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Balor01
2010-07-29, 06:54 AM
I am playing a druid in an E6 (lvl six characters) in a one-shot, with great emphasis on one-on-one arena fights. Still, my experience with druids is rather small, so I would like to ask around a bit what feats would best suit a lvl 6 (core only) human druid? Augmented summoning is nice, but I see really little point in Spell focus and such ... I was also thinking improved initiative, since I would like to go for summoning-oriented druid.

all advice is welcome

tnx

Beelzebub1111
2010-07-29, 07:27 AM
If you're going summoning oriented, here's my pick:
Spell Focus (Conjuration), Augmented Summoning, [anything...Multiattack if your DM allows it for wild-shaped forms], Natural Spell.

Wild Shape into an Eagle and get far away, Summon Nature's Ally (I or II), then Call Lightning for Six Rounds, Re-summon your animals, Call Lightning for six rounds. If they aren't dead after that, wild shape into a Deinonychus and go to town.

Yora
2010-07-29, 07:28 AM
In one on one fight, Improved Initiative seems like a good idea.

However, summoning doesn't seem that much of a good choice, as other players won't allow themselves to be tanked by summons and just charge directly at your druid. And given all the other options druids have, summons aren't really that great a way to deal damage.

arrowhen
2010-07-29, 07:56 AM
Is it just me, or is the idea of an E6 one-shot a little weird?

Mongoose87
2010-07-29, 12:08 PM
Is it just me, or is the idea of an E6 one-shot a little weird?

Not really. Give them a couple extra feats, lay out some prestige feats, BAM, you're there.

Draz74
2010-07-29, 12:22 PM
Is it just me, or is the idea of an E6 one-shot a little weird?

Not if it's just a shorthand way of saying "I want you to build Level 6 characters, but you can give them 5 extra feats."

tyckspoon
2010-07-29, 12:38 PM
However, summoning doesn't seem that much of a good choice, as other players won't allow themselves to be tanked by summons and just charge directly at your druid. And given all the other options druids have, summons aren't really that great a way to deal damage.

'Allow'? What makes you think you are offering your opponent a choice? It's rather hard to get around 3 Hippogriffs (Nature's Ally 2) or to move anywhere with a Dire Wolf or Lion (Nature's Ally 3) sitting on your chest. The summons are perfectly well effective; the problem, in an arena setting, is the 1 Round cast time. Giving your opponent the free round is pretty near suicidal if they're any good at what they do, so a lot is going to depend on the terms of engagement of the arena. Are you allowed a buff round or two? Can you enter the fight Wildshaped? How large is the combat zone (Beelzebub's strategy should be quite sound if you are allowed to gain a lot of vertical distance, for example.)

Eldariel
2010-07-29, 05:27 PM
Dire Bat is probably the animal companion of choice if going for punch (even has good Will-saves! That's very relevant on early areas as the most brutal spells all target Will); Blindsense and great stats makes it an awe-inspiring combat machine and with Bardings, its AC is among the best of them. If you're allowed to choose AC feats for HD (wouldn't count on it), you could give it e.g. Improved Grapple and/or Flyby Attack. Riding Dog is also a fine AC and Leopard isn't entirely hopeless. Deinonychus is obviously the best combat form and yeah, having easy access to flight can be game-deciding. Wind Wall is going to be an awesome spell if you can fly as it forces opponent to spend tons of turns just moving into a position where they can shoot you from.

Entangle should obviously be prepared (as long as you aren't fighting a High Dex High Ref class, you can probably take people down with it), and if allowed prep, Bull's Strength/Cat's Grace/Owl's Wisdom are worth their weight in gold, on AC or you depending on your tactic (Wis on you, obviously). Barkskin is another nice buff. You'll definitely want to keep one Lesser Restoration around just in case; worst case, it gets converted into SNA. If you fly, Warp Wood is an awesome spell to go Will-or-Be-Useless (those Composite Longbows add up fast). And at least one Faerie Fire should be prepared for dealing with invisibles. Greater Magic Fang is an all-day spell; on this level you should just split it among all the weapons for handy +1 on all attack and damage. Oh, and Sleet Storm is nice; pick one.


Spot/Listen can be critical in an arena and consider Tumble/Hide/Move Silently too, if the arena is such that it enables using stealth. Your cantrips can cover most mundane difficulties you could run into, and you'll obviously need maxed Concentration.

Start at Middle-Age so you can get Wis to an even number with the level 4 level-up. Wis of 22 from Aasimar (using E6 LA rules) + ME + level-up is a nice base and with a +2 Wis item, gives you a bonus level 3 slot. Could consider Craft Wondrous Items if desired; it can be very valuable if trying to equip yourself efficiently (and again, if allowed). Human is, of course, a great option of the LA+0.


But yeah, Wildshape and AC mean that particularly with spells, you can just plain melee against many opponents. When that's not in your advantage, you can muddy the waters with Sleet Storm and try to knock opponent out with stuff like Entangle/Soften Earth & Stone, Warp Wood or such. If you can keep distance, you can just summon stuff until the opp goes down. Your Wildshape enables you to fly efficiently if necessary and your only poor save is the Ref-save, which should be alright in Wildshape anyways. Skills and spells allow you to prepare for just about anything and your AC having a blindsense allows it to rather efficiently follow Attack-command even without vision or such.