What sort of build is dragon disciple suppose to benefit ?

[CyberThread]

So some folks are saying, before you go into dragon disciple as a melee class, dip into a spell caster class, and the bonus spells help allot. Am just curious, how does it help versus PRC's that have natural spell casting within them, that can go sometimes all the way up to level 5th casting?

[Manly Man]

Depends on which version you're using. A Pathfinder Dragon Disciple is much, much better, as they progress your spellcasting, rather than just hand out a couple of extra spells. So far as I can tell, Dragon Disciple is more of a gish prestige class than anything else, but it doesn't do all that great of a job.

[Doc_Maynot]

It can be useful with versatile spellcaster + Heighten + Sanctum + Fixed list caster to get you a few ninth slots

Due to the line "A bonus spell can be added to any level of spells the disciple already has the ability to cast." the following situation is possible. You have 1st level slots upon entering the class (which you can use to cast 2nds or 3rds thanks to sanctum)? Congrats, you have an honest to goodness 3rd level slot now, which can be used to cast 4ths...
This process can keep going until you have a full array of legit slots which you might gain bonus slots due to high ability for.

While possible thanks to later books the class was probably made for sorcerers who wanted to expand on their dragon bloodline while also being able to gish a bit.

[Runestar]

A primarily melee build with a dash of spell casting.

For example, a barbarian 4/sorc1/dragon disciple10. You use your 1st lv spells to help out with combat, like true-strike or nerve skitter. The str bonus offsets your loss of bab. But even then, it's still a pretty weak prc.

[ericgrau]

the class was probably made for sorcerers who wanted to expand on their dragon bloodline while also being able to gish a bit.
DMG says specifically not to do this.

It is as Runestar said. Primarily melee with a dash of casting. It is actually pretty good for core but splatbooks do have better stuff.

Besides hitting stuff hard, it's a way to pick up wand and staff use without losing attack bonus to your caster or UMD dip. So a gish without losing any ability to hit things on the melee side, only losing gold to fund the caster side. But with more optimization hitting things even harder is pointless.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

It could be good to finish out a Crusader 2/ Paladin 2/ Duskblade 2/ Suel Arcanamach 4/ Abjurant Champion 5/ Spellsword 1, as adding four DD levels at the end would give you additional spells/day of your highest level and some other benefits while only missing one point of BAB. You'll probably be better off using JPM in the build or just finishing with more Crusader levels instead over using DD.

Realistically, the Half-Dragon template class (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030912a) is a much better option, especially since you don't have to gain it in uninterrupted succession (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030824a). Each level of it counts as level adjustment, which you can buy off (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm) after three class levels. So go [class] 1/ Half-Dragon 1/ [classes] 3 (buyoff)/ Half-Dragon 1/ [classes] 3 (buyoff)/ Half-Dragon 1/ [classes] 3 (buyoff), and you're 10th level with no level adjustment. Since you'll be lower level than the rest of the party after buying off each point you should catch back up fairly quickly.

[Seppo87]

Monk/Sorcerer with ascetic mage maybe. It would be a standard melee build technically, but with some buffs available.

[Yorrin]

I have two builds that involve Dragon Disciple. The first is a Core-only build that I favor when that restriction is in place:

Bard8/Barbarian 2/DD 10

With your 3 natural attacks you don't really have to worry about your fourth iterative, as the natural attacks will be more accurate anyway (especially with Multiattack). And you get some good party buffs with things like Haste.

The second is similar, with a Bardbarian entry, but uses a Changeling to qualify for Warshaper:

Bard 4/Barbarian 1/Warshaper 4/Crusader 1/DD 10

Once again a(n improved) multiattack build with a great Str score and Warshaper gives you several more attacks to work with as well as a splash of fast healing. Your crusader dip can get you Thicket of Blades, or swap it out for Warblade for Iron Heart Surge. Not exactly a super-optimized build, but with a good attack routine, innate flight and self-healing, a way to hide all your natural attacks when you go into town, Pounce, a few level of bard for skills, and some low level spells it's a decent melee focused all-arounder.