Swarm of Dragons

[Ruethgar]

I've been struggling with optimizing an anthropomorphic murder of crows(anthro just for the ease of making it a playable character) because being a swarm of crows and slaughtering people just has this delightfully dark sense of power and omen of death vibe. However, trying to fiddle with various ways to add damage dice and effects to optimize swarm damage I came across Dragonfire Strike. And what's cooler than a swarm of crows? A swarm of dragons! Of course it doesn't keep the same omen of death feel, but come on, they are dragons.

Anthro murder of crows is still probably a good base to go off of, but what template would be best to make them dragons? Dragonspawn, Dragonborn, or Half Dragon. A good swarm of anything just doesn't sound right so I am leaning away from dragonborn despite the ease of application.

As to the class, I was thinking swift hunter with a dash of desert wind swordsage. The big question is, are there any ways to augment fire past immunity and resistance apart from spells?

Draconic Anthro Murder

Str -4, Dex +2, Con +2, Cha +2, Wis +6

Scout 1/Red Dragon Bloodline 3/Scout 2/Ranger 1/Scout 2/Moon Warded Ranger 1/Swordsage 2/Scout 2/Uncanny Trickster(Swordsage) 3/Swordsage 6

Flaw: Dragonfire Strike
Flaw: Pyroclastic Draconic Heritage(Sonic)
1st: Don't Mind Me
3rd: Improved Skirmish
5th Scout: Swift Hunter
6th: Draconic Aura Energy(Fire)
9th: Adaptive Style
12th: ?
15th: ?
18th: ?

This gets 10d6 sonic damage that automatically hits everyone in a 10ft cube when I move 20ft plus 4d6 base and maneuver boosts. It also gets evasion to combat that painful 50% increase in AoE damage taken and gets wisdom to armor twice in light armor. He starts swordsage with 3rd level maneuvers and ends with IL of 17 and two 9th level maneuvers.

[BornValyrian]

You could make a were-murder of crows glimmersking halfling or with a small dragonborn. The only problem is the LA, but if you're making a bbeg that doesn't always mean as much as a PC. Then you have both the swarm and the dragonblood subtype. You could also just take the dragontouched feat on your anthro-swarm.

[Kane0]

So like a murder of crows (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWcAAgbLyYo)?

For extra coolness, you might want templates the reflect darkness, curses and shadows instead. Undead templates could work too. I'm sure there would be something in the Underdark, Evil aligned planes or later monster manual books that would have something for you.

Skirmish would be a good way of getting that extra damage dice, thematically speaking.

[Ruethgar]

I was thinking more resident evil (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmqBoIOeU-8) than bioshock.

I had actually thought about a glimmerskin, take a halfling monk sub for a little more skirmish damage. But were-murders have a lot of RHD that can't just be bought off unless you subscribe to the possibility of level draining them away, but I would rather not make a character with controversial rules interpretations if I can help it.

For the crows, I was thinking the vampiric template from the Book of Templates Deluxe Edition(half-vampire would work as well) then vampiric bloodline, Life Drinker and Soul Eater.

For the dragons, dragontouched would work to qualify for dragonfire strike, but wouldn't change their appearance to actually be dragons, just crows that are on fire when they move, still awesome looking though.

[BornValyrian]

For the dragons, dragontouched would work to qualify for dragonfire strike, but wouldn't change their appearance to actually be dragons, just crows that are on fire when they move, still awesome looking though.

Never underestimate the power of the Reskin.

But then again, flaming crows seems crazy. Make the flames green or switch to a green/purple mist (take draconic heritage: acidic dragon) and that's a nice little horror encounter you've got there

[Ruethgar]

Pyroclastic dragon heritage to keep the typical fire thematic for a dragon but deal sonic damage to avoid the massive number of resistant/immune creatures. Can't do anything about the desert wind damage, but at least I can pummel objects with ease. I'll go with draconic and LA buy-off to justify the reskin.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I've been struggling with optimizing an anthropomorphic murder of crows(anthro just for the ease of making it a playable character) because being a swarm of crows and slaughtering people just has this delightfully dark sense of power and omen of death. However, trying to fiddle with various ways to add damage dice and effects to optimize swarm damage I came across Dragonfire Strike. And what's cooler than a swarm of crows? A swarm of dragons! Of course it doesn't keep the same omen of death feel, but come on, they are dragons.

Anthro murder of crows is still probably a good base to go off of, but what template would be best to make them dragons? Dragonspawn, Dragonborn, or Half Dragon. A good swarm of anything just doesn't sound right so I am leaning away from dragonborn despite the ease of application.

As to the class, I was thinking swift hunter with a dash of desert wind swordsage. The big question is, are there any ways to augment fire past immunity and resistance apart from spells?


https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSr6H_egMUaspyjLBVT2s_VsvClwO0fK mN4bo5gWnOTx_w9q869WQ


Hehehe, sorry I couldn't resist.

[Ruethgar]

How does the build in the OP look? Should I focus more on skirmish or is 10d6 sonic enough?

[Ruethgar]

One bump for suggestions and I leave it.

[BornValyrian]

My question is does the swarm attack count as such for purposes of sneak attack and skirmish? I mean, is it an attack if it doesn't have a roll?

[Ruethgar]

It is not a "standard melee attack", but it is still an attack so I don't see why it wouldn't qualify.

[Eurus]

It is not a "standard melee attack", but it is still an attack so I don't see why it wouldn't qualify.

Actually, if it doesn't have an attack roll, it's not an attack. If it does, it is. You can't sneak attack or skirmish with a fireball or a magic missile, but you can with a scorching ray.

[Ruethgar]

It is listed in the attack section, called an attack, said to be a non-standard attack. Looks like an attack to me. Is a coup de grace an attack? It specifically calls out sneak attack as working, but it doesn't require an attack roll. Would skirmish apply? Would boost maneuvers?

[Fouredged Sword]

You must make a 1d20 +bab roll in there somewhere to get sneak attack. A dragon's breath attack is also an attack, but not one that qualifies for sneak attack.

[Ruethgar]

Skirmish, however, has no such distinction.

[Fouredged Sword]

Actually, it is a form of precision damage, so yes it does. The rule applies to skirmish, sudden strike, sneak attack, and a few others. As a general rule of thumb, if it says "this does not work on foes immune to critical hits" you have to be doing something that could cause a critical hit to activate it.

[Ruethgar]

I can't seem to find that in my books, could you quote a page number?

[Fouredged Sword]

Rules compendium pg42. To the left of the green fire, just above the guy's mace. It calls out Skirmish as the second example explicitly, and then goes on to specify the restrictions such damage types face.

[Ruethgar]

And that would be why it is not in my books. I didn't have the rules compendium.

Edit:
It still doesn't say you need an attack roll.

Would the specific text of the ability override the text of the damage type?