Optimizing with 1 HD in an ECL 7 game.

[troqdor1316]

Ok, so here's a rather hypothetical question. In a different thread, I had the stupid but (I think) cool idea of stacking the half-dragon template on itself, once with a blue dragon and once with a silver dragon, to create an intensely conflicted kobold character with lots of opposing genetic memories and genetic alignment.

The thing is, in order to do this, the minimum ECL of the game would be ECL 7, and I would be a level 7 character with 1 class level and 6LA. So what would be the easiest way to survive the first few levels with this kind of handicap, (since I only have 1HD) taking into account that I'm effectively applying the half-dragon template twice (once with a blue dragon ancestor and once with a silver dragon ancestor) to a level 1 kobold?

Just about all official sourcebooks and Dragon Magazines are on the table, since I'm the hypothetical GM who is allowing this to happen in the first place, but try to keep the cheese to a minimum.

[Hazrond]

Ok, so here's a rather hypothetical question. In a different thread, I had the stupid but (I think) cool idea of stacking the half-dragon template on itself, once with a blue dragon and once with a silver dragon, to create an intensely conflicted kobold character with lots of opposing genetic memories and genetic alignment.

The thing is, in order to do this, the minimum ECL of the game would be ECL 7, and I would be a level 7 character with 1 class level and 6LA. So what would be the easiest way to survive the first few levels with this kind of handicap, (since I only have 1HD) taking into account that I'm effectively applying the half-dragon template twice (once with a blue dragon ancestor and once with a silver dragon ancestor) to a level 1 kobold?

Just about all official sourcebooks and Dragon Magazines are on the table, since I'm the hypothetical GM who is allowing this to happen in the first place, but try to keep the cheese to a minimum.

If you can survive to level 6 then take the Dragon Breath feat from races of the dragon, it says both of you half-dragon breath weapons are now usable once each 1d4 rounds :smallbiggrin:

[jiriku]

It's difficult to say. With +16 Strength, you might be tempted into melee combat, but your attack bonus really isn't any better than a human fighter, since you're so far behind. Honestly I'd just say hide and throw precombat buff spells. You're mostly useless in a fight, so there's little reason for you to face attack unless the players are getting mobbed by excessive numbers.

Perhaps you might consider a dragonborn kobold with the draconic creature template. This would get you two dragon types on the same kobold for a total level adjustment of +1 instead of +6.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Gradually gain Half-Dragon (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030912a), you don't have to take it in uninterrupted succession (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030824a). Each level of the template class counts as a point of level adjustment, as it gives you no hit dice. You can gain one level of the template class, then three class levels, then buy off that level adjustment (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm), then gain the next level of the template class, three more class levels, buy that one off, etc. You can have Half-Dragon twice by level 16 and eliminate your last point of level adjustment at level 19. You'll be considered lower ECL than the rest of the party for most of your career so you'll gain more experience per encounter and should keep up and eventually catch back up.

[Vaz]

It's difficult to say. With +16 Strength, you might be tempted into melee combat, but your attack bonus really isn't any better than a human fighter, since you're so far behind. Honestly I'd just say hide and throw precombat buff spells. You're mostly useless in a fight, so there's little reason for you to face attack unless the players are getting mobbed by excessive numbers.

Perhaps you might consider a dragonborn kobold with the draconic creature template. This would get you two dragon types on the same kobold for a total level adjustment of +1 instead of +6.

By ECL7, the fighter's only got 2 attacks from BAB. The only difference is from the Claws of the Half Dragon is that it can TWF and benefit from Haste etc. A Human with 19 Str (including +1 from leveling) has an attack bonus of +11/+6 while the Dragon has +13/+13. Nope, the problem is not attacking, but surviving. Against ECL7 creatures, you've got at best 20ish HP, which something like a Chimera can deal over a couple of turns with its Bite, or if it can get a full attack off, then you're in negatives. The other problem is that you miss out on 2 feats. By the time that other character has picked up his

And Draconic Creature IIRC, doesn't change your type to Dragon - that's what Half-Dragon is for.

There are plenty of ways to create the multiple personalities - low Wisdom, Madness Domains, Schism Psionic Power, etc.

[Heliomance]

And Draconic Creature IIRC, doesn't change your type to Dragon - that's what Half-Dragon is for.

No, but Dragonwrought does.

[Inevitability]

Dragonwrought kobolds qualify for epic feats. Take Epic Toughness (the CW one) and with, say 14 constitution and 1d8 HD, you have 40 HP at 7th level. That is about equal to a 7th level bard or rogue with 14 constitution.

HP problems solved.

[Segev]

A wand of False Life (CL 3) would cost 5250 gp, and would give you 1d10+3 temporary hit points per use, lasting 3 hours per use. It's not great, but it'll help a little.

If you're willing to go psion or take UPD, a djore of Vigor could be ideal. Get it as a ML 4 djore, and it will cost 6000 gp and grant you 20 temp hp per use. Only lasts for 4 minutes, though, per use.

The cost gets higher faster than linearly per ML because power trigger items require you to treat the power level as 1 greater per 2 ML over the minimum. So an ML 4 is 3 ML over the minimum for Vigor, requiring it to be treated as a 2nd level power in the cost calculation.

...perversely, that rule doesn't apply to command-activated items. So an ML 4 Third Eye Vigor which allowed a command-thought-activated 4 minutes of 20 temp hp would only be 4*1*1800=7200 gp.