Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DrStalker 06-30-07, 12:25 PM	The Primary Goal: a character that utilizes shape-shifting into various forms for melee combat. Ideally being able to either spend nearly all the time in shifted form or (if shifting back to base form is needed) able to shift at will to avoid pesky "per day" powers. The Problem: I thought it would be as simple as taking a Druid and the shape-shifting prestige class, but I'm all confused now with the huge variety of classes, feats, and options... some of which I think were made obsolete in 3.5. Shifter, Master of Many forms, Warshaper, Bear warrior, that shifter option for druids, and a bunch of other stuff... I could figure it out with time, but hopefully someone with more rules knowledge can help out and save me a few days. Which class(es), feats and equipment should I be focusing on here? (Note that being a druid is not a strict requirement if there is a better way to reach my goal, but the supplementary healing and casting powers would be nice. Plus I think they might be able to cast when shifted with the right feat, maybe.)
DropsonExistance 07-01-07, 03:51 AM	Well, Master of Many Forms is the 3.5 version of Shifter. Now that we have that out of the way, I found this thread very handy, if only for the concisely laid out wildshaping rules. http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=639448 Master of Many Forms is the only prestige class of the kind you're looking for that I have experience with, and its premise is that you're spending your life in other forms, which seems to be what you're looking for. It's in Complete Adventurer; it may not be the numerically strongest class, but I personally like the flavour. It doesn't, however, offer at-will shaping. I find a decent way to find out general stuff about a certain class is to scroll through this board and peek in every thread with that class in the title, which is how I got in this thread tonight, actually. Anyway, hope I helped a little.
Scott113 07-01-07, 09:21 AM	You can also check out the Unearthed Arcana druid variant; the Shapeshifter. I just made a half-Ogre version so Ill see how it goes. He can shapeshift at will and starting out (at lvl 3) he can become a large sized wolf with 26 strength, 18 Ac, speed of 50' and does a bite atatck of 1d8+ 8. This is with zero gera. I also took the large and in charge feat so I can push you little people around.hehe.
Dark1ord 07-01-07, 11:43 AM	You can also check out the Unearthed Arcana druid variant; the Shapeshifter. that's "PH2 druid variant shapeshift" http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=650144
Chimaera2000 07-01-07, 03:02 PM	Even in core-only, it's not to hard to do what you're looking for. By about level 8, a pure druid should be able to spend all day Wild Shaped and still have full spellcasting via Natural Spell. While prestige classes like Warshaper are nice, I wouldn't say that the benefits it provides are worth sacrificing druid levels for unless you're really melee-focused. Even then, it's a toss-up depending on which spells you have available. If you want at-will shapeshifting from level one, then the aforementioned PHB II Shapeshift variant is what you're looking for. It's not nearly as powerful as Wild Shape and an animal companion, but I can say from personal experience that it's very, very fun.