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I'm toying with the idea of a Kobold Vigilante NPC who in his Dual Identity appears like a Dragon Wyrmling, but a part from the obvious racial traits and feats (the Draconic Paragon chain), I don't know what Vigilante specializations and abilities could fit more the concept.
Any idea?
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About the name, I was deliberately mixing the spanish and the greek sounds for the name. It was a hidden reference to the Archon and Lawgiver of Athens in the 7th century BC.
BTW I thought about the Warlock too, but since Wyrmlings or Very Young dragons (the small sized ones) doesn't have spell yet, I was thinking of an other specialization instead as a way to mimic and deceive.
Let's say for example: a Very Young Black Dragon is a CR 5 small sized creature able to fly/attack with bite and claws, breath acid and also very good at moving into swamp, swimming and breathing underwater.
I'm trying to have instead a way for a Black Kobold Vigilante (Avenger?) to mimic his draconic counterpart, to mislead his own tribe and also the fools adventurers venturing into his lair.
Brainstorming some kind of build for this idea:
YekPek the Black Kobold/ El Dracón (the Very Young Black Dragon)
Kobold Avenger Vigilante 7 (CR 6)
Ability Str: 4 (8-4) Dex: 17 (15+2) Con: 12 (14-2) Int: 12 Wis: 10 Cha: 13
Alternate Racial Traits:
- Dragonmaw (Bite natural attack)
- Gliding Wings
Progression:
1st Dual Identity, Social Grace, Assault Training; Feat: Weapon Finesse
2nd Social Grace (+4 Bluff???), Talent: Signature Weapon (Weapon Focus: Bite bonus feat)
3rd Renown (his Lair) Feat: Small But Deadly
4th Talent: Combat Skill (Combat Reflexes bonus feat), Ability Score: +1 Dex
5th Startling appearance, Feat: Draconic Aspect
6th Talent: Combat Skill (Lunge bonus feat)*
7th Feat: Draconic Breath
Skills: Bluff, Disguise, Intimidate, Fly**, Stealth, Swim
* to fake the normal Dragon's Bite reach.
** not a class skill.
Equipment (as NPC: 4,650 gp): ???
Bumping this thread, since I'm still looking for any possible advice of how to be even more deceiver with this NPC.
I've downloaded the round 2 version of the vigilante. Is there some new feature who could be useful for this NPC concept?
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Depending on what you want to do the Stalker might be fun, too. Twisting Fear could be a fun equivalent to the dragon's fear aura (which of course they don't get until they're older, but still.) Hidden Strike and Hide in Plain Sight could let you do hit and run tactics that keep people from seeing the size of the dragon too closely, while leaving gaping wounds.
Zealot specialization has the abyssal power which could let you get claws and eventually a rend. That one's new.
@ M1k31: chad gilbreath is correct, the build I previously posted was during round 1 of the playtest. I'm going to update it in this days to round 2.
@ Terminalmancer: Yes, I found the abyssal power Zealot ability to have claws very tempting for this build... although I don't know it it will be better then having the full BAB of the Avenger.
Twisting Fear is very thematic for a draconic vigilante, and I'll probably use it in another build, but this one is specific in mimicking a wyrmling/very young dragon.
Thanks for all your advice, I'll try to build it again in this new round version. I'm still open to any other suggestions for this NPC build!
Round 2 build version, still as Avenger:
YekPek the Black Kobold of the Vardak tribe/ El Dracón (the Very Young Black Dragon) 'god' and leader of the Vardak tribe
Kobold Avenger Vigilante 7 (CR 6)
Ability Str: 4 (8-4) Dex: 17 (15+2) Con: 12 (14-2) Int: 10 Wis: 12 Cha: 13
Alternate Racial Traits:
- Dragonmaw (Bite natural attack)
- Gliding Wings
Progression:
1st Dual Identity, Seamless Guise, Social Talent: Renown (Vardak tribe's lair), Vigilante specialization: Avenger (Assault Training), Feat: Weapon Finesse.
2nd Vigilante Talent: Signature Weapon (Weapon Focus: Bite bonus feat)
3rd Social Talet: Safe House (Treasure Hoard), Feat: Small But Deadly
4th Vigilante Talent: Combat Skill (Combat Reflexes bonus feat), Ability Score: +1 Dex
5th Social Talent: Social Grace (+4 Bluff & Stealth in social identity), Startling Appearance, Feat: Draconic Aspect (Resistance Acid 5)
6th Vigilante Talent: Combat Skill (Lunge bonus feat)
7th Social Talent: Quick Change, Feat: Draconic Breath (Breath Weapon 1/day)
Skills: Bluff, Disguise, Intimidate, Fly, Stealth, Swim
This concept is kind of amazing, keeping his hoard safe with safehouse, renown among his tribe and in the local area, startling appearance mimicking the frightful presence of dragons, and dual identity making scry confirm that he is in fact the frightening, totally-not-the-chief-in-disguise god the tribe describes him as.
Keep in mind though, a level 7 heroic classed kobold is only CR 5 because of kobold racial traits. I'd bump him up to level 8 and give him piranha strike as a bonus combat feat with his talent and then he gains weapon specialization from his signature weapon talent and I'd say that he's probably a pretty decent CR 6.
Unless I missed something, only kobolds with NPC class levels takes a –3 penalty to its CR (rather than the normal –2 penalty), but that's not the case for kobolds with PC class levels such as Vigilantes (CR still -1 to the level).
Anyway thanks for your suggestions Archomedes! I was planning something like this too in case the encounter was avoided/postponed or maybe El Dracón is able to escape a fight with the party and then return later as a recurring villain for mine campaign (leveled up to 8th).
4 Str means any strength-drain is going to put you down quickly. Just something to be wary of.
I'd also recommend trying to get Dex to damage instead of just going for Small But Deadly. Unfortunately, the only way I can think of to get that for bites without class-dipping is with Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists.
The Noxious Bite feat could be interesting, too.
Oh weird, yeah, I totally remembered that wrong. its not even a kobold racial trait, its just a suggestion in the bestiary under the kobold characters heading. Neat idea, yeah, you can add quite a bit more damage to the character if he hits that level 8 mark.
Being a CR 6 encounter, meaning a mini-boss encounter for a party with an APL of 3, the 4 Str will not be a problem since they will not be able to ability-drain it.
An Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists is out of the possible NPC gear budged, but in a PC version that's surely something I'll use.
Noxious Bite is very thematic and appropriate, indeed.
Thanks for all your suggestions!
Yes, I should transfer a part of the rest of the tribe gp budged to have the treasure hoarding bigger and even afford an Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists for El Dracón. But I'll limit the gear upon him only to this piece of equipment and his costume.
Thanks!