Hidecarved Dragon PC Entry

[Yogibear41]

Assuming I am a Half-Dragon PC that is starting with a +6 Natural Armor Bonus at level 1 (+7 if I use a feat on improved natural armor) What is the earliest level I can qualify to enter the Hidecarved Dragon Prestige class.

(It would be best if we can limit the number of classes to 2-3 before entering, my DM would probably not really like it if I tried to multiclass 2 levels in 5 different classes etc....)

[Werewalrus]

Try this: half dragon/mongrelfolk (Races of Destiny) mineral warrior (Underdark) (+4 LA total) Monk 2/any high Will save class 1/Forsaker 4/another high will save class 2. Example: Monk 2/Swordsage 1/Forsaker 4/+1 Swordsage/Incarnate 1.
If you put an 18 into Constitution (28 with racial bonuses, 34 with level and forsaker increases), at this level (ECL 13) you will have the required +12 base Will save and a +20 natural armour bonus, as long as you take Improved Natural Armour once.
You can enter Forsaker after 2 level of Monk and 1 level of another class by taking Iron Will at level 1, Great Fortitude at level 3, and gaining Lightning Reflexes thanks to the Invisible Eye (Unearthed Arcana) monk fighting style at level 2.
Take Improved Natural Armour at level 6 or 9, and whatever you want at the other level, and you are ready to enter Hidecarved Dragon after ECL 13, without any flaws, items, or cheese.

[The Viscount]

Will save alone means the absolute earliest one could enter this class would be at level 7 (with 6 1 level dips in good will classes). Pumping natural armor that high that quickly may prove difficult. What is your base race? If it's not already set, Asherati have a base +1 to start with. What are your other sources right now, so I don't mention anything you already haven't?

Instead of Forsaker 4 you can use Deepwarden 2.

[Yogibear41]

I'd prefer to avoid Forsaker, and can't use any other templates.

I Figure if I start with 6 Natural, take improved every level, take 4 levels in 3 classes with good will saves, and have a +5 amulet of natural armor, at level 12 I will only need another +4 from some class to have my +20.

So far I have found both the Disciple of the Eye that has good will saves and +2 natural armor over 4 levels, and the Shaper of Form which has +2 natural armor and good will saves.

If I could find a monk variant or something that gives natural armor that would get me into the disciple and help with the will saves.

[The Viscount]

2 Levels in dragonfire adept are also good will and give you +2 more to nat armor. If you qualify, a 1 level dip in Dragonkith is worth another +1.

[Yogibear41]

Dragonfire adept doesn't stack with any natural armor you already have though unfortunately.

[Asmotherion]

Assuming I am a Half-Dragon PC that is starting with a +6 Natural Armor Bonus at level 1 (+7 if I use a feat on improved natural armor) What is the earliest level I can qualify to enter the Hidecarved Dragon Prestige class.

(It would be best if we can limit the number of classes to 2-3 before entering, my DM would probably not really like it if I tried to multiclass 2 levels in 5 different classes etc....)

As a Dragonfire Adept, You get +2 Improvement to your Natural Armor, +1 at levels 8,13 and 18, for a Total of +5.

The Prestige Class "Green Star Adept" gives a Bonus to any existing Natural Armor you Already Have, and you can gain a total bonus of +6, so that's that.

Juggling between them and researching further bonuses, I'm sure you can figure something out.

Otherwise, just go regular "Polymorph Any Object" into a Dragon, as soon as you can handle a Dragon with 20 NA bonus. That's also an Option.


Dragonfire adept doesn't stack with any natural armor you already have though unfortunately.

*Yeah, Dragonfire Adept has some misleading text implying that it does stack, but then clearyfies that it doesn't at the end of the paragraph. Got the same mistake.

[Thurbane]

Vile Rigidity + Cancer Mage?

[Rebel7284]

Does your DM allow spells with 24 hour duration qualify for prerequisites? If yes, consider the following build:

Cloistered Cleric 3/Church Inquisitor 2/Divine Oracle 2/Sacred Exorcist 2

Have an amulet of armor +2
Cast Holy Transformation, Lesser
Cast and persist Alter Self into Dwarf Ancestor (+18 NA).

Holy Transformation expires leaving you as a dragon with +20LA all day.

Base race should probably have the shapechanger subtype to qualify for Transformation Domain

[Darrin]

There are a couple older threads that discuss entry into this PrC:

Hidecarved Dragon Thought Experiment (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?251685-Hidecarved-Dragon-Thought-Experiment)

Getting into Hidecarved Dragon Pre-Epic (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?127727-Getting-into-Hidecarved-Dragon-Pre-Epic)

[ExLibrisMortis]

Wyrmling spellhoarding steel loredrake 4/wizard 1/master specialist 1/incantatrix 3 (+2 LA bought off)
Feats: Extend Spell, Iron Will (Otyugh Hole), Spell Focus, Persistent Spell (Incantatrix)
Base Will save: +12 (fractional)
SR 16, 8th-level wizard spellcasting.

Polymorph yourself into something with 15+ NA, Persist it, and equip your amulet of natural armour. You now have +20 NA, and enough SR to make use of the hidecarved dragon's features. However, it's not scaling SR, you don't quite finish Hidecarved Dragon pre-epic, and HCD doesn't advance spellcasting.