Half-Dragon + Feral Templates

[Celestiale]

Hi guys, I'm actually creating a character which I want to put ECL and use natural weapons such as claws and bite. I got this idea and borught it to my DM and we aren,t sure if it's currently possible so I wonder if anyone in the forum is able to help us.

I've been thinking to create it as Feral (Template from the book Savage Species) Half-Dragon (Template from the Monster Manual I) Catfolk (Race from Races of the Wild). The main question is if a Half-Dragon or any color since Feral doesn't require any alignment can take the Template Feral. The current stats modifiers would be (put the race + the 2 templates together)

+12 Strenght
+2 Dexterity
+4 Constitution
-2 Intellect
+2 Wisdom
+4 Charisma

The main point of my DM is he's kinda scare of a character starting with +12 Strenght + a dragon breath however it is a total of 5 ECL that I want to create and the fact is a Feral Template character start with half the usual PC money.

The main point of my DM is becoming a Half-Dragon change your monster into a Dragon type and becoming Feral change your type into a Monstrous humanoid.

thanks in advance to anyone that can help us with our current situation.

 

[Runestar]

You will have to apply feral before half-dragon, since feral can only be applied to humanoids/monstrous humanoids, while half-dragons can be applied to virtually any race. Your final type is dragon.

Because both races grant natural weapons, see if your DM can lower the LA by 1 (according to savage species, natural weapons is worth +1LA), for a total LA of +3.

I don't really recommend the excessive use of LA, too few HD makes you too fragile (your hp sucks - one lucky hit is all it takes to do you in, not to mention your crappy fort/will saves.

If it is natural weapons you want, consider playing the totemist from magic of incarnum (that girallon soulmeld grants you 4 claw attacks). Throw in warforged for 2 more (slam and bite). Maybe tack on the dragonborn template if you want the breath weapon as well (it is still moderately useful at low levels). The enhancement bonuses you can grant your attacks should offset the loss of to-hit/damage from your lower str (which is really what that +12str amounts to).

 

[Celestiale]

Thanks you very much for the informations more you input into Feral more my ECL will be

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Some thoughts:

1) Feral is my favorite template, though a lot of people on these boards consider it undervalued by +1LA.

2) I don't know the Half-Dragon template that well, but if you look in Savage Species, there is the multiheaded template, of which the subcategories of Cryo-, Pyro-, and Lernean exist, the first 2 of which grant breath weapons.

3) Another way to get a breath weapon is to play a Sorcerer and take the Draconic Heritage and Draconic Breath feats (from Complete Arcane).

4) Another way to get a big strength boost (along with other physical stats) is to play one of the anthropomorphic animals from Savage Species. Several also have some kind of natural attack.

5) If you want catfolk, check out SS Anthros again, but also check out Dragon Compendium v1.

(And welcome to the boards!)

 

[Shin Okada]

What is the starting ECL of your campaign? LA+5 character will be too vulnerable unless the starting ECL is at least 10+.

And, if you want some warrior type with LA, consider large creatures such as Half-Ogre, Centaur or Minotaur. Being large is ...big advantage in 3.Xe. Also, if you are to take Half-Dragon template, note that only large or larger half-dragon gets wings.

As an alternative, you can start with a non half-dragon race and then proceed to Dragon Disciple prestige class. By using either Hexblade (CW) or Duskblade (PHB II) standard class, you can qualify the prerequisites of DD prestige class without losing BAB. In this case, you will eventually get wings even if medium or smaller.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

What Shin said...to a point.

An ECL +5 creature may or may not be more vulnerable than non-adjusted creatures depending upon why it has the adjustment (some adjustments are due to HD, after all) and the exact nature of the campaign. The DM may play it light early on.

How well do you know your DM? Is he going to hit you hard out of the gate, or will there be a gentle ramping up of the challenges within the campaign?

 

[Celestiale]

My DM's Campaign is alredy start and the first generation PCs are overall lvl 13. The thing is we eventually have to create a second PC for his campaign, 2 level lower than my current character so I'll be around lvl 11.

I want to create something that only use Natural Attacks and I've read about the Totemist that Runestar suggested me and I will probably going for that.

I'll check all the options that everybody suggested me since I want to maximise my PC.

Thanks you Dannyalcatraz for welcoming me

 

[Dagredhel]

Hi Celestiale.

You've got enough options now that you're probably all set, but I want to add one more suggestion. The Druid Shapeshift variant class feature in the PHBII (Players Handbook II) synergizes very well with inherent natural attacks. Natural attacks gained from spells and psionics often explicitly do not "stack", in the sense that they can't be used in combination with other natural weapons as part of a full attack. The Shapeshift ability lacks this specific prohibition. As long as you keep the necessary body part, you can still use any attacks you possess in your base form. Claws and a tail attack from a draconic heritage are a nice start.

If you do go the Shapeshift route, then levels of Warshaper become a possibility, improving natural attacks further and adding to Strength and Constitution when shapechanged.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Of course, if your PC has natural attacks (unless they're from a spell or power), Improved Natural Attack is almost a must-have feat.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Some thoughts:

1) Feral is my favorite template, though a lot of people on these boards consider it undervalued by +1LA.

2) I don't know the Half-Dragon template that well, but if you look in Savage Species, there is the multiheaded template, of which the subcategories of Cryo-, Pyro-, and Lernean exist, the first 2 of which grant breath weapons.

Looking at the chart in Savage Species, it's arguable that you can get Half-dragon for +2 LA by not choosing a color; i.e. no breath weapon and resistance. This is a bit questionable from a rules standpoint, and I wouldn't've tried for it if the DM hadn't pointed it out to me.

And I looooove feral. Never got to use it, but it's real nice.

4) Another way to get a big strength boost (along with other physical stats) is to play one of the anthropomorphic animals from Savage Species. Several also have some kind of natural attack.

Oh, yeah, some of them are disgustingly broken.

As written, Moby Lee is just brutally wrong (that's the anthropomorphic baleen whale, with Monk levels); 3 HD, no LA, tons of Str and Wis and Con and Natural Armor, and Large, for the extra damage on Unarmed Strike. (shudder)

Personally, I went with the half-dragon anthropomorphic tyrannosaur; there's nothing that specifically calls dinosaurs out as being ineligible for anthropomorphizing, and it both looked appropriate and gave me a decent hook for roleplaying ("Me Tolthrak SMASH!").

Brad