PDA

View Full Version : Reccommended Wild Shapes?[3.5]



Blackfang108
2009-04-28, 10:22 AM
As the title says.

Relevant information:
Druid 22
Allowed Types:
Animal
Plant
Abberation

Size: Tiny to Huge (Not Enough WIS for Gargantuan... nevermind. Forgot about the lack of prereqs. Still not taking it.)

Already statted up for my Druid:
Aboleth
Will-O-Wisp
Dire Tiger

Does anyone have any nifty ideas, beyond these? First party only, and please include the book in your post. (Page number optional.)

EDIT: And I'm not taking the shapeshift variant. Period.

EDIT2(because apparently this is relevant ot my Q): Epic Spellcasting is out. It's a No-XP, low(i.e. on par with 1st level) starting gold campaign, Gate-Cheese is banned by DM-Fiat, and adding in casting time is NOT going to work, making Epic Spellcasting not worth it, AFAICT.

I forgot about Miracle for a minute, though... Wait, I don't get Miracle. Or Wish.

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-04-28, 10:30 AM
Epic, and you are worried about Wildshape? Really, there's bigger issues then than being a better meatshield than the meatshield. Don't worry about Gargantuan Wildshape, that's nearly as bad as collassal for most situations. Just snag Epic Spellcasting at 21 and you're set.

Eldariel
2009-04-28, 10:52 AM
Uhm, how can you not have enough Wis for Gargantuan? I don't recall it having any Wis-prerequisites and your Wisdom should be 28+ on level 20 anyways (18 to start with, 5 levels, 5 inherent, possible age-modifiers (as a Druid on those levels, you have Timeless Body and can thus spend time on a fast time plane long enough to grow Venerable without gaining any negatives), racial modifiers (a few LA +0 races have +2 or more to Wis), etc.).

Anyways, I'd suggest looking into either Magical Beast or Dragon Wildshape - they both come full with Supernatural abilities so they tend to be vastly superior to your standard Wildshape and might actually be useful on epic (that is, grant extra actions and the like). That said, Shapechange pretty much obsoletes Wildshape - it just does the same thing so much better. Also, you need Epic Spellcasting.


But to answer your question:
Dire Tortoise [Sandstorm] - the #1 high level Wildshape form, simply because it automatically acts on the surprise round. Basically just makes you go first.

Elder Air Elemental [MM] - one of the better flyer forms; don't forget you've got Elemental Wildshape

Rust Monster [MM] - who knows when corroding something can be useful...

Delver [MM] - this eats rock

Octopus Tree [FF] - a fairly respectable tentacle rapist

Ironmaw [FF] - has insane reach

Legendary Eagle [MM2] - a solid flyer

Dire Polar Bear [Frost] - has Str 39 for when you e.g. need to Grapple.

Cloaker Lord [MonsOfFaerun] - solid slew of special attacks

Moonbeast [MM2] - yet another Tentacle Rapist. Has rather sick base damage in 4d8+10

Corruption Eater [HoH] - if you use Corruption-rules, this allows you to get rid of it

Guardian Naga [MM] - spits rather potent poison; can be useful

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2009-04-28, 11:27 AM
Immoth (MM2) at the end of each day, turn all your remaining spells into Ice Runes. They last until you use them, which is a free action. Never run out of spells again.

Dire Tortoise (Sandstorm) you always get a surprise round, even if you don't surprise them, and if you get surprised you still get to act in the surprise round.

Get the feat Assume Supernatural Ability (Savage Species) and take the form of a Beholder, you'll get to use all the eye rays at will for the duration.

Blackfang108
2009-04-28, 04:26 PM
Immoth (MM2) at the end of each day, turn all your remaining spells into Ice Runes. They last until you use them, which is a free action. Never run out of spells again.

Dire Tortoise (Sandstorm) you always get a surprise round, even if you don't surprise them, and if you get surprised you still get to act in the surprise round.

Get the feat Assume Supernatural Ability (Savage Species) and take the form of a Beholder, you'll get to use all the eye rays at will for the duration.

That almost seems unfair.

Then again, in a campaign with no way for a level 22 character to afford True Seeing(sans actually having the spell), the DM killed me using an ECL22 Spellthief with Blink and Greater Invisibility.

My best dispel allows a +10 max. vs a, what, DC of 33? ><

Maybe I should have full channelled Shivering Touch, despite my promise not to, except in Emergencies. Darn tiny Duskblade Spell list. (I can increase it, obviously, but still, Greater Dispel and True Seeing are beyond my spell level. At least Detect Magic let me "see" where he was.)

I'll have to check everything and see If I can afford the feat. (Maybe ditch spell penetration(greater).

Eldariel
2009-04-28, 05:52 PM
That almost seems unfair.

Then again, in a campaign with no way for a level 22 character to afford True Seeing(sans actually having the spell), the DM killed me using an ECL22 Spellthief with Blink and Greater Invisibility.

My best dispel allows a +10 max. vs a, what, DC of 33? ><

Maybe I should have full channelled Shivering Touch, despite my promise not to, except in Emergencies. Darn tiny Duskblade Spell list. (I can increase it, obviously, but still, Greater Dispel and True Seeing are beyond my spell level. At least Detect Magic let me "see" where he was.)

I'll have to check everything and see If I can afford the feat. (Maybe ditch spell penetration(greater).

What's this about? Because if you were a Druid, you'd obviously have Greater Dispel and access to items that buff your Dispel-check, such as Dispelling Cord (or even Inquisition-domain through Planar Touchstone-feat). And many forms can kick butt through miss chance. And Blindsight is on Druid spell list too.

If it were about some previous character, may be helpful to mention ^^

Woodsman
2009-04-28, 05:54 PM
The lack of T. Rex and Huge Shark in this topic disturbs me.

Of course, I just think they're good ideas. I like dinos and sharks, sue me.

monty
2009-04-28, 05:56 PM
The lack of T. Rex and Huge Shark in this topic disturbs me.

Of course, I just think they're good ideas. I like dinos and sharks, sue me.

You'll be getting a call from my lawyer in a couple of days.

Chronos
2009-04-28, 06:21 PM
That said, Shapechange pretty much obsoletes Wildshape - it just does the same thing so much better.Not necessarily. If you Shapechange into a creature without hands or speech, you can't cast spells with somatic or verbal components, but if you Wildshape into it, you can. This can be a big deal, if you're planning on using your Wildshape for defense and spellcasting for offense.


...access to items that buff your Dispel-check...The OP already said that they'll have almost no wealth.

Woodsman
2009-04-28, 06:27 PM
You'll be getting a call from my lawyer in a couple of days.

*Sigh* Here we go again...

Eldariel
2009-04-28, 07:43 PM
The OP already said that they'll have almost no wealth.

He said they can't afford True Seeing. Dispelling Cords costs 1000gp. Slightly different ballpark.

wykydtron
2009-04-28, 07:58 PM
*Sigh* Here we go again...

What's so wrong with the t. rex and huge shark?

Woodsman
2009-04-28, 08:04 PM
Nothing. I'm just joking about hearing from his lawyer. :smalltongue:

monty
2009-04-28, 09:22 PM
What's so wrong with the t. rex and huge shark?

He asked me to sue him. So I said I would. Apparently, this is some sort of hardship.

tyckspoon
2009-04-28, 11:03 PM
Not necessarily. If you Shapechange into a creature without hands or speech, you can't cast spells with somatic or verbal components, but if you Wildshape into it, you can. This can be a big deal, if you're planning on using your Wildshape for defense and spellcasting for offense.

The OP already said that they'll have almost no wealth.

No reason you can't do both. Wildshape into a Dire Tortoise for the natural armor and Foresight++ effect. Cast Shapechange with Natural Spell. In the surprise round you can drop a spell and then use Shapechange to turn into whatever seems best for the encounter. If you need to use another spell, turn back to 'normal' - which is the Dire Tortoise form for the duration of the Wild Shape- and cast it.


That almost seems unfair.

You're asking about good ways to use Wild Shape in a no-wealth Epic game. Merely unfair is where you want to start.

Chronos
2009-04-29, 01:18 AM
He said they can't afford True Seeing. Dispelling Cords costs 1000gp. Slightly different ballpark.Actually, he said "wealth comparable to 1st level". Which puts almost all magic items out of reach.

Blackfang108
2009-04-29, 09:09 AM
What's this about? Because if you were a Druid, you'd obviously have Greater Dispel and access to items that buff your Dispel-check, such as Dispelling Cord (or even Inquisition-domain through Planar Touchstone-feat). And many forms can kick butt through miss chance. And Blindsight is on Druid spell list too.

If it were about some previous character, may be helpful to mention ^^

I figured that the character being dead kinda pointed that out.(I know, terrible assumption considering the medium.) the Druid is a temporary character while my firends get my body back. (Long Story. Suffice to say, we've got noone with True Res. But we've got an NPC getting the body back offscreen. It will succeed, at the speed of the plot.)

Also, did you see the part where I said "Full Channel?" and "darned tiny duskblade spell list?" :smallbiggrin: (We're able to research spells not on our list, albeit at a +1 spell level...)

Tyckspoon, I wasn't complaining.

FYI: Current Wealth of my 20Duskblade/2Fighter at ToD:
+3(total enhancements) Weapon
+2 Mithril Chain Shirt
Wand of CLW (Only Healing source.)
Ring of Sustenance (plays a part in my Death.)
Ring of Protection +1
Gloves of Dex +2(for AC. Kind of wish I'd gotten a headband instead...)
Boots of Speed (found, not bought)
Various small purchases totaling ~150-200 gp
~2k Gold.

Something that's 1k, I should be able to afford. Something that's 10k is possible, but unlikely, and something that's 50k is going to be darn near impossible, sans Platinum Genesis.

EDIT:

And Dire Shark Would be on my list, provided I ever saw more water than a small stream. (No, still not big enough.) T-Rex, OTOH... I keep forgetting about dinosaurs being Animals for some reason.