Feral Druid [3.X]

[Incorrect]

Hi Playground

I am creating a new character for a campaign Im in. My previous character, a cleric, went into negatives 3 times in one battle. The group is not very optimized, and our GM throws some pretty hardcore encounters at us. I don't want to outshine everyone, but we could use some extra power.

I decided that I wanted to play a nature-guy who rips people apart with his "bear hands".

Im thinking a druid with the feral template from savage species, but Im not too keen on the wild shape part. And Im not sure how wild shaping would interfere with the (su) abilities from feral.
Is feral considered too good for LA+1?

We are playing a 3.0 and 3.5 mixup, and everything has to go by the GM, but all books are in principle fine. We are playing level 3 right now.

Does anyone have any ideas?

[The Dark Fiddler]

And Im not sure how wild shaping would interfere with the (su) abilities from feral.

Wild Shape says nothing about losing your abilities in when in a different form, so I imagine you'd keep them.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Feral template may or not may be powerful depending on your reading of it, If you read as you get all the abilities based on your class HD then YES it is a Powerful borderline broken template for a LA+1, if you read it as only your racial HD count, then it is IMHO a good template.

Since the Feral template has some good bonus to your primary score WIS whith a penalty to a so so score INT it is an exelent template for a druid (more if you can buy-off the LA.

As for the abilities I think you keep the ones that don't overlap, for exaple you keep the fast healing in all forms, but may loose the claws if you wild shape into an animal that doesn't have claws such as an.. octopus.

Also if you don't wnat to overshadow the party you might want to check the shapeshift variant in PH II

Hope that helps

[Boci]

Could just play a feral totemist if you have access to Magic of Incarnum.

[Incorrect]

I will start looking at shapeshift variant and totemist.
Thanks :)

Do keep the advice comming

[Incorrect]

Has anyone made a "fix" of the Feral template?
Understandably my GM thinks its a bit overpowered.

[FishAreWet]

Realize the difference between racial HD and class HD and it's no longer that strong.

I suggest Wild Shape Ranger. Lets you be more martially focused and keep full BAB and stuff. And don't forget to pick up IUS so you can make iteratives in animal form!

[Incorrect]

Is the wild shape ranger worth it?
I mean its only the basic form of wild shape (small and medium)

I will probably offer to only take 1HD of feral, it suits my needs fine. Although Improved grab with -20 grapple modifier kinda sicks.

[Eldariel]

Is the wild shape ranger worth it?
I mean its only the basic form of wild shape (small and medium)

I will probably offer to only take 1HD of feral, it suits my needs fine. Although Improved grab with -20 grapple modifier kinda sicks.

Wildshape Ranger qualifies you for Master of Many Forms easily, which in turn gets you the other size categories. That's usually what Wildshape Ranger does; focuses entirely on Wildshape (as opposed to Druid who also casts and has pet and all that).