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Zergrusheddie
2009-02-28, 05:30 PM
It seems as if there are not a whole lot of 'NEED' feats for Druids than there are for many other classes. For this Druid I only have a few points drawn out:

(Feats every 2 levels as per House Rule)
H: Tomb-tainted Soul (Evil campaign with evil Healer)
1. Natural Bond
3. Greensinger Initiate (The expanded spell list and option to go PS)
5. Natural Spell.
7: Leadership?

I don't to be overshadowed too bad by the Wizard but I don't want to be the Omega either. Any thoughts?

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-02-28, 05:38 PM
What are you building for? Druids can do everything, but they're much better with a focus.

IUS/Imp Grapple is good if you plan to go bear.
Reserve feats can be useful if you pick the right ones.
Initiate of Malar is good for Evil Summoner Druids. It's Augment Summoning, but only for worshippers of Malar and it only affects animals(all of your Summons).
Frozen Wildshape turns you into a Cyrohydra(one of the few Wildshape-expanders that's worth it).
INA is okay if you have a favorite form.

Though really, you could take toughness 6 times and probably be just fine.

Zergrusheddie
2009-02-28, 05:49 PM
Oh really? Than I am apparently an Initiate of Malar now. Free Augment summoning with more spells sounds nice.
Basic idea is, as of now, use Summons and Animal Companion to do the heavy lifting and just use Wildshape into forms that are good in combat for when things get dicey; at level 5 it will probably be a Fleshie (shock and dismay...) because of the speed and AC but can still kill if need be. Basic Summoner build I guess, but I want to take Initiate of Malar/Greensinger for the ability to go Planar Shepherd.

Frozen Wildshape sounds pretty good but is being able to turn into a Cyrohydra worth spending a feat? Can each head breathe a round or can only 1 head?...

Thanks for the reply mate.
-Eddie

tyckspoon
2009-02-28, 06:02 PM
Each head breathes- it's what makes pyro/cryohydras a real threat instead of just being hydras with a joke breath weapon. They do (y)3d6 instances of damage, where (y) is the number of heads. It's a lot of rolling, since each packet of 3d6 takes a separate Ref save, but it works (unless you run into something with Cold Resistance- since each breath is individual damage, each breath encounters resistane separately as well.)

And yes, being a hydra at all is worth a feat. It's a really nasty combat shape, especially if you find a way to wear a Strength booster/Amulet of Natural Attacks while 'shaped. Or just cast Bite of the WereFoo. The breath attacks and other [Cold]-type creatures you can become with Frozen Wildshape are just nifty bonuses.

Eldariel
2009-03-01, 02:22 AM
Much depends on your percieved focus, really. You can focus on your Wildshaping (and combat), your summoning or your generic casting & buffing. Maybe it's easiest if I just list the associated feats:

Wildshape:
Frozen Wildshape [Frost]
Aberrant Blood > Aberration Wildshape [LoM]
Dragon Wildshape [Drac]
Lion's Pounce [CDiv]
Multiattack [MM]
Improved Multiattack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#improvedMultiattack) [SRD]
Combat Expertise > Improved Trip [PHB] (although often accessible through monster abilities; picking the feat expands your horizons though)
Power Attack [PHB]
Improved Unarmed Strike > Improved Grapple [PHB]
Flyby Attack [MM]
Dodge > Mobility > Improved Flyby Attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#improvedFlybyAttack) [SRD]
Dodge > Combat Expertise > Karmic Strike [CWar]
Combat Reflexes [PHB]
Robilar's Gambit [PHBII]

Summoning:
Greenbound Summoning [LEoF]
Ashbound [ECS]
Rashemi Elemental Summoning [UE]
Spell Focus: Conj > Augment Summoning [PHB]
Beckon the Frozen [Frost]
Imbued Summoning [PHBII]
Initiate of Malar [PGtF]

Casting:
Extend Spell [PHB]
Quicken Spell [PHB]
Persistent Spell [CArc]
Sculpt Spell [CArc]
Nightbringer Initiate [FoE]
Empower Spell [PHB]
Energy Substitution [CArc]


For a quick assessment on the lot, see the Druid Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=1354.0).

Zergrusheddie
2009-03-01, 05:44 AM
Eldariel comes to my rescue again.

Is it worth taking feats that enhance your spell casting (Maxmized, Empower) if you are not casting all that many spells that are enhanced by it? If casting Direct Damage spells is inefficient (why not just go Dire Tiger and eat everyone?), are feats that mostly enhance those spells worth it?

Eldariel
2009-03-01, 01:11 PM
Eldariel comes to my rescue again.

Is it worth taking feats that enhance your spell casting (Maxmized, Empower) if you are not casting all that many spells that are enhanced by it? If casting Direct Damage spells is inefficient (why not just go Dire Tiger and eat everyone?), are feats that mostly enhance those spells worth it?

In a word, no. Unless you focus on blasting and plan on doing it a lot, you shouldn't bother; if you aren't using the feats much at all, they aren't worth it. Extend Spell is actually a solid addition to Creeping Cold [SpC] which acts a blasty spell and is absolutely brutal with Extend Spell.

Other than that, it works for buffs. So yea, it's applicable enough. But if you don't focus on blasting, don't take blast-only Metamagic. Sculpt Spell and eventually Quicken Spell are the other two you should consider/take. And Persistent Spell on Very High Levels.

Zergrusheddie
2009-03-01, 10:41 PM
AoE Damage really isn't going to work as our current Wizard is an Evoker. He isn't anything great, but 10d6 at level 5 blows the mooks to hell, so there is not point in trying to compete with him in that category.

Is Entangle useful enough to merit Sculpt Spell or are there other Druid Battlefield Control that can make use of the 4 ten foot cubes?

Darrin
2009-03-01, 11:36 PM
Is Entangle useful enough to merit Sculpt Spell or are there other Druid Battlefield Control that can make use of the 4 ten foot cubes?

Yes, Entangle is useful enough, and yes, there are other spells that Sculpt Spell works well with. Sandblast, Call Lightning, Faerie Fire, Ice Storm.

Zergrusheddie
2009-03-02, 07:51 AM
H: TTS
1: Greenbound (Summons can't cast)
3: Initiate of Malar (Evil Druid and Augment Summoning)
5: Natural Spell
7: Sculpt Spell (Would this work well with Wall of Thorns?)
9: Fell Weaken (Seems like a neat idea for an Evil Druid)
11: ?
13: ?
15: Frozen Wildshape

How does this look so far? The only spells I can think of casting are Summon Nature's Ally, possibly Venomfire for my AC, Barkskin, and Entangle. Anything else that is worth casting, and are any of those spells increases by useful metamagics?
Also, is Entangle worthwhile? In the SRD for 'Entangled', it simply says that the enemy can move at half speed unless the bonds are anchored; does this mean that if they fail their save they move at 50% and if they succeed that move at 50% or can Entangle (spell) be considered anchored?

Y'all are awesome for constantly replying to my moronic self.
-Eddie

Imagicka
2010-03-21, 11:18 PM
Greetings...

I too am a little confused about the Entanglement Spell.

In the description of the spell, it says: "holding them fast and causing them to become entangled." - now by the 'holding them fast' part seems to indicate to me that they cannot move, immobilized... right?

However, looking at the condition for entangled, it says: "The character is ensnared. Being entangled impedes movement, but does not entirely prevent it unless the bonds are anchored to an immobile object or tethered by an opposing force."

So, let's forget the part about being anchored to an immobile object for now... and just look at what the effects of the spell are so far... which means... that when the spell first goes off the targets have a Reflex save vs. the spell DC of the caster for a first level spell; success... they are not, but can only move half their movement, failure... they are entangled...

So, looking at the entangled description... they can move have their speed, cannot run or charge, and takes a -2 penalty on all attack rolls and a -4 penalty to Dexterity. An entangled character who attempts to cast a spell must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + the spell’s level) or lose the spell.

So, the only difference between being entangled, and not entangled, in the area of effect is the -2 to attack, -4 to Dex (which would result in a -2 to AC), and must make concentration checks when casting spells... otherwise entangled or not entangled in the the area of effect still means that they have to move at half their speed.

Now, to get back to that part about 'immobile object'. So, does this mean that if someone is entangled is next to a tree, or a vine covered wall, they are immobilized? What about the ground? Is that not immobile? I am thinking that I am going to have to houserule it and say if the creature entangled is strong enough to be able to move the anchoring object, great... if not, immobilized?

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2010-03-21, 11:52 PM
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Don't bring back a dead thread with a question that's irrelevant to it, start a new topic.