Red Dragon Wizard...what spells do I choose!?

[AzazelSephiroth]

Hey Playgrounders!

I have a question I think only your excellent minds can give me an answer to...

I am playing a Juvenile Red Dragon in a campaign coming up and I have the riddled and Spell Hoarding "templates" and Soverign Loredrake path. So I have an INT of 32, prep and cast my spells as a wizard, using my scales as my spell book, and last but not least, a Red Dragon can cast cleric spells and those from the Evil, Fire and Chaos domains... huff puff... so suddenly I have 5th level wizard casting and am totally not sure what spells to "add to my spell book".

The DM is running a homebrew system for Monster PCs and as such I will be considered a 10 level character with the standard starting wealth.

What spells are a must have for a Dragon? For an adventure in general? For a wizard/cleric/dragon? Any thoughts? Idea? :smallredface:

Thank you all so much for your help in advance!!

[Annos]

First, I loving dragons request more info on these "templates"
Seconed, METABREATH SPELLS!
Third, take a lesson from jivex and never underestimate a good illusion spell :smallwink:

[Kelb_Panthera]

Those "templates" are the sovreign archetypes from Dragons of Eberron, if I'm not mistaken.

@the op: Scintilating scales! you must be able to turn that delicious NA bonus into a deflection bonus, even if you have a decent-ish dex score. Also, seconding metabreath spells. They've got a good flavor, even if the crunch on some of them isn't spectacular.

[kardar233]

I should warn you that the Sovereign Archetypes from Dragons of Eberron (including Loredrake, which you're taking) lose the ability to cast Cleric Spells and the spells from the domains that they get access to. See Dragons of Eberron 30.

[tyckspoon]

They've got a good flavor, even if the crunch on some of them isn't spectacular.

Useful action-economy, tho, depending on what you need to achieve.. Dispelling Breath lets you area-dispel with your breath weapon, and Blinding Breath is a favorite of mine (use in conjunction with Heighten Breath. Blinding Breath uses your breath weapon's DC, not your spell DC.. and chances are 10 + 1/2 your HD + twice your Con mod is significantly higher than 10 + 4 + casting stat mod.)

If you want to gish a bit (and dragons are natural gishes, even with the Wizardly modifications from the archetypes and psychoses you've taken), take a look at Blood Wind. Lets you 'throw' all those lovely natural attacks of yours.

[kardar233]

Keep in mind: with metamagic reduction, you can make metabreath spells Persistent without having to jump through Ocular Spell's hoop. Fun times.

[AzazelSephiroth]

First, I loving dragons request more info on these "templates"
Seconed, METABREATH SPELLS!
Third, take a lesson from jivex and never underestimate a good illusion spell :smallwink:

@Annos- The Riddled and Spell Hoarding are originally from Dragon Magazine 333, I think that is the correct number- Originally called Psychosis`s they are when a Dragon is obsessed with mind games and riddles, and with the hoarding of magic and spells respectively. They give some penalties to Wis and some boosts to Int and have a few other bonuses and drawbacks- you can find them in a list of all 3.5 Templates with a good Google search if you like.:smallsmile:

I am not sure I qulaify for many meta-breath spells yet actually... I only have up to level 3 spells- so any suggestions for overall good choices from 1-3 would be appreciated!

[AzazelSephiroth]

I should warn you that the Sovereign Archetypes from Dragons of Eberron (including Loredrake, which you're taking) lose the ability to cast Cleric Spells and the spells from the domains that they get access to. See Dragons of Eberron 30.

I had not realized this! I did a double check with my DM and he is allowing me to keep my cleric casting... I may be the only "Person" in our party of monster PCs that will have access to healing in any form :smalltongue:
Thank you for the heads up! Do you have any suggestions for some good 1st-3rd level spells that would be useful for me to optimize my unique position as a strong physical and yet decent mystical presence?

[AzazelSephiroth]

Keep in mind: with metamagic reduction, you can make metabreath spells Persistent without having to jump through Ocular Spell's hoop. Fun times.

How does this work?!:smallbiggrin: And would it be useful to carry around a reserve feat? Like the healing one for unlimited healing ability for the cost of one spell slot?

[Arcanist]

How does this work?!:smallbiggrin: And would it be useful to carry around a reserve feat? Like the healing one for unlimited healing ability for the cost of one spell slot?

Recover Breath decreases the amount of time for Breath Weapons. Taking it 4 times means that you wait no time for your breath weapons to fire.

EDIT: No, I am not telling you to take 4 Recover Breaths. I am just saying that this is how you get instantaneous access to your Breath Weapon without having to wait 4 rounds.

[AzazelSephiroth]

Oh okay that makes sense, but 4 feats is a bit much even for an every round breath weapon :smallsmile: Perhaps one or two though is useful...

[Keld Denar]

Blood Wind is another good one. It is a 1st level Wiz spell, and it allows you to make your natural attacks with a range increment of 20'. That means you have Power Attack someone's face in from up to 100' away (albeit with penalties). Combo with Wraithstrike (also a Wizard 2 spell) and you can wrack up a silly amount of damage with a claw/claw/bite/wing/wing/tail combo, all with 1:1 PA (which is effectively 6:1 penalty to damage ratio). It gets even sillier if you take Improved Unarmed Strike and make iterative attacks ON TOP of your full natural attack routine, and due to the fact that UASs are natural, you also get to use it with Blood Wind.

EDIT: Basically, look for spells that are good for gishes. They are also generally also good for dragons. Things like Greater Mirror Image, Greater Blinking, Improved Invisibility, Shield, etc.

[Annos]

Can i get a page number on those templates?

[AzazelSephiroth]

Can i get a page number on those templates?

Sorry I don`t have the Magazine in front me at the moment, but its issue 313 of Dragon Magazine... or if you search for Dragon Psychosis in Google it comes up with a free pdf of all 3rd edition templates including those two.

As for the Sovereign archetypes they are found in Dragons of Eberron... page 30ish I believe. Lots of different options to change the way your Dragons function.

[Annos]

I found the templates, but i was refering to the Dragons of Eberron Templates

[Kelb_Panthera]

Did you try googling "Sovereign Archetypes"?

That's all the help I can give. I don't have DoE.

[Annos]

thx:smallbiggrin:

[ericgrau]

With caster level 5 on a 10th level character you want spells that don't consume your action. After all, a 10th level character has better things to do with his action. Buffs are nice, especially those that last a long time. Swift and immediate spells are nice too.

There are a hundred good options that fall under the above but a few examples include false life, close wounds, spell compendium's "Blade____" spells if you use weapons, feather fall and mage armor.

Additionally some spells remain strong even when used at a higher than normal character level. Especially those with low save and caster level dependence. These include web, empowered ray of enfeeblement and haste.

You can also take advantage of your ability to use scrolls, staffs and wands. Staffs and wands may be of any level regardless of your caster level.

[Arcanist]

That's all the help I can give. I don't have DoE.

Take a seat guys. I got this :smallcool: [Page 30 for the Sovereign Archtypes and Page 31 for Loredrake]

I do know of an online version of the book.

Search tags: "Sovereign" "Archetypes" "Dragons" "Eberron" "D&D" and one more that I feel would be pushing it.