Sources: Any official 3.5 source.
Setting: Forgotten Realms (That doesn't mean non-FR things are banned)
Level 12
Wealth: Wealth by level+500
My concept was originally a lycanthrope, but every time I look at the delay in class abilities I wonder if it's worth it...
So, currently I am looking at a Shifter(Longtooth with extra trait razorclaw) Barbarian 4/Warshaper 3/Weretouched Master 5 to begin... but I'm not really certain about many specifics besides wanting to avoid being underpar while transforming and using natural attacks
I'm wide open guys. :P
Thanks.
The other options I can think of are wild shape ranger 5 / master of many forms 7, something using bear warrior, something using primeval, or druid. Those don't have animal-human hybrid forms, just animal forms. I'm not sure what exactly you're aiming for.
Wild shape ranger (Unearthed Arcana) trades combat style feats for the ability to wild shape. Master of many forms (Complete Adventurer) expands the types and sizes of creatures you can wild shape into far beyond normal, advances the duration and maximum HD of wild shape, and adds a use of wild shape per day every level. Bear warrior (Complete Warrior) gives a very limited wild shape (basically) that adjusts your ability scores instead of replacing them. Prim...Frostburn) also gives a very limited wild shape (basically) that adjusts your ability scores instead of replacing them.
If you use weretouched master, it's best to use a greatsword and add in a secondary bite attack instead of using claws. If you want to focus on natural weapons, a necklace of natural weapons (Savage Species) lets you add weapon enhancements to your natural weapons and greater magic fang can be made permanent.
If you're going to be large, you could consider an attack of opportunity-based build.
To get a bit more specific as I was more vague than I originally realized. My goal is to emulate a 'were' without using the lycanthropy template(because I keep hearing the LA/HD is far inferior to class levels even if it's like fighter).
Not positive what I would be going for specifically in combat style(Grappling vs tripping vs pouncing), besides wanting to emphasize hybrid form as a primary attack method, probably using shifter feats to get damage reduction and the like.
I'd like to avoid druid as I don't want to feel like I'm tying a hand behind my back focusing on just transformations... and from what I hear wildshape has all sorts of errata and changes that I am not familiar with. If it's simple enough then I can look, but since I'm starting at level 12(not much experience in the higher levels), I'd like to try to K.I.S.S.
Edit: Oh, flaws are allowed...
Basically, I want to emulate the traits of a lycanthrope as closely as possible without shooting effectiveness in the foot with the animal HD and LA. Weretouched Master with Warshaper seems to enable that well, and coupled with rages seems like a fairly effective idea... so the attribute layout and feat selection would be the biggest trouble. I suppose I *COULD* use weapons if some the claw related abilities/feats are terribad and iterative attacks come out on top.
Am I getting closer to a specific enough concept here?
~ edit ~
... the Template classes from Savage Species work.
Linky ---> www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/s...
They function as class levels, so it's easy.
Half-Fey shows up in lots of builds.
Ghost progression gets pimped by TML quite often too.
If you really wanted to play a Werewolf / Lyca whatever
... the Template classes from Savage Species work.
Linky ---> www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/s...
They function as class levels, so it's easy.
Half-Fey shows up in lots of builds.
Ghost progression gets pimped by TML quite often too.
Doesn't that... have the exact same end result though? I'm familiar with the template classes, but since I'm starting at level 12, does it really matter which version I use? I mean, I'm not playing a were- Tyrannosaurus or something crazy like that. Am I just missing something?
What's TML?
Thanks for the reply!
TML is short for The_Mad_Linguist. It's a bit of a misnomer though, since he isn't a linguist, mad, or unique.
The savage progression would make a difference if you were using LA buy-off or if you only wanted to take part of the progression.
I recommend barbarian 2 / fighter 2 over barbarian 4. The extra two levels of barbarian mostly just get you an extra use of rage per day. If you instead take two fighter levels, you can take the extra rage feat, from Complete Warrior, for two extra uses of rage per day, netting one use of rage per day and one extra feat relative to barbarian 4.
The first two levels of barbarian are where the good alternative class features are. The lion totem alternate class feature in Complete Champion lets you trade fast movement for the ability to make a full attack after a charge. The wolf totem variant in Unearthed Arcana lets you trade uncanny dodge for improved trip, without needing the prerequisites. (These are two different sets of “totem” variants. Don't get them confused.)
Fighter 2 opens up the possibility of using the dungeoncrasher variant, from Dungeonscape. This goes very well with large size, since you qualify for the knockback feat, from Races of Stone. A nice synergy with barbarian is the rampaging bull rush feat, from Races of Stone.
Doesn't that... have the exact same end result though? I'm familiar with the template classes, but since I'm starting at level 12, does it really matter which version I use? I mean, I'm not playing a were- Tyrannosaurus or something crazy like that. Am I just missing something?
What's TML?
Thanks for the reply!
It does have the same results for the most part. Honestly, lycanthropes are not, for the most part, bad for their level adjustment and racial hit dice though. They get decent damage reduction, some very decent stat bonuses, natural attacks, large size, and more.
If you stick with 4 HD and under animals (minimizing BAB loss), you're going to lose 3 BAB for an afflicted lycanthrope. In return, you can get up to around a +12 Str bonus and +4 to +8 Con bonus. For a fighter type, that is going to offset the losses quite adequately. Throw in the other racial features and you're essentially picking up a different variety of class features for the ones you're losing. (As an example of good animals to choose, you might want to look at Dire Wolverine, advanced Dire Badger, and Dire Bat from the original MM.)
If you're primarily looking for a "hybrid" form for your character, without worrying too much about DR, natural attacks, large size, etc... you could look at using a Hengeyokai instead. There are about 10 varieties of those and they have the human, hybrid, animal form thing going as well. (Albeit primarily for small, fuzzy animals rather than dangerous predators. But, hey, it's the thought that counts, right?
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