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incubus5075
2010-01-20, 08:49 AM
Starting up a new story line and I get to play (usually I DM) I was looking over the druid and liking the predator aspect of him. I'm thinking of a elf druid that stays in beast form 90%+ of the time. Question is our party does not have a striker. I want to play the druid but is there some feats/powers/magic etc that can make him close to as hard hitting as a striker? I don't wanna 'punish' the party just cause I wanna play a certain character concept. In case it helps we also have a human charisma pally, a human tempest fighter (yea 2 defenders) and a leader of some sort (he hasn't decided yet, probably a tact warlord)

Freylorn
2010-01-20, 08:55 AM
Honestly, a leader is the only role one could really consider "required" and even then, parties can scrape by without. Sure, a defender/striker/controller would be nice, but the "one of each archetype required" bit is nonsense.

That being said, I'd honestly place striker as the most expendable resource. They bring damage to the table, which the other types can already provide (although not as much, admittedly) which in my mind means they are the easiest to phase out.

On top of that, you're playing the most striker-esque form of druid, and tempest fighters are hardly lacking for damage either. You should be fine.

Yakk
2010-01-20, 09:40 AM
You can build a decent damage output predator druid. The ones I have seen have been based off of the druid charge feats and charge equipment.

I wonder if a Feycharger build is possible as a predator druid? (and yes, this is a joke... maybe)

Evard
2010-01-20, 09:57 AM
Predator druid used to be my favorite until the Swarm Druid came out... I think its more the idea of turning into a million little bugs (ok more like a few hundred thousand :p) is more compelling than the same old panther or bear shtick. Plus the damage reduction is nice :3

If your party doesn't have a striker and you are worried about damage output you should probably go with another class other than druid... not that they can't be good strikers but classes like Barbarian, Ranger, Rogue and Sorcerer are great striker. You could play a changling striker and polymorph yourself into an animal of some sort (get a hous rule that you are able to use your powers in that form)

incubus5075
2010-01-20, 10:28 AM
hehe I was actually thinking of being a lion :) OMFG its a lion get in the car!!!!

Yea i was seeing that charging as a pred druid is the damage way to go. There are multiple +dmg charge feats. I've played rogue and sorcerror, loved them both, going for a different feel though and the druid looked cool. SO I am sticking with druid, just wondering of any hard to see feat/power/etc combos that up the dmg.

Yakk
2010-01-20, 10:47 AM
If your DM is ameniable, try getting this (homebrew) feat past him:


Natural Weaponry: Heroic, Druid, Wild Shape
While in Beast form, you are considered equipped and proficient with the following natural weapons:
Bite: +2/2d6 high crit/stout/unarmed
Claw: +3/1d6 Brutal 1 off-hand/unarmed

These weapons use your implement's enhancement bonuses and properties. While in Beast Form, you may use weapon (but not implement) attacks that lack the Beast Form key word. You may not attack with both a Claw and the Bite in the same action.
Then play a hybrid Druid|Melee.

(The easiest way to make this work in the character builder is to equip an urgosh).

Kylarra
2010-01-20, 10:59 AM
Swarm druid actually makes a decent striker I've found, although you can get away with using a "slightly weaker" combo with the predator druid. The idea is stinging swarm(feat)/Swarming Locusts (power) + claw gloves/ferocious tiger form.

Pick up powerful charge/enraged boar form as well, though unnecessary.

The general idea is that you charge, provoking the OA, which automatically grants you combat advantage if you get hit, then with your newfound combat advantage, you not only get that +2 to hit, but also +1D10+2 damage from claw gloves and ferocious tiger form.

Alternatively, you can just set it up yourself every other turn with swarming locusts or another player.

Indon
2010-01-20, 11:17 AM
That being said, I'd honestly place striker as the most expendable resource. They bring damage to the table, which the other types can already provide (although not as much, admittedly) which in my mind means they are the easiest to phase out.

Not having a striker (or a character who deals striker-levels of damage) has its' own danger, however - combats take way longer.

incubus5075
2010-01-20, 12:31 PM
We only use stuff from the DnDI Character Builder to eliminate any disputes. If the builder allows it then the DM allows it, if not then no.

incubus5075
2010-01-21, 09:30 AM
So no one has any good ideas for me?