Optimization help!

[Kris Strife]

Playing in an Exalted campaign, as a Dragon Fire Adept (I'm joining late, so it was this or monk) from Dragon Magic. I have the scores 14, 14, 14, 16, 15, 16 and I'm considering taking dragon wings from races of the dragon as my first level feat (only level I can take it at). Haven't decided on race, starting at 5th level with 5k gold.

Oh sages of the GitP forums, optimize this character!

[mikej]

Dragonfire Adept Handbook

Here (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=780301)

Entangling Exhalation [RoTD] is pretty good, that combined with a few debuffs can be great. Power Surge + any Metabreath feat thats fits your fancy is pretty much the way to go.

[Starscream]

I agree with the metabreath feats being useful. However, technically they are only allowed for a creature "whose time between breaths is expressed in rounds". Seeing as an Adept can use his at will, it does not actually have a delay that can be increased by the feats.

The Handbook previously linked to contains a couple of sneaky ways around this limitation. Seeing as you haven't chosen a race yet, the Dragonborn template may be you best shot.

Or your DM may simply allow it. It makes sense that applying a metabreath feat that increases the delay by x rounds to a creature whose normal delay is zero rounds will simply create an x round delay. That's pretty intuitive, its just not how its written. Most DMs will probably let it slide.

I personally like Shape Breath, Entangling Exhalation and Clinging Breath. Heighten Breath is also great if your save DC isn't that high.

Only downside to a Dragonfire Adept is that you can't get "Blinding Breath", which is a Sor/Wiz spell rather than a feat. Permanent blindness to anyone who fails the save against your breath, with no additional save. I had a lot of fun with that one.

[Keld Denar]

I agree with the metabreath feats being useful. However, technically they are only allowed for a creature "whose time between breaths is expressed in rounds". Seeing as an Adept can use his at will, it does not actually have a delay that can be increased by the feats.

The Handbook previously linked to contains a couple of sneaky ways around this limitation. Seeing as you haven't chosen a race yet, the Dragonborn template may be you best shot.


Technically, the Power Surge feat should get around this technicality. I'd also 2nd Dragonborn as a race though. Probably with Dwarf as a base. Dragonborn Dwarf gives you +4 CON right away, which is +2 to your save DC. Otherwise, Human and Strongheart Halfling are obvious choices. If you REALLY wanna max your CON, Dragonborn Mongrelfolk get +6 CON right away for +0 LA, but you are a seriously scary dude and your invocations may suffer...

I'd go Dragonborn Strongheart Halfling with Entangling Exhalation and Ability Focus: Breath Weapon at 1st, then pick up Power Surge at 3 and Clinging Breath at 6. After that, you are pretty well golden. Whether or not you take wing feats depends on whether or not you take the flight invocations, which I think are better.

As far as invocations, the only one thats a must is the Endure Elements one. That one gives your allies immunity to your breath weapon. After that, the infinite Identify one is nice, but hardly vital.

[Kurald Galain]

Wait, if this is D&D, how is it an Exalted campaign?

[Eldariel]

Wait, if this is D&D, how is it an Exalted campaign?

BoED, mayhap?

[ChaosDefender24]

Dragonborn Mongrelfolk gives you a +6 to Constitution

It also lets you go with the breath aspect so that you can qualify for metamagic breath feats. Heighten breath is particularly awesome, because that's a free +7 bonus to your saving throws if you have an item (16 + 7 + 2 = 25 con)

Normally I'd balk at doing a Dragonborn because you obviously can't Five-Fold Breath like that, but since you're in a good campaign anyway and are only level 5, it is a great idea

[Quietus]

@ those saying "Dragonborn thisorthat gets +x stats" : Am I misremembering? Because I'm pretty sure that turning into a Dragonborn wipes out EVERYTHING (except for size?) from your previous race, leaving all characters, regardless of their beginning race, with a total of +2 con, -2 dex.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

@ those saying "Dragonborn thisorthat gets +x stats" : Am I misremembering? Because I'm pretty sure that turning into a Dragonborn wipes out EVERYTHING (except for size?) from your previous race, leaving all characters, regardless of their beginning race, with a total of +2 con, -2 dex.It keeps stats, too.

[Draz74]

Don't bother with Dragon Wings, certainly; you'll get Invocation(s) eventually that give you decent flight.

I'm not sure if it's "optimally" powerful, but I'm personally a fan of picking up Draconic Aura (senses) via feat at Level 3 (or Level 6; make sure you have Ability Focus and Entangling Exhalation first). Making the whole party's Spot, Listen, and Initiative better will make you popular. Eventually (Level 20) the bonus goes up to +4, which is like spending one feat to give everyone in the party Alertness (twice) and Improved Initiative.

[monty]

@ those saying "Dragonborn thisorthat gets +x stats" : Am I misremembering? Because I'm pretty sure that turning into a Dragonborn wipes out EVERYTHING (except for size?) from your previous race, leaving all characters, regardless of their beginning race, with a total of +2 con, -2 dex.

Dragonborn keeps, in order from the book: type and subtypes, racial hit dice, ability modifiers, size, speed and movement modes, languages, favored class, and level adjustments. All other racial traits are lost.

[Kris Strife]

To be completely honest, I'm not a fan of Dragonborn. The ritual of rebirth seems to invole the placing of an even bigger stick than paladins get. Dragonborn arent allowed hobbies or personal lives. Not even sure I want to be LG. Might be CG or NG.

[monty]

To be completely honest, I'm not a fan of Dragonborn. The ritual of rebirth seems to invole the placing of an even bigger stick than paladins get. Dragonborn arent allowed hobbies or personal lives. Not even sure I want to be LG. Might be CG or NG.

You don't have to be LG, though.

[Cheesegear]

Don't get wings. Dragonfire Adepts get multiple spells/Invocations that allow them to fly at will. It's a waste of a feat.

[Kris Strife]

You don't have to be LG, though.

Oh, huh. Sorry, all the text on them lead me to believe otherwise. The stick comment still stands though.