Dragon-themed character

[Zachski]

As playing my Monk is starting to get a little old, I thought I'd set up a dedicated alt for my now-dedicated main to change it up.

However, the thing that draws me most to Dungeons & Dragons isn't the Dungeons, but the Dragons.

You see, I am a dragon fanatic. Always have been. Always will be.

Unfortunately, makers of adventure games and stories think of dragons as the thing to kill, not the thing you would want to be. Like "That's awesome, now stick a sword in it." Very few adventure game makers think of dragons as something the player would want to be or aligned with.

It is quite the dilemma. And I perfectly understand why DDO does not allow the playing of dragons due to the fact that, friendly or otherwise, they're monster-type characters, a level 20 dragon could squish Korthos just by tripping, and DDO is just not set up for monster play.

So, let's work around that. I want to make a dragon-themed character, one who is aligned with the dragons and draws his power from them. Kinda like a Dragon Shaman, except not a dragon shaman since barely anybody wants one, and thus Turbine will never add one.

...So, yeah. My parameters are dragon-based. I know Sorcerers have the "dragon-blooded" thing going on (which brings into question why the dragons of Eberron don't kill them on sight like they do half dragons) but I want something a little deeper than that.

However, I have no objections to using Sorcerer as a base for this character. Multi-classing, if it works, is fine as well. I would like to be somewhat optimized, but if I end up with a little less DPS than I could have, I'm not going to fret it.

I wish I could provide more definition to that, but unfortunately, I can't.

[The_Brave2]

Are you asking for a character that looks like a dragon and is a new race? or a addon to a enhancement like to make you look like a dragon?

Naturally looking like a dragon isnt going to happen, but some sort of little dragon - like companion creature could be added, not for any fighting purposes, just a little thing that follows you around would be cool.

[Zachski]

Are you asking for a character that looks like a dragon and is a new race? or a addon to a enhancement like to make you look like a dragon?

Naturally looking like a dragon isnt going to happen, but some sort of little dragon - like companion creature could be added, not for any fighting purposes, just a little thing that follows you around would be cool.

Mmm, no, sorry. I guess that got lost somewhere in the blargharghblagh cluster that is my post.

I want a dragon-themed character. Like a character who is aligned with dragons and thus derives his power and his style from them. A human/elf/dwarf/halfling/halfelf/halforc

[The_Brave2]

Mmm, no, sorry. I guess that got lost somewhere in the blargharghblagh cluster that is my post.

I want a dragon-themed character. Like a character who is aligned with dragons and thus derives his power and his style from them. A human/elf/dwarf/halfling/halfelf/halforc

I call upon the power of dragons, I use Burning Hands! oh wait, we have that. you can pretend you get your power from dragons while shooting off fire spells as a sorc

other than that, I still dont see this happening. would you look like a dragon? cast spells? claw swipes? I dont see in any relativity how this would work. Not to mention that dragons arent really that combat oriented other than their size, and breath abilities, most of their power comes from the knowledge they gain from living long times, how would this knowledge be represented? How would it fit in with game play?

Heh, while writing this I thought of Draconians, good mob to fight, but again not what you are asking for.

[Zachski]

I call upon the power of dragons, I use Burning Hands! oh wait, we have that. you can pretend you get your power from dragons while shooting off fire spells as a sorc

other than that, I still dont see this happening. would you look like a dragon? cast spells? claw swipes? I dont see in any relativity how this would work. Not to mention that dragons arent really that combat oriented other than their size, and breath abilities, most of their power comes from the knowledge they gain from living long times, how would this knowledge be represented? How would it fit in with game play?

Heh, while writing this I thought of Draconians, good mob to fight, but again not what you are asking for.

I already said that playing as a dragon wouldn't work, and dragonborn are coming never, that's why I said I wanted a dragon-themed character. I didn't say anything about looking like a dragon being one of the requirements.

Examples of dragon-themed characters: Dragoons from Final Fantasy (they fight using high jumps and aerial attacks, as inspired by dragons), Dragon Shamans from D&D (Characters who draw their powers in a worshipful manner from dragons and can perform many dragon related feats, such as dragon breath, and they also get other benefits like an aura that can be attuned to many things), Dragonfire Adepts from D&D (Focusing on the dragon breath, but they get other perks as well), Dragon Disciple (Sorcerers and Bards who devote themselves to a dragon and so become part dragon themselves)

Now, obviously, none of this exists in the game, but there must surely be a way to get "dragon-themed" into this game as a build of sorts.

[Rdonaccount]

Well, not really sure what you are looking for, but I'm thinking that this would mostly be about backstory than actual builds anyway. The only real "dragon-themed" abilites would be sorcerers or dragonmarks, so you could just take either one of those and flesh out the rest later.

The closest thing i have to what i think you want is my fighter build, which i like to call a dragon knight, mostly based on what is probably a misunderstanding of eberron lore. It is basically a halfling dragonmarked version of the monster build (12ftr/6rng/2mnk), with FE: evil outsider and FE: giant (those being the 2 major enemies I see dragons being involved with, in my limited understanding of ddo's backstory). I also invested my skill points in jump/tumble/balance to make a very mobile fighter, ala the dragoon type you mentioned.

Of course, you could always just make a human sorc, with 3 dragonmarks, max/heighten/empower/SF and toughness and just call it a day, that would hit on both of the wells to draw from.

[PLUGintoTHEpowerLINE]

If I recall correctly, there is a delegation of dragons sitting around the stormreach marketplace .

And of course, I believe kobolds are slightly draconic.

While I think both of those races would be cool to play, I doubt either would happen soon. But I agree. I love dragons myself, I would even love a few more to kill at this point!

[Zachski]

Of course, you could always just make a human sorc, with 3 dragonmarks, max/heighten/empower/SF and toughness and just call it a day, that would hit on both of the wells to draw from.

Whoa. Would that even work? O_o

That may be pretty awesome, though. I might be able to work it into something draconic.

It's too bad that they don't use more dragon motifs with Sorcerers. I mean, the character creation screen has one wearing this ridiculously floofy robe with a skull on it, and the most dragon motif there actually is is "Energy of the Dragonblooded", which is an enhancement that you won't even be looking at 95% of the time due to it being in your, well, enhancements screen.

[Zachski]

Updating with what I posted in the "suggest a build" thread, to help out a bit.

May as well post here, too. See if I can get a little more specific at that.

Basically, I'm looking for a flavor build, of the dragon theme. Doesn't have to be a dragon, but must bring to mind a dragon when he fights or does anything.

Can be Sorcerer based, or based off of any class or multiclass. Could be a ranger, too. Dragon marks might add a bit of flavor if they can be fit in. Any race except drow is acceptable.

Preferably, no tomes necessary. I have 32 point build.

Thanks, whoever decides to pick this up :-)

[kartos]

Maybe try STR based monk? focus on the fire stance and monks do have a finisher called dragon breath (fire,fire,fire)

[Zachski]

Maybe try STR based monk? focus on the fire stance and monks do have a finisher called dragon breath (fire,fire,fire)

That wouldn't be too different from my current Monk, though he's more of a wind monk.

Oh well, thanks anyways. I just made a dragon marked Sorcerer and... honestly, it just isn't doing it for me.

Sorry for wasting everybody's time. I need to find some other way to fulfill my dragon-related needs.

[unbongwah]

What about a HE wizard w/Storm DMs and pretend you're descended from blue dragons? Sure, sorcs are the natural choice for elemental DPS, but wizards get all the bonus feats which I think are necessary to fit in the Storm DMs along with everything else you need to be a good caster.

Or bard 8 / barb 12 to fake a Red Dragon Disciple; pretend your barb Rage is comparable to the inherent stat bonuses RDDs get.

[Talon_Moonshadow]

Well, in DDO, we have Dragon Marks.

We have Sorcs who seem to be considered Dragon Blooded.

Most of the Dragons we have running around Stormreach look like Elves. (to the untrained eye. )

And Monks are based on Chinese movies and seem to like name everything "dragon something" or "something of the dragon" etc....

Elf Sorcs kinda suck, but I really like mine. (especially how she looks with pale bluish skin, snow white hair and Air Savant effects dancing around her!)

[Zachski]

What about a HE wizard w/Storm DMs and pretend you're descended from blue dragons? Sure, sorcs are the natural choice for elemental DPS, but wizards get all the bonus feats which I think are necessary to fit in the Storm DMs along with everything else you need to be a good caster.

Or bard 8 / barb 12 to fake a Red Dragon Disciple; pretend your barb Rage is comparable to the inherent stat bonuses RDDs get.

Not sure where the Bard fits into the Red Dragon Disciple. I guess I don't know much about them. That may be worth a look...

While an HE Wiz with Storm DMs sounds awesome, the thing is that all I'm going to see is a mage, not a dragon-type character. That's my problem with Sorcerer; despite being dragon-blooded, there's literally nothing other dragon-themed about them. Have a Sorcerer and a Wizard stand side by side and you won't be able to tell the difference between them.

Sorcerers are mage-themed, not dragon-themed, sadly. And while that's awesome in its own right, it doesn't quite work.

[unbongwah]

Dragon Disciples are a PnP PrC; I know RDDs from NWN. They get a bunch of inherent stat bonuses, a breath weapon, and wings.

[Zachski]

Dragon Disciples are a PnP PrC; I know RDDs from NWN. They get a bunch of inherent stat bonuses, a breath weapon, and wings.

Oh, I get bard now, because it qualifies for Dragon Disciple. Derp. Brain no thinkie good.

Hmm... possibly...

Now, to suspend my disbelief enough that I can believe those levels of Barbarian are actually levels of Dragon Disciple... XD

[Therigar]

I would take my cue from the polymorphed dragons that are already in the Stormreach marketplace. There is one that sends you on part of the Sharn Syndicate quest line and there are several that send you out to both the Gianthold and Reaver's Refuge quest lines.

These appear to be very powerful mages -- sorcerers or wizards, it isn't really clear which. Kear, Aurben, Cydonie all look elven while Genecia looks human (or maybe half-elven) but short -- not halfling short, but still short.

Thematically I would doubt that Pale Master would fit. Archmage seems a better PrE if you go with Wizard. If you go Sorcerer than I would think that staying specialized in one element would emulate your innate dragon breath weapon (although, if I understand correctly, dragons in Eberron are not color restricted to specific breath weapons in the way they have been in other D&D settings). Even with that caveat, I think that they generally only have one breath type -- so focusing on a single elemental type would seem a good thematic fit.

IMO Wizard Archmage is more in keeping with the polymorphed dragons since it implies great control and understanding -- characteristics of the dragons in Eberron lore. Sorcerer seems more like wild or innate magic. Still, either would seem to work.

Elf, half-elf, drow or human and either Wizard or Sorcerer while holding to a single elemental focus would be my thoughts for a dragon themed character.

[Entelech]

Something from a Lore perspective:

Eberron is weird.

Specifically, Half Dragons and Dragon Disciples just DO NOT HAPPEN in Eberron.

The offspring of Dragons with any of the "Lesser Races" are regarded as abominations. Such a thing has only been recorded once, and both the child and its' draconic parent were summarily destroyed as soon as it was discovered.

Taking a Half-Dragon template in Eberron would require defeating a CR 1000+ encounter first. And a wheelbarrow filled with Rohypnol.



The "Blood of Dragons" thing that some Sorcerers blather about is different in Eberron. It refers to a far more mystical and abstract connection to the three great Cosmic Dragons: Khyber, Eberron, and Siberys.

Eberron Sorcerers don't get excited about dry skin and think they're literally turning into big flying lizards. They merely acknowledge their innate connection to the ancient arcane forces of creation.

PS: "Dragon Marks" and "The Draconic Prophecy" also refer to the Cosmic Dragons, not big flappy lizards. A better way to think of Dragonmarks is to think of it as "Marked by Destiny" or "Marked by The Gods(TM)" -- not as "Grandpa got REALLLLLY drunk and..."

[Entelech]

Moving along from the Lore...

The OP's request for a "Dragon-Themed" character does not literally need to have a race or class of "Dragon-Themed", merely a roleplay-flavor of Dragons. Especially given the way such things are abstracted to the Cosmic Dragons in the Eberron Setting.


Sorcerers commonly take the view that they draw their arcane powers from a mystical connection to one or all of these three beings.

Many character types study the so-called "Draconic Prophecy" - a way of examining the flow of magical energies through the world in an attempt to discern the patterns of destiny. Think "Nostradamus meets Feng Shui consultant." Some scholars believe that Dragonmarks are one result of the influence of the Draconic Prophecy.

For a more direct link, there are barbarous tribes dwelling on the coast of Argonessen, who revere the Dragons (the flappy lizards this time) as their overlords and gods, and who do the bidding of their scaly masters. Play a human from such a tribal background.

There are lots of things you can do to be "Dragon-Themed" without actually breathing fire and growing wings.

[Zachski]

Moving along from the Lore...

The OP's request for a "Dragon-Themed" character does not literally need to have a race or class of "Dragon-Themed", merely a roleplay-flavor of Dragons. Especially given the way such things are abstracted to the Cosmic Dragons in the Eberron Setting.


Sorcerers commonly take the view that they draw their arcane powers from a mystical connection to one or all of these three beings.

Many character types study the so-called "Draconic Prophecy" - a way of examining the flow of magical energies through the world in an attempt to discern the patterns of destiny. Think "Nostradamus meets Feng Shui consultant." Some scholars believe that Dragonmarks are one result of the influence of the Draconic Prophecy.

For a more direct link, there are barbarous tribes dwelling on the coast of Argonessen, who revere the Dragons (the flappy lizards this time) as their overlords and gods, and who do the bidding of their scaly masters. Play a human from such a tribal background.

There are lots of things you can do to be "Dragon-Themed" without actually breathing fire and growing wings.

Thank you! You expressed something that I couldn't seem to express.

Barbarian tribe, hmm? I wonder what are some other things I could do to add to the flavor. I could very easily claim my character is from that tribe, though I wonder how that would affect his culture or his choices in life...