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I know people say the drake isn't worth it but i feel like the silver companion has potential when paired with a small race like a kobold.
Like i was able to figure out that the Child of Acavna and Amaznen is probably the quickest and most efficient way to get into Arcane archer since you get 2 free feats that aren't limited by bloodline. So come on, there's gotta be SOMETHING we can do with a drake.
There's things you can do with a drake. Their mental abilities are potentially better than an eidolons which opens up feat possibilities there. Their ability to burrow is better than most pets. Riding them though soaks up too many of their abilities to allow anything particularly interesting.
CAAs are prepared spellcasters which means they can use pearls of power and spellbooks with preparation rituals; there might be something you can do there. That isn't necessarily related to arcane archer to be clear.
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There's things you can do with a drake. Their mental abilities are potentially better than an eidolons which opens up feat possibilities there. Their ability to burrow is better than most pets. Riding them though soaks up too many of their abilities to allow anything particularly interesting.
** spoiler omitted **
Eh sometimes you want intelligence over charisma
Spoiler:CAAs are prepared spellcasters which means they can use pearls of power and spellbooks with preparation rituals; there might be something you can do there. That isn't necessarily related to arcane archer to be clear.
Spontaneous spellcasters can as well, if they expend a spell-slot of the highest level spell in the book.
Silver Champions have this spell list instead of the Paladin spell list:
1st: Animate Rope, Command, Divine Favor, Expeditious Retreat, Floating Disk, Longstrider, Magic Fang, Protection from Chaos/Evil
2nd: Align Weapon (only Good and Law), Animal Trance, Locate Creature, Locate Object, Wood Shape
3rd: Apsu's Shining Scales, Draconic Reservoir, Fly, Greater Magic Fang, Magic Circle against Chaos, Prayer, Stone Shape
4th: Dimension Door, Dragon's Breath, Holy Smite, Minor Creation, Order's Wrath, Poison
You lose A LOT, including all your healing spells (and you have no Channel Energy, and no Lay on Hands or Mercies to speak of either). Make of that what you will, but spellcasting isn't their forte and all the classical divine supporting spells are wholly absent (except for Prayer) - losing Raise Animal Companion stings especially. Finally, they have 1 spell fewer available than default paladins.
The Drake mount itself probably has more hitpoints than you do, but since you don't get a new mount when it dies, you might want to play on the safe side. It also refuses to wear more than 1 magic item, barding & stuff.
One probably has to choose early on which kind of Drake it should be, a flying mount (likely Air subtype) or a powerful Bite or Breath Weapon user for melee (probably Fire/Cold subtype). The latter makes good use of Apsu's Shining Scales.
But if you don't want to fall behind in the Drake's development, you can't multiclass at all, since there is no feature or ability (to my knowledge) that would work in combination with the Drake Mount feature. It's all or nothing.
A kobold and reach weapons is maybe not the best combination, so a ranged attacker on a flying mount? If the character is an Aasimar, they can at least add the Celestial Servant feat and celestially bolster the big Drake even more.
So you're horrible at spellcasting, lack most divine paladin features, but you ride a big strong monster. I just don't see how this works really, as you trade everything away to get a Mount that can be used as a tank.
A ranged attacker on a flying mount drake is kind of a waste. It's not that hard to get an animal companion (possibly w/draconic companion archetype on it for dragon flavour) which can fly and be ridden at L1, and do so with better maneuverability and speed. If you want any kind of synergy you need to be in melee - even if you could get a drake breath weapon as well they're unimpressive.
I think Malik was after some use for a drake companion rather than necessarily a kobold silver champion. Assuming so then how about a draconic druid with an earth drake companion? The plan is to have both burrowing (possible with the burrow spell for the druid from L5, from the start for the drake) and to burst up from below to surprise enemies (possibly with earth elementals in tow), and to duck back underground if needed. A dwarf or oread can eventually pick up tremorsense via a feat to make this easier. I think it's easier to make a dwarf druid work when this tactic is not in play than to make a kobold paladin work at all.
Spontaneous spellcasters can as well, if they expend a spell-slot of the highest level spell in the book.
Bloodragers can't afford to waste spell slots like that, especially since their equivalent of the pearl of power costs twice as much. It's one thing which is actually better for the CAA.
A ranged attacker on a flying mount drake is kind of a waste.
Exactly. But I'm not sure about the mount & melee rules. If a small Kobold sits atop a huge Drake, can it hit enemies without a reach weapon? Are there any good weapon candidates for a small creature?
I think Malik was after some use for a drake companion rather than necessarily a kobold silver champion. Assuming so then how about a draconic druid with an earth drake companion?
That makes more sense. Especially for a spellcaster, as you can take the Improved Share Spells feat and then buff your Drake like an animal companion.
A ranged attacker on a flying mount drake is kind of a waste.Exactly. But I'm not sure about the mount & melee rules. If a small Kobold sits atop a huge Drake, can it hit enemies without a reach weapon? Are there any good weapon candidates for a small creature?
The mount rules don't consider that situation clearly. There are howdahs which would require reach weapons to attack normal-size creatures from a huge one (& vice versa), or the general rule on sharing a mount's space might apply. Huge drakes are 17th level though I think?
There are kobold tail attachments as weapons, and one of those is finessable and has reach IIRC. You'd need a serious damage bonus to make it worthwhile tho'.