frightful pressence (ex) is it good for a pc?

[sage20500]

So im working on tweaking a gestalt swordsage build that ive been working on. Charisma happens to be my highest stat, and since the character is a winter unseelie fey silverbrow human, (as well as the last session ended with her punching a young blue dragon into submission at level 4) i decided to have her take levels in dragon lord because she is supposed to end up leading her own army and causing potential foes to cower before her might and legend, and dragon lords level 8 ability just really fits the concert. My question is that while looking through the draconomicon, i found the initiate of draconic mysteries prc, and the level 5 feature of that is that you get the frightful presence ex ability aura, with a scaling range based on your cha score. For a character whos story is based on discovering her draconic heritage and forming a mercenary company that thrives on the stories and legends of her exploits, is taking 5 levels of iodc to grab frightful presence a trap? The pc is doing the unarmed swordsage variant on the other side, so they will be following the monk damage die table.

Feat wise, she has the level 1 region feat for being a fear based martial character (daunting presence i think) and i was gonna take the other couple of good fear feats as well.

The character is being played in the Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil adventure, if that helps.

[Extra Anchovies]

If you can turn the Frightful Presence on and off, it could be useful. Save DCs are often kinda low for that sort of thing, but it might be good against mooks.

[sage20500]

If you can turn the Frightful Presence on and off, it could be useful. Save DCs are often kinda low for that sort of thing, but it might be good against mooks.

Its free action to turn on and off, the save dc is a will save of 10+initiate level (for me itd be 5)+cha mod.

For my character right now with no magic items to increase cha, my cha score is 23, so the dc is minimum 21 will. If i rushed the prc right now and had a +4 cha item, then when i get the ability, itd be a will save of 25ish, and the auras range is 270ft centered on my character with LOS required.

Im still pretty new to 3.5 so im not sure how high or low that is for a will save at about 10th character level.

[ericgrau]

As a rule of thumb monsters have about +1 to their saves per CR, and a group of 4 in a difficult fight are each 2 CR below your level. Reflex saves are about 2 points lower than fort & will. Note that some foes are immune to fear. Anything that's a non-action is extremely good, even if it only adds a small effect. Anything they fail their save against half the time that's a non-action is amazing. But does it work like dragon frightful presence? If it does then anything with 5 HD or more is merely shaken on a failed save (-2 to most rolls). That would still be decent since it's a non-action. If they run away and your party members don't for a non-action then that is well worth it. Broken at most tables I'd think, though giantitp people do some crazy stuff.

[sage20500]

As a rule of thumb monsters have about +1 to their saves per CR, and a group of 4 in a difficult fight are each 2 CR below your level.

So for an enemy that doesnt have a naturally high will save, theyd maje the save on around a 16- 17 or better? If the dc is 25ish right?

[ericgrau]

On average ya. It may vary by a few points up or down.

[sage20500]

As a rule of thumb monsters have about +1 to their saves per CR, and a group of 4 in a difficult fight are each 2 CR below your level. Reflex saves are about 2 points lower than fort & will. Note that some foes are immune to fear. Anything that's a non-action is extremely good, even if it only adds a small effect. Anything they fail their save against half the time that's a non-action is amazing. But does it work like dragon frightful presence? If it does then anything with 5 HD or more is merely shaken on a failed save (-2 to most rolls). That would still be decent since it's a non-action. If they run away and your party members don't for a non-action then that is well worth it. Broken at most tables I'd think, though giantitp people do some crazy stuff.

For this version of frightful presence, if they fail and have 4 or less hd they are panicked for 2d6 rounds. 5 or more is shaken for 2d6 rounds.

[herrhauptmann]

If you go this route, check Fiendish Codex 2 for Dilate Aura. Once per encounter you double the size of your aura for a number of rounds equal to your Cha mod.

Also check Imperious Command in Drow of the Underdark. The feat is intended for the Intimidate Skill, but I think it might extend to a Frightful Presence too. Check with your DM.

[ericgrau]

For this version of frightful presence, if they fail and have 4 or less hd they are panicked for 2d6 rounds. 5 or more is shaken for 2d6 rounds.
DC 25 is high so it's a -2 most of the time to nearly all d20 rolls. Often even against foes with a good will save. Pretty good as a non-action, just not broken. It doesn't hit your allies right?

Plus making commoners flee in terror whenever you feel like it sounds fun.

Besides weakening saves and attack rolls, it weakens enemy ability checks too. Any trippers in your party?