Take a look at Oterisk's excellent guide to get jist of what you want (Beasty? Blasty? Etc) And then folks can help you fine tune from there.
Why the level in viv, why human, and why barbarian over fighter?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
This is the best Dragon Disciple build I've seen played - it doesn't try to play games with martial levels because, at the end of the day, we know being a full caster (or as near as you can make it) is where its at... there's nothing you can do as a martial that you'll miss when you cast Form of the Dragon + Transformation, I promise you. Levels 1-5 are straight Sorcerer (Red Dragon Draconic in this case), then 8 levels of Dragon Disciple, then Sorcer the rest of the way, maxing out at 12.
.
Human 12th level Sorcerer (Draconic Bloodline - Red Dragon) / 8th level Dragon Disciple
Focused Study, Favored class option for Sorcerers levels 14-20
Attributes: (20 point build)
STR - 14 (+2 @ 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th & 17th)
DEX - 14
CON - 14 (+2 @ 11th)
INT - 12 (+2 @ 13th)
WIS - 7
CHA - 15 (+2 racial bonus, +1 @ 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th & 20th)
Traits:
Magical Knack
Reactionary
Feats:
1st - Eldritch Heritage - Abyssal Bloodline (Claws)
1st - Eschew Materials
1st - Skill Focus: Knowledge - Planes
3rd - Spell Focus: Evocation
5th - Arcane Strike
7th - Greater Spell Focus: Evocation
7th - Improved Initiative *
8th - Skill Focus: Intimidate
9th - Maximize Spell
10th - Toughness *
11th - Improved Eldritch Heritage - Abyssal Bloodline (Strength of the Abyss)
13th - Dazing Spell
13th - Quicken Spell *
15th - Spell Perfection: Firesnake
15th - Power Attack *
16th - Skill Focus: Perception
17th - Greater Eldritch Heritage - Abyssal Bloodline (Extra Summonings)
19th - Fly-by Attack
* Bloodline feats
Skills:
Knowledge: Planes (1st, 16th-20th)
Intimidate (1st - 20th)
Use Magic Device (1st - 8th, 13th - 20th)
Spellcraft (1st - 15th)
Fly (9th - 20th)
Perception (2nd - 20th)
At low levels the character gets all the claw attacks he could want to compliment his spells (Draconic + Abyssal) and those claw attacks remain useful throughout the character's lifespan, scaling up as you gain a bite attack, increase in damage dice, increase in strength, add flaming attacks and Arcane Strike, etc. Pile on spells like Transformation, Form of the Dragon, etc. and you won't miss those melee levels you never took.
He's a top-notch blaster and battlefield shaper depending on your spell selections and maintains full caster level progression, only losing two levels of spells over the life of the character. Let's face it, even with the strength buffs, this character is intended to be a blaster first and foremost and every level or feat you put into swinging a sword is a level or feat wasted. A couple of levels of Barbarian or Paladin might look nice in the short run, but in the long run you're putting off high levels spells that much longer, or losing out on them entirely... and there's nothing a Fighter can do that can't be trumped by a few timely Wish spells, is there?
Cross-blooded is a trap for the same reasons, so avoid it and take the Eldritch Heritage line as I outlined above. Use the later levels of Sorcerer to take advantage of the Human favored class option to expand his spell list. If you have any questions at all, just let me know.
Are you sure human is the best race for that build? It looks like half-elf could get you that free skill focus feat, and have other good elf-y stuff (immunity to sleep, for example).
As a Half-Elf you get a Skill Focus feat for free. As a Human taking Focused Study, you get THREE Skill Focus Feats for free, one at 1st, one at 8th and another at 16th.
The Human favored class option for Sorcerers allows you to gain additional spells known with every level. I choose to take the bonus hit points at levels 1st through 5th, but 13th through 20th you're adding high level spells to your repitoire.
I also forgot to add that at higher levels, when you cast Summon Monster VIII or Summon Monster IX to get demons and devils, you get them at a 2-for-1 bonus. Summoning a pair of Nalfashee or Glabrezu with a single action is a nice bullet to have in your gun.
I really wish people would stop saying go crossblooded for Dragon Disciple. I think that it's a trap.
Unless you are starting out at like level 15 you will probably regret it.
Just a note on the full sorc build, must be character level 3 before taking the eldritch heritage feat.
That's correct. It should be flip-flopped with the Spell Focus: Evocation feat.
I really wish people would stop saying go crossblooded for Dragon Disciple. I think that it's a trap.
Unless you are starting out at like level 15 you will probably regret it.
If you are going a melee combat type (STR based) DD it is hard to pass up converting the once/day breath weapon bloodline power to the the STR bonus of abysmal/orc .
If going caster DD the arcana (ie the orc's +1 damage/die) is weighed against the cross-blooded level-more-than-normal-sorcerers-behind-the-curve in picking up spell levels and less spells known - it isn't so much a trap as a choice. A blaster sorc who is usually using the same lower level spells won't notice the cross-blooded penalties often, a utility sorcerer will be bumping up against them constantly.
Cleaner to do it with Eldritch Heritage feats, and you don't take the spell known penalty or the will save penalty. You also take caster level hits just by going into DD.
It's less bad if you start at high levels but until then it's painful.