25 point buy. Levels 1-5 each player will have one class. Any class that gives you an extra character (mount, animal companion, etc) is not allowed (or you can just skip that feature for now). Before level 6 you will gain a dragon companion. At this point you gain a feat and a second (gestalt class). At this point you are required to have an animal companion (or something that counts as) either by class feature or feat. This animal companion will be your dragon. While you may not be able to ride your dragon right away, much of the later parts of the campaign will take place in the air.
Summoner or Master Summoner, old school, depending on what the 'companion' requirements are. Gestalt into a Fighter (Dragoon) with Eldritch Heritage: Orc Bloodline. Talk about a killer.
Summoner would give you an extra character. No summoning will be permitted, without which I don’t see a summoner.
Druid shapeshifting would be a hard sell. Interesting line of thought though.
The campaign is built around riding on dragons. I’m looking for ideas that embrace that idea. Flavor is also really useful. Which class are you taking 1-5 and why are you unlocking the second.
I’m looking for ideas to inspire those who get stuck on character ideas. One player is stuck always playing the stereotypical elven archer and wants to try something new.
This campaign seems made to use the Dragonrider Base Class. I'd probably ask about it since the campaign seems fairly non-standard.
Barring that, I'd probably go for a Ranger and hold off on the companion until it becomes viable and then gestalt into whatever is needed to fill in any big gaps.
EDIT:
Druid would still fit theme and provide lots of other stuff.
Rylar, not sure who the GM is, but if he wants to do a heavy flying campaign, I'd highly recommend Companions of the Firmament. Seems like you might get some use out of it.
An empiricist investigator, always logical and careful. When they get a dragon companion they logically study the skills required (cavalier) or else it cracks open their emotions and they emotionally embrace it (wild child brawler perhaps).
A swashbuckler of noble birth who loves cunning and intrigue might gestalt into courtly hunter to get a companion who can work with them on such games.
If that feat can be extra revelation a nature or lunar oracle might see a dragon as a gift from the powers they worship. The gestalt class could be anything, though I'd suggest one which uses charisma in some way and which isn't a pure spellcaster.
Nature Fang Druid for main class, Sacred Huntsmaster Inquisitor for the gestalt class.
Thanks for that link Wraithguard. I'm the DM for the campaign. Not everything is set in stone yet.
The feat is there to enable an animal companion feat or to use on boon companion (assuming they want to). If a full AC class is taken then it's just a bonus feat. So, I would definitely approve of it being used for extra revelation for a nature/lunar oracle.
Cool ideas so far. Keep them coming. Thanks!
With what? You need a base class to prestige into it. I could see it as a fun possibility. Maybe a raging barbarian or bloodrager that grows to large when raging... barbarian/hunter?
A cleric whose church or whose deity is hostile to dragons might wish to have a separate identity as a dragonrider - taking the mounted fury vigilante as the gestalt class could work there.
A bard or skald who loves tales of dragons might pick up a class which matches that of their heroes in gestalt, presumably a class with an animal companion unless they pay feats instead. Bard // Paladin or similar might work thematically in the latter case.
Reliquarian occultists seek objects associated with the history of their religion. It could be that one is in a dragon's hoard. When they get it the relic might speak to them of ancient secrets of some obscure class archetype.
A gunslinger fighting from dragonback is a great image. The class itself is made to multiclass at exactly the time you're adding gestalt; perhaps to urban bloodrager with the draconic bloodline // sacred hunstmaster inquisitor.
Barbarian with the Ferocious Mount Line, maybe Armored Hulk do look more awesome on my Dragon. I can Finally be a Mounted Barb without losing anything and charge into combat with my Raging dragon
Kobold fighter - takes some Dragon feats, you always admired Dragons and wanted to be like your cousins, maybe Dragoon since this Archetype becomes quite useable now
Paladin - take up the magic weapon and ride your dragon, if you also have to fight against Dragons swear an Oath against the Wyrm
start slayer, gestalt into summoner treating the dragon as your edolon give the dragon all of the evolutions profit
No, edolons aren't animal companions. Needs to be something that can use an animal companion as a mount.
A cleric whose church or whose deity is hostile to dragons might wish to have a separate identity as a dragonrider - taking the mounted fury vigilante as the gestalt class could work there.
Sounds pretty cool. If hostile to all dragons sounds more like an inquisitor to me.
Bard // Paladin or similar might work thematically in the latter case.
Paladin's can get a mount, use the feat boon companion and it's full progression.
Big Al- Yeah, I think some kind of Barbarian with a raging dragon will be awesome. I definitely plan to suggest this to my players.
One idea I came up with was a Magus (probably Eldritch Scion). The quest that unlocks and binds the dragon will fulfill my atonement unlocking paladin. Unlocking full BAB, huge boost to my saves, and divine magic is a large boost in power.