Red dragon disciple taking flight
This player character build (rogue 17/ bard 1/ red dragon disciple 22, a.k.a. "dragon rogue") is designed to be primarily defensive. It makes for an excellent scout who can hold his own if discovered.
The strengths of this build are epic dodge, damage reduction, and devastating critical. Its weaknesses are a limited attack bonus, moderate difficulty in leveling, and an experience penalty starting at level 4.
This is a very unforgiving build though there is room for minor variations. Optional feats are noted as such, with options listed in the notes.
Basics[]
Race: dwarf
Abilities: (final scores in parentheses)
- Strength: 16 (26)
- Dexterity: 16 (25)
- Constitution: 18 (21)
- Wisdom: 8
- Intelligence: 8 (10)
- Charisma: 6 (8)
Alignment: any non-lawful
Level progression[]
Classes by character level
- 1: rogue
- 2: bard
- 3–7: rogue
- 8-17: red dragon disciple
- 18–21: rogue
- 22-26: red dragon disciple
- 27–29: rogue
- 30–36: red dragon disciple
- 37–40: rogue
Ability increases by character level
- 4, 8, 12, 16: dexterity
- 20: strength to qualify for devastating critical at level 24
- 24: constitution to qualify for epic damage reduction at level 25
- 28, 32, 36: dexterity to qualify for epic dodge at level 36
- 40: strength
The increase at level 40 could instead be in dexterity or constitution, depending on what is most important to the player (strength improves attack and damage, dexterity improves armor class, and constitution improves hit points).
General feats by character level
- 1: power attack
- 3: cleave
- 6: weapon focus (shortsword)
- 9: great cleave
- 12: ambidexterity (optional feat #1)
- 15: improved critical (shortsword)
- 18: two-weapon fighting (optional feat #2)
- 21: overwhelming critical (shortsword)
- 24: devastating critical (shortsword)
- 27: epic weapon focus (shortsword)
- 30: great dexterity I
- 33: great dexterity II
- 36: epic dodge
- 39: improved two-weapon fighting (optional feat #3)
Rogue bonus feats by character level (rogue level in parentheses)
- 21 (10): improved evasion
- 29 (13): defensive roll
- 39 (16): crippling strike
Red dragon disciple epic bonus feats by character level (class level in parentheses)
- 25 (14): epic damage reduction I
- 32 (18): epic damage reduction II
- 36 (22): epic damage reduction III
Skills
This build receives 184 skill points over its 40 levels. The skill ranks required by this build are the following.
- lore 8 (at level 7 to gain red dragon disciple)
The other skills most important for this build are the following. Ranks are listed first, with the score modified by the relevant ability in parentheses.
- hide 30 (37) class skill for only rogue and bard
- move silently 13 (20) class skill for only rogue and bard
- parry 43 (50)
- perform 5 (4) available only to bard
- tumble 40 (47) class skill for only rogue and bard
- use magic device 41 (40) available only to rogue and bard
This leaves 9 unused skill points. A suggested use for these is spellcraft (class skill for only bard and red dragon disciple).
Stats[]
Attack bonus
In the absence of magical enhancements, whether from items or spells, this character's attack bonus (AB) when dual-wielding (mundane) shortswords is composed of the following elements at level 40.
- 23: base attack bonus
- +8: strength modifier
- +3: feats (weapon focus)
- -2: dual-wield
32 AB, for attacks per round of +32/+27/+22 / +32/+27 (or +33/+28/+23 / +33/+28 with bard song)
If the character is permitted swords with a +5 enhancement bonus and gear that provides a +12 bonus to strength (increasing the strength modifier by 6), the attacks per round become +43/+38/+33 / +43/+38 (or +44/+39/+34 / +44/+39 with bard song). If the character is additionally permitted to reach the +20 attack bonus cap and acquires haste, the attacks per round become +58/+53/+48/+58 / +58/+53.
Armor class
In the absence of magical enhancements, whether from items or spells, this character's armor class (AC) when wearing (mundane) padded armor is composed of the following elements at level 40.
- 10: base AC
- +1: padded armor base AC
- +7: dexterity modifier
- +8: tumble
- +6: red dragon disciple bonus
32 AC
If the character is permitted items with a +5 bonus in each of the four applicable categories (armor, deflection, dodge, and natural) as well as a +12 bonus to dexterity (and switching to clothing), the AC total becomes 57. If the character is instead permitted a +20 bonus in each category and a +12 bonus to dexterity (and switching to clothing), the AC total becomes 117.
Notes[]
- Naturally, parry is to be used for single combat, so sneakiness should be used to divide and conquer. When riposte ability is very high, combat is not drawn out any longer than normal melee.
Optionally, use those RDD skill points for discipline instead of parry, especially for game worlds in which opponents make regular disarm attempts. - The three two weapon fighting type feats are chosen for the 5 attacks with minimal penalty, hence the choice of a small weapon for focus. Players who intend to use the free bard shield may consider rapier over shortsword to further increase critical threat range.
- Additionally, one of the following feat sets may be used to replace optional feats listed in the build:
- called shot, knockdown, improved knockdown
- point blank shot, rapid shot, improved critical (shortbow)
- rapid reload, improved critical crossbow, overwhelming critical crossbow