I have a powerful magical weapon that I have to keep dead secret and can never use, a wooden breastplate, and a wooden sword (both ironwood).
I was trying to find some class I could dip into to try to improve my melee capabilities, because even after I get spells, I think I will still focus on melee; the general populace seems to treat magic with borderline hostility.
I found a class called the Osteomancer, from Dragon 317, and I think I could get it to fly with my DM. I was wondering if this would be a good idea, as I was thinking of using spells and items to buff my bone natural attacks and maybe get bone spikes in my wild shape forms.
If anyone has an opinion regarding the osteomancer/druid combo, or anything else that may help, that would be immensely helpful.
I would greatly appreciate any help, please inform me If I have left anything unclear. Thanks.
If your DM forced you to play a druid with no spellcasting and no wildshape, because 'his story needs it', I'd tell him to f-off and quit. That isn't fun. I'd rather play a fighter.
Osteomancer's been updated in the Dragon Compendium, by the by.
Yea, I only picked druid because nobody else wanted to play the divine caster.
However, I do trust my DM, and I plan to keep playing. I trust him to think of something cool to offset my lack of cool stuff. I do have a powerful artifact, lets me cure minor wounds at will, but I have to keep it dead secret, so I can only heal a little at a time.
Thanks for the response though.
BB
No, I don't even get Wildshape...I'm essentially an ex-druid.
Yea, I only picked druid because nobody else wanted to play the divine caster.
However, I do trust my DM, and I plan to keep playing. I trust him to think of something cool to offset my lack of cool stuff. I do have a powerful artifact, lets me cure minor wounds at will, but I have to keep it dead secret, so I can only heal a little at a time.
Thanks for the response though.
So, in exchange for everything resembling an ability. You get an albatross that does nothing for you except risk your life?
Quit. Noone else wanted to play a divine caster because he set the game up where it would be impossible to play one and have fun. Tell him flat out, your starting a new character, or leaving, there's no way to salvage that character.
Generally, there's no harm to take sixth level of druid: your BAB increases and so do all your saves. Also your animal companion progresses at this level.
Wow. That sucks. You don't even qualify for divine prestige classes because you have no divine spellcasting.
If you really want to keep this character and add to your combat capabilities, maybe consider adding a level of barbarian and going into bear warrior? That'll screw with your spell list if and/or when they're "restored", but it might help keep you alive until then.
Druidic Avenger while divine casting hasn't been restored. Ask to keep the animal companion, since the DM already cheated you out of wildshape and spellcasting.
You'll still be a little nerfed, but once divine casting (and hopefully wildshape) kicks in, you'll cast spells like a full druid. Propose to let the animal companion go once spellcasting kicks in, as a sacrifice (I don't mean killing your companion) or something.
P.S. Try combining it with cru's idea.
Fleshraker dinosaur could be powerful enough to keep you interested in the game.
ask for an above average animal companion. As an added bonus, you should be able to heal your beast in secrecy with your artifact.
Sorry for the lack of osteomancer tips.
Alternatively, skip step one and just quit, as he's already being an ass.
Yes, this is dragonlance, I do have the staff of blue crystal, and the gods have not yet come (but should)
Regardless, I am surprised at the hostility. I plan to stick it out, primarily because this is the only time I meet with some of my friends over the summer and because I am currently inexperienced and want to change that.
So thanks for the replies, I'm not going to quit, and I would appreciate any multiclass or osteomancer suggestions.
Thanks--
There also doesn't seem to be any reward for your sacrifice. Screwing your casting wasn't enough - he's also restricted your AC, although I don't see how that would affect his plans, it would only give you a chance to be a useful party member.
I wonder how long you can expect to be gimped?
However, regarding your request - I would recommend picking up Warlock for now - get sickening blast so you can aid your party with some mild debuffing - then enter Eldritch Theurge - which will continue to increase your Warlock abilities - and then when the magic comes back, your Druid casting will only be one level behind.
The other possibility I would consider is to enter Beastlord and focus on the one Druid ability you still possess. It won't leave you with a great character once the magic returns, but at least in the short term it would give you improved contribution ability.
Regardless, I am surprised at the hostility. I plan to stick it out, primarily because this is the only time I meet with some of my friends over the summer and because I am currently inexperienced and want to change that.
So thanks for the replies, I'm not going to quit, and I would appreciate any multiclass or osteomancer suggestions.
Thanks--
So, you're 'friend' expects you to spend the only time you get to spend with him, doing nothing and feeling like a worthless git, while everyone else has fun playing hero?
That's not friendship, that's abuse. That's where the hostility comes from. It's rude for him to treat you that way. And you aren't learning anything about the game playing, effectively, a gimped NPC. You might as well spend the entire time drinking and watching everyone else play.
You don't have to quit, but you should definitely quit this character. There's no way under those restrictions to be nearly as effective as the other party members for the time in which those levels are dead levels.
Heh, I do have an animal companion, but I was restricted to 1st lvl PHB picks, so I've got a riding dog. I did ask for a Dire Bat, but my DM said that I didn't live in a temperate desert and animal companions couldn't be forced out of their natural habitats.
Who said anything about forcing an animal companion. It's your (furry) friend. You ask it to leave its habitat. And as long as you're not asking your shark buddy to come adventuring in the desert, your animal friend would probably come with you.
Some kind of bonus to your non-spell options is the least your DM can do. Be it a straight bonus to a stat, attack or damage AND/OR allowing druidic avenger (with animal companion) AND/OR a stronger animal companion (not necessarily something other than a riding dog, but at least a stronger one).
Good luck with your character and hope you'll have fun.
My advice in order:
1) Find a new DM
2) Persuade the current DM that he needs to give you Wild Shape and a better animal companion
Once you can Wild Shape, you will at least have some power. Same goes for a better animal companionl; get a Black Bear, Crocodile, or Leopard and at least have some combat capability.
If you absolutely insist on remaining in this farce of a campaign under the presently absurd stipulations, then at least get a Wolf as your level 1 animal companion. Trip is fairly decent and gives you a semblance of combat ability (although nothing compared to your companions).
Explain to your DM that the objective of D&D is for him to create a story and a world for his players. It is not for the players to cater to his every need and whim, and to sacrifice their fun and enjoyment for the sake of his poorly conceived story. A Druid's abilities stem from spellcasting, animal companions, and wild shaping. If he denies you two of those and severely restricts one, and does so knowing that it causes you a lack of enjoyment, then you must explain to him the unfairness of the situation. If he fails to listen, this is not a campaign I would want to be in.
-ktkenshinx-
...then at least get a Wolf as your level 1 animal companion. Trip is fairly decent and gives you a semblance of combat ability (although nothing compared to your companions).
-ktkenshinx-
Actually, riding dogs can trip, and are overall better than wolves.
If you're determined to stick it out, I say take one level of Beastmaster. An 18 Str, 24 AC, bite-tripping hit point bag is nothing to shake a stick at. Grab some barding for the puppy (as it's trained for war) and you're gtg.
I may do warlock, but that's up to my DM- may be too magical.
Beastmaster seems great for a 1 level dip, I also took Natural Bond, so that's a pretty BA riding dog. best part is, there is absolutely no way my DM can say no to a class that doesn't have any magic...and I qualify for.
Once again, thanks a lot for the help, really helped me out.
+4 HD, +4 NA, +2 STR, +2 DEX
link, share spells, evasion, devotion (+4 will vs enchant)
HD 6d8+12
init +3
speed 40ft
AC: 23: 10 +3 (dex) +4 (natural) +4 (druid) +2 (leather barding)
(or speed 30 and AC 26 with breastplate barding)
BAB/Grapple: +4/+8
special attack: Trip +4
attack: +8 bite 1d6+6
Abilities: Str 15+2+1, Dex 15+2, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Feats e.g. Power Attack+Leap Attack or WF/INA Bite or Constant Guardian+Dutiful Guardian (DotU)
...I also took Natural Bond, so that's a pretty BA riding dog.
Natural Bond won't increase your effective druid level beyond your HD or CharLev, so does nothing for you unless you have racial hit dice or multi-class in a class that does not progress animal companion as a druid.
EDIT: In Magic of Faerun, their is a PrC called the Gnome Articifer. Long explanation short: you get to make machines that mimic (but are not) magic. Your RP hook could be that if Nature has turned its back on you, you turn to steel and tech to survive
