Help building a dragon tamer

[Corwin_of_Amber]

I would like to make a character that relies on a companion creature to do his fighting for him. Now, the obvious choice would be a druid, but I want something a bit more impressive. So I want to use Leadership and/or Dragon Cohort to create a character.

My initial idea is a Bard1/Cleric 19 with Sacred Performer and Initiate of Milil to essentially transfer all of my bardic abilities (including uses/day) onto cleric. I would be a Silverbrow Human for Dragonfire Inspiration. I had also considered using a whip with enhancements on it that debuff enemies for my cohort.

My main issues are:

I do not know of a way to acquire a draconic companion prior to 6 (with leadership).

I do not know of any other sources of cohorts than from the table with the Dragon Cohort feat.

I am not sure which dragon would be the most useful for my purposes.

I don't know any enhancements that debuff enemies in a way that aids allies in combat.

[Flickerdart]

Look up Supermount/Ubermount. These are builds that progress a single creature with multiple progressions at the same time, resulting in a powerful monster and a handler that's basically just along for the ride.

Also, Initiate of Milil doesn't advance music uses per day, so unless you waste feats on Extra Music, you're stuck doing it 1/day.

[Vaz]

Doomspeak is a brilliant feat for a Bard. Expend Bardic Music for -10 to saves.

There isn't much in the way of a Bard getting a Dragon prior to 8th, unless you count taking "Bind Vestige" Feat, and getting Naberius to "Silver Tongue" you a friendly/helpful Pseudodragon.

Most Dragon Companions don't kick off until 5th level anyway when a Paladin gets theirs, so to be a single level behind isn't that bad.

@Flickerdart; Sacred Performer does though. Dragon Mag shenanananananigans.

[thethird]

Yeah... you probably want supermount

Something like paladin 5 / Beastmaster 2 / Halfling outrider 10 / Wild plains outrider 3

Of course if you open dragon mag there can be quite a lot of cheese there...

Or scrap that and be a zentharim skymage.

[Urpriest]

I do not know of any other sources of cohorts than from the table with the Dragon Cohort feat.


The Dragon Cohort feat just lists some examples of Dragons. Any Dragon with an ECL works.

[Corwin_of_Amber]

I don't really like the Ubermount because it's all focused on combat with no utility or anything. That's why I'd be fine with a less powerful companion in exchange for some decent casting.

The cleric was only an idea, I would also consider Virtuoso/Sublime chord or some other caster base (preferably focused in buffing and utility spells).

Is there some way to get a really young (or baby) dragon at early levels that I can eventually let "grow up" and gain power via Leadership once I hit level 6?

[Fable Wright]

Is there some way to get a really young (or baby) dragon at early levels that I can eventually let "grow up" and gain power via Leadership once I hit level 6?

In short, no, because even wyrmling dragons tend to have ECLs above 5 or 6, and any way of obtaining a loyal one in that time would be rather gamebreaking.

[Vaz]

A Mist Dragon wyrmling has 1HD and 2LA, IIRC. While it's not so much to right home about, and at 6th level, the Wyrmling Steel (Loredrake/Martial Initiator) is still an option at ECL4.