there be a bit of a draconic theme to the NPC I need help with, but it's not required.

So far I've got the following:

Human Blue Half-Dragon Critfish (my PC, the DM is allowing buyoff at 6/12/15 and keying the breath weapon off total HD instead of racial HD. I know it's not the best template but I'm going for some flavor with my cheese.).

Human Gold Half-Dragon Crusader (my backup PC in case I die)
Half-Orc Black Half-Dragon Barbarian/Warblade
Silverbrow Human Sorcerer (mostly a Mailman, although I'll be toning it down a bit since we're more or less mid-OP)

It's the last NPC I'm not sure about - I've been thinking about some sort of secondary melee who can dart behind to the enemy backline and break their casters in half, but I'm just at a loss. The group obviously has kiting problems due to its melee-centric focus and I'd like the last addition to help with that more than anything else.

So, Playgrounders, if you've got any suggestions I'd love to hear them.

EDIT: I forgot the most important thing: We're all at ECL 8 before LA and buyoff and whatnot.

[Eonir]

A Draconic Dragonborn Mongrelfolk Dragonshaman? Send your con into the stratosphere and metabreath like it's going out of style.

[ColossusCrusher]

A Draconic Dragonborn Mongrelfolk Dragonshaman? Send your con into the stratosphere and metabreath like it's going out of style.

Funny thing is my previous character was a Dragon Shaman (he's now ascended to part of the pantheon). Metabreath is awesome, but I noticed that Dragon Shamans (or at least mine, it was my first D&D character) weren't very effective after breathing, especially with the 1d4+X (does Maximize make it 4+X?) recharge rate. That 3/4 BAB really hurts on what should be a beefy melee character.

[Randomguy]

Why would a blue, black and gold half-dragon work together? Or is the setting just different like that?


It sounds like you want either something on a fast, preferably flying mount, or someone that's already fast and flying with high ranks in tumble.

For an unmounted character, a one level dip in barbarian for pounce is pretty much mandatory.

You could try a druid/Master of many forms who wildshapes into a bird, flies over the enemy casters and then self air-drops as a bear. This could also work with a wildshape variant ranger.

Alternatively you could take the wild plains outrider prestige class for the ability to full attack while mounted, and use that on a Swift Hunter ranger build. Or you could try swift hunter ranger with a level of barbarian for pounce and the whirling frenzy ACF, and do it all mounted. The mage slayer feats would be nice to have for this build, since you don't have much, if any, casting.

Both of these would work with pretty much any race. The druid/ranger might be best as a dragonwrought kobold (or dragonborn dragonwrought kobold) since strength bonuses don't matter as much with wildshape. For the swift hunter, you could just put the Draconic, dragonborn or Half Dragon template on something.