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View Full Version : Dragonfire Adept... Is it worth it?



Grizzled Gryphon
2007-10-07, 04:25 AM
I am seriously thinking of playing one of these guys, but I don't know if they are really a useful class later on. Early on, they are great, with there free endure elements for the whole party, and free identify all day long, and a variety of other things. But, are they really worth it for later levels? Apparently, this game I am goiing to join is going to most probably going to go into epic (or so the DM claims), so is this really a good choice for such a high level game?

Are there some decent builds floating around that will stand up at higher levels? If so, I haven't been able to find them. So, please give me your ideas.

This guy is a first level human, and I have not rolled stats yet. I am not sure, but we may be doing a 32 point buy. I don't know. DM hasn't given me that info yet. So, lets assume that the 28 point buy is the way we are going.

The only other thing that applies here is we have to be good aligned, and the rest of the party, of course. They are a ranger, a wizard, a sorcerer, a cleric, a barbarian, and a rogue. So, perhaps I should consider being a support type. Not sure if this class is the best for that, but I have decided on this class. However, it is not written in stone, so if you have a better idea, I am all ears.

I have really wanted to try out this class, though. I have only used them as bad guys when I have DM'ed, and they were very effective. In fact, the Party grew to really HATE them. Them and Dragon Shamans.

But that is neither here nor there. I have to admit, this is a new situation for me. I usually have had a niche to fill when joining a game. The party needs a rogue, so I play a rogue. Not the case with this game. I really can play whatever I chose. Kind of nice.

So, with how effective the Dragonfire Adepts were as bad guys, I have to wonder if I can stretch that usefulness out over more than one encounter.

I could use the Dragonborn race, instead. That would give me access to the Metabreath feats. Well, if I took the breath weapon option, of course. That +2 to Con is always good, too. Especially seeing as the save DC's for the Breath Weapon of the DA is Con based.

They have good skills, too. Something else to consider. Spot, Listen, Umd, and all of the Knowledge skills? maybe a high Int would be good? UMD can always be useful.

Bad things? Lets see, poor BAB, and no armor. While the BAB thing doesn't really matter as the breath weapon is an area effect, that no armor thing can be really bad. Especially if we run into enemy archers. I have to get relatively close to the enemy for the BW to work, so enemy archers are BAD. So, what to do? I don't know of anyway to add on some armor, unless I pop a level of something else. Maybe Psion so I can have a few powers that add to AC? Or Sorcerer so I can have a few spells? Something to think about.

Well, there are some rough ideas I have. If anyone has played one of these, especially at higher levels, let me know how it went. I might just make some sort of run up and beat em up type to help out the barbarian, our lone fighter type, if this class doesn't really do well at higher levels.

Illiterate Scribe
2007-10-07, 05:30 AM
At mid-levels, the Adepts are probably better than their cousins, the Warlocks, since, as you and your players have noticed, they make excellent battlefield controllers. However, if you're going into epic, I cannot recommend them, as their class features don't scale there. Warlocks are probably better there, what with their epic feats.

PlatinumJester
2007-10-07, 05:49 AM
I've always felt that the DragonFire Adept should have a 3/5 BAB.

Grizzled Gryphon
2007-10-07, 07:03 PM
I've always felt that the DragonFire Adept should have a 3/5 BAB.

Why? There real attack is there breath weapon, and they don't need to roll for that. That would also suggest that the character had more combat like training, yet there class abilities and skills don't support that. Considering what they do, they are more similar to a wizard than anything else, as far as background goes.

What I am getting at here is, if I am taking the time to learn how to breath fire, and make all kinds of nfity magical effects happen, then learning to swing a sword would be really low on my list of priorities. Hence the poor BAB.

Armads
2007-10-08, 12:08 AM
Slow Breath + Entangling Exhalation = Win
Be sure to use Endure Exposure on your teammates so they can actually do something. At level 11, grab Chilling Fog and all your enemies die.

See also:
New Dragonfire Adept Handbook (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=780301)
Update to the Dragonfire Adept Handbook (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=933482)

Grizzled Gryphon
2007-10-08, 08:10 AM
Thanks, armads. I appreciate the links and the info about Entangling Breath and Slow Breath. I had heard they are the way to go with this class. Chilling Fog is very nice, too.