PDA

View Full Version : Shapeshift Druid help



Trodon
2009-06-06, 11:47 PM
hey if you take the Shapeshift Druid variant from the phb2 you dont get an animal companion at level 1 can you get one at higher levels?

tyckspoon
2009-06-06, 11:53 PM
Not from the Druid class. I don't think it forbids you from acquiring a companion from other sources, however, such as the Beastmaster prestige class or the Wild Cohort feat.

Trodon
2009-06-06, 11:55 PM
what book is Wild Cohort from?

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2009-06-07, 12:31 AM
Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a)

The Shapeshift variant loses the entire Animal Companion class feature, so you would never gain an animal companion from the Druid class using that variant.

The Shapeshift variant is not an even trade at all, you lose both your animal companion and Wild Shape in exchange for a mediocre set of buffs that don't even stack with any of your buffing spells. There are other Druid variants such as Druidic Avenger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druidVariantDruidicAve nger) which trades out your Animal Companion, and Deadly Hunter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druid) which trades out Wild Shape, that can even be combined and will turn out better than using the Shapeshift variant.

half eaten oreo
2009-06-07, 01:08 AM
Shapeshift is much simpler and pretty fun though. It is weaker than regular druid, but not really much weaker than other classes.

I just finished DM a campaign (Rise of the Runelords, lvl 1-15). The party was: shapeshift druid, blasty/gishy psion, rogue, warlock, duskblade. The druid and the duskblade were definitely the most powerful.

Starscream
2009-06-07, 01:35 AM
Keep in mind that a druid is still a full caster with a fairly large hit die, two good saves, more skill points than any of the other full core casters, and several other cool class features besides.

Losing Wild Shape and the Animal Companion is a big blow, but all it really does is level the playing field a bit.

The way I see it, this just encourages you to multiclass. Normally a druid just piles on more druid because while plenty of PrCs advance spellcasting, they don't advance your companion or wild shaping (the only exceptions I can think of, Beastmaster and Master of Many Forms, do so but exclusively).

If you are going to give up those features anyway, there's no reason not to explore some more exotic options.