Help with Shapeshift Ranger - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Help with Shapeshift Ranger

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
chaosperfected
Nov 12, 2010 4:06:27 Hello there, Optimization Boards! I have a weird sort of build in mind and I want to make sure to optimize it. You see, I'm playing in a Water Based Pirate Game with this character so I want to have a sort of pirate-ish feel with this character as well while still keeping him optimized.

It is a game starting at level five so I have that many levels to get something workable. Stats are 17, 16, 14, 14, 10, 10.

My DM has allowed me to give up Spellcasting (I didn't want him to be much of a Spellcaster anyway) and Combat Feats to gain Shapechange instead of Wildshape and I'm using a variant that allows me to take on an Aquatic Form. I also get to keep my companion which I've changed to an Urban Companion for this game, simply for fluff purposes. My DM is also letting me use Kung Fu Genius to apply to a Swordsage. She also ruled that Natural Attacks count as preferred weapons for any Discipline with unarmed strike. So I want my build to be Shapechange Ranger/Swordsage/Something.. any ideas?

What maneuvers and such should I take to optimize myself while in animal form? What else should I do?

Thanks guys.
#2
cru
Nov 12, 2010 13:47:19 First of all, you've listed three various abilities: shapeshift / wild shape / shapechange. Which of these do you have? Shapeshift is the PHB2 druid variant granting stat bonuses instead of wild shape. Shapechange is a lvl 9 spell.

Assuming you're planning a wild shape ranger, I'd recommend something like ranger 5 / master of many forms.

If you're applying the shapeshift druid variant to ranger... well, it's really a weak option. Shapeshift is generally weak, but druids still have other options to fall back to. Shapeshift ranger has... not much.

Urban companion: OK. Having familiar nearby grants Alertness, right? Ranger gives Endurance, this would easily qualify for Master of Many Forms I mentioned above.

Kung fu genius; what's the benefit? I cannot really see any serious int synergy potential in these builds. Perhaps you should rather go for some dex synergy, getting dex to damage via Shadow Blade.

I suck at ToB so I cannot help you there.
#3
j2.504
Nov 12, 2010 14:10:09
From Unearthed Arcana or the d20SRD, look into the air and aquatic racial environmental variants. Air, I believe, is not for humans. But, the air version makes it so you never have to breath - aka no risk of drowning amongst other things such as no fear of inhaled poisons, gasses, etc.

If I'm not mistaken, you can apply the environmental variants to any race except human. You can have aquatic humans, however IIRC.

PS - no level adjustment with the variant.
#4
chaosperfected
Nov 12, 2010 15:34:52 I meant Shapeshift, yes. I know it's weaker than Wildshape but I get to keep my real stats in the forms I can take with that and I like it better. It's cleaner. And I get it from level one, so that's a bonus.

Is Master of Many forms still good for a Shapeshifter? I really didn't think so. I don't know if it really fits with my character anyway. I was going to fall back on my Swordsage Disciplines and use them in animal form.. I know my concept isn't optimized, I just wanted to see if I could optimize it as much as possible, you know?

Kung Fu Genius is because I was going to have a much higher INT than WIS and I wanted that tasty INT to AC and INT to Insightful Strike abilities, but I was definitely also going to take Shadow Blade, don't worry.

I wanted him to be a normal human- other people are already going up with Aquatic Humans and Mermaids and such so I was going to go with something different.
#5
cru
Nov 13, 2010 2:03:05 momf with shapeshift: no

Just making sure you know what shapeshift gives:
- all your equip is non-functional
- cannot wield weapons
- gives enhancement bonuses to stats

Perhaps you should concentrate on swordsage indeed and don't bother with ranger much (just get your homebrew aquatic form I guess).

Considering that you cannot use any equip, perhaps you should take Vow of Poverty from BoED, but that's rather serious roleplaying decision.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 chaosperfected Nov 12, 2010 4:06:27	Hello there, Optimization Boards! I have a weird sort of build in mind and I want to make sure to optimize it. You see, I'm playing in a Water Based Pirate Game with this character so I want to have a sort of pirate-ish feel with this character as well while still keeping him optimized. It is a game starting at level five so I have that many levels to get something workable. Stats are 17, 16, 14, 14, 10, 10. My DM has allowed me to give up Spellcasting (I didn't want him to be much of a Spellcaster anyway) and Combat Feats to gain Shapechange instead of Wildshape and I'm using a variant that allows me to take on an Aquatic Form. I also get to keep my companion which I've changed to an Urban Companion for this game, simply for fluff purposes. My DM is also letting me use Kung Fu Genius to apply to a Swordsage. She also ruled that Natural Attacks count as preferred weapons for any Discipline with unarmed strike. So I want my build to be Shapechange Ranger/Swordsage/Something.. any ideas? What maneuvers and such should I take to optimize myself while in animal form? What else should I do? Thanks guys.
#2 cru Nov 12, 2010 13:47:19	First of all, you've listed three various abilities: shapeshift / wild shape / shapechange. Which of these do you have? Shapeshift is the PHB2 druid variant granting stat bonuses instead of wild shape. Shapechange is a lvl 9 spell. Assuming you're planning a wild shape ranger, I'd recommend something like ranger 5 / master of many forms. If you're applying the shapeshift druid variant to ranger... well, it's really a weak option. Shapeshift is generally weak, but druids still have other options to fall back to. Shapeshift ranger has... not much. Urban companion: OK. Having familiar nearby grants Alertness, right? Ranger gives Endurance, this would easily qualify for Master of Many Forms I mentioned above. Kung fu genius; what's the benefit? I cannot really see any serious int synergy potential in these builds. Perhaps you should rather go for some dex synergy, getting dex to damage via Shadow Blade. I suck at ToB so I cannot help you there.
#3 j2.504 Nov 12, 2010 14:10:09	From Unearthed Arcana or the d20SRD, look into the air and aquatic racial environmental variants. Air, I believe, is not for humans. But, the air version makes it so you never have to breath - aka no risk of drowning amongst other things such as no fear of inhaled poisons, gasses, etc. If I'm not mistaken, you can apply the environmental variants to any race except human. You can have aquatic humans, however IIRC. PS - no level adjustment with the variant.
#4 chaosperfected Nov 12, 2010 15:34:52	I meant Shapeshift, yes. I know it's weaker than Wildshape but I get to keep my real stats in the forms I can take with that and I like it better. It's cleaner. And I get it from level one, so that's a bonus. Is Master of Many forms still good for a Shapeshifter? I really didn't think so. I don't know if it really fits with my character anyway. I was going to fall back on my Swordsage Disciplines and use them in animal form.. I know my concept isn't optimized, I just wanted to see if I could optimize it as much as possible, you know? Kung Fu Genius is because I was going to have a much higher INT than WIS and I wanted that tasty INT to AC and INT to Insightful Strike abilities, but I was definitely also going to take Shadow Blade, don't worry. I wanted him to be a normal human- other people are already going up with Aquatic Humans and Mermaids and such so I was going to go with something different.
#5 cru Nov 13, 2010 2:03:05	momf with shapeshift: no Just making sure you know what shapeshift gives: - all your equip is non-functional - cannot wield weapons - gives enhancement bonuses to stats Perhaps you should concentrate on swordsage indeed and don't bother with ranger much (just get your homebrew aquatic form I guess). Considering that you cannot use any equip, perhaps you should take Vow of Poverty from BoED, but that's rather serious roleplaying decision.