[3.5] Help with Dragoon Character

[Climowitz]

So i want to make a character that resembles Freya from Final Fatasy IX. It's main attack was called Jump, where it would leap to the skies and throw her spear while coming down. I want to imitate that power while getting advantage of the reach of spears or polearms. So i want a build with good dex, at least 14 to have at leaste 3 AoO per turn, and nice strenght to hit hard. Using the next to feats and power attack and Dragoon cheese to make a powerfull double attack. The idea is to have an enchanted Polearm, posibly a Guisarme, with Throwing and Greater Returning, so i can use it as a thrown weapon from the sky and return it to my hand as to strike at the end of the charge. If there is a Polearm that can be thrown and has reach, then i would take it.

I know i should take Dragonborn, that gets me great jump and flight in order to use some dive attack a powerful leap attack. If i go with Goliath and Half Minotaur for more strenght and more reach, i end with a -4 to Dex, so i need a 18 to start with. But i have a problem with feats and class levels as i don't know how to advance.

On your turn, before making any attack rolls, you can choose to subtract a number from all thrown weapon attack rolls and add the same number to all thrown weapon damage rolls. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The penalty on attack rolls and the bonus on damage rolls applies until your next turn.

If you charge an opponent, you may make a ranged attack with a thrown weapon as well as a melee attack with another weapon that you draw during the charge. You may use this feat only if you have a throwing weapon in hand at the start of your turn. Both attacks must be made at the same opponent, and both receive the bonus on attack rolls for making a charge. (If you kill the enemy you're charging with the thrown weapon, you complete the charge but don't get a melee attack.) You must also follow all the requirements of making a charge. If you have the ability to make multiple attacks on a charge, you may make only one attack in addition to the thrown weapon attack. You still take the normal —2 penalty to Armor Class for making a charge attack.

So far i have:

Dragonborn Half Minotaur Goliath (LA +2) with stats like this:
Str +16
Dex (Min 18) -6
Con +10
Int (Min 16) -2
Wis 0
Cha 0

Feat Rogue 1
Fighter 2
Warblade 5
Bloodstorm Blade 5
Empty 5

Feats i Need / Want:
Power Attack
Battle Jump
Leap of the Heavens
Vault
Quick Draw
Power Throw
Hurling Charge
Brutal Throw
Point Blank Shot
Combat Reflexes

So to the end of the point, can u help me with the build, class, skills and feats. Please help me, as i cant manage to get the build.

[PhantasyPen]

The Leap Attack feat (Complete Adventurer) and Power attack seem to be mandatory in my opinion...

Actually let's just build you an ubercharger, that's what a Dragoon really is anyways!

You need Pounce (Ex), Leap Attack, Power Attack, (Great) Cleave, and a Valorous polearm of some sort for double damage on a charge.

[Saintheart]

Bloodstorm Blade's Lightning Ricochet sounds like it might fit this. The trick is going to be getting iterative attacks while moving more than 5 feet ... ah. Travel Devotion, which allows you to move your speed as a swift action, though we need to get you flight with perfect maneuverability to simulate the jump. Either that or some form of swift action teleportation - Bolt Shirt, Boots of Swift Teleportation - to get you into the air.

[Zaq]

Try googling “Little Red Raiding Hood.” Hood builds are pretty much exactly this—a fascinating (and, so it seems, remarkably effective, by martial standards) set of builds based on the concept of the FF Dragoon and their jump attacks.

[Climowitz]

The Leap Attack feat (Complete Adventurer) and Power attack seem to be mandatory in my opinion...

Actually let's just build you an ubercharger, that's what a Dragoon really is anyways!

You need Pounce (Ex), Leap Attack, Power Attack, (Great) Cleave, and a Valorous polearm of some sort for double damage on a charge.

I don't want Pounce, with an attack in the air, and one on the ground is enough for now.


Bloodstorm Blade's Lightning Ricochet sounds like it might fit this. The trick is going to be getting iterative attacks while moving more than 5 feet ... ah. Travel Devotion, which allows you to move your speed as a swift action, though we need to get you flight with perfect maneuverability to simulate the jump. Either that or some form of swift action teleportation - Bolt Shirt, Boots of Swift Teleportation - to get you into the air.

Yeah after making this post i had a bit of mixing and Bloodstom Blade was a nice addition


Try googling “Little Red Raiding Hood.” Hood builds are pretty much exactly this—a fascinating (and, so it seems, remarkably effective, by martial standards) set of builds based on the concept of the FF Dragoon and their jump attacks.

Actually my first dragoon build was using that guide, but now i want the part with the throwing spear and hitting after, that is not included.

[ShurikVch]

According to the Hey I Can Chan (from the Role-playing Games Stack Exchange) - Rules for attacking an enemy mid-Jump (https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/62134/rules-for-attacking-an-enemy-mid-jump/62138#62138)
According to the rules, because landing's part of jumping, a typical creature can't jump, make an airborne attack, then land, even when making a charge

The problem is the Jump skill's anti-basketball bias. The Jump skill's check opening description details the jumping process. After adjusting the creature's Jump skill check bonus for the creature's speed and for not having a running start, that process has but two steps:

1. The creature makes a Jump skill check to travel some distance. The Action section of the Jump skill description says that

A Jump check is included in your movement, so it is part of a move action. If you run out of movement mid-jump, your next action (either on this turn or, if necessary, on your next turn) must be a move action to complete the jump. (PH 77)

Thus, generally, a creature that takes a move action to move up to its speed can make one or more Jump skill checks during that move action, adding the distance traveled during the jump to determine his distance moved during that move action.

But, as Jump skill checks are also included in the creature's movement, a creature need not take a move action to move solely to make one or more Jump skill checks if otherwise using its speed to move.1,2


2. The creature lands. Typical creatures don't have a choice. That's because

If you have ranks in Jump and you succeed on a Jump check, you land on your feet (when appropriate). If you attempt a Jump check untrained, you land prone unless you beat the DC by 5 or more.3 (PH 77)

Except for completing a jump that exceeds the creature's movement, the only way a typical creature avoids landing right after making a Jump skill check is by not making a Jump skill check. For the typical creature there's no way to increase hang time during a jump so that the jumping creature can, for example, make an attack... or dunk.

I know that's terrible, but alternative readings tend toward Looney Tunes-style gravity-defying hijinks and Mario Bros.-style double jumps.

1 If the DM allows a creature to make Jump skill checks during a 5-ft. step, remember the creature may "run out of movement" (which is, after all, only 5 ft. with a 5-ft. step) and the creature will be forced to take a move action to move as its next action to complete the jump, which is usually impossible on the same turn.
2 For example, making a charge allows movement but making a charge does not require taking a move action to move. The Rules Compendium explicitly allows a creature to make Jump checks during a charge to avoid obstacles (27).
3 An argument can be made that landing isn't prescriptive but descriptive, that this text details how landing occurs rather than mandating landing. However, under that reading, house rules must be implemented to deal with landing after a jump.

[Zaq]

Actually my first dragoon build was using that guide, but now i want the part with the throwing spear and hitting after, that is not included.

What are the prereqs on Hurling Charge? Assuming you’ve got the feat space and the prereqs aren’t wildly divergent, I don’t see why it couldn’t be slotted into a Hood build using Battle Jump, given that the main downside of Hurling Charge is the loss of Pounce and you’ve stated that you don’t want Pounce. Hood builds are pretty much still the best way to weaponize jumping on enemies.

Otherwise, yeah, as mentioned, Bloodstorm Blade is likely your best bet for getting messy overlap between thrown weapons and melee maneuvers (including charges).

[Climowitz]

According to the Hey I Can Chan (from the Role-playing Games Stack Exchange) - Rules for attacking an enemy mid-Jump (https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/62134/rules-for-attacking-an-enemy-mid-jump/62138#62138)

Lets not get full lawyer for this. Because i dont want to argue rules interpretation. My DM is okay with this, all i need is to fit everything together and make it viable. And many people here are much better at this than me. Thats why im asking for help to assign the levels and feats in order to make it viable at most of it levels.

[Florian]

Hm... The main question is: Are you willing to back-port some Pathfinder stuff?

[Saintheart]

What are the prereqs on Hurling Charge?

Quick Draw. That's why the list of feats is so long, it looks like all the prereqs are in there too.

Minor thoughts by way of gaining some of these feats without feat slots:

Combat Reflexes can be gained by:

- Serpent Armor: +3 leather, +2 Ref saves; wearer gains Combat Reflexes feat, 21,660 gp. (Savage Species)
- Intelligent Items (A&EG p139) Table 6–2: Primary Abilities and Market Price Modifiers) 10k.

If your DM is prepared to squint a lot when looking at a Domain Draught (MIC), you might pick up Point Blank Shot for free from a Domain Draught of the Elf domain. For a slightly less shady approach, pick up Catalogues of Enlightenment (PH p. 166) which gains you the granted power of a domain, even if you're not a cleric.