So I'm New To 3.5

[JNAProductions]

And I want a nice, simple class to play as. Nothing complicated. My stats are:

12
14
14
10
17
16

We're starting at level 3, and we get 500 GP plus one free magic item of 3000 GP or less in cost.

[Draconium]

Welcome to the dark side.

What kind of playstyle do you prefer? Because that will change which classes you'd find enjoyable. I just recommend avoiding a fullcaster, as they can get pretty complicated.

[JNAProductions]

Simple. I'm good with anything-the current oiptions that I hear-tell are simple are Warlock and Dragonfire Adept.

[Draconium]

Fighters and Barbarians can also be fairly straightforward, if you like being the party beatstick. The Fighter class is rather underwhelming, however, and optimizing it can actually get fairly complicated.

So, yeah, I'd go Warlock, DFA, or Barbarian for a first-time class, personally.

[Rubik]

Dragonfire adepts (http://coboard.wikia.com/wiki/The_New_Dragonfire_Adept_Handbook!) make for great first characters. Just A.) take Entangling Breath for battlefield control to slow enemies down, and B.) aim AWAY from your teammates -- and don't burn down anything important.

[ZamielVanWeber]

I am a big fan of DFA. Take the Absent-Minded Trait (if allowed), the Draconic Knowledge invocation, Draconic Aura (insight) at 3 or 6 and Knowledge Devotion at the other, stick the 16 in Int, and take the Collector of Stories skill trick. You will be able to easily identify monsters (always a boon), and Knowledge Devotion boosts the damage of your breath weapon. Also being able to have a decent roll in every knowledge check in the game is fun (at least to me).

[JNAProductions]

What book is the DFA in?

[Rubik]

What book is the DFA in?Dragon Magic.

[JNAProductions]

Okay. Here's what I got so far:

Mongrelfolk Dragonfire Adept



Strength
10


Dexterity
14


Constitution
20


Intelligence
15


Wisdom
12


Charisma
10



Invocations: Endure Exposure, Draconic Knowledge

Feats: Dragontouched, Entangling Exhalation. Ability Focus (Dragon Breath), Draconic Senses

Breath Effect: Frost Breath

So all I really need now is what magic item and what to spend my moolah on.

[Rubik]

So all I really need now is what magic item and what to spend my moolah on.A ring of sustenance is always a good choice, as you only have to sleep 2 hours per night, and you can keep watch while everyone else gets some rest. Heward's handy haversack is also a pretty good deal. Store all your goodies in there, because your Strength score is pretty average.

Or look through the Magic Item Compendium for all the stuff you can afford that looks fun.

[JNAProductions]

Thanks everyone, for your assistance!

[torrasque666]

A ring of sustenance is always a good choice, as you only have to sleep 2 hours per night, and you can keep watch while everyone else gets some rest. Heward's handy haversack is also a pretty good deal. Store all your goodies in there, because your Strength score is pretty average.

Or look through the Magic Item Compendium for all the stuff you can afford that looks fun.
Its usually not a good idea to spend approximately 90% (ring) or approximately 75% (haversack) of your wealth on a single item though.

[Rubik]

Its usually not a good idea to spend approximately 90% (ring) or approximately 75% (haversack) of your wealth on a single item though."We're starting at level 3, and we get 500 GP plus one free magic item of 3000 GP or less in cost."

[Reprimand]

I like to play warforged DFAs myself since they get a bonus to con which means more hp and higher breath DCs and they get a bunch of immunities of things players hate but DMs love like poison, paralysis, etc.

Also you get to be a fire breathing robot.

[ZamielVanWeber]

I recommend that you consider two things:
1) The Dragonborn template. Bonus Con is great for a DFA and the racial abilities beat mongrelfolk's.
2) If your DM allows it, Heighten Breath will help you a lot more than Ability Focus. Getting metabreath feats on a DFA has some issue though so your DM may not allow it.

[JNAProductions]

Okay, I'm going to buy a Haversack with money, and what item would be a good pick?

Is Dragonborn LA free, though?

[torrasque666]

"We're starting at level 3, and we get 500 GP plus one free magic item of 3000 GP or less in cost."
Huh. Missed that. Soo.... technically starting at below WBL then if the item costs less than 2200. Weird.

[Rubik]

1) The Dragonborn template. Bonus Con is great for a DFA and the racial abilities beat mongrelfolk's.Dragonborn warforged is a great combo. You only lose two points of Dex, your slam attack, and armor plating. I'd go for the wings aspect, but you can use the heart aspect to qualify for metabreath feats, if that's an issue, and you can use said feats on your dragonfire adept breath weapon.

[Reprimand]

I recommend that you consider two things:
1) The Dragonborn template. Bonus Con is great for a DFA and the racial abilities beat mongrelfolk's.
2) If your DM allows it, Heighten Breath will help you a lot more than Ability Focus. Getting metabreath feats on a DFA has some issue though so your DM may not allow it.

A lot of DMs get upset over metabreath entry though because you need a breath weapon that has a recharge rate expressed in rounds i.e. recharge in 1d4 rounds etc etc.

The easiest method to qualify would be the power surge feat from dragon magazine but a lot of DMs give you shifty looks when you try to bring out magazine sources.

Also flyby attack and if allowed strafing run from the dragonlance campaign setting is a must if you play to take wings.

[Rubik]

Okay, I'm going to buy a Haversack with money, and what item would be a good pick?Check it: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?148101-3-x-Shax-s-Indispensible-Haversack-(Equipment-Handbook)


Is Dragonborn LA free, though?It's +0 LA. It also costs a small amount of money, and it costs most races all of their racial characteristics, but warforged get to keep most of theirs, due to keeping their type and subtype.

Dragonborn is in Races of the Dragon.

[JNAProductions]

Taking Dragonborn.

[ZamielVanWeber]

Okay, I'm going to buy a Haversack with money, and what item would be a good pick?

Is Dragonborn LA free, though?

Yup. I think it costs 100 gp, but that is it.


Dragonborn warforged is a great combo. You only lose two points of Dex, your slam attack and armor plating. I'd go for the wings aspect, but you can use the heart aspect to qualify for metabreath feats, if that's an issue, and you can use said feats on your dragonfire adept breath weapon.

I am running a Dragonborn Arctic Warforged DFA currently. I ended up taking Mind for the nice senses since my DM allows metabreaths without any shenanigans and we are very close to me grabbing Blindsense.

[Reprimand]

Also if you take the blindsense invocation later on invest in an eversmoking bottle so you can tell where your enemies are while throwing cones of fire at them while benefiting from a 50% miss chance on most of their attacks.

[JNAProductions]

Keeping Mongrelfolk. I want to be living, not a robot.

[Rubik]

Keeping Mongrelfolk. I want to be living, not a robot.Ah, but warforged are living robots. You get the best of both worlds.

Also, I think dragonborn mongrelfolk lose everything you'd take mongrelfolk for, other than your ability score bonuses.

[JNAProductions]

Good thing I only took it for +4 con.

Character sheet: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=633445

[Rubik]

A picture that I found that you can use:

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/atlantica/images/e/e6/FemaleLongRangeDragonSlayerArmor.png/revision/latest?cb=20090203210238

Plenty of scales for you, though she's a bit more human-looking than is normal for a dragonborn.

[JNAProductions]

Thanks Rubik! I like it.

[Troacctid]

I would recommend a Dragon Spirit Cincture. 2000 gp item from Magic Item Compendium that increases your breath weapon damage by 1d6. If you have a magic weapon that deals the same type of energy damage as your breath weapon, it also increases the save DC by 1.

[Rubik]

If you can, you might consider taking the Ancestral Relic feat, from the Book of Exalted Deeds, especially if you think this might be a low wealth campaign. Having an item that you can sacrifice stuff to that you normally couldn't (like fountains, statues, doors, traps, and so on) would be a nice way to give yourself a major boost. Plus, you can choose something that would work well with the rest of your abilities, such as a suit of armor or a belt.

[JNAProductions]

Dragon Spirit Cincture taken. So is that a belt?

[Troacctid]

It's a wide, embroidered belt sash emblazoned with images of fire-breathing dragons.

[JNAProductions]

Cool. Also, took Banded Mail, for +6 AC. Spell failure shoulkdn't matter, since Endure Elements (my only spell) is 24 hours, right?

[Troacctid]

Spell failure doesn't really matter, but be aware that the armor check penalty will affect your initiative rolls if you're nonproficient.

[JNAProductions]

Meh. I can live with that.

[Rubik]

Instead of saving up for a +1 frost weapon, look into the Magic Item Compendium again at the weapon augment crystals. Least weapon crystals are really cheap, and they can be applied to any masterwork weapon and swapped between weapons as needed. +1 cold damage isn't much, but +1 cold damage AND +1 to your breath weapon DCs is worth quite a bit more.

[JNAProductions]

So 600 gp till I get my cold or fire crystal.

[Rubik]

So 600 gp till I get my cold or fire crystal.To make it even better, there are rules in the MIC for stacking item properties to put more than one item quality on the same item.

Basically it amounts to, "Take the cost of the most expensive item property, multiply everything that ISN'T that property by x1.5, and add them all together. Ignore the 50% surcharge for ability score boosts and certain other bonuses, such as resistance bonuses to saving throws." It gives an annotated list of everything you can add without the surcharge.

So start stacking those weapon crystal properties ASAP.

[Troacctid]

Note that Dragon Spirit Cincture does specifically require a magic weapon, so attaching a weapon crystal to a masterwork weapon won't work unless you also cast Greater Magic Weapon on it or whatever.