[3.5] Dragon Character Building

[Da'Shain]

Hey everyone. I'm about to join a game where we're all dragons sent to take over various countries/regions of Eberron. Since I wanted to try out the Psionics system, the DM is letting me play a Topaz Dragon. I've already got the build mostly worked out, and of course I'm soliciting advice or comments on it. At the moment I'm thinking he'll most likely go after the Lhazaar Principalities, but I'm also considering Zilargo as a possible target. Any suggestions on the build are most welcome, as are any suggestions as to what items he should buy (given a budget of approximately 300,000 gp).

Zarakhas, Very Old Topaz Dragon

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House Rules:
- Each character is assigned an age category by the DM based on the dragon varieties' relative power levels
- Each character gets a +4 to one attribute and a +2 to one other; all base attributes determined by MM listing for age category
- Characters get 9+CON HP per dragon HD
- All dragons get Appraise, Bluff, and all Knowledge skills as class skills; Psionic dragons get the Psionic skills as class skills as well
- Use Magic Device and Use Psionic Device are treated as the same skill; Spellcraft/Psicraft, however, or Knowledge (Arcane)/(Psionics), are not. DR/magic and DR/psionic are likewise treated as the same thing.
- Each character's dragon gains the Alternate Form special ability, regardless of whether the dragon type would normally have it or not. This ability gives them one humanoid (or monstrous humanoid, at player's discretion) and one animal (magical or otherwise) form, which is chosen at the start of the game and cannot be changed except through DM fiat. These Alternate Forms are NOT pierced by True Seeing or any other similar effect (although the highest level effects might, not sure).

Zarakhas
Male CN Huge Topaz Dragon (Water)
Init +1; Senses Keen Senses(dragon), Low-Light Vision, Darkvision 120 ft, Blindsense 60 ft Listen +37, Spot +37
Languages Common, Draconic, Argon, Aquan, Goblin, Giant, Quori, Elven, Daelkyr, Dwarven, Druidic

AC 39 (+30 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 38
HP 465 (31 HD); DR 15/psionic
Immune Cold, Sleep, Paralysis
Resist Fire 30; SR 27
Fort 23 Ref 18 Will 24

Speed 40 ft, fly 150 ft (poor), burrow 5 ft, swim 60 ft
Melee Bite +40 (2d8+11), 2 Claws, 2 Wings, Tail Slap +35 (2d6+5, 1d8+5, 2d6+16)
Space 15 ft, Reach 10 ft (15 ft Bite)
Base Atk +31; Grapple +50
Attack Options Power Attack, Frightful Presence
Special Actions Hover, Breath Weapon
Psi-like Abilities (ML 13):
2/day feather fall, 3/day fog cloud, control air
Psionics (as Egoist ML 13, saves based on INT); Power Points 205
1st - force screen, inertial armor, defensive precognition, vigor, energy ray, astral construct
2nd - ego whip, control sound, knock(psionic), energy stun, empathic transfer
3rd - dispel psionics, hustle, body adjustment
4th - metamorphosis, energy adaptation, freedom of movement(psionic), telekinetic maneuver, wall of ectoplasm, death urge
5th - true seeing(psionic), psychofeedback, teleport(psionic)
6th - temporal acceleration, retrieve, mass cloud mind
7th - personal mind blank

Abilities Str 33, Dex 12, Con 23, Int 28, Wis 25, Cha 24
Special Qualities Water Breathing/Swim, dragon immunities/traits, gem dragon resistance
Special Abilities Planar Travel, Alternate Form
Feats Power Attack, Hover, Expanded Knowledge x2(astral construct, psionic teleport), Psionic Meditation, Quicken Power, Extend Power, Maximize Power, Twin Power, Improved Metapsionics x2
Skills Appraise +32, Autohypnosis +20, Bluff +41, Concentration +30, Diplomacy +41, Disguise +27, Gather Information +16, Intimidate +43, Knowledge(Geography, History, Local, Psionics) +32, Knowledge(Arcana) +26, Listen +37, Psicraft +41, Search +17, Sense Motive +41, Spellcraft +20, Spot +37, Swim +42, Use Magical/Psionic Device +39

Breath Weapon (Su): A topaz dragon breathes a cone of dehydration that looks like a watery blast. When directed against an aqueous liquid (water or a liquid composed mainly of water), this effect evaporates one cubic foot of water per hit point of damage dealt. Each creature within the 50 ft cone takes 18d8 damage, or half that amount with a successful Reflex save (DC 31).
Frightful Presence (Ex): The ability takes effect automatically whenever the dragon attacks, charges, or flies overhead. Creatures within a radius of 270 feet are subject to the effect if they have fewer HD than the dragon. A potentially affected creature that succeeds on a Will save (DC 32) remains immune to that dragon’s frightful presence for 24 hours. On a failure, creatures with 4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Dragons ignore the frightful presence of other dragons.
Water Breathing/Swim (Ex): Topaz dragons breathe water as readily as air, and receive the Swim skill for free at 1 rank per HD.
Planar Travel (Su): Gem dragons have the innate ability to pass instantly between the Material Plane and the Inner Planes, where they often make their homes.

Thoughts I have so far:
- Swap one of the Expanded Knowledge feats for Overchannel. Can't decide which, though.
- Work another Expanded Knowledge in somewhere for Stygian Touch (CPsi p. 102). That power would be murder on a dragon's full attack, it seems to me. However, I'm not sure how often I'll ever be in physical combat, so not sure if it's worth it.
- Buy a Torc of Power Preservation. Damn, but that thing seems really really cheap for what it does.
- Ring of Mind Blank so that I can learn a better power for seventh level.

However, the process has also made me curious. How many other people have played straight MM-style dragons? How do you all go about building them? My personal view is that their skills should be as diverse as possible while still attaining heights most normal creatures can barely dream of, and in terms of feats they should be a blend of combat superiority-type abilities and metamagic (or in my case, metapsionics).

[LansXero]

Maybe this will help?

http://www.pathguy.com/dragons.htm

[Da'Shain]

It's helpful, but I already had the majority of my build done. Thanks, though; if I need to make another one that'll certainly be a useful page.