[3.5] Build Advice: The Wildshaper

[Fax Celestis]

So I've got an idea for a build and I wanted to get people's thoughts on it. It centers on Wildshape, but funnily enough Wildshape is something I've avoided until this point (mostly to avoid cheese, but also because it just hasn't fit with a character yet).

Right now, I'm looking at Shifter (Razorclaw) Wildshape Ranger 5/Warshaper 3/Master of Many Forms 10. This leaves me with at least two levels to play with (more if I cut down MoMF) and focuses on the 'shaping rather than casting (like a druid-centric build would be). I'd like to find a way to get Alertness as a bonus feat (pref. in a one-level dip) so I don't have to spend anything on prereqs, but that's optional.

Feats-wise, I'm looking at wildshape altering feats but not finding anything that MoMF won't already give me. I'm also looking at shifter racials and finding some stuff I like. Extra Shifter Trait looks good if I take the one that grants a bite attack.

A couple questions:
What do I do with those last two levels?
How can I get Awareness as a bonus feat?
What're good feat options?
How can I get my equipment to shift with me?
Does MoMF increase Wildshape's duration at all? It doesn't seem clear.
Where is the most recent description of the Wildshape rules?

[ZeroNumerous]

On Equipment: Wildling Clasps.

Awareness as a Bonus Feat: Obtain Familiar feat?

[Fax Celestis]

On Equipment: Wildling Clasps.
Where are those? I can never find them.


Awareness as a Bonus Feat: Obtain Familiar feat?
Gotta have an arcane caster level for Obtain Familiar.

[Keld Denar]

Wilding Clasps are in MIC, but they aren't in with the cloths. They are in with the consumables and other magical sundries, which is an odd place for them. Check around page 190.

As far as other forms...look into Aberant Wildshape in Lords of Madness and Frozen Wildshape in Frostburn. The 2nd is really strong, considering you can WS into a Cryohydra. The first is kinda meh, since you don't get any of the cool SU or EX abilities, although there is a feat in Savage Species called Assume Supernatural Ability, which then makes Aberant WS REALLY strong, since you can WS into a Beholder and eye lazer people, or go Mind Flayer for the stun.

The 4th level of Warshaper is pretty decent for a WS Ranger, but the 5th level is a waste most of the time.

Also, if you plan to do any grappling, 1 level of Nature's Warrior is amazing. You grab the Serpent's Coils feature, which gives you a constrict attack whenever you win an opposed grapple. Trying to escape a grapple causes an opposed grapple, so a struggling foe would actually take MORE damage than one that just submits to being crushed to death. There are LOTS of great grappling shapes in the MoMF Bible over on the CharOp forums.

[Fax Celestis]

As far as other forms...look into Aberant Wildshape in Lords of Madness and Frozen Wildshape in Frostburn. The 2nd is really strong, considering you can WS into a Cryohydra. The first is kinda meh, since you don't get any of the cool SU or EX abilities, although there is a feat in Savage Species called Assume Supernatural Ability, which then makes Aberant WS REALLY strong, since you can WS into a Beholder and eye lazer people, or go Mind Flayer for the stun.Doesn't MoMF get Aberration Wild Shape as part of their normal progression?


The 4th level of Warshaper is pretty decent for a WS Ranger, but the 5th level is a waste most of the time.Yeah. I'm tornon that one.


Also, if you plan to do any grappling, 1 level of Nature's Warrior is amazing. You grab the Serpent's Coils feature, which gives you a constrict attack whenever you win an opposed grapple. Trying to escape a grapple causes an opposed grapple, so a struggling foe would actually take MORE damage than one that just submits to being crushed to death.
I was looking at it, but am equally torn on it too.

[playswithfire]

Where are those? I can never find them.


Gotta have an arcane caster level for Obtain Familiar.

What about the Urban Companion alternate class feature here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a) that gives you a familiar instead of an animal companion?

[MammonAzrael]

The Druid Handbook (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=733400) has quite a lot of info. It addresses Wildshape specifically at the beginning of the second post.

There is also a guide to Master of Many Forms (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=639448), that while I haven't read, probably has quite a lot of info you could use.

And see if you can get the Longtooth Elite feat in Races of Eberron. All your bite attacks deal 1 Con damage. Combine that with Wildshaping into a Hydra...:smallbiggrin: (you can be a Cryohydra with the Frozen Wild Shape feat)

[Keld Denar]

Fax, IMO, the best you can get with shifting would be WS Ranger5/MoMF2/WS1/NW1/WS+3/MoMF+8 which makes you a WS Ranger5/MoMF10/WS4/NW1 by level 20. The bulk of your mid levels (7-11) are primarily gonna be spent in some form of giant shape where you will either whack someone with a redicuously large club, or grab them with your rediculously large str score. I'd suggest Lesser Dusk Giant or Furbolg as soon as you can. For feats, think IUS, SUAS, and Imp Grapple. Serpent's Coils kicks in a ECL9. That or try to get a Monks Belt with a Wilding Clasp on it by about that level.

[Person_Man]

As a MoMF, you don't really have to worry about your build. You can adjust your power level at will to almost anything you want. So overall, you should just pick whatever is fun.

What do I do with those last two levels?

Anything that progresses Wild Shape. I think your options are Nature's Warrior, Abolisher, Stonespeaker Guardian, Planar Shepherd, or more Wildshape Ranger. Alternatively, you could always dip 2 levels into Rogue or Psychic Rogue or Monk or something, for better Skills, Evasion, bonus feats, etc.

How can I get Awareness as a bonus feat?

Take a flaw? Other then that, I can't really think of anything.


What're good feat options?

Again, your feat choices don't really matter with a MoMF. But good options include:

Assume Supernatural Ability: Speaks for itself
Shifter Multiattack: Reduces penalties, counts as a Shifter feat.
Dreamsight Elite: See Invisibility.
Rapidstrike: Not aware of DMs who allow this. But hey, more natural attacks.
Lion's Pounce: Pounce when you need it.
Combat Reflexes -> Stand Still: Battlefield control
Scorpion's Grasp: Free Grapple. Great against small number of enemies, sucks against mobs.
Mage Slayer -> Blind Fight -> Pierce Magical Concealment: It's not like you have caster levels to worry about.
Shield Specialization + Shield Ward: There's nothing stopping you from using an uber animated shield when Wild Shaped. This will fix your Touch AC.
Endurance -> Steadfast Determination: Con to Will Saves.
Dive for Cover: Let's you re-roll a failed Reflex Save.


How can I get my equipment to shift with me?

Wilding Clasps.

Does MoMF increase Wildshape's duration at all? It doesn't seem clear.

Just reading Comp Adv, by RAW it doesn't seem to increase duration or HD of your form. But a reasonable DM will hand wave those both away.


Where is the most recent description of the Wildshape rules?[/list][/QUOTE]

Pathfinder? Honestly, it's been unofficially changed so many times I'm not sure. You should check the FAQ and PHB errata.

[Eldariel]

'Aight, the newest wildshape rules are in the SRD (http://www.d20srd.com). That's the wonderful thing about SRD; it includes errata.

For Awareness:
-Item prerequisites. It's easy to acquire an Ioun Stone or some such. That said, item prereqs have the obvious problems of losing the said item/being unable to use it and getting effed.
-Familiar. Keeping it near you at all times gives you Awareness. Then again, if it leaves you vulnerable to just not having the Familiar though. Small Familiar that fits into your pocket and melds with you or something would be possible; it shouldn't be much of a stretch to get Familiar over AC.

Other than that, can't think of anything