Breath Weapon Optimization (3.5)

[paranoidbox]

I had a bit of a poke around but I couldn't entirely find what I was looking for. The problem is I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for, so... I thought I'd ask here!

Are there ways to optimize a breath weapon with the following restrictions:
- the game uses a somewhat adapted E6 system,
- the character is a sorcerer and I will not be able to take extra levels in order to dip into other classes or take PrC's,
- the Breath Weapon is gained through the Draconic Breath feat (but other sources of breath weapons would be nice, too),
- the sources allowed are Core, SpC, MIC, Completes, Environments, and Races. (Sadly, no Draconomicon.)

Ways to optimize could include feats, spells of up to 5th level, or magic items. I already have the Dragon Cincture in mind, so that's a given.

Is there anything else I could do?

[Kraken]

Have you considered being a dragonborn (Races of the Dragon)? The damage won't be as good, but you can use it an unlimited number of times. The Spell Compendium has a ton of breath weapon enhancing spells, such as stunning breath and blinding breath. Scan the transmutation and necromancy schools in each level of the sorc/wiz list in the Spell Compendium, I believe that's where all the enhancement spells would be. I believe conjuration also has a few spells that grant you various kinds of breath weapons for a short duration.

[ShurikVch]

If you get a Half-Dragon template, then at 6th level you may take Dragon Breath feat (Races of the Dragon), which allow you to breath as often as a "normal" Dragon

Also, take note of Entangling Exhalation and Exhaled Barrier from the same book

[paranoidbox]

Sorry, I should probably have mentioned my character is a human. I cannot change my race any more since this is an ongoing campaign.

I have checked out the breath weapon spells in the SpC and the feats in RoD, but I was kind of underwhelmed by most of it. Not much of a problem, seeing as our game is bordering on low-op these days, but I would have liked a little more... more.

[Kraken]

Dragonborn isn't a race, it's an acquired template. There's a small GP cost to undergo the ritual, and you'd lose your human bonus feat and skill points unfortunately. Not a great trade, human is a very poor lead-in to dragonborn. Within those source books, I can't think of any other options for you.

[ShurikVch]

How about the Half-Dragon Savage Progression (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030912a)?
I dunno how it may work in E6, so ask your DM

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Consider getting the feat Entangling Exhalation in Races of the Dragon, which turns your breath weapon into an AoE debuff.

If you can get a specific feat from another book allowed, then use the Ancestral Relic Runestaff (www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?267805-Sorcerer-Handbook#4) trick and get Versatile Spellcaster in Races of the Dragon. Put Blinding Breath on your Runestaff, and you can spend two 3rd level Sorcerer spell slots to cast it. That spell is the absolute best way to improve a breath weapon, since it forces every opponent in an area of effect to make a Reflex save versus being permanently blinded.

[MisterKaws]

A single feat isn't much of a problem in E6, so you could go dragonborn of bahamut and grab that breath, it's quite strong at low levels, and that's all you're gonna do anyway. It also helps your con, so it's pretty nice for a caster.

[paranoidbox]

Dragonborn isn't a race, it's an acquired template. There's a small GP cost to undergo the ritual, and you'd lose your human bonus feat and skill points unfortunately. Not a great trade, human is a very poor lead-in to dragonborn. Within those source books, I can't think of any other options for you.

Oh, I see! I did not actually read the races sections of RoD, because I figured "hey, I'm human" but you can actually rebirth so to speak. I'm not super excited to lose the skill points (feats are plentiful in E6 so I don't particularly care about the human feat), but I guess they, too, would easily be replaced by taking Open Minded a couple of times. Thank you for pointing this out to me.

If I take the heart aspect, I guess the damage would end up being a 3D8 which is not awesome, but it would effectively be a free blasty ability.


How about the Half-Dragon Savage Progression (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030912a)?
I dunno how it may work in E6, so ask your DM

That's cool, but I guess I'd be losing spellcaster levels and I'd rather not have that happen.

As for the templates you suggested earlier, I had (again) not realized this was a thing in the races section of RoD. Sadly, I don't think we'll be working with templates right now.


Consider getting the feat Entangling Exhalation in Races of the Dragon, which turns your breath weapon into an AoE debuff.

If you can get a specific feat from another book allowed, then use the Ancestral Relic Runestaff (www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?267805-Sorcerer-Handbook#4) trick and get Versatile Spellcaster in Races of the Dragon. Put Blinding Breath on your Runestaff, and you can spend two 3rd level Sorcerer spell slots to cast it. That spell is the absolute best way to improve a breath weapon, since it forces every opponent in an area of effect to make a Reflex save versus being permanently blinded.

Entanling Exhalation is pretty cool, I had read it before but it didn't really register I guess. I'll definitely be taking that. (Though it may end up getting nerfed. Our DM thinks entanglement is OP, for some reason.)

Ancestral Relic is from BoED, right? I don't see that being allowed, really.


A single feat isn't much of a problem in E6, so you could go dragonborn of bahamut and grab that breath, it's quite strong at low levels, and that's all you're gonna do anyway. It also helps your con, so it's pretty nice for a caster.

Thanks! I just might, but I'll have to talk it over with the DM.

Thanks all for the suggestions, I'm guessing there's not much to optimize with here, so I'll make do with what I have :)