Feat ideas For a Sorcerer/DragonDisciple

[ZhanStrider]

I require assistance picking my final feat for my level 18 Dragon Disciple. It's currently Sorcerer 8/DD 10. My feats are:
Lightning Reflexes, for sorc/dd's low reflex saves
Maximize Breath
Leadership
Weapon Proficiency (Longsword) because of a magic item he was granted
Unarmed Strike
Deflect Arrows
annndd help. please.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

You won't qualify for Maximize Breath with a 1/day breath weapon. The general rule for Metabreath feats (Draconomicon page 66) states that you can only take them if the time between your breaths is indicated as a number of rounds. Luckily there's a feat called Dragon Breath in Races of the Dragon which allows you to use your Half-Dragon breath attack every 1d4 rounds!

Don't waste a feat on Lightning Reflexes, there are better ways to improve your saving throws. Don't waste feats on Improved Unarmed Strike or Deflect Arrows either, there are items and spells you should be using instead. If you really want to keep Improved Unarmed Strike, wear a Monk's Belt to add your Wisdom bonus to your AC just like a Monk, and take the feat Ascetic Mage in Complete Adventurer to switch that to adding your Charisma bonus to your AC instead.

You would be better off just taking the Half-Dragon template (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/halfDragon.htm) and buying off (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm) the +3 LA.

Use the Half-Dragon Template Class (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030912a), each level of it is basically a point of the normal +3 LA. You don't have to take all three levels at once (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030824a).

Start out Half-Dragon 1/ Sorcerer 3, buy off that +1 LA for 3,000 xp. Spend your next level on the second point of Half-Dragon, then after three more class levels (Sorcerer 3/ Half-Dragon 1/ Sorcerer +3) you can buy that one off for 6,000 xp. Spend your next level on the third and final point of Half-Dragon, then after three more class levels (Sorcerer 6/ Half-Dragon 1/ Sorcerer +3) you can buy that one off for 9,000 xp. You'll start play at level 16, and be 1,000 xp away from reaching level 17, assuming the party starts at the minimum xp for their current level. You can take Item Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm) (pick that longsword you love) and you'll get a 10% bonus to all current and future xp, so if you had that feat from 3rd level you would get at least 15,300 xp more, so you would only be 2,700 xp behind the rest of the party. If you have Enlarge Person + Permanency on you (costs 3,040 gp at standard rates (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#spell)) when you gain the third point of the Half-Dragon template class, you'll still gain wings and a fly speed for being large size. Your type will become dragon at that point and you'll no longer be enlarged (it only affects humanoids), but as long as you're large upon gaining that level you'll get the wings forever, regardless of what size you become.

For your character build, go something like Fighter 1/ Sorcerer 6/ Spellsword 1/ Abjurant Champion 5/ Eldritch Knight 5+, at level 18 you'll have Sorcerer 16 spellcasting and a +13 BAB, way better than if you'd taken Dragon Disciple. Spellsword is in Complete Warrior, Abjurant Champion is in Complete Mage, and Eldritch Knight is in the DMG. Use this trick (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=267805#4) if you're good-aligned to get around the limited number of Sorcerer spells known. Use that to gain 24-hour duration spells 1/day such as Superior Resistance (SC, +6 to all saves) and Mind Blank. You can also put (Greater) Luminous Armor on it, from Book of Exalted Deeds, which benefits from your Abjurant Champion class features as well. Get a Rod of Bodily Restoration (MIC) to fix the sacrifice damage that happens when that spell ends.

[Juntao112]

I require assistance picking my final feat for my level 18 Dragon Disciple. It's currently Sorcerer 8/DD 10. My feats are:
Lightning Reflexes, for sorc/dd's low reflex saves
Maximize Breath
Leadership
Weapon Proficiency (Longsword) because of a magic item he was granted
Unarmed Strike
Deflect Arrows
annndd help. please.

Assuming that this build is already set in stone, your best bet is Leadership.

If not, I strongly recommend you follow the advice in the second post. While there is nothing wrong with playing a sorcerous half dragon warrior, your HP and BAB are going to be lower than those of other warriors and your spells are unlikely to compensate for that, unless I suppose you took spells like Polymorph, which bring about their own problems.

I only bring this up because going into combat when unsuited for combat tends to result in death, which is generally considered detrimental to roleplaying.

[Blackjackg]

If you want to have fun with your breath weapon, I'd recommend the Dragon Breath feat from Races of the Dragon. It lets you use it every 1d4 rounds like a proper dragon instead of the 1/day that DD gives you.

[ZhanStrider]

Assuming that this build is already set in stone, your best bet is Leadership.

If not, I strongly recommend you follow the advice in the second post. While there is nothing wrong with playing a sorcerous half dragon warrior, your HP and BAB are going to be lower than those of other warriors and your spells are unlikely to compensate for that, unless I suppose you took spells like Polymorph, which bring about their own problems.

I only bring this up because going into combat when unsuited for combat tends to result in death, which is generally considered detrimental to roleplaying.

Ah. The feats listed already are taken. The build is set and I'm trying to pick my final feat.

[Juntao112]

Well, there's always Power Attack...

[jedipilot24]

Dragon Breath.
And see if you can beg your DM into letting you retrain your previous feats.

[ericgrau]

Well, there's always Power Attack...
Why would he want to reduce his damage? He's already at -4 to hit from sorcerer BAB (dd str boosts make up for its medium BAB).

Did you read the dragon disciple in the DMG or the SRD? Because it's getting a bit annoying that people don't read the part where it recommends against straight caster entry.

Um, I'd focus on hour/level buff spells to close the gap as much as you can and compensate for the error. That way you can wear armor too. I'd get lesser and regular rods of extend spell for that, so you don't need the extend feat. I'd dip a martial class for heavy armor proficiency asap, or at least medium for mithril full plate. Spell compendium has a lot more hour/level spells you can use, like heart of X, and a ton of swift and immediate action spells which have no S component. That means you don't have arcane spell failure for casting in armor. They're also great because they let you swing a sword and cast during the same round. Consider stoneskin and 2,000+ gp diamond dust too. Likewise cast ahead of time at dungeon entrances, not during combat.

So with all that in mind... the feat, feat, hmm.... well, practiced spellcaster would help your spells last even longer from +4 caster level, letting you pile on 50% more buffs. That's the best I can think of for now.

You can also get a battlefield control spell or two to open fights with: sleet storm or solid fog mainly because they don't depend much on your low spell save DC and caster level. Web too if you're short on spell slots. Helps shrink large crowds into more manageable chunks.

[Juntao112]

Why would he want to reduce his damage?
I assume you mean attack bonus.


He's already at -4 to hit from sorcerer BAB (dd str boosts make up for its medium BAB).p=
Well, he could always use buffing spells to increase his AB. Polymorph, for example, does wonders.

[ericgrau]

I assume you mean attack bonus.

I mean his total damage per round after everything. For him +2 damage and -1 to hit is likely to give him less damage because his attack bonus is already low and at high level a magic weapon alone makes his damage per hit already high.

In fact at level 18 it's so extreme I'd say it's a lost cause. Up to about +9 in buffs he's better off keeping the attack bonus instead of trading it away, then each point of attack bonus beyond that is worth about 2 more damage which is still trivial compared to his huge damage per hit from a spectacular magic weapon and strength. He shouldn't boost attack bonus so he can trade it for power attack, he should boost attack bonus and keep it; that will give the most damage. That feat only hurts.

Spells to increase his poor chance of hitting would be good, we can certainly agree on that. Especially hour/level or swift ones so he can stack multiple at once. Damage, hp and AC too, but at level 18 magic items already provide a lot so mostly he needs attack bonus buffs.