Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Pottsey 10-27-06, 07:35 AM	I want to play a pure druid with limited spell access although I was tempted to take 1 ranger level. Spells will be limited to level 2 to 4 mostly depending on what I dice I role for my character. I only want to use a to use 1 spell for combat most likely bull strength then charge in, though I might also add Barkskin. My idea was to use a two-handed weapon with bull strength but I am having problems choosing a weapon. What would you use greatsword, greataxe or Scythe. Hopefully an ironwood weapon as well. Or is there another weapon that’s worth looking at? I wanted something a bit different then normal as I always play a druid and have done the normal builds to death. Martial weapon Proficiency (insert weapon) (unless there’s an exotic weapon you all recommend then I can take exotic feat instead or take 1 ranger level) Weapon Focus Improved Critical Power Attack Cleave Great cleave This character is for both NWN 2 and as a back up in case my current character dies in PnP. Going to ask the DM to have him to appear in the background so it’s not as odd if I die and someone pops out of nowhere to replace me. Any suggestions or recommendations for another build like this?
Daemoniss 10-27-06, 07:56 AM	Use an Ironwood club and... (From SRD) "Shillelagh Transmutation Level: Drd 1 Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: One touched nonmagical oak club or quarterstaff Duration: 1 min./level Saving Throw: Will negates (object) Spell Resistance: Yes (object) Your own nonmagical club or quarterstaff becomes a weapon with a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls. (A quarterstaff gains this enhancement for both ends of the weapon.) It deals damage as if it were two size categories larger. These effects only occur when the weapon is wielded by you. If you do not wield it, the weapon behaves as if unaffected by this spell. " Couple this with Brambles, and later with Spikes... (both in complete divine). At first lvl you should outdamage the fighter...
Daemoniss 10-27-06, 08:41 AM	Hmmm... if your spellcasting is limited, once you get wildshape, go to master of the many forms PrC, put an sizing enchantment in your club and Hulk Smash things with great forms like WarTroll... Maybe the Druidic Avenger variant is good for you if you go that way...
Pottsey 10-27-06, 08:54 AM	I forgot to say no PrC permitted the DM considers them overpowered our current characters are lvl 5 so I assume any new ones start at that level or higher depending on when/if I die. Also shapeshift is for none combat only for the most part. My last character was based around shape shifting and combat. That character only lasted 2 games before getting killed :(. Shame it was fun. None core book race’s are permitted subject to DM vetting. Not sure about variant core class’s have to ask. I have to look into Druidic Avenger.
HelloRaptor 10-27-06, 09:13 AM	If... you're not going to shapeshift really, and you're not going to cast spells... why are you even playing a Druid? o.O Sounds like you want a limited spellcasting, non-shapeshifting, woodsy warrior. In which case, why not just go Ranger?
Daemoniss 10-27-06, 09:22 AM	If... you're not going to shapeshift really, and you're not going to cast spells... why are you even playing a Druid? o.O Sounds like you want a limited spellcasting, non-shapeshifting, woodsy warrior. In which case, why not just go Ranger? With a DM like his... I agree 100% with you... Go ranger or fighter :cool:
X-Codes 10-27-06, 09:38 AM	Couple this with Brambles, and later with Spikes... (both in complete divine). At first lvl you should outdamage the fighter... Brambles and Spikes no longer stack. In fact, as of Spell Compendium Spikes caps at +10 damage and only lasts 1 minute/level. You're a Druid. Use Wild Shape. Sticks are for Clerics. Simply put, theres no reason whatsoever for a druid to focus entirely on close combat, since he can do *everything* better than any other core class.
Daemoniss 10-27-06, 09:43 AM	But he doesnt want to wildshape (at least to fight)... =/
Pottsey 10-27-06, 09:46 AM	I do plan to use low level spells and shapeshift just not for combat. I play a druid for rolepaly reasons. For combat I wanted to do something different and be focus on close combat intread of the more normal paths. There are more to Druids then spells and shapeshift.
Daemoniss 10-27-06, 09:53 AM	There are more to Druids then spells and shapeshift. Pass without trace rules... :rolleyes: Since spikes and brambles replace each other, you can use brambles, until you get spikes... Shillelagh still a good spell... later there is the spells Bite of... (Spell compendium). These spells add a good amount of power to a close combat fighter...
Pottsey 10-27-06, 09:57 AM	Thanks will look into those. Any neat tricks to do with poison? Could be useful to poison the weapon once I hit lvl 9. Any other ideas? We get free skill points to put into a profession might make mine a poison maker.
rilem 10-27-06, 10:03 AM	Thing about poison is, most monsters have good fort. saves (or are immune to poison altogether -- undead, constructs, etc.)
Crimsonrhino 10-27-06, 10:08 AM	A close combatant would make a cleric a better choice. I melee with my buffs on and cast flame strike (uses reflex to save) and striking shadows (a ray attack with no save). I also cast spike stones to slow down the enemy and allowing me to drop more bombs till they reach me,hehe.
Person_Man 10-27-06, 10:31 AM	I'm a big fan of the Druidic Avenger as well. Another option is the Simple Varient Ranger from UA - give up your Combat Style feats, gain Fast Movement and Wildshape into Small or Medium animals. Then pick up one or two of the Wild Shape feats (Aberration Wild Shape, Exalted Wild Shape, Frozen Wildshape, Powerful Build Wild Shape) depending upon what you want your main combat form to be. Though you're avoiding it, its a natural entry into Warshaper and Nature's Warrior. Regardless, the advantage is that your BAB and Skills are slightly higher, and you gain all the other fun Ranger abilities. The downside is that you give up a ton of useful spells, and you can never Wildshape into Large or bigger creatures. Normally I would never suggest using a Ranger over a Druid, but it might work for what you're looking for.
Subedei 10-27-06, 10:34 AM	There are more to Druids then spells and shapeshift. In terms of roleplay? Sure. In terms of mechanics? No, there really isn't. Here's my suggestion though: Take Natural Spell and stay in a great ape or baboon wild shape. This will allow you to interact with humans, manipulate small objects with your nifty opposable thumb, use things as a human would considering you ARE humanoid and whatnot. Take one level of monk and be a badass kicking, punching, staff twirling, reed hat wearing shaolin ape. The staff would be cool, but it'd be a lot stronger if you combined unarmed strikes with natural attacks and took the multiattack feat. So if you had, say, a +6 BAB you'd get unarmed strikes at +4/+4/-1(flurry), claws at +4/+4 and a bite at +4. That's a +4/+4/+4/+4/+4/-1 attack sequence at 9th level, not bad at all for a medium BAB character. Don't worry about the low attack bonuses, you'll have a lot of strength and a few spells to make up for it. If you wanted to take Monk to 2nd level you could be a Gentle Way monk (Unearthed Arcana) and gain Combat Expertise and Improved Trip as bonus feats. With your high strength and large size from ape form (and eventually dire ape form) it'll be easy to trip. Use several things like a Monk's Belt to improve your effective Monk level for unarmed strikes. Someone else can help you in finding them all as I don't know them off the top of my head. But say you're up to 2d6 base unarmed damage (12th level monk). In your large size ape form you'll deal 3d6 damage, take improved natural attack (unarmed strike) and you'll deal 4d6. Now if you can just find some way to increase your effective size for unarmed strikes by ONE more category you'll deal 6d6 damage with them! Pretty nice, eh? As for your spells: If you're going to be capped at access to 2nd-4th level spells then the solution is simple - take quicken or extend or possibly both. Quicken would be best as it'll allow you to make a full attack AND cast another buff spell in the same round using that Swift action you'd normally just be wasting each round. That'll at least allow you to actually use those higher level spell slots you'll be gaining. Oh yeah, and doesn't Wis to AC in your ape form sound nice?
Crimsonrhino 10-27-06, 10:38 AM	A druid that doesnt shape shift or cast spells is called a speed bump.