Help with Druid Progression [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help with Druid Progression [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Raven Dark
12-04-03, 10:09 PM I was hoping to get some advice on ensuring the success of my Human Druid soon to be Warshaper.

I am participating in a Dragonlance Campaign in which I want to start play as a Neutral Evil Druid who worships Zeboim. I have talked it out with the DM and we have agreed on a few points:

1) I can be evil.
2) I can become a Warshaper (This can be found in the Complete Warrior).
3) I can wildshape into any animal with the word "Tremperate" listed in its Environment line as well as any I come upon in my adventures.
4) When I obtain my first Warshaper level it will be roleplayed out as a powerful gift from Zeboim (an evil nature diety of the sea) and will more or less be an evil and corrupt form of power.
5) Due to the corruption of my natural powers, whenever I use my morphic abilities it is going to appear grotesque and even evil in appearance (think of Dino Crisis, Parasite Eve, and Resident Evil type monsters)

We are starting from first level and are going to work our way up from there. Our party consists of myself as the druid, two fighters one of which is an archer and the other a large greatsword wielding monkey gripper, and a monk who doesn't know where he is going yet. Everyone is human.

Since I am the only spellcaster in the party and everyone else is neutral to good in alignment, I want to help them out, make myself indispensible so they simply can't afford to be rid of me. Lots of powerful friends keeps my character alive longer too, right?

You can check out my current stats here (http://www.angelfire.com/scary/raven_dark64/documents/Durgan_Darkstar.doc).

I intend to get the Augent Summoning and Natural Spell feats soon so that I can stay in my wildshape form for extended periods and still cast great spells. For now, I have Spellcasting Prodigy (Druid) and Spell Focus (Conjuration). At low levels I intend to stockpile on group aid and healing spells to make myself useful to the other party members. At higher levels I intend to rely more on attack spells, self-buff spells, and summoning.

Our DM is going into the military soon and we don't really expect to make it to level 20 (more likely we will get to level 12) so please take this into consideration.

Based on what I have now, can you give me any advice on making this a strong character that will be absolutley indispensible to an otherwise unfriendly party?

I also want ideas on how I can create a situation in which the party can't afford to get rid of me if they ever so chose - a kind of leverage I guess.

My questions are as follows:

1) Which feats & skills should I take to optimize my character's combat performance?

2) Do you have any advice for keeping the party on my side (evil ideas welcome so long as they are not out of line for a druid)?

3) In what order should I pick up my Druid/Warshaper levels to optmize my abilities at the appropriate times?

Thanks in advance!
Morka
12-05-03, 11:05 AM I don't have stats on the Warshaper, but I think I could help a little.

Originally posted by Raven Dark

Since I am the only spellcaster in the party and everyone else is neutral to good in alignment, I want to help them out, make myself indispensible so they simply can't afford to be rid of me. Lots of powerful friends keeps my character alive longer too, right?

First, if you are evil, don't call them friends, but allies.

Since you are the only healer and even the only spellcaster in the group, the rest of the group will really need you, but why would you need this group more than one who's goal is to control the world? Perhaps one of them saved your life in some kind? Are they "child friends" who invited you to journey with them? Perhaps are you simply obeying the orders of Zeboim?

I don't know Zeboim very much. Will your campaign be in the seas? If not, what a druid of the Evil God of Sea would be doing in another environment?
Raven Dark
12-05-03, 11:44 PM Originally posted by Morka
First, if you are evil, don't call them friends, but allies.

Oh, thanks.

Originally posted by Morka
Since you are the only healer and even the only spellcaster in the group, the rest of the group will really need you, but why would you need this group more than one who's goal is to control the world? Perhaps one of them saved your life in some kind? Are they "child friends" who invited you to journey with them? Perhaps are you simply obeying the orders of Zeboim?

We all live in the same region. That doesn't help much as it is a big region. We have no particular reason for being together, at least not yet. We are only first level after all.

Originally posted by Morka
I don't know Zeboim very much. Will your campaign be in the seas? If not, what a druid of the Evil God of Sea would be doing in another environment?

No, I don't imagine the campaign will be sea based. As for your other question, my druid can travel inland so that he can find the morphing powers that Zeboim has promised him so logn as he can prove himself worthy.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Raven Dark 12-04-03, 10:09 PM	I was hoping to get some advice on ensuring the success of my Human Druid soon to be Warshaper. I am participating in a Dragonlance Campaign in which I want to start play as a Neutral Evil Druid who worships Zeboim. I have talked it out with the DM and we have agreed on a few points: 1) I can be evil. 2) I can become a Warshaper (This can be found in the Complete Warrior). 3) I can wildshape into any animal with the word "Tremperate" listed in its Environment line as well as any I come upon in my adventures. 4) When I obtain my first Warshaper level it will be roleplayed out as a powerful gift from Zeboim (an evil nature diety of the sea) and will more or less be an evil and corrupt form of power. 5) Due to the corruption of my natural powers, whenever I use my morphic abilities it is going to appear grotesque and even evil in appearance (think of Dino Crisis, Parasite Eve, and Resident Evil type monsters) We are starting from first level and are going to work our way up from there. Our party consists of myself as the druid, two fighters one of which is an archer and the other a large greatsword wielding monkey gripper, and a monk who doesn't know where he is going yet. Everyone is human. Since I am the only spellcaster in the party and everyone else is neutral to good in alignment, I want to help them out, make myself indispensible so they simply can't afford to be rid of me. Lots of powerful friends keeps my character alive longer too, right? You can check out my current stats here (http://www.angelfire.com/scary/raven_dark64/documents/Durgan_Darkstar.doc). I intend to get the Augent Summoning and Natural Spell feats soon so that I can stay in my wildshape form for extended periods and still cast great spells. For now, I have Spellcasting Prodigy (Druid) and Spell Focus (Conjuration). At low levels I intend to stockpile on group aid and healing spells to make myself useful to the other party members. At higher levels I intend to rely more on attack spells, self-buff spells, and summoning. Our DM is going into the military soon and we don't really expect to make it to level 20 (more likely we will get to level 12) so please take this into consideration. Based on what I have now, can you give me any advice on making this a strong character that will be absolutley indispensible to an otherwise unfriendly party? I also want ideas on how I can create a situation in which the party can't afford to get rid of me if they ever so chose - a kind of leverage I guess. My questions are as follows: 1) Which feats & skills should I take to optimize my character's combat performance? 2) Do you have any advice for keeping the party on my side (evil ideas welcome so long as they are not out of line for a druid)? 3) In what order should I pick up my Druid/Warshaper levels to optmize my abilities at the appropriate times? Thanks in advance!
Morka 12-05-03, 11:05 AM	I don't have stats on the Warshaper, but I think I could help a little. Originally posted by Raven Dark Since I am the only spellcaster in the party and everyone else is neutral to good in alignment, I want to help them out, make myself indispensible so they simply can't afford to be rid of me. Lots of powerful friends keeps my character alive longer too, right? First, if you are evil, don't call them friends, but allies. Since you are the only healer and even the only spellcaster in the group, the rest of the group will really need you, but why would you need this group more than one who's goal is to control the world? Perhaps one of them saved your life in some kind? Are they "child friends" who invited you to journey with them? Perhaps are you simply obeying the orders of Zeboim? I don't know Zeboim very much. Will your campaign be in the seas? If not, what a druid of the Evil God of Sea would be doing in another environment?
Raven Dark 12-05-03, 11:44 PM	Originally posted by Morka First, if you are evil, don't call them friends, but allies. Oh, thanks. Originally posted by Morka Since you are the only healer and even the only spellcaster in the group, the rest of the group will really need you, but why would you need this group more than one who's goal is to control the world? Perhaps one of them saved your life in some kind? Are they "child friends" who invited you to journey with them? Perhaps are you simply obeying the orders of Zeboim? We all live in the same region. That doesn't help much as it is a big region. We have no particular reason for being together, at least not yet. We are only first level after all. Originally posted by Morka I don't know Zeboim very much. Will your campaign be in the seas? If not, what a druid of the Evil God of Sea would be doing in another environment? No, I don't imagine the campaign will be sea based. As for your other question, my druid can travel inland so that he can find the morphing powers that Zeboim has promised him so logn as he can prove himself worthy.