Beatstick Druid - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Beatstick Druid

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
sofawall
Feb 22, 2009 20:19:03 I know, I know, worst Druid ever, but the rest of the party is so under-optimized (dwarven monk with weapon focus (unarmed) is an example), I wanted to try it.

What I need is some good buff spells, wild shape and companion ideas. I'm currently a halfling druid 4, halfling because any other race and I wouldn't be able to get dinos (we're in Eberron, and I want fleshraker :D). No Forgotten Realms or Dragonlance, but any other WotC book is ok (Completes, Races, Compendiums etc.)

Oh, and some battlefield control spells are ok, like entangle and so forth. It's just I don't want to outshine my party too much.
#2
phaedrusxy
Feb 24, 2009 11:34:28 Most druids are "beatsticks". That's their basic function in most cases. They just have a lot of other things they can do, also. Did you look at the druid handbook?
#3
oprick
Feb 24, 2009 11:45:09 ive been toying with this for a while lately: dip for one level into barbarian, and pick up the 'shared fury' feat from RotW.

now, consider that you could have a lovely rage variant like whirling frenzy from UA.

the only drawback is that your animal companion needs to be within 5'. riding on it is definitely less than 5'

so... ride your fleshraker animal companion, share rage, and (b)eat face.
#4
malkavon
Feb 24, 2009 11:54:02 Right now, you're a quasi-melee. You ride around on your dinosaur and smack people with a giant spikey stick. For wild shape, what's better than one venomfire'd fleshraker uberpouncing someone? Two of 'em. Seriously, if it's good enough for your animal companion, it's good enough for you. Or, y'know, giant bears. That should probably be your default wild shape form (until Dragon Wild Shape comes along), if nothing else springs to mind. You really can't go wrong with "I turn into a giant bear".

Make sure you take Natural Bond (to offset the -3 Druid levels for the Fleshraker), but other than that, you're pretty open feat-wise. If you have decent Str, Power Attack + Shock Trooper is always nice with a pouncing form. Later on Dragon Wild Shape is really good (shadow dragons are an awesome defensive form, and check out the mist dragon on the Wizards website. Their gaseous form-esque ability is crazy-good!). Oh, and Yondalla's Sense is like Improved Initiative on crack for Halflings Druids.

Spell-wise, the bite of the foo series are about the best buffs you have that'll work on you. Sadly, your best buffs tend to be animal-only, so you miss out on those. Girallon armos, chare of the triceratops, turtle shell, and of course the stat buffs are always good too.

Edit: Incidentally, I am reminded of a picture from the Eberron demotivators thread. "Halfling Barbarians: -2 Strength, +1 Dinosaur."
#5
necrosnoop110
Feb 24, 2009 12:21:32 Is Barbarian 1/ Druid 19 a strong option?
#6
sofawall
Feb 26, 2009 21:19:16
Right now, you're a quasi-melee. You ride around on your dinosaur and smack people with a giant spikey stick. For wild shape, what's better than one venomfire'd fleshraker uberpouncing someone? Two of 'em. Seriously, if it's good enough for your animal companion, it's good enough for you. Or, y'know, giant bears. That should probably be your default wild shape form (until Dragon Wild Shape comes along), if nothing else springs to mind. You really can't go wrong with "I turn into a giant bear".

Make sure you take Natural Bond (to offset the -3 Druid levels for the Fleshraker), but other than that, you're pretty open feat-wise. If you have decent Str, Power Attack + Shock Trooper is always nice with a pouncing form. Later on Dragon Wild Shape is really good (shadow dragons are an awesome defensive form, and check out the mist dragon on the Wizards website. Their gaseous form-esque ability is crazy-good!). Oh, and Yondalla's Sense is like Improved Initiative on crack for Halflings Druids.

Spell-wise, the bite of the foo series are about the best buffs you have that'll work on you. Sadly, your best buffs tend to be animal-only, so you miss out on those. Girallon armos, chare of the triceratops, turtle shell, and of course the stat buffs are always good too.

I]Girallon arms[/i], chare of the triceratops, turtle shell, haven't heard of them, where are they?. All the others, especially Bite of the Werething will be used :D

Edit: Incidentally, I am reminded of a picture from the Eberron demotivators thread. "Halfling Barbarians: -2 Strength, +1 Dinosaur."

#7
malkavon
Feb 27, 2009 4:03:00 Girallon arms, charge of the triceratops*, and turtle shell are all from the Spell Compendium.

*Typo'd in my previous post.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 sofawall Feb 22, 2009 20:19:03	I know, I know, worst Druid ever, but the rest of the party is so under-optimized (dwarven monk with weapon focus (unarmed) is an example), I wanted to try it. What I need is some good buff spells, wild shape and companion ideas. I'm currently a halfling druid 4, halfling because any other race and I wouldn't be able to get dinos (we're in Eberron, and I want fleshraker :D). No Forgotten Realms or Dragonlance, but any other WotC book is ok (Completes, Races, Compendiums etc.) Oh, and some battlefield control spells are ok, like entangle and so forth. It's just I don't want to outshine my party too much.
#2 phaedrusxy Feb 24, 2009 11:34:28	Most druids are "beatsticks". That's their basic function in most cases. They just have a lot of other things they can do, also. Did you look at the druid handbook?
#3 oprick Feb 24, 2009 11:45:09	ive been toying with this for a while lately: dip for one level into barbarian, and pick up the 'shared fury' feat from RotW. now, consider that you could have a lovely rage variant like whirling frenzy from UA. the only drawback is that your animal companion needs to be within 5'. riding on it is definitely less than 5' so... ride your fleshraker animal companion, share rage, and (b)eat face.
#4 malkavon Feb 24, 2009 11:54:02	Right now, you're a quasi-melee. You ride around on your dinosaur and smack people with a giant spikey stick. For wild shape, what's better than one venomfire'd fleshraker uberpouncing someone? Two of 'em. Seriously, if it's good enough for your animal companion, it's good enough for you. Or, y'know, giant bears. That should probably be your default wild shape form (until Dragon Wild Shape comes along), if nothing else springs to mind. You really can't go wrong with "I turn into a giant bear". Make sure you take Natural Bond (to offset the -3 Druid levels for the Fleshraker), but other than that, you're pretty open feat-wise. If you have decent Str, Power Attack + Shock Trooper is always nice with a pouncing form. Later on Dragon Wild Shape is really good (shadow dragons are an awesome defensive form, and check out the mist dragon on the Wizards website. Their gaseous form-esque ability is crazy-good!). Oh, and Yondalla's Sense is like Improved Initiative on crack for Halflings Druids. Spell-wise, the bite of the foo series are about the best buffs you have that'll work on you. Sadly, your best buffs tend to be animal-only, so you miss out on those. Girallon armos, chare of the triceratops, turtle shell, and of course the stat buffs are always good too. Edit: Incidentally, I am reminded of a picture from the Eberron demotivators thread. "Halfling Barbarians: -2 Strength, +1 Dinosaur."
#5 necrosnoop110 Feb 24, 2009 12:21:32	Is Barbarian 1/ Druid 19 a strong option?
#6 sofawall Feb 26, 2009 21:19:16	Right now, you're a quasi-melee. You ride around on your dinosaur and smack people with a giant spikey stick. For wild shape, what's better than one venomfire'd fleshraker uberpouncing someone? Two of 'em. Seriously, if it's good enough for your animal companion, it's good enough for you. Or, y'know, giant bears. That should probably be your default wild shape form (until Dragon Wild Shape comes along), if nothing else springs to mind. You really can't go wrong with "I turn into a giant bear". Make sure you take Natural Bond (to offset the -3 Druid levels for the Fleshraker), but other than that, you're pretty open feat-wise. If you have decent Str, Power Attack + Shock Trooper is always nice with a pouncing form. Later on Dragon Wild Shape is really good (shadow dragons are an awesome defensive form, and check out the mist dragon on the Wizards website. Their gaseous form-esque ability is crazy-good!). Oh, and Yondalla's Sense is like Improved Initiative on crack for Halflings Druids. Spell-wise, the bite of the foo series are about the best buffs you have that'll work on you. Sadly, your best buffs tend to be animal-only, so you miss out on those. Girallon armos, chare of the triceratops, turtle shell, and of course the stat buffs are always good too. I]Girallon arms[/i], chare of the triceratops, turtle shell, haven't heard of them, where are they?. All the others, especially Bite of the Werething will be used :D Edit: Incidentally, I am reminded of a picture from the Eberron demotivators thread. "Halfling Barbarians: -2 Strength, +1 Dinosaur."
#7 malkavon Feb 27, 2009 4:03:00	Girallon arms, charge of the triceratops, and turtle shell* are all from the Spell Compendium. *Typo'd in my previous post.