I need help building a Dragon Shaman BBEG

[Frosty]

I've given Dragon Shamans full BAB in order make them a better melee class. I'm still unsure how to make one scary though for an end-of-the-dungeon boss. Breath weapon damage is pathetically low, althouhg I guess I can stack some metabreath feats. but then, it'd only be good one per battle given the long wait times.

What can I do to optimize a Dragon Shaman that is likely 2 levels above the party? He'll likely have some heavy melee backup and probably a cleric as backup. I'm aiming for CR11 for the dragon shaman.

[Prometheus]

You are definitely right about wanting minions. That's when the draconic auras will be most effective, and that should protect the BBEG sufficiently to make it a satisfying fight.

I think there is a Spell Compendium spell (or two) that enhances breath weapons. Maybe he could have a magic item version of it.

Finally MULTIPLE FORMS. If the characters defeat the BBEG handedly, or even if they don't, have his huddle corpse subsequently expand into an enormous dragon with wrath proportional to its age (maybe this takes a full action, in which the players can buff/heal themselves but can't attack the emerging form). No one can argue that dragons are weaker than their CR.

[Dode]

Stat-buy system? Books allowed?

[Dode]

1: Make one of those minions a summoner, taking advantage of the Shaman's instant buffing aura.
2: Be sure to submerge part of the BBEG arena underwater/ summon underwater minions, as this build has a tremendous advantage underwater.
3: Also, that Entangling Exhalation is a great battlefield controller, since the BBEG's breath weapon is kind of useless as is.


Str: 8 Dex: 12 Con: 20 Int: 12 Wis: 12 Cha: 16
BAB: +9/+1 Fort: +13 Ref: +5 Will: +9
HP: 130 (6d10+60)
AC: 25 (34 with Combat Expertise)
Immunities: Acid, Paralysis, Sleep
Totem Dragon: Black
Totem Ability: Water Breathing, Line of Acid,
Alternate Class Feature: Draconic Invocation (Allows use of dragonfire adept invocation that replaces an aura, Dragon Magic)

Invocation: Aquatic Invocation (Use breath weapon underwater)

Feats:
1st: Armor Proficiency (Heavy), Combat Expertise
3rd:
6th: Improved Combat Expertise
8th: Skill Focus (Swim)
9th: Entangling Exhalation (Races of the Dragon)
12: Double Draconic Aura (Dragon Magic)

Auras: Energy Shield, Power, Resistance, Swiftness, Toughness, Vigor

Natural Armor +1
Amulet of Natural Armor +1
+1 full plate
+1 heavy shield
+1 Ring of Deflection

[Miles Invictus]

Apply the Half-Dragon template without adjusting CR or LA, and allow it to apply metabreath effects without increasing the recharge time. You're the DM; you have the right to cheat if it makes for an awesome encounter.

[CASTLEMIKE]

Instead of best BAB what about gestalting the BBEG Shaman with Divine Mind from Complete Psionic for a slight powerup or Favored Soul or Battle Sorcerer or Warlock for a little more?

A single level dip into Marshal -1 for a Minor Motivate Aura could be useful.

[Reinboom]

if ((Minions >= 2) && (Level >= 12)) {
get Feat("Double Draconic Aura");
}

Yeah.. I realize you said CR11, but, 1 level boost in this situation will make a huge difference.

Also, make sure, as a BBEG, the thing isn't very prone to a lot of 'win'.
Make sure it has resistance, a way to resist mind affecting..

Know your party as well.

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

Apply the Half-Dragon template without adjusting CR or LA, and allow it to apply metabreath effects without increasing the recharge time. You're the DM; you have the right to cheat if it makes for an awesome encounter.Sure, you have the right to CR things however you want, but in the end you're basically just shorting your players XP for no reason. I say if it's an awesome encounter, do it, and then reward your players properly for defeating said awesome encounter.

[Dode]

Noone likes my amphibious armor tank build?

[Admiral Squish]

ECL 11? You don't need dragon shaman for an awesome encounter (though you can add it if you want). Half-dragon, of whatever sort you want. Dragon Breath feat at level six (Races of the Dragon) lets you breathe 6d8 every 1d4 rounds with a greater range that dragon shaman's normal breath.

Eight level of dragon shaman might be good for you, though, on top of that. Especially if your totem is different than your heritage. Keeps them guessing, and if you can swing a different countdown for each breath weapon, you'll be really pumping out the damage. Get Vigor, Energy Shield, and and Resistance for sure. If you pick something with water breathing, go with the above suggestion for the invocation.

[MelkorsHalo]

Noone likes my amphibious armor tank build?

I rather like it. I may have to steal it for later use in my campaign's Tiamat cult.

[Frosty]

I may steal that build later. The session happened. I added a cleric and a 10-headed Hydra as support. Their purpose was to waste the spellpoints of the party before the corpse of the shaman transforms into an Adult White Dragon. That's where we stopped, right at the transformation. They are low on spells, but good on HP. They do have a few potions that restore spell points, but these ones are kind of like super-stims. They'll do great things in the short term, and then after a while the side effects kick in and kicks you in the balls. It will be fun to see a Warblade, Black Dragon Shaman, Beguiler (UMD whore), and Wizard take care of this fight low spellpoints.

[Miles Invictus]

Sure, you have the right to CR things however you want, but in the end you're basically just shorting your players XP for no reason. I say if it's an awesome encounter, do it, and then reward your players properly for defeating said awesome encounter.

I agree, but he specifically asked for a CR 11 creature. Both the Half Dragon and Dragon Shaman class are considered underpowered, so I figure it's still a fair approximation of a CR 11 character. Not to mention, by 11th level you can buy off a level of Half Dragon LA, suggesting that it shouldn't add more than 1 to CR anyway.

In retrospect, though, the free metabreath is a bit much -- that should be worth +1 CR, at the very least.

[Frosty]

What I did was I gave the BBEG an item that, as a swift action, allows a Dragon Shaman to take Con damage in order to up the damage of his breath weapon. With a cleric as backup, and the ability to deal ability damage themselves with Touch of Vitality, it worked out ok.