Little Kobold that could...

[VoodistMonk]

So we have a wee little Kobold... and he tries oh so hard.

As a Wilderness Whisperer Druid, our little Kobold is restricted to Small and Medium forms for Wild Shape... life is hard when you're Small. But we gotta try. And try we must.

There is a some dragon blood in there somewhere, though, so we might as well go into Dragon Disciple (because we CAN)...

Wild Whisperer Druid
VMC Sorcerer

Kobold
... Dragonmaw
... Shoulder to Shoulder

1. Orisions/Spells
1. Nature Bond
1. Nature Sense
1. Wild Empathy
1(VMC): Bloodline
... Draconic
1(level): Weapon Finesse

2. Inspiration

3(VMC): Bloodline Power
... Claws 1D3

4. Wild Shape 1/day

5(level): Tail Slap
5(VMC): Bloodline Power
... Claws (magic)

6. Natural Expertise

7(VMC): Bloodline Power
... Claws 1D4
... Draconic Resistance 5/+1

8. Investigator Talent
... Effortless Aid

9. Venom Immunity
9(VMC): Bloodline Power
... Draconic Resistance 10/+2
9(level): Scaled Disciple

10. Wild Shape 2/day

Dragon Disciple
11. Blood of Dragons
11. Natural Armor +3
11(VMC): Bloodline Feat/Power
... Claws 1D4 + 1D6
...

12. Ability Boost
... Str +2
12. Bloodline Feat
...
12. Dragon Bite

13. Dragon Breath
13(level):

14. Ability Boost
... Str +2
14. Natural Armor +4

15. Blindsense 30'
15. Bloodline Feat
...
15(VMC): Bloodline Power
... Draconic Resistance 10/+6
... Breath Weaoon 1/day

16. Ability Boost
... Con +2

17. Dragon Form 1/day
17. Natural Armor +7
17(level):

18. Ability Boost
... Int +2
18. Bloodline Feat
...

19. Wings
19(VMC): Bloodline Power
... Wings

20. Blindsense 60'
20. Dragon Form 2/day

At 20;
BAB +14
Base saves +12/+6/+12
CL 17, 9th level spells

[avr]

Scaled disciple lets you use spontaneous divine casting for dragon disciple instead of arcane. Druids are prepared divine spellcasters.

I've seen a str-based kobold build with spellcasting into dragon disciple before. It was very sad, and I don't mean single attribute dependent. If this one's dex-based I have to wonder where the damage is coming from - there's no studied target, studied combat, sneak attack, or even the piranha strike feat.

[VoodistMonk]

Druids cast Divine spells and can spontaneously cast Summon Nature's Ally... Scaled Disciple allows divine in place of arcane for Dragon Disciple. Dragon Disciple doesn't say you have to be a spontaneous caster... it says you have to be able to sponaneously cast... a Cleric Kobold could qualify via their Spontaneous Casting, as well.

But, in either case, not really a whole lot of damage potential. Not a strong build, at all. I just liked it as an odd-ball way into Dragon Disciple. I like Wilderness Whisperer because you can get the Effortless Aid Investigator Talent. The stat boosts from Dragon Disciple perfectly repair the Kobold's stats... don't make it anymore powerful, just less pathetic.

[Mark Hoover 330]

To me, this build doesn't revolve around personal power. Yeah, the kobold gets claws, a bite, and wings, and eventually the DD stat boosts, but while their accuracy could be pretty good on those attacks with the Inspiration Pool and perhaps feats, personal damage wouldn't ever be all that great.

Instead this build is about being a spy and helping others. You've got an Inspiration Pool mainly for skills and you can Wildshape into Small and Medium sized animals - Small still gets a modest Stealth bonus.

If you're going to pick up Effortless Aid alongside your Shoulder-to-Shoulder feat, this kobold should be all about physically surrounding themselves with as many creatures as possible. At the very least they should have the most powerful Animal Companion they can manage. I want to say that perhaps focusing their spells on summoning and buffing would be a decent combat strategy too.

On a personal level, I think this would be a really terrific PC to play! Just from second level in the druid class they've got the IP to boost their skills in being not only a spy but also a linguist, healing or even riding their AC. If you're going Dex based, having a riding animal is almost a given even though eventually you can fly with wings.

What's more, if you REALLY want to go bananas, I think there might still be a way to give this kobold a Familiar. Imagine if that Familiar had the Valet archetype and could either get Reach as a Tiny/Diminutive, be Small sized or regularly get changed to a form where they Threaten. At that point the kobold and their Familiar could, at high levels, both deliver Aid Another bonuses - the kobold is doing it as a Swift action while also perhaps using a buffing or battlefield control spell while the Familiar uses a Full Round action to buff both the AC and the kobold.

This PC is one of those ultimate team player builds. I wish more folks made these. Everyone at my tables is always so focused on "how can I be the best at X" that no one really thinks about propping up their teammates. It would be cool if you could work this build into play VM!

[VoodistMonk]

Yeah, I would way rather be helpful than powerful. And, when considering a Kobold, it's about the only option... being helpful, not powerful.

This little Kobold was designed with a friend (another Kobold) that is a Divine Commander Warpriest with a Deinonychus mount, VMC Sorcerer, taking Scaled Disciple/Dragon Disciple, as well. So, you have three little lizards running around together. Still not at all powerful, but hilarious.

I do love me some Kobolds. Their Swarm Fighter archetype, combined with some Vexing Dodger is fun, too.

Kobold
... Dragonmaw
... Should to Shoulder

Traits:
... Battlefield Disciple
Benefits: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Heal checks made to stabilize a dying creature. In addition, when you successfully use the aid another action in combat to grant an ally a bonus on her next attack roll, the bonus you grant increases by 1.

Divine Commander Warpriest
1. Orisions/Spells
1. Aura
1. Mount
... Deinonychus
1. Sacred Weapon
1(VMC): Bloodline
... Draconic
1(class): Weapon Focus Bite
1(level): Tail Terror

2. Fervor 1D6

3. Battlefield Tactician 1/day
...
3(VMC): Bloodline Power
... Claws

4. Sacred Weapon +1
4. Channel Energy

5. Sacred Weapon 1D6
5. Fervor 2D6
5(level): Weapon Focus Tail

6. Blessed Mount

7. Sacred Armor +1
7(VMC): Bloodline Power
... Draconic Resistance

8. Sacred Weapon +2
8. Fervor 3D6

9. Battlefield Tactician 2/day
9(level): Scaled Disciple

10. Sacred Weapon 1D8
10. Blessings
10. Sacred Armor +2

Dragon Disciple
11. Blood of Dragons
11. Natural Armor +1
11(VMC): Bloodline Feat
... Toughness

12. Ability Boost
... Str +2
12. Dragon Bite
12(class): Blind Fight

13. Breath Weapon
13(level): Improved Companion

14. Ability Boost
... Str +2
14. Natural Armor +1

15. Blindsense 30'
15(class): Improved Initiative
15(VMC): Bloodline Power
... Breath Weapon

16. Ability Boost
... Con +2

17. Dragon Form 1/day
17. Natural Armor +1
17(level):

18. Ability Boost
... Int +2
18(class): Quicken Spell

19. Wings
19(VMC): Bloodline Power
... Wings

20. Blindsense 60'
20. Dragon Form 2/day

At 20:
BAB: +14
Base saves: +12/+6/+12
CL 17, 6th level spells

The list of spells that Kobold Disciple includes is as follows:
@9:
1st—magic fang
2nd—animal trance
3rd—greater magic fang, draconic reservoir
@10:
4th—poison, dragon’s breath, summon nature’s ally IV (deinonychus or pteranodon only)
@14:
5th—animal growth*, beast shape III
@18
6th—eyebite, form of the dragon I

[VoodistMonk]

Vexing Swarm Fighter... I have this one mixed with Dawnflower Dervish or whatever that other Fighter archetype is (for the movement stuffs), but Mutagen Warrior could work, too. TWF isn't necessary, either, I just wanted to capitalize on as many attacks as possible.

Kobold
... Day Raider
... Shoulder to Shoulder
FCB:
Fighter Add +1/2 to damage rolls the fighter makes with weapon attacks against an opponent he is flanking or an opponent that is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC.

Swarm Fighter
1. Athletic Prowess
1(class): Mobility
1(level): Combat Reflexes

2. Safety in Numbers
2(class): Precise Strike

Vexing Dodger UnRogue
3. Finesse Training
3. Sneak Attack 1D6
3. Limb Climber
3(class): Weapon Finesse
3(level): TWF

4. Evasion
4(class): Improved Dirty Trick

5. Finesse Training
5. Sneak Attack 2D6
5. Underfoot Agility +1
5(level): Double Slice

6. Debilitating Injury
6. Rogue Talent
... Weapon Training (Weapon Focus Kukri)
6. Underfoot Trickster

7. Rogue's Edge
... Climb
7. Sneak Attack 3D6
7(level): Iron Will

Swarm Fighter
8. Burst of Speed

9(class): Imp. TWF
9(level): Dirty Fighting

10. Share Space

11(class): Distracting Charge
11(level): Quick Dirty Trick

12. Desert Stride

13(class): Greater Weapon Focus Kukri
13(level): Two-Weapon Rend

14. Strike the Underbelly

15(class): Coordinated Charge
15(level): Greater Dirty Trick

16. Rapid Attack

17(class): Dirty Trick Master
17(level):

18. Always Underfoot
18(class): Step Up

19(class): teamwork feat
19(level):

20. Lightning Strike

At 20:
BAB +18
Base saves +10/+9/+8 (w/ Iron Will)

FCB +7 DMG against an opponent he is flanking or an opponent that is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC.

Athletic Prowess +7 Arcobatics & Climb

Underfoot Agility +1 Acrobatics & Climb

[Skull]

Well, if you want to focus more on a helpful than powerful Kobold: How about bard into DD? Or am I the only one who remembers Deekin? :)

[Dragonborn3]

Deekin Songscale was the only companion I ever kept in Neverwinter Nights II: Hordes of the Underdark. Simple too cool to get rid of him.

[VoodistMonk]

Deekin Scalesinger definitely needs representation in my little group. I don't know how I left him out thusfar.

[Derek Dalton]

I did as an experiment an Alchemist Barbarian combo starting at level three. Never played him but on paper with a 25 to 30 point build he wasn't bad. Small size can be overcome with magic. Potion spells permancy to medium through enlarge person. The Barbarian gets a moral bonus to strength. As Alchemists thier stat boost is alchemical. Belts work with both so there's that.
I like the race as far as personality and potential fun. I hate the race for it's stats. No ther race gets hammered so badly. Even Deep Gnome who do take a hit on stats get abilities to compesate. Kobolds don't I get the impression that Pazio employees hated the race. Goblins get so much more love. Not knocking that race but they get a better stat array then kobolds.

[VoodistMonk]

I completely agree... why such penalties just for being a Kobold?

Honestly, I am almost convinced to drop racial ability modifiers from my games entirely. Every race gets a floating +2 to any one stat. The end. Now all these different races can see play in a plethora of classes...