Druid help.

[thatguy73]

Making a Druid for a campaign starting at 7th level. DM says I can use whatever I want as long as I can show him where I got it from and have the details on it. I'm trying to have a good character build but at the same time not break the game. I think what I need the most help with is the animal companion and wild shape forms but any advice is useful even if it's a link to another thread or guide.

[Escheton]

Where you thinking of a theme or specialisation?

Wildshape heavy, summon-fu, tricked out companion, plant-themed?

handbook: http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=1354.0

[Keld Denar]

1 Spell Focus: Conjouration
3 Augmented Summons
6 Natural Spell
9 Skill Focus: Underwater Basket Weaving
12 Skill Focus: Upside-down Basket Weaving
15 Skill Focus: Zero-gravity Basket Weaving
18 Skill Focus: Mobius Basket Weaving (1-sided baskets 4tw!)

Any questions?

[thatguy73]

Well, this is my first Druid build so I'm kind of aiming for a versatile build that will allow me to experiment with different things until I decide which I like best and want to specialize in.

Thanks for the link, by the way, I'll be sure to check that out.

[thatguy73]

Haha!
Thanks Keld :smallbiggrin:
So basically what you're saying is just go for it and it's going to work anyways?

[mootoall]

I quote (kinda) Leeky Windstaff: "I have abilities more powerful than your entire class!"

[bokodasu]

Druids work like this:

1. Dump Str, Dex, and Cha, and don't worry too much about Con and Int.
2. Take Natural Spell at level 6.
3. [Anything else that strikes your fancy here.]
4. Rip apart your foes like tissue paper while raining magical fire down upon them. Have your animal companion do the same thing.

Druids are pretty hard to do wrong. You can pick the wrong spells on a given day, but the fix is to pick better ones the next day. And they don't really need anything from out-of-core books, except maybe Wilding Clasps. (There is stuff that makes them better, but it's hardly necessary.)

[Keld Denar]

I think it was Stoopidtallkid who had a quote in his sig: "Its amazing what you can acomplish as a druid with a single spell and enough aggression."

That said, while building a druid is pretty easy, playing one is not. You are basically making a dozen characters, and thats if you don't go all out. If you summon a fair bit, generate some summon monster stat blocks that include bonuses like Augmented Summons. That way you are doing less math on the fly while adding up AB and damage. Print these on paper or write them on note cards for quick reference. Do the same thing with your stats for various wildshape forms. Some are better than others, look up some guides. You generally can't go wrong with bears and cats, but there are some real winners out there like the Desmudu Hunting Bat (great flying form) and even the Dire Weasel has some fun applications (latch onto a single large "boss" type character and watch the Con damage fly. The more HD a foe has, the more effective Con damage is). You also have a TON of great spells. Again, not all are created equal, but most of them are pretty good. Don't worry too much about healing. Cover that with SNA IV (for Unicorns) and Wands of Lesser Vigor which your party should pool together to buy.

[Kalaska'Agathas]

Another viable option is Druid 5/Planar Shepherd (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19871574/The_Planar_Shepherd_Handbook) 10/Druid 5. It requires access to the Eberron Campaign Setting and Faiths of Eberron. It also requires either Nightbringer- or Greensinger Initiate (bringing your total number of required feats to a whopping two), but advances your Animal Companion and Wildshape abilities and gives you some really nice abilities of its own to boot.

As far as choosing a plane goes, I like those which give a good selection of Magical Beasts and Outsiders to wildshape into. I particularly like Dal Quor, for flavor reasons (I mean come on, it's the realm of Dreams. Turn your Druid into Morpheus from the Sandman comics) but if you do pick Dal Quor, make sure to ask your DM to change the 10:1 flowing time rate, as that is completely broken and can make the game un-fun (while getting 10 rounds worth of actions for everyone else's 1 sounds nice, it really just bogs down the game and turns into a pseudo "I win" button). As far as forms to wildshape into, I am particularly fond of the Planetar at level 14, as that nets you 17th level Cleric casting (and the resulting 9th level spells).

[Keld Denar]

Planar Shepherd (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19871574/The_Planar_Shepherd_Handbook)

Wait...was this sarcastic? Please tell me this was sarcastic. You can use the words "viable" and "Planar Shepherd" in the same sentance with a straight face. Well, at least I can't. Its not even playing the same game anymore...

[Kalaska'Agathas]

Wait...was this sarcastic? Please tell me this was sarcastic. You can use the words "viable" and "Planar Shepherd" in the same sentance with a straight face. Well, at least I can't. Its not even playing the same game anymore...

Planar Shepherd is totally a viable PrC. Its very flavorful, advances the primary Druid essentials (Spellcasting, AC, and Wildshape), and fits very well with some concepts.

Ok, maybe I'm being a little sarcastic. Or a lot. But as an Actor, I can definitely say it with a straight face.

Yeah, it's powerful as all get out, but so's the Druid, frankly. This just makes you differently powerful. And while I recommend Dal Quor, I also recommend changing the flowing time aspect!

[Weasel of Doom]

Planar Shepherd is totally a viable PrC. Its very flavorful, advances the primary Druid essentials (Spellcasting, AC, and Wildshape), and fits very well with some concepts.

Yeah, it's powerful as all get out, but so's the Druid, frankly. This just makes you differently powerful. And while I recommend Dal Quor, I also recommend changing the flowing time aspect!

Sure, it's very flavourful and fits some concepts but it's almost always too powerful.

Druids are already one of the most powerful classes and planar shepherd makes them even stronger. You might be able to play one without breaking the game or stopping the rest of the party having fun but I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner.