Feats for Dragon shaman (huge limitations!)

[Balor01]

Now, what I'm about to write here is canon. It is unmovable, unchangeable. Do not whine/suggest/be smart about other options/books. There are none.

With that out of the way, I'm building a lvl4 Elf Dragon Shaman. Books at my disposal are:
- Core
- Entire Complete series
- MiC
- PHB 2

I am not looking for any special role, like party face or damage dealer, I would just like to pick two feats that are useful/perhaps sinergetic for this guy.

Please give me some suggestions.

Thanks

[Giddonihah]

Well from the Dragon Shaman Handbook (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?214007-3-5-Dragon-Shaman-Handbook) It offers a few feats that meet your requirements.

Listing them for easy reference:
Leap Attack CAdv: You can get skill focus Jump for free, making the jump isnt that hard
Endurance/Steadfast Determination PHB II : make all fortitude checks
Power Attack : Hit things
Apprentice (Entertainer) DMG II : Get diplomacy as a class skill
Animal Devotion CC : Perhaps try to reflavor it to dragon theme.
Ability Focus: Eh

[nedz]

You are obviously quite aware of the limitation of the Dragon Shaman class, but what you haven't told us is what you are trying to do with this class ? In other words: What is your character concept ? Or is your concept simply: Dragon Shaman ?

A while ago I spent some time trying to do something with this class, the only concept which seemed to work was a fear based build with a possible side order of Tracking. All such tricks were based on Dragon Shamans with Intimidate (or Survival for the side order), and can be filled out with the Fear Handbook.

It's hard to come up with good feats for this class, here are some suggestions of varying value:
Their breath weapon is average, but Ability Focus[Breath] might be useful — there are a variety of other Breath weapon feats which you could take also.

Some Dragon Shamans can be turned into reasonable stealth characters, though I'm not sure what you do with said stealth ?

[Balor01]

Thanks for suggestions guys. I am building this for utter noob that is completely new to 3.5 so this approach would be correct:

"Or is your concept simply: Dragon Shaman ?"

This.

Ability Focus[Breath] sounds like the right thing and perhaps Endurance to later go into Leap attack.

[nedz]

Any idea which of the 10 colours of Dragon Shaman we are looking at here ?

[PaucaTerrorem]

COPPER! Only way to go. As much as I hate limiting an awesome, yet so unloved and mis-created class.

[PaucaTerrorem]

Any idea which of the 10 colors of Dragon Shaman we are looking at here ?

Fixed that for ya.:smalltongue:

[Balor01]

Forgot about Dragon. Its Silver.

[nedz]

Fixed that for ya.:smalltongue:

Tomata—Tomato
Colour is the Standard English Spelling, Color is the US English Spelling.

[sideswipe]

Tomata—Tomato
Colour is the Standard English Spelling, Color is the US English Spelling.

only one country in the world and their associated companies recognise "US English" as a language. the rest just put up with them saying it is. :smallbiggrin:

so its Colour. :smallbiggrin:

[Jeff the Green]

only one country in the world and their associated companies recognise "US English" as a language. the rest just put up with them saying it is. :smallbiggrin:

so its Colour. :smallbiggrin:

On the other hand, 65% of English speakers speak American Standard English, so it's 'color'. :smallamused:

[nedz]

On the other hand, 65% of English speakers speak American Standard English, so it's 'color'. :smallamused:

On the other hand, I am British, as is my spell checker, so I type Colour :smallwink:

As I've already hinted I don't think that this derail is very important, this forum normally recognises both versions of the language.

[Balor01]

It is not, but thanks for help :)

[sideswipe]

On the other hand, 65% of English speakers speak American Standard English, so it's 'color'. :smallamused:

entirely untrue. but regardless

as a silver dragon shaman, your very limited on what you can do. i think maybe (since jump is a class skill) take leap attack and power attack, improved bull rush and shock trooper. not in that order.

even with that, you are still the party healer and give all sorts of bonus effects with your auras.
you still have an area attack from your breath weapon for low level enemies.

you are not a useless class. even badly written as a class you are very flavourful. use role playing to create an interesting character.
honestly, straight vanilla warlocks are considered bad, and very sub optimal. but i had great fun and was never useless.

[nedz]

Forgot about Dragon. Its Silver.

Missed this key post amongst the noise.
Silver get Bluff, Disguise and Intimidate so you can make an infiltrator or an intimidate based build. Not as good as a Bard or Beguiler at this, but then casters.

Frightful Presence [General] (Dcn p106) might be worth considering ?
Imperious Command (DrU50) and the Never Outnumbered skill trick ( Complete Scoundrel p87) go with this.

You can also fall better than a Monk — not sure what to do with this ?

Enlarge Breath and Clinging Breath (both from Draconomicon) might be worth considering too ?

[Faily]

It's a shame Races of the Dragon and Dragon Magic does not seem to be on the list of available books for you, as flavor-wise, they provide more interesting options for Dragon Shaman (or just take 1 level Dragon Shaman for the auras, and do the rest as Dragonfire Adept... which I sadly learned was a better choice for DRAGON-POWAH! flavour).

Dragon Shaman is a really really difficult class to make work properly, because it doesn't have any real synergy with any particular prestige class, imho, it lacks skill points to become somewhat decent as well a selection of useful class skills, and its proficiences iirc aren't much to whoop about either.

I made a backup Level 4 Human Dragon Shaman for myself: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=942988
Though that one has feats from Dragon Magic and Races of Destiny.

Are you using any of the other versions of Elf? Because Constitution will be *the* most important trait for Dragon Shaman as you acquire the Breath-weapon, and a -2 racial penalty is very hurtful, especially if you are on a limited amount of good points to spread about for your stats.

Basically, it's either the suggested build above with Power Attack+Leap Attack+Shocktrooper or something else. You could do Longspear (simple weapon), pick up Combat Reflexes and Stand Still for some more battlefield control.

If you want to make a warrior, those are two suggestions that would probably work for the best.

If you want to be all about the Dragon Power-flavour, I would ask if the GM would allow Dragon Magic and Races of the Dragon to fully tap into that potential. Don't worry, it's nothing game-breaking... nothing could be with Dragon Shaman. :smallbiggrin:

[sideswipe]

Missed this key post amongst the noise.
Silver get Bluff, Disguise and Intimidate so you can make an infiltrator or an intimidate based build. Not as good as a Bard or Beguiler at this, but then casters.

Frightful Presence [General] (Dcn p106) might be worth considering ?
Imperious Command (DrU50) and the Never Outnumbered skill trick ( Complete Scoundrel p87) go with this.

You can also fall better than a Monk — not sure what to do with this ?

Enlarge Breath and Clinging Breath (both from Draconomicon) might be worth considering too ?

unfortunatly almost everything you have suggested is outlawed in the original post.
though the never outnumbered skill trick would be a good choice if you are focusing intimidate.

[nedz]

unfortunately almost everything you have suggested is outlawed in the original post.
though the never outnumbered skill trick would be a good choice if you are focusing intimidate.

Oops, missed the book list.