[3.5] Demoralizing your foes to the abyss and back

[Jowgen]

Dragon Shaman's are a pretty bad class in my opinion, but I hear that they can make for a decent intimidate build, so this I'm trying to come up with a build that can demoralize just about anything at ECL 8.

Draconic Dream Dwarf Dragon Shaman 7, with a charisma mod of +5.

Ranks: 10
Charisma: +5
Bluff Synergy: +2 (Synergy)
Draconic template: +2 (Racial)
Abrasive trait: +1 (untyped)
Nymph's kiss feat: +2 (Circumstance)
Draconic Presence Aura: +2 (Aura)
Beguiling Influence Invocation: +6 (untyped)
Fearsome enchantment (DotU): +5 (enhancement)
Mask of Mastery (MIC): +5 (Competence)

Total: = 40


Imperious Command feat (DotU): Demoralize causes 1 round cower, 1 round shaken
Never Outnumbered Skill Trick: 1/combat intimidate all within 20 feat
Weapon: Kusari Gama, 1-handed reach weapon

The character can demoralize anyone within 10 feet (who's HD, Wis and Saves vs Fear don't add up to at least 21) as a move action, after which they're forced to cower for 1 round and are then shaken on the next. At best, this means keeping 2 enemies on permanent lock-down while they're getting slowly murdered. Never outnumbered can serve as a panic button for when surrounded by too many foes.

My main problem with this are fear-immune enemies and Undead, which from what I gather, are Immune as all fear effects, even if caused by intimidate, are inherently mind affecting, which they're immune to.

Is there anything someone can suggest to improve on this Demoralization set-up? Something to allow for the demoralizing of fear-immune/undead enemies would be awesome, but I have little hope that there is something :smallannoyed:

[Red Fel]

Have you read the fear handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=3809)? It's delightful, really.

If you want to overcome fear immunity, Dread Witch (Heroes of Horror) is your goal. It does require some spells, and it's built around spellcasting, so you'll need a way to get those, but once you're there it's pretty awesome. Five-level PrC, all sorts of fear-based augmentations to your spellcasting, including the ability to overcome fear immunity, and that's not even your capstone. Nightmare Spinner (Complete Mage) is another great five-level PrC; at third level, any fear effect you cause also deals non-lethal damage. Both advance casting 4/5 levels.

As an aside, for more fuel, you could consider a Bard with Inspire Awe ACF (replaces Inspire Courage).

In any event, read the handbook above, and learn the escalation rules.

[Jowgen]

Have you read the fear handbook? It's delightful, really.

I'll admit I only skimmed it since it didn't seem to have much on Demoralizing specifically, and since that was to be the shtick of this character, the escalation rules don't seem like they help much in the absence of another convenient fear-inducing method. I've considered getting a frightful presence from one source or another, but the mediocre DCs and immunity following a made save seemed to crunch that idea. I did consider the mentioned prc's, but they'd require a higher level and a dependence on spellcasting, which I wanted to avoid in the spirit of trying to get the most out of the Dragon Shaman at ECL 8 for this purpose. :smallsigh: