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View Full Version : Can Warforged have breath weapons?



Frosty
2008-06-11, 11:47 AM
I had the idea of a Warforged Dragon Shaman (the healing isn't cut in half I don't believe from their version of Lay on Hands, which is cool) and then I realized that Warforged don't even breathe. Can they "learn" to breathe acid or fire or ice or whatever out of their mouths by taking a level of DS? It just seems wierd, but cool at the same time.

Scintillatus
2008-06-11, 11:53 AM
You could roleplay it as a component worked into your body, a device that sprays forth a cloud of acid, ignites a jet of alcohol or gasoline, etc. Or you could say "it be magic".

Skyserpent
2008-06-11, 11:54 AM
heh... I really like the idea of a Warforged opening up his faceplate to release a gout of flame or acid, honestly the mechanical aspect isn't too tough to imagine, I mean, they're magical by nature, I would imagine that the original crafter had installed some kind of mystical energy blaster component...

come to think of it, I mean, an Elf is rather slim to contain a massive acid-bladder to unleash a 30 foot stream 5 feet wide of pure ACID... Honestly it makes about as much sense as anything

Rule of Cool wins methinks...

Xefas
2008-06-11, 11:57 AM
heh... I really like the idea of a Warforged opening up his faceplate to release a gout of flame or acid...

Psh, faceplate nothin'.

Give your Warforged flamethrowers in their palms or forearms.

Scintillatus
2008-06-11, 12:00 PM
Talk to the repulsor.

Frosty
2008-06-11, 12:06 PM
So at level 19 he becomes Iron Man? (Draconic wings grants Flight at class level 19) :smallbiggrin:

Chronos
2008-06-11, 12:07 PM
"Breath weapons" are somewhat mis-named. All it really is is something dangerous spewing out of your mouth: Breath doesn't really have anything to do with it. Warforged don't normally have the appropriate body parts (which aren't particularly related to lungs) for spewing fire out of their mouths, but then, humans don't normally have those body parts, either. So if you can accept a human learning to breathe fire, then you should be able to accept a warforged learning to do the same thing.

Shhalahr Windrider
2008-06-11, 12:10 PM
A breath weapon is simply an expulsion of some substance from whatever passes for a "mouth". The ability to breathe is not required. Just ask the Iron Golem (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/monstersG.html#iron-golem).

Xefas
2008-06-11, 12:10 PM
So at level 19 he becomes Iron Man? (Draconic wings grants Flight at class level 19) :smallbiggrin:

If only there was a Warforged equivalent of the Body Pouch (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Body_Pouch,SK) feat so someone could ride around inside of you.

The best you can do now is maybe use a Savage Species subrace ritual to make yourself a Scaled One, take Body Pouch, and then have a Pixie party member use you as a robot suit.

Enlong
2008-06-11, 12:13 PM
According to the Monster Manual

"Creatures unable to breathe can still use breath weapons. (The term is something of a misnomer.)"

Ned the undead
2008-06-11, 12:24 PM
Iron golems have them, I don't see why a warforged can't.

Frosty
2008-06-11, 12:31 PM
Iron golems have them, I don't see why a warforged can't.

I understand that now, but the whole concept still amuses the hell outta me. Talk to the Repulsor...hehehe.

MammonAzrael
2008-06-11, 12:52 PM
Well I am playing a DFA Warforged in our campaign. :smallsmile:

And with the right fluff, a DFA or Warlock Warforged would make a damn good Iron Man. (The only other route is a Human Artificer and custom make the Iron Man suit as a magic item set)

Person_Man
2008-06-11, 01:10 PM
1) Awesome concept Frosty.

2) Are you wedded to Dragon Shaman? Wouldn't Dragonfire Adept (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060912a&page=2) or a Bard with the Dragonfire Inspiration (Dragon Magic) and Dragon Breath (Races of the Dragon) feats be better choices? DFA will give you the uber breath weapon and invocations. Bard would give you buffs superior to the Shaman's, the ability to sacrifice spells to breath fire, and the versatility of Bard Skills (including healing) and spells.

3) If you do go Dragon Shaman, I'd be interested in seeing your build. I've always wanted that class to work properly (like his more functional brothers the Knight, Beguiler, and Duskblade), but I've never been able to. But if you can, I'm all ears.

Frosty
2008-06-11, 01:21 PM
Well the concept of a Warforged that WORSHPS a Dragon is beyond awesome. Plus it's funny to see a Warforged's body slowly turn more and more draconic as they advance in DS (for example, a human's skin would get harder and ore reptilian as he gains natural AC like a dragon).

As for build, our group houseruled Dragon Shamans to be more powerful because as they are, they suck. Breath weapon now recharges in 1d2 rounds, breath damage gets an extra dice at all levels, and there are various equipment to help boost breath damage. DS also have FULL BAB, and can wear heavy armor if desired. The Breath Recovery feat can also be taken multiple times.

Warforged have good CON, so that further boosts the DC of the breath weapon. The idea is to make a Tank that can wipe out mooks with breath weapons and be tough enough to withstand attacks from a single big bad. With healing aura and the Lay on Hands not affected by the Warforged 1/2 healing thing, he can do quite well.

Take feats to make you tougher, and feats to help your breath weapon, and also meta-breath feats. I know there's a feat that lets your breath entangle enemies and such.

Telonius
2008-06-11, 01:39 PM
If only there was a Warforged equivalent of the Body Pouch (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Body_Pouch,SK) feat so someone could ride around inside of you.

The best you can do now is maybe use a Savage Species subrace ritual to make yourself a Scaled One, take Body Pouch, and then have a Pixie party member use you as a robot suit.

Hm. Doesn't the Warforged already have some kind of carrying pouch? I'm away from the books at the moment, but I could have sworn they do.

Admiral Squish
2008-06-11, 01:52 PM
Hm. Doesn't the Warforged already have some kind of carrying pouch? I'm away from the books at the moment, but I could have sworn they do.

I homeberewed an extradimensonal chest cavity that you could store things in. IT was 10X10, so you had to hav help to get things out of it. I had this hilarious image of a kobold living in there, grabbing things when asked in exchange for a permanently-pleasant home.

alchemyprime
2008-06-11, 01:57 PM
Body Pouch....

I beleive they had a component from Dragon 352. I only know this because I have read that issue to death for it's monsters, but it had a warforged article that included this cool component that was essentially a Bag of Holding in his chest!

Hope that helps.

kamikasei
2008-06-11, 02:04 PM
I had the idea of a Warforged Dragon Shaman (the healing isn't cut in half I don't believe from their version of Lay on Hands, which is cool)

It's a supernatural ability which cures hit point damage - it's halved. Or I'm mistaken for some reason I can't see.

The_Snark
2008-06-11, 02:27 PM
It's a supernatural ability which cures hit point damage - it's halved. Or I'm mistaken for some reason I can't see.

It isn't a conjuration (healing) effect, so I don't think it would be halved. Lay on Hands technically isn't one either, but it acts like one (damaging undead), and Touch of Vitality doesn't.

Edit- No, looking it up, it also mentions supernatural abilities. I guess not, but it wouldn't be unreasonable for a warforged dragon shaman to get a substitution feature similar to the warforged paladin, letting them repair full damage to constructs and heal half damage to living creatures.

Lord Omberous
2008-06-11, 02:31 PM
Technically, yes, and it's neat fi you RP it up. For example, I played a dragonborn warforged totemist in one campaign, and I had so many natural attacks... but it was cool to RP it up. You know, the fact that he had two tails, four claws, an a breath weapon.

MammonAzrael
2008-06-11, 02:31 PM
It's a supernatural ability which cures hit point damage - it's halved. Or I'm mistaken for some reason I can't see.

He's right. :smallsigh: The Crusader's healing works at full strength because it's an extraordinary ability.

:smallmad: Nutbunnies.

Edit: whoops, sorry.


It isn't a conjuration (healing) effect, so I don't think it would be halved. Lay on Hands technically isn't one either, but it acts like one (damaging undead), and Touch of Vitality doesn't.


"However, spells from the healing subschool and supernatural abilities that cure hit point damage or ability damage provide only half their normal effect to a warforged."

Emphasis mine.

kamikasei
2008-06-11, 02:47 PM
She's right. :smallsigh: The Crusader's healing works at full strength because it's an extraordinary ability.

:smallmad: Nutbunnies.

On the plus side, as far as I can make out, fast healing is by default an extraordinary ability and therefore the vigor aura should work at full strength for a warforged.

Also, I am male.