I need help with my Dragonborn in 3.5

[Spossin]

So I am making a Dragonborn for a campaign that my friend is making. I messed around with the game's rules and mechanics to try and make a Dragonborn that covers all the fields of a dragon (that being covering the Mind, Heart, and Wings for a dragon). I did this by making my original race a Raptoran to cover the wings, and my class is a Dragon Shaman to cover the breath attack. From that point I chose the Mind as the aspect I get from Bahamut. I plan on trying to build my character around only using his natural weapons, that being his claws, teeth, tail, etc. Now my question is, "What is the best way to build my Dragonborn (both item and feat wise) so that I can most efficiently use my natural weapons, with the most damage and bonuses possible?"

If anyone could help me with this that would be nice.

[TheCorsairMalac]

I've read a lot of people speaking highly of the Warshaper class for natural attack optimization, though I haven't looked into it extensively.

There is an item called the 'Amulet of Natural Attacks' that you'll definitely want to get. It lets you put traditional weapon enhancements on your natural attacks.

Also, the Multiattack line of feats is worth looking at to reduce the penalties on secondary attacks.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Consider dragonfire adept instead of dragon shaman, perhaps with a couple of levels in totemist (because incarnum is awesome) for claw attacks. IIRC, dragon shaman is T4, and dragonfire adept is T3, meaning you'll probably have a lot more to do as a DFA than you would as a DS.

[Troacctid]

Dragon shaman is T5, not T4. It's quite bad. There are a lot of good ways to make a dragon-themed character; dragon shaman is not one of them.

[Spossin]

So after reading all of this, I have decided to change my class from a dragon shaman to a dragonfire adept

[Sliver]

It's a good class. My dragonborn wafroged dragonfire adept likes it.

[Inevitability]

If you're a dragonfire adept, the first thing to do is check if Metabreath feats are ruled to apply to your breath attack. Some say they do, others say they don't.

If they do, then I suggest picking one as your 1st-level feat. Entangling Exhalation seems to be good.


Also, know you don't have to be locked into raptoran for your race. The Dragon Wings and Improved Dragon Wings feats give you exactly what it says on the tin.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

If you're a dragonfire adept, the first thing to do is check if Metabreath feats are ruled to apply to your breath attack. Some say they do, others say they don't.

If they do, then I suggest picking one as your 1st-level feat. Entangling Exhalation seems to be good.

Also, know you don't have to be locked into raptoran for your race. The Dragon Wings and Improved Dragon Wings feats give you exactly what it says on the tin.Entangling Exhalation works regardless, as it's not a metabreath feat; instead, it just applies to a breath weapon, which the DFA's defining class feature most certainly is.

[Nifft]

So after reading all of this, I have decided to change my class from a dragon shaman to a dragonfire adept

Good choice.

I'll 3rd the recommendation of Entangling Exhalation (from Races of the Dragon).

Now you have to decide which Dragonborn feature you actually want:

- Breath Weapon: not as good as your class's breath weapon, but by 6th level the range is tolerable, and you can ignore some line-based damage types (e.g.: lightning & acid) in favor of more tactical class breath weapons (e.g.: slow, thunder, force). Additionally, if you take Metabreath feats, you have two types of breath weapon to expend -- so you can lay down a long-delay breath with your Dragonborn weapon, and then keep blasting with your Dragonfire Adept weapon every turn after.

- Wings: saves you a flight invocation later, but not a big deal. Can't be dispelled and works in anti-magic zones, which might be a big deal.

- Mind: saves you a perception invocation later, but not a big deal. Can't be dispelled and works in anti-magic zones, which might be useful.

[Spossin]

Good choice.

I'll 3rd the recommendation of Entangling Exhalation (from Races of the Dragon).

Now you have to decide which Dragonborn feature you actually want:

- Breath Weapon: not as good as your class's breath weapon, but by 6th level the range is tolerable, and you can ignore some line-based damage types (e.g.: lightning & acid) in favor of more tactical class breath weapons (e.g.: slow, thunder, force). Additionally, if you take Metabreath feats, you have two types of breath weapon to expend -- so you can lay down a long-delay breath with your Dragonborn weapon, and then keep blasting with your Dragonfire Adept weapon every turn after.

- Wings: saves you a flight invocation later, but not a big deal. Can't be dispelled and works in anti-magic zones, which might be a big deal.

- Mind: saves you a perception invocation later, but not a big deal. Can't be dispelled and works in anti-magic zones, which might be useful.


I chose the Mind aspect because I am already getting the breath attack and wings for free from my class and previous race.

[Inevitability]

I chose the Mind aspect because I am already getting the breath attack and wings for free from my class and previous race.

Take Wings again! Then take Dragon Wings too! Become dragonborn seraphim! :smalltongue:

[John Longarrow]

Just remember the RP aspect. You need to be out hunting evil dragons. If not, you can loose the template. Talk to your DM about how they plan to enforce this or if they are not concerned about it.

[Spossin]

Just remember the RP aspect. You need to be out hunting evil dragons. If not, you can loose the template. Talk to your DM about how they plan to enforce this or if they are not concerned about it.


Take Wings again! Then take Dragon Wings too! Become dragonborn seraphim! :smalltongue:

Don't worry, I have the RP aspect in mind. In fact, my DM took it out of proportion to where I am now really paranoid of old men and elven women who have birds or other travelers following them. Although I am actively hunting evil in general as opposed to just evil dragons.

Hey, I wanted to have four wings originally, but my DM said "no, that is not how this works in my campaign." Sad bois