Feats for a dragon PC in a low magic campaign

[rypta]

So I'm going to be playing a dragon in a heavily homebrewed campaign with low magic.  The dragon is heavily modified and has no racial casting.  I'd rather not explain all the campaign's rules, so its easier if you guys just trust that I'm not shafting myself.   

Starting level is 13, 40 point buy for stats.  No flaws, up to 3 traits.

The dragon racial class:
- d12 HD, 6+INT skills, all good saves, all skills class skills
- +20 STR, +10 CON, +4 INT, +4 WIS, +4 CHA
- Huge size (gargantuan at level 18)
- Dragon racial traits (blindsense, darkvision, low light vision, immunity to sleep and paralysis)
- Breath weapon: 1d6*HD with range and shape progression of a dragon shaman.  Still usable every 1d4 rounds.
- Natural armor bonus of HD/2.
- 200 ft. fly speed, poor maneuverability, 60 ft. land speed, 60 ft. swim speed
- Alternate form as a gold dragon with breath weapon usable in alternate form.

I'm having issues picking feats.  My first inclination was to focus on my size and play battlefield control with the large and in charge feat.  Now I'm starting to wonder if I should pump up the breath weapon and strafe with flyby attack.  Thoughts?

[Prime32]

I recommend reading through the dragonfire adept handbook. Much of the advice is applicable to you, there's even strategies for when you're polymorphed into a Huge creature.

What type of damage does your breath weapon deal? The first feat you take should be Entangling Exhalation, no questions (dragons automatically qualify for things which require the dragonblood subtype). If you want to take it further, pick up Flyby Breath (once per round, use your breath weapon as a free action if you do nothing else but move) and Strafing Breath to attack absurd areas at once.

See if you can pick up the shadow creature template - +1 LA for +50% to all movement modes. It's possible to get your manouverability up to perfect with the combination of a feat and a magic item.

I assume you have natural weapons as a true dragon? (Bite + 2 claws + 2 wings + 1 tail slap + 1 crush)
Consider Rapidstrike and Improved Rapidstrike.

Otherwise, take a look at the stuff in the Draconomicon and Savage Species. If you get special abilities by age, Dragon Magic has some alternate sets.

[Fluffles]

Strafing breath is nich for dealing with peskey slow mooks

[rypta]

I will definitely explore that handbook.

My breath weapon is fire damage and I'm almost positive the DM will say to no to shadow creature.

I do have all the natural weapons of a huge dragon, all with reach of 15 ft. for the sake of simplicity.  I was looking at the rapidstrike feats, but I'm not sure I understand what the limit is on improved rapidstrike.  How do you decide how many additional attacks to make?

Unfortunately, I won't be getting special abilities by age.  The racial class was created in an attempt to make the dragon abilities somewhat independent of age.

[Havok4]

See if you can pick up a draconic archetype (Dragons of Eberron)  the wyrm of war one will give you some nice bonus feats. The metabreath feats from the draconomicon can be pretty good as well.

[Prime32]

My breath weapon is fire damage

I'd recommend finding some way to change that, since fire is the most commonly resisted element in the game. If you can get one alternate element, get cold - hardly anything is immune to both.

Draconomicon has a few spells which can modify your breath. That handbook has a section on magic items - look in particular at the Crown of the North Winds (70,000gp), which lets you use the breath weapon of any metallic dragon, and the Gorget of Tempest Breath (10,000gp). Enlarge person won't work on dragons, but the psionic expansion will.

Be sure to pick up a Dragon Spirit Cincture - if you have access to multiple breath weapons then stick least energy assault weapon crystals on everything you have which can be used as a weapon. Get some spiked barding and put one on it. Wear a spiked helmet even if you aren't proficient.

I do have all the natural weapons of a huge dragon, all with reach of 15 ft. for the sake of simplicity.  I was looking at the rapidstrike feats, but I'm not sure I understand what the limit is on improved rapidstrike.  How do you decide how many additional attacks to make?

If you have a pair of natural weapons, such as two claws, two wings, or two slams, you can make two or more extra attacks with one of those weapons, the first at a -4 penalty and the second and subsequent attacks at an additional -5, but never more than four extra attacks. Creatures with multiple limbs qualify for this feat as well, so a creature with three arms and three claw attacks qualifies for this feat.

[rypta]

My breath weapon is fire damage

I'd recommend finding some way to change that, since fire is the most commonly resisted element in the game. If you can get one alternate element, get cold - hardly anything is immune to both.

Draconomicon has a few spells which can modify your breath. That handbook has a section on magic items - look in particular at the Crown of the North Winds (70,000gp), which lets you use the breath weapon of any metallic dragon, and the Gorget of Tempest Breath (10,000gp). Enlarge person won't work on dragons, but the psionic expansion will.

I do have all the natural weapons of a huge dragon, all with reach of 15 ft. for the sake of simplicity.  I was looking at the rapidstrike feats, but I'm not sure I understand what the limit is on improved rapidstrike.  How do you decide how many additional attacks to make?

If you have a pair of natural weapons, such as two claws, two wings, or two slams, you can make two or more extra attacks with one of those weapons, the first at a -4 penalty and the second and subsequent attacks at an additional -5, but never more than four extra attacks. Creatures with multiple limbs qualify for this feat as well, so a creature with three arms and three claw attacks qualifies for this feat.

But its just arbitrarily as many as I'd like as long as its four or fewer?

As for feats, I'm looking at the following: Entangling Exhalation, Flyby Attack, Flyby Breath, Strafing Breath, Multiattack, Combat Reflexes and Large and In Charge.  Not sure about the ideal order, though.

[Prime32]

But its just arbitrarily as many as I'd like as long as its four or fewer?

It's possible that they meant the extra attacks to be limited by your BAB or something, but the feat doesn't say anything about that.

[rypta]

But its just arbitrarily as many as I'd like as long as its four or fewer?

It's possible that they meant the extra attacks to be limited by your BAB or something, but the feat doesn't say anything about that.

Hmm...The feat just says extra attacks.  Does that mean they apply to a standard attack as well as a full attack?

[ninjarabbit]

Do you have to take all your levels as a dragon? I would recommend a level of monk or two and multi-attack.

[rypta]

For now, its all dragon.  I may be able to take class levels later though.

The DM eliminated the flyby breath feat so its not needed for strafing breath.  With that in mind, I'm tentatively looking at the following (again, only at level 13 to start):

1) Multiattack
3) Flyby Attack
6) Strafing Breath
9) Entangling Exhalation
12) Large and In Charge
15) Combat Reflexes
18) Heighten Breath or Rapid Breath or Wingover ( not really sure about this last feat)

[Brainpiercing]

Knockback or Standstill come to mind, although Knockback is only really good with power-attack and a 2xPA multiplier.

Also, find a way to pounce and take Battle-jump (UE). Just fly above your opponent and fold your wings, bam, you get to pounce them for double damage (or free trip).

If you want reach-extreme get a mouthpick spiked chain (LoM), preferably gargantuan in size and use Strongarm bracers. Proficiency included in the mouthpick. Combat Exp.+Improved trip will certainly not be wasted in this combo, although arguably this is more valid at lower levels.

[Prime32]

Also, find a way to pounce and take Battle-jump (UE). Just fly above your opponent and fold your wings, bam, you get to pounce them for double damage (or free trip).

Battle Jump explicitly doesn't work if you fly above your target.

[Brainpiercing]

Battle Jump explicitly doesn't work if you fly above your target.

That is not true. Only magical flight is prohibited. Wings can be furled and are then no longer functional.
[spoiler]

influence of a fly or levitate spell
or effect, as you have to hurl yourself down on your foe.
If you hit...

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Technically wouldn't feather fall allow you to battle jump, then?

[Brainpiercing]

Technically wouldn't feather fall allow you to battle jump, then?

Weeelll... by strict RAW, likely yes. By slightly less strict RAW feater fall disallows actually dropping on your target, so I personally would probably keep with the spirit of the feat and say no.

[Jedda]

See if you can pick up a draconic archetype (Dragons of Eberron)  the wyrm of war one will give you some nice bonus feats.

Second this. IIRC 1 flighter / dragon related bonus feat every 4HD

There's definitely a feat that improves your manoeuvrability by one step that may interest you.