3.5 Druid 6th lvl - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

3.5 Druid 6th lvl

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
ferox_the_ancient
Sep 26, 2008 15:41:24 want to focus on wild shaping...thinking that by 20th lvl i want to be druid 5 MoMF 10 warshaper5...taking natural spell along with VoP and being a very old elf or human or something...any suggestions?
#2
ikildkenny
Sep 26, 2008 16:08:29 yes, one:

do not play a Druid!

take the variant wildshape Ranger (UA, loses Weapon style, gains Wildshape as druid) OR try to use the Alternate Variant chain to get the Wildshape Barbarian and Wis to AC (assuiming your DM allows it ...)
furthermore if you have to take the ranger (or rather say may) than do not take the animal companion - take the alternate feature to give your allies flanking bonus AND take the variant from CC to sacrifice Spellcasting (cause 1 lvl 1 Spell won't help you - and being there for cure light wounds is obsolete on later levels)

to sum your possibilities up:

Nr. 1) do NOT take Druid but the UA Ranger without a animal comp. (PHB2 afaik) and without spellcasting (CC or CW wichever suits yourself more)

Nr. 2) use the following chain: (taken from here)
Lets begin with a basic Barbarian.

First we apply the Primary Variants.

Apply Variant A:
Lose: Rage, Greater Rage, Indomitable will, Tireless Rage, Mighty Rage
Gain: Favored enemy (Ranger); Archery Combat Style, Improved Archery Combat Style, and Archery Combat Style Mastery (Ranger).

A Chained to Variant I:
Lose: Combat Style, Improved Combat Style, Combat Style Mastery.
Gain: Wild shape (Druid; Small or Medium animals only), Fast Movement (Barbarian).

I Chained to Variant D:
Lose: Armor and Shield proficiency, Wild Shape (all versions).
Gain: Bonus to Armor Class when unarmored (Monk, including Wisdom bonus to AC), Fast Movement (Monk), Favored Enemy (Ranger), Swift tracker (Ranger), Track (Ranger).

D Chained to Variant G:
Lose: Enhancement bonus to unarmored speed (Monk), Bonus to Armor Class when Unarmored (retain Wisdom bonus to AC when unarmored).
Gain: Damage reduction (Barbarian).

Here we have a Barbarian that:

Loses: Rage, Greater Rage, Indomitable will, Tireless Rage, Mighty Rage and Armor & Shield proficiencies
Gains: a 2nd Fast Movement (Barbarian), a 2nd Damage Reduction (Barbarian), 2 Favored Enemies (Ranger), Swift Tracker (Ranger), Track (Ranger), and Wisdom to AC (Monk).

Now if we apply some Secondary Variants:

Variant 1
Lose: Fast Movement (Barbarian)
Gain: Spirit Totem (CC)

with the appropriate spirit totem being lion totem (and thus pounce)

VoP is than a eccelent choice cause your bonuses will also apply to your wildshapes!

my advice on feats:

1 Sacred Vow
Human: Vow of Poverty
Bonus Exalted: Nymph's Kiss (allways usefull for skillpoints)
2 Exalted: Intuitive Attack
3 :improved toughness
4 Exalted: Nimbus of light
6 Exalted: touch of Golden Ice; regular: your choice ... depending on what you think you might need
8 Exalted: Exalted wildshape
9: your choice
10 Exalted: Sanctify natural Attack
...
...
...

for stats:
I would still go for WIS as my primary attribute (because of AC and ATT.)
secondary priority is CON (HP - see polymorph errata)
third ... depending on what you want:
good use out of the skillpoints - kind of party face, possibly some more exalted feats available: CHA
more skillpoints (imho the better choice): Int

the rest shoud be at 8-10 ... avoid a negative mod on DEX because of reflex saves
#3
keyes2k4
Sep 26, 2008 16:21:27 What's the campaign setting like?
Are there any house rules or book restrictions?
what is your DM's policies on what you know how to wildshape into (learned or just known?)
#4
natenate
Sep 26, 2008 16:46:35 For a Wild Shaping build, I'd also recommend Wild Shape Ranger. Giving up spellcasting is bad advice, keep your spellcasting, prepare Rhino's Rush (SC), and get a bunch of 1st level Pearls of Power.

Go Human Wild Shape Ranger 5/ Master of Many Forms 7/ War Shaper 4/ MoMF 1/ Ranger 1/ MoMF 2 in that order.
At level 20 you'll be Wild Shape Ranger 6/ Master of Many Forms 10/ War Shaper 4.
Feats should be Track (R), Power Attack (H), Combat Reflexes (1), Alertness (3), Endurance (R), Leap Attack (6), Frozen Wild Shape (9), Robilar's Gambit (12), Iron Will or Combat Focus or Mage Slayer (15), and Defensive Sweep (18).
Ability Scores: Str 13 or 14, Dex 10-14, high Con, Int 10, high Wis, Cha 8-10. Since you're starting at level 6 you probably won't even need Dex any higher than 10, or Str higher than 13.
For gear, at level 6 you'll have exactly enough to get a Monk's Belt and be wearing your original traveler's outfit, and that's all you'll need. Maybe get a quarterstaff and any other free gear you can find. Future gear should include an Amulet of Mighty Fists +1, Armbands of Might, Gloves of Dex, and 1st level Pearls of Power.

From level 9 on you can Wild Shape into a Cryohydra thanks to Frozen Wild Shape. At level 12 you can take the form of a 12-headed Cryohydra, and with Robilar's Gambit you'll be making a 12-bite AoO every time you're attacked. For smaller quarters Cave Troll and War Troll are two of the best forms to take, especially considering you get all of their extraordinary special qualities from level 12 on.

If you want to make a Druid, just go single-classed Human Druid. Get Natural Spell and Natural Bond with a Fleshraker dinosaur companion (MM3), Natural Bond will negate the Level -3 for it being more powerful than the 1st level companions. Get some decent Hide and Move Silently ranks, along with Survival, Handle Animal, Concentration, and Kn: Nature. With flaws take Spell Focus: Conjuration and Augment Summoning at level 1, along with Imbued Summoning (PH2) and Metamagic School Focus (CM). Cast Enrage Animal on your companion and send it in, it will be able to solo most encounters. Get a Lesser Rod of Extend and use it with Creeping Cold. Use Summon Nature's Ally with Imbued Summoning and Metamagic School focus to make your critters appear buffed with Enrage Animal or Bull's Strength or Nature's Favor. Once you hit level 9 you can Summon Nature's Ally III for a Lion, then on the round it appears cast Animal Growth on yourself (wild shaped), your companion, and your summoned lion. That alone can handle several opponents whose CRs are above your character level, just try to give the other characters a chance to feel important too.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ferox_the_ancient Sep 26, 2008 15:41:24	want to focus on wild shaping...thinking that by 20th lvl i want to be druid 5 MoMF 10 warshaper5...taking natural spell along with VoP and being a very old elf or human or something...any suggestions?
#2 ikildkenny Sep 26, 2008 16:08:29	yes, one: do not play a Druid! take the variant wildshape Ranger (UA, loses Weapon style, gains Wildshape as druid) OR try to use the Alternate Variant chain to get the Wildshape Barbarian and Wis to AC (assuiming your DM allows it ...) furthermore if you have to take the ranger (or rather say may) than do not take the animal companion - take the alternate feature to give your allies flanking bonus AND take the variant from CC to sacrifice Spellcasting (cause 1 lvl 1 Spell won't help you - and being there for cure light wounds is obsolete on later levels) to sum your possibilities up: Nr. 1) do NOT take Druid but the UA Ranger without a animal comp. (PHB2 afaik) and without spellcasting (CC or CW wichever suits yourself more) Nr. 2) use the following chain: (taken from here) Lets begin with a basic Barbarian. First we apply the Primary Variants. Apply Variant A: Lose: Rage, Greater Rage, Indomitable will, Tireless Rage, Mighty Rage Gain: Favored enemy (Ranger); Archery Combat Style, Improved Archery Combat Style, and Archery Combat Style Mastery (Ranger). A Chained to Variant I: Lose: Combat Style, Improved Combat Style, Combat Style Mastery. Gain: Wild shape (Druid; Small or Medium animals only), Fast Movement (Barbarian). I Chained to Variant D: Lose: Armor and Shield proficiency, Wild Shape (all versions). Gain: Bonus to Armor Class when unarmored (Monk, including Wisdom bonus to AC), Fast Movement (Monk), Favored Enemy (Ranger), Swift tracker (Ranger), Track (Ranger). D Chained to Variant G: Lose: Enhancement bonus to unarmored speed (Monk), Bonus to Armor Class when Unarmored (retain Wisdom bonus to AC when unarmored). Gain: Damage reduction (Barbarian). Here we have a Barbarian that: Loses: Rage, Greater Rage, Indomitable will, Tireless Rage, Mighty Rage and Armor & Shield proficiencies Gains: a 2nd Fast Movement (Barbarian), a 2nd Damage Reduction (Barbarian), 2 Favored Enemies (Ranger), Swift Tracker (Ranger), Track (Ranger), and Wisdom to AC (Monk). Now if we apply some Secondary Variants: Variant 1 Lose: Fast Movement (Barbarian) Gain: Spirit Totem (CC) with the appropriate spirit totem being lion totem (and thus pounce) VoP is than a eccelent choice cause your bonuses will also apply to your wildshapes! my advice on feats: 1 Sacred Vow Human: Vow of Poverty Bonus Exalted: Nymph's Kiss (allways usefull for skillpoints) 2 Exalted: Intuitive Attack 3 :improved toughness 4 Exalted: Nimbus of light 6 Exalted: touch of Golden Ice; regular: your choice ... depending on what you think you might need 8 Exalted: Exalted wildshape 9: your choice 10 Exalted: Sanctify natural Attack ... ... ... for stats: I would still go for WIS as my primary attribute (because of AC and ATT.) secondary priority is CON (HP - see polymorph errata) third ... depending on what you want: good use out of the skillpoints - kind of party face, possibly some more exalted feats available: CHA more skillpoints (imho the better choice): Int the rest shoud be at 8-10 ... avoid a negative mod on DEX because of reflex saves
#3 keyes2k4 Sep 26, 2008 16:21:27	What's the campaign setting like? Are there any house rules or book restrictions? what is your DM's policies on what you know how to wildshape into (learned or just known?)
#4 natenate Sep 26, 2008 16:46:35	For a Wild Shaping build, I'd also recommend Wild Shape Ranger. Giving up spellcasting is bad advice, keep your spellcasting, prepare Rhino's Rush (SC), and get a bunch of 1st level Pearls of Power. Go Human Wild Shape Ranger 5/ Master of Many Forms 7/ War Shaper 4/ MoMF 1/ Ranger 1/ MoMF 2 in that order. At level 20 you'll be Wild Shape Ranger 6/ Master of Many Forms 10/ War Shaper 4. Feats should be Track (R), Power Attack (H), Combat Reflexes (1), Alertness (3), Endurance (R), Leap Attack (6), Frozen Wild Shape (9), Robilar's Gambit (12), Iron Will or Combat Focus or Mage Slayer (15), and Defensive Sweep (18). Ability Scores: Str 13 or 14, Dex 10-14, high Con, Int 10, high Wis, Cha 8-10. Since you're starting at level 6 you probably won't even need Dex any higher than 10, or Str higher than 13. For gear, at level 6 you'll have exactly enough to get a Monk's Belt and be wearing your original traveler's outfit, and that's all you'll need. Maybe get a quarterstaff and any other free gear you can find. Future gear should include an Amulet of Mighty Fists +1, Armbands of Might, Gloves of Dex, and 1st level Pearls of Power. From level 9 on you can Wild Shape into a Cryohydra thanks to Frozen Wild Shape. At level 12 you can take the form of a 12-headed Cryohydra, and with Robilar's Gambit you'll be making a 12-bite AoO every time you're attacked. For smaller quarters Cave Troll and War Troll are two of the best forms to take, especially considering you get all of their extraordinary special qualities from level 12 on. If you want to make a Druid, just go single-classed Human Druid. Get Natural Spell and Natural Bond with a Fleshraker dinosaur companion (MM3), Natural Bond will negate the Level -3 for it being more powerful than the 1st level companions. Get some decent Hide and Move Silently ranks, along with Survival, Handle Animal, Concentration, and Kn: Nature. With flaws take Spell Focus: Conjuration and Augment Summoning at level 1, along with Imbued Summoning (PH2) and Metamagic School Focus (CM). Cast Enrage Animal on your companion and send it in, it will be able to solo most encounters. Get a Lesser Rod of Extend and use it with Creeping Cold. Use Summon Nature's Ally with Imbued Summoning and Metamagic School focus to make your critters appear buffed with Enrage Animal or Bull's Strength or Nature's Favor. Once you hit level 9 you can Summon Nature's Ally III for a Lion, then on the round it appears cast Animal Growth on yourself (wild shaped), your companion, and your summoned lion. That alone can handle several opponents whose CRs are above your character level, just try to give the other characters a chance to feel important too.