Skylord Dragonrider [3.5]

[SoraWolf7]

Hey guys,

With the local weather kicking up and just getting interested in the class, I wanted to make a Dragonrider, and with a little research, there is some synergy with Skylord.

My current build is: X Good Elf Ranger5/DragonRider2/Skylord5/DragonRider3/Ranger5

Feat Progression (Character Levels only) : 1: Mounted Combat; 3: Skill Focus (Ride); 6: Mounted Archery; 9: Spirited Charge (12, 15, and 18 Open)

Can anyone suggest a better build mix or maybe some feats and items to help me with this?

[herrhauptmann]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like you're doing a combination of archery and melee in your build. Are those for prereqs only, or are you planning to diversify?

How tied are you to the idea of being a non-caster?


If you go Zhentarim Skymage, you'd be a caster and able to get a mount based off your charisma and skymage level. It doesn't actually require being evil either, so you can still do Skylord. It will require some editing though, look at that bab progression.

You get

2 Flying feats (flyby attack, mounted archery, ride-by, spirited charge, trample).
Spell Focus. meh.
Skill Focus, which can include skill focus ride. Meh, but it's a prereq for dragonrider.
Share spells with mount.
And enlarge spell.

Requires combat casting, iron will, and mounted combat (needed for skylord and dragonrider); as well as some ridiculous skill prereqs (know:geography 2). Get iron will via otyugh hole. Combat casting is for abjurant champion too, which makes your share spells freakin awesome.

Build is something like:
Ranger 1/ Wizard 5/ Zhent skymage 4/ dragonrider 2/ spellsword1/ abjurant champ5
CL15 so 8th level spells at level 18 with bab 14. Then either Harper Paragon or Sacred Exorcist to fill the balance. Almost enough for 16 bab. :smallmad:
SE would be easier with regards to feat prereqs, but HP gives Favored Enemy: All Evil. Now just take Nemesis feat.

There's also Knight of the Flying Hunt from Champions of Valor, but that's pretty substandard.

[SoraWolf7]

Interesting. I was trying to decide whether I wanted casting or not, so I decided to forgo it to make things simpler.

Still, that looks pretty darn cool.

[herrhauptmann]

Interesting. I was trying to decide whether I wanted casting or not, so I decided to forgo it to make things simpler.

Still, that looks pretty darn cool.

*preens*
Thank you.

Alright, let's see.
There's a noncasting ranger in Complete Champion, gives you some bonus feats. You'll need them.

Is dragon magazine available? Dr326 for mounted combat style. You get ride-by attack, spirited charge, and trample.
I'd say do mounted melee rather than mounted archery. It's easier to do an appreciable amount of damage, and you won't be completely shut down by something like DR 5 or 10. You can also check for ubermount builds and work from those. For archery, just use a +1 hanks energy bow. Should cost about 16k.

For skylord, make your one exalted feat Nemesis. Choose a favored enemy, you can now find them within 60feet, which lets you identify the square. I recommend Favored Enemy: Arcanists. Check Complete Arcane ACFs.

I'd still highly recommend Harper Paragon from PGtF, even on a noncaster. You'll have to delay your Nemesis until you get Favored Enemy:Evil, but you'll be like a paladin finding all the evil people. Lead sheets won't stop you either. Mind you, this adds 2 more exalted feats to your list. :( But it also gives you an exalted companion too. :) That exalted companion might be able to be your skylord/dragonrider mount, check with DM.

Now that you've got that, the mageslayer feat tree are better options than they already were. You want pierce magic concealment, so now not only do you know their square, you ignore their miss chances from things like invisibility, blur, displacement, blink, or other creatively used spells. (Fog cloud, darkness, major image...)