[3.5] Tomtom my Kobold Druid

[AngelOmnipotent]

He's going to be pure Druid all the way (or maybe first level cleric for some DMM viability) so the build is not one of those "omg what do I build?" and he isn't going to be doing anything like Pun-Pun.

But from level 1 until I get Wildshape, with a negative strength modifier that I'm going to have, am I going to be retired to the back ranks with a 1d6 Crossbow and a riding dog or is there some other way I can make him useful apart from his situational spells?

[wykydtron]

Weapon Finnese? Or a reach weapon, behind and to side of the meat shield, so you stay out of the way and still hit.

[Xefas]

That's a pretty amusing name, though I don't think the joke will really kick in until 6th level spells with Find the Path (http://www.amazon.com/TomTom-Portable-Navigation-Hands-Free-Calling/dp/B0008G1RWG).

Anyway, you don't really need to find "more use". You're a druid. Pick a good animal companion and some heal spells and go nuts.

Or, if you really want to have *two* combat characters, put your animal companion in a flanking position, cast Shillelagh (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shillelagh.htm) on your Greatclub, and go into melee with your 3d6 damage at first level.

[Eldariel]

Since your animal companion is about equal to a Fighter, your contributions should be fine. Either buff the AC or use spells like Produce Flame/Entangle/company for your own actions when not shooting. You definitely shouldn't be anywhere near melee with your Str.

[AngelOmnipotent]

Weapon Finnese? Or a reach weapon, behind and to side of the meat shield, so you stay out of the way and still hit.

Maybe, but unless the DM is going to allow feat retraining then weapon finesse becomes a wasted feat.

Also as a druid you don't actually have access to a reach weapon, but if I take that first level as cleric then it would open up more weapon possibilities.


That's a pretty amusing name, though I don't think the joke will really kick in until 6th level spells with Find the Path.

Anyway, you don't really need to find "more use". You're a druid. Pick a good animal companion and some heal spells and go nuts.

Or, if you really want to have *two* combat characters, put your animal companion in a flanking position, cast Shillelagh on your Greatclub, and go into melee with your 3d6 damage at first level.

He's going to have a high survival skill, and a trained Hawk called KPS (Kobold Positioning System) and his Riding Dog (the only decent level 1 animal comapnion) called GPS (Ground Positioning System, not Global!) with Tracking skills :smallbiggrin:

As for Shillelagh I'd still be at a negative to hit, but I suppose the chance of smacking for 3d6 is too hard to pass up!

[Xefas]

One of the players in my game has a dinosaur of some kind that is completely useless for damage, but has a boatload of hit points and armor class, making him a great flanker, and it has a single-target ranged save-or-suck blinding attack.

I don't know in what book it is, but I suggest looking for it if you want to diverge from the standard Fighter Companion.

[AngelOmnipotent]

I've also heard in another thread about a Races of Dragon thing for Kobolds that give them Bite and Claw attacks. Can anyone point out the page its on or if its in another book? I can't seem to find it. That way I would consider Weapon Finesse.

[Draz74]

It's a Web Enhancement article (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a) on WotC's site.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

One of the players in my game has a dinosaur of some kind that is completely useless for damage, but has a boatload of hit points and armor class, making him a great flanker, and it has a single-target ranged save-or-suck blinding attack.

I don't know in what book it is, but I suggest looking for it if you want to diverge from the standard Fighter Companion.Swindlespitter Dinosaur, MMIII.

[AngelOmnipotent]

It's a Web Enhancement article (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a) on WotC's site.

So does their Slight Build varient replace being small size, or in addition to?

[Sstoopidtallkid]

So does their Slight Build varient replace being small size, or in addition to?In addition too. They end up being able to move through areas built for a housecat. The variant was designed to make PC Kobolds suck less.

[Animefunkmaster]

Here is some stuff you might think is useful:

Items:
Eggshell grenades (OA): Ranged touch or blind d4 round, some splash, but don't hold your breath.
Nets (PHB) and there better counter parts Lasso [BoED]: Ranged touch attack to entangle, the strength check to do things should be avoided... you have better spells though.

Animal companion: Strictly better than the fighter at this level. Get some barding for it.

Tactics:
Flanking: You and your companion are a walking flank.
High Ground: Little known +1 to hit that is useful.

Spells: (Mostly underwhelming at this level, and not many to play around with)
Entangle- At this level it is always a good thing, keeps you out of melee.
Charm Animal - last hours/level, if you have a moment to find an animal to be a second companion (they often have horrible will saves). At level 1 this is better than summon natures alley, imo
Jump- A +10 at this level can have it's uses
Long Strider- +10 to speed is meh, but it lasts hours
Shillelagh- best to use this on a party members weapon right now (twf quarterstaves are handy).

I would leave the damaging spells for later. I wouldn't sit back with a sling *depending on how low your str/con is* I would be in there for the flank.

[Darrin]

But from level 1 until I get Wildshape, with a negative strength modifier that I'm going to have, am I going to be retired to the back ranks with a 1d6 Crossbow and a riding dog or is there some other way I can make him useful apart from his situational spells?

Low-level druids are very good at battlefield control, debuffing, and even direct damage with the right spells. Some important spells:

1st:

Aspect of the Wolf. AKA "Wildshape with training wheels". Gains the physical attributes of a wolf, along with their special trip attack. (Spell Compendium)

Cloudburst. -4 to ranged attacks. Also pairs up nicely later when you want to increase the damage with call lightning. (Spell Compendium)

Conjure Ice Beast I. The best summonable creatures tend to be from Summon Nature's Ally, but this spell gives you access to the monstrous vermin in Summon Monster, which tend to be bigger than most SNA creatures and can be given the Engulf special attack. Also very useful is the Cold Aura SA: 1d6 cold damage as a swift action, 10' burst, no save. (Frostburn)

Entangle. Your bread-and-butter debuff spell. Even on a successful save, reduces speed by half.

Faerie Fire. Counters concealment from darkness, blur, invisibility, displacement. Also a great combo when followed up by obscuring mist, fog cloud or possibly wall of smoke: enemies have to roll for concealment but allies don't.

Path of Frost. Ok, not quite as cool as grease or ice slick, but similar effect. Can dump a Frenzied Berserker on his keister or render an enemy flat-footed for a rogue. (Dragon Magic)

Produce Flame. Ranged touch attacks should be easier to hit with than a crossbow, and lasts a long while even at 1st level.

Sandblast. Area attack, 10' burst, 1d6 nonlethal damage with a chance to stun. (Spell Compendium)

Wall of Smoke. Provides concealment but doesn't completely shut down line-of-sight like obscuring mist, and easier to target specific squares. May also cause nausea. (Spell Compendium)

Wood Wose. Everything an Unseen Servant can do, including: deploy caltrops/marbles, drop flasks of acid (splash damage), drop smokesticks/thunderstones/flash pellets, pick up/throw away disarmed weapons, give goodberries to dying allies, retrieve/fold nets, hold a small-sized darkwood tower shield, reload a crossbow, light a web or pool of oil on fire, erect small roadside shrines dedicated to your awesomeness. (Spell Compendium)

2nd:

Blinding Spittle. Ranged touch attack, -4 penalty, blinds target with *no save*. Another "party rogue will love you" spell. (Spell Compendium)

Briar Web. Halves speed and does 1 damage per 5', no save. (Spell Compendium)

Creeping Cold. Similar to chill metal, only works on everything. Extend it for even more damage. (Spell Compendium)

Conjure Ice Beast II. Already mentioned this one, but at 2nd level you can summon Large Monstrous Centipedes, which can engulf medium-sized targets. Add Augment Summoning or Strength buffs to boost the save DC for engulf. (Frostburn)

Flameblade. Touch attack that doesn't care about your strength penalty. Fire damage doesn't scale up all that quickly, but a solid damage spell for many, many levels. If you run into something that is resistant/immune to fire, switch to scimitar of sand from Sandstorm.

Frost Weapon. 1d6 cold damage, and it stacks with an existing frost weapon, or easily converted to another energy type with energy substitution. (Frostburn)

Master Air. Fly 90' (good) at 3rd level. Duration stinks, but built-in feather fall. (Spell Compendium)

Numbing Sphere. Not as much damage as flaming sphere, but a good follow-up to entangle, since it ignores rough terrain and the 1d4 Dex damage stacks with the -4 Dex penalty from entangle. (Frostburn)

Saltray. Ranged touch attack, 1d6 untyped damage/2 caster levels, and Fort save vs. Stun. (Spell Compendium)

Summon Dire Hawk. While SNA II can get you a dire bat or hippogriff, the Dire Hawk has 5HD, slightly more HP, and some other advantages. The duration is 1 min/level instead of 1 round/level (which beats master air as well), and you can communicate telepathically with it as a free action. As a small-sized character, you can use it as a flying mount in a pinch. (Races of the Wild)

[AngelOmnipotent]

Low-level druids are very good at battlefield control, debuffing, and even direct damage with the right spells. Some important spells:

< insert spells here >

Thank you very much for that info :) I haven't looked at many spells for Druid outside of core, but I do have a whole load of books to pile through.

I don't suppose anyone knows of any complete Druid spellsheets? Ones that include spells outside of Core, similar to the Sorc/Wiz sheet that is floating around?

[Fjolnir]

Are there any druidic equivalents to the cleric spell helping hand, because that would sorta be funny

[RebelRogue]

Tomtom? Wouldn't that fit a bard better than a druid? :smallbiggrin:

[AngelOmnipotent]

Tomtom? Wouldn't that fit a bard better than a druid? :smallbiggrin:

It's based on a Sat Nav brand name ;) specialising in survival and tracking.

*In Kobold Voice* In 100 yards, please turn left. You have reached your destination. Yipp Yipp!

[RebelRogue]

It's based on a Sat Nav brand name ;) specialising in survival and tracking.

*In Kobold Voice* In 100 yards, please turn left. You have reached your destination. Yipp Yipp!
Thanks. The Find the Path joke makes a lot more sense now :smallsmile:

[AngelOmnipotent]

Thanks. The Find the Path joke makes a lot more sense now :smallsmile:

I would have made him a Ranger but I always tend to play Rangers so it's kind of a running joke in our roleplay circle that I'm the walking sat nav... so I figured I would make the walking sat nav, but with more style :smallbiggrin:.

[AngelOmnipotent]

Also, think I could twist my DMs arm to let me have a Giant Owl as an animal companion at level 5? I guess that would be pushing it a bit :smallbiggrin:

[Xefas]

Swindlespitter Dinosaur, MMIII.

Yeah, that's the one. Thanks for that.



Shillelagh- best to use this on a party members weapon right now




These effects only occur when the weapon is wielded by you. If you do not wield it, the weapon behaves as if unaffected by this spell.

[Radar]

Thank you very much for that info :) I haven't looked at many spells for Druid outside of core, but I do have a whole load of books to pile through.

I don't suppose anyone knows of any complete Druid spellsheets? Ones that include spells outside of Core, similar to the Sorc/Wiz sheet that is floating around?
Crystal Keep (http://www.crystalkeep.com/) has a nice summary for Druid spells (as well as other classes) with written reference to source material.

[Thurbane]

I came in here to make some cheap Know Direction and Find the Path jokes, but I was way too late...

[BlueWizard]

He'll be useful.

Even if you were all divination. I think people are too focused on what their PC can do, and less focused on how interesting the PC is. A kobold druid is priceless.

[newbDM]

Weapon Finnese?

Agreed. Makes all the difference.

My current character went from a negative to all attacks, to a +5 with his claws and a +3 with his bite with that single feat this level.


I highly suggest talking to the DM about allowing him the natural weapons suggested in the book Races of the Dragon (aka the kobold book!).

You can find them here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a

Remember that Natural Weapons count for the Weapon Finesse feat.

My current kobold rogue is pretty devastating when he gets a full-attack + sneak attack damage. :smallbiggrin:


edit:
Add the feat in Races of the Dragon which gives him/her a tail attack, and now you have a four natural weapons routine which benefits from Weapon Finesse.