Some Tips for Playing Dragon Shaman

[Grifthin]

Since Your limited to Simple weapons - what would a good weapon be for a dragon shaman ?

Also what combat related feats should I take ?

[D-naras]

Longspear is a pretty decent weapon since it's two handed, so you get 1.5 str modifier on damage and reach. If you prefer wielding a shield, a morningstar is the best choice due to it's 2 damage types.

For feats, you could either get attack of opportunity feats, like Combat Reflexes, Deft Opportunist and Stand Still, or damage focused feats, like Power Attack, Leap Attack(if your totem offers jump), Improved Bullrush-> Shock Trooper. Two more important feats for you are Entangling Exhalation and possibly Imperious Command. The first halves the damage of you breath weapon while the second forces your opponents to cower if you demoralise them in battle for 1 round and then be shaken for a second round.

[RagnaroksChosen]

I'm a big fan of morning stars and longspears as d-naras said...

However feats... Depending on what you have avalable to you there are some awsome breathe feats in draconomicon and dragon magic. I think races of dragon has some as well...

Entangling breathe is a must. I also recomend the sticky meta breath feat from dragonomicon as well as quicken metabreath(reduces the time before you can breath again).

[Gnaeus]

Are you planning to/set on playing dragon shaman 20, or is dipping other classes allowed?

Is Tome of Battle available?

[Darrin]

Since Your limited to Simple weapons - what would a good weapon be for a dragon shaman ?

If you're a kobold, try a tiny-sized Longspear + Shield. Due to Slight Build (Ex), a kobold can use the longspear as a one-handed reach weapon, which leaves the other hand free for a shield. Inside 5', the kobold still threatens with natural attacks.

If you're not a kobold... spear or longspear, and try to make a habit of setting it against charges until you can get ahold of some Steadfast Boots.

Keep a few nets, razor nets (Dragon Compendium), and lassos handy (BoED). Yeah, they're exotic and you take a non-proficiency penalty, but even with the -4 a ranged touch attack shouldn't be too much trouble for you. All three of these debuff Dex and may restrict a target's movement. Check with your DM to see if he'll allow the Dex penalty from one of these weapons to stack with Entangling Exhalation (they both entangle, but they could be considered different sources).

Buy a lot of grenade-like weapons, which do not require a weapon proficiency to throw. Tanglefoot bags, alchemists fire, acidic fire, alchemist's frost, alchemist's spark, etc. Make sure you load up on some Eggshell Grenades: Dust (Oriental Adventures, 10 GP). Ranged touch attack, target is *BLIND* for 1d4 rounds *NO SAVE*.

Buy bags of marbles (A&EG p. 24, 2 SP), flour pouches (Dungeonscape p. 32, 1 SP), and Torch Bug Paste (Complete Scoundrel p. 120, 25 GP). The marbles allow you to render any medium-sized creature flat-footed. Flour pouches can be thrown to reveal the position of invisible creatures and reduces their miss chance to 20%. Torch Bug Paste is even better, splash weapon that coats everything with a non-magical faerie fire effect, which pinpoints invisible creatures and completely negates their concealment.

Also what combat related feats should I take ?

Dragon Shamans are support characters with minimal combat ability. I'd recommend focusing your limited feats on buffing your auras and breath weapon. If you're getting into a lot of combat, you're probably doing it wrong.

Actually, there's one combat feat I might recommend: Grenadier (PHBII).

[Kaiyanwang]

Make sure you load up on some Eggshell Grenades: Dust (Oriental Adventures, 10 GP). Ranged touch attack, target is *BLIND* for 1d4 rounds *NO SAVE*.

Uh? Are you sure?

Originally posted by Oriental Adventures

Dust: A dust grenade that hits its target directly blinds the
target for 1d4 rounds. A creature within the “splash” radius of
the dust cloud (5 feet) must make a Fortitude save (DC 10) or be
blinded for 1 round.

Flashpowder: A flashpowder grenade is effective only when
thrown into a fire source, where it explodes in a brilliant flash of
light. Any creature within 10 feet must make a successful Fortitude
save (DC 10) or be blinded for 1d4 rounds. There is no effect
if the grenade misses the fire (though the grenade is ruined).

[Grifthin]

Thanks guys - I've decided to go with the initial Spear/standstill combo. The DM has allowed me a template, so I took Draconic since it fits the fluff.

My initial feats all went to the standstill combo and I will be spending the next ones on Double Draconic aura, Ability focus. That leaves 4 feats till 20 - any suggestions ?

[Gnaeus]

My initial feats all went to the standstill combo and I will be spending the next ones on Double Draconic aura, Ability focus. That leaves 4 feats till 20 - any suggestions ?

Answering might help.

Are you planning to/set on playing dragon shaman 20, or is dipping other classes allowed?

Is Tome of Battle available?

[Darrin]

Uh? Are you sure?

Yes. "A dust grenade that hits its target directly blinds the target for 1d4 rounds." The Fort save only applies to targets hit by the splash.

[Grifthin]

I'm planning on going straight shaman 20 - sorry, I missed your question

[Gnaeus]

Is Tome of battle available?

[Grifthin]

yeah, it is.

[deuxhero]

Ask your DM if you can use metabreath stuff on your breath weapon.

You could also go Dragon Fire Adapt (dragon magic) spending feats to gain auras (or DFA/DS and ask the DM to make a multiclass feat/dual prestige class)

[Grifthin]

Can't I use Metabreath stuff already ? I have the dragon subtype and my breath weapon is once every 1d4 rounds ?

[deuxhero]

Maybe I was thinking of DFA that needed cheese to get in.

[RagnaroksChosen]

you are corrct is only DFA that needs cheese

[deuxhero]

Though DFA gets infinite flyby breath cheese.

[Gnaeus]

yeah, it is.

Lots of maneuver/stance combinations could help you with Martial study/Martial Stance.

Like Shadow Garotte/Assassins Stance
Mighty Throw/Giant Killing Style
Foe Hammer/Martial Spirit
Mountain Hammer/Roots of the Mountain

That way you have a 3rd combat option that isn't breath or full attack, and the stances provide a constant bonus.

[Greenish]

The marbles allow you to render any medium-sized creature flat-footed.

Any creature without 5 ranks in Balance.

Yes why, I do like to pick nits.

[Grifthin]

Incidentally what would be the easiest way to get Attack of opportunity damage to 40-50ish ?

[Gnaeus]

4-9(Longspear +3) + 9 (22 Strength, 2 H wpn) +20-30 (Power attack +10-15, 2h wpn) +1-5 Damage aura.

Bracers of opportunity, better weapon, Giant Killing Style, buffs etc. will make it more likely to hit.

If you max your UMD, keep charisma high and get a + umd item you might be able to get +19 umd for no-fail wand use. Wands of Wraithstrike, True Strike, Divine Power, etc can let you do 40-50 AOOs and still hit stuff. Put one in a wand chamber in your longspear.

[Raiki]

I'm AFB at the moment, but Dragon Shaman does have UMD, right? If so, I have to second Gnaeus's suggestion of full UMD towards wands. Also, look into the Attune Item(?) feat. It completely removes the UMD check to use one item that you attune to (can be changed w/ 24 hours concentration). I would say that UMD would be a better fallback plan than martial study. UMD - without using a feat - gets you far more versatility than martial study/stance ever could, and what makes a better 3rd combat option than "just about anything a sorcerer/wizard/druid/cleric/wu jen/bard can do"?

~R~

[Ernir]

If power level is an issue in that game, I'd strongly suggest asking the DM about houseruling the Dragon Shaman about a bit. It simply doesn't have much punch on its own. Any of full BAB, a faster breath weapon progression, a faster aura progression, or even just Martial Weapon Proficiency would really help out. It's excellent at providing passive bonuses, but yes, you'll need something like Martial Study to get some actual ability to kill things =/

Then again, if you're playing at a table where you can take nothing but Monk levels without people turning up their noses and complaining about you sucking, nevermind, you should be fine.

I'm AFB at the moment, but Dragon Shaman does have UMD, right?

Unless there is a Totem Dragon flavor out there somewhere that has UMD on its bonus skill list, Dragon Shaman doesn't naturally have UMD. =/

[Raiki]

Unless there is a Totem Dragon flavor out there somewhere that has UMD on its bonus skill list, Dragon Shaman doesn't naturally have UMD. =/

Well damn. I guess that throws that option out the window.

BUT WAIT! If he's human, he can take the feat from RoD that makes any two skills class skills forever!

My suggestion?

Fund it.

~R~

[Gnaeus]

Even if you can't make UMD a class skill, it is still worth maxing cross class if you get charisma synergy and you have a real lack of useful actions.

[Thurbane]

My experience in playing a Dragon Shaman (my current character is a 13th level Copper DS):

If you plan to be a front line type, it's worth dropping a feat on Heavy Armor Proficiency (you could dip into another class, of course, but since so many of the DS abilities are level related, I wouldn't recommend it).

Double Draconic Aura at 12th level is basically a must have (sadly for me, it wasn't in the approved list of books for the campaign).

I've gotten a lot of mileage from the Maximize Breath and Clinging Breath Feats. I've also got good usage from Initimidating Strike.

If you want UMD as a class skill, best options are level dip + Able Learner, a dip into Human Paragon, or the Apprentice (Spellcaster) feat from DMG II.

[Grifthin]

Well I was thinking of going all out for support - so my prospective feats selection looks thus at the moment:

Level 1
Combat Reflexes, Deft Opportunist and Stand Still

I'm looking at getting the following:
Ability Focus
Combat Expertise
Improved Trip
Double Draconic Aura
Power Attack
Knockdown


Basically I'll help control movement, knock some people down, passive aura's, handle some healing etc. Gives me something to do most of the time. Ability focus is still up in the air at the moment - You guys mentioned maximize breath - what book is that from ? Also, I've decided against Medium/Heavy armor as I can't fly in it when I get my wings eventually.

[Thurbane]

Maxmimize breath is from Draconomicon. It lets you do max damage with your breath as a full round action, and adds +3 rounds to your "recharge" time. If you tend to be as unlucky rolling multiple d6 as I am, it's definitely worth grabbing.

Also, don't forget the Dragon Spirit Cincture from the MIC. Adds 1d6 to your breath, and increases the DC if you wield a weapon that does the same damage type.

Caduceus Bracers (also MIC) are great at low levels once you have Touch of Vitality, but will eventually become redundant once your ToV improves. They allow you to trade HP of healing for removal of conditions and ability damage.

Finally, the Amulet of Retributive Healing is another great trinket from the MIC - heal yourself as you heal others.

[RagnaroksChosen]

Well I was thinking of going all out for support - so my prospective feats selection looks thus at the moment:

Level 1
Combat Reflexes, Deft Opportunist and Stand Still

I'm looking at getting the following:
Ability Focus
Combat Expertise
Improved Trip
Double Draconic Aura
Power Attack
Knockdown


Basically I'll help control movement, knock some people down, passive aura's, handle some healing etc. Gives me something to do most of the time. Ability focus is still up in the air at the moment - You guys mentioned maximize breath - what book is that from ? Also, I've decided against Medium/Heavy armor as I can't fly in it when I get my wings eventually.

I highly recomend you do combat reflexes and expertise and imrpoved trip at first level...

then pick up stand still at 3rd...


imrpoved trip is amazing...