The Road to Thustrata (OOC)

[tfwfh]

I feel like I'm just about ready to start posting in-character, but I don't want to overstep, and Wallace seems to have been passed over in the post fight heal-a-thon.  Is he still incapacitated, and was he conscious for the fight?

[foproy]

add this one to the list.
1d20+8=20

[foproy]

also not my intention to fudge any rolls just keep it clean.

[tfwfh]

I'm going to interpret the lack of protest as approval for me playing a drake.  So, my concept is to just be a dragon (as opposed to say, a wizard who happens to be a dragon).  To my mind, dragons are big terrifying combat monsters, and also inherently magical creatures.

I'm more concerned about the combat monster part than the magical one, so high BAB and defense/DR are important here.  I don't want to take any levels of Mage, because it fails on both those aspects.  Priest would be the best option if a suitable alignment can be found or created.  If not, then my plan is to take just Martial Artist, and replicate spell casting through feats.  Currently, I think the best way to do that is with potions and the alchemy feats, reflavored somewhat to more resemble something like stored up ritual casting than throwing vials at people.  I also think Scroll Casting could be helpful, but I'm not really sure about it.  Either way, I plan to take 1 level of Martial Artist because I'll need the Martial Arts feat and I don't expect to ever qualify for it normally.

So, what are my options for Priest alignments?

[LordKruelos]

Tell me about your drake. What's his shtick and why is he wandering from place to place on The Long Road?

[tfwfh]

Seravaxiss is a young dragon (at least by dragon standards).  Recently (again, dragon standards, so a few years ago) her mother decided she was old enough to be bothersome and kicked her out of the lair.  Sera is now wandering in search of a suitable place to establish her own lair and hunting grounds.  And as long as she's travelling, she figures she might as well have some travelling companions.  She doesn't have anywhere in particular to go, so wherever they're going is as good a direction as any.  Plus, it will give her a chance to learn more about these little mortals that dot the landscape.  The experience will help decide whether she's better off making allies of them, or terrorizing them into submission later on when she's building up a horde.

[LordKruelos]

If you were to play a priest, what would you be a priest of?

[tfwfh]

I'm not at all interested in the flavor surrounding Priest.  I don't think of the character as being a member of a class.  Rather it's just a dragon, and I'm trying to bend the PC mechanics to fit that shape.  Priest is a good fit, but it's not the only one.  If I have to be a priest of something, I would want it to be like, Priest of Awesome Dragonness (Dragonkind or Dragon Spirit, maybe, from a more serious perspective).

And, to be completely honest, I'm not sure I would take Priest even if it is an option.  The more I think about it, the more I value not having to rely on the kindness of any particular GM, so I can take the same build and play it in any game without problem (like another Long Road adventure, for instance).

[foproy]

if you are thinking just general dragony type stuff you would probably be better off with just mage.

[tfwfh]

How so?  I'm going for melee combat badass, plus a little magic on the side.  Mage is essentially the opposite of that.

[foproy]

mages aren't that weak in this game, and in many fantasy settings dragons are magical powerhouses. most strategies involve slinging spells and breath weapon before ever attacking up close.

[tfwfh]

They're weak as compared to everyone else.  They have the lowest BAB, defense, and vitality of all of the classes in the game.  Their saves are also pretty bad.  The only thing they do well is cast spells.  True, if they decided to start hitting something with a stick, that is a lot more effective here than in other games, but it's still not something they're good at.  Anyway, I guess we have different ideas of how dragons work.  I'm going with the huge-teeth-and-claws-and-oh-yeah-a-bit-of-magic-too version.

[LordKruelos]

Channeler? That would suit your high BAB needs and you could fling magic around.

If you want to be huge teeth and claws Dragon, martial artist?

How Big exactly are you thinking?

[Catodon]

A few of things:

First check out my drake Vandarzyrx. I built him as a minion smasher and there might be some ideas you could use. He's a sage so for your hard-core combat drake maybe use martial artist or soldier.
http://oldschoolfantasy.pbworks.com/w/page/45743281/Vandarzryx

Also if you want  just a bit of magic consider feats: The Gift or Blessed.

Finally, for Long Road games beyond the current adventure (say you want to port across to the other Long Road thread and back later) stick to official rules. Re-skinning is fine even encouraged but Alchemy to represent pre-preapred rituals rather than physical objects is probably across the line in the eyes of many referees. If however LK is cool with that and you aren't going to port the character around then no probs.

[LordKruelos]

Heh, you could always build it as

Drake Sorceror Channeler 1 / Martial Artist 2

Take Draconic Heritage and Truescale at level 1