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Kamaei
2011-01-14, 01:39 AM
My apologizes if there are too many threads like this going on but... T-T;

Sometime this weekend or next weekend, a friend of mine is creating a campaign and I have to make to make a level 18 for it. Unfortunately, the highest level I've ever made was a level 10 cleric and I've been wanting to try a druid, focusing more towards shapeshifting and fighting then healing, any advice on what race/feats I should get? Or possibly a prestige thoguh drudis don't really need to..? :smallbiggrin:

gorfnab
2011-01-14, 03:52 AM
Do you know what resources you'll have available as far as books, house rules, and whatnot?
Otherwise here is the Druid Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=1354.0).

woodenbandman
2011-01-14, 04:57 AM
Druid level 18

Feats:
Level 3: power attack
Level 6: Natural Spell

Literally any other feats ever. max con, secondary wisdom. Be a dire polar bear.

there you go.

ka_bna
2011-01-14, 05:59 AM
Gear: all the things you want, but with Wilding Clasps (WC) on.
Monks belt with a WC, cloak of minor displacement with WC, pearls of power with WCs, statboosters with WC, metamagic-rods with WCs, and so on.
And bard your animal companion for fun.
And don't forget: Each time you use wild shape, you regain lost hit points as if you had rested for a night.

Vangor
2011-01-14, 06:35 AM
Azurin from MoI

1st:Natural Bond
Bonus:Shape Soulmeld (Strongheart Vest)
3rd: Bonus Essentia
6th: Natural Spell
9th: Great and Small
12th:
15th:
18th: Open Greater Chakra (Waist)

For 12th and 15th, perhaps Spell Focus (Conj) and Augment Summoning for a simple enough boost to summons. The soulmeld parts are not necessary, but reducing energy damage and drain by 3 or 4 is rather fantastic, negating tons of possible threats to a Druid. You can choose Extra Wild Shape, but this is realistically to use wild shape as a healing mechanism since G&S requires a use of wild shape, limiting amount of times you can do this in a single day otherwise, but this is absolutely not necessary to maintain wild shape through the day. Other thoughts are caster level bonuses; I recommend Primitive Caster from RoF.

Kamaei
2011-01-15, 08:44 PM
Sorry for the late response... Tried finding more d&d books >.>


Do you know what resources you'll have available as far as books, house rules, and whatnot?
Otherwise here is the Druid Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=1354.0).

I'm still new to d&d so there are a lot of books I haven't looked, is there any you would recommened for me too look at?


Gear: all the things you want, but with Wilding Clasps (WC) on.


What exactly are wilding clasps? ^-^;


Azurin from MoI

1st:Natural Bond
Bonus:Shape Soulmeld (Strongheart Vest)
3rd: Bonus Essentia
6th: Natural Spell
9th: Great and Small
12th:
15th:
18th: Open Greater Chakra (Waist)



I've seen my friend play a character using chakra but didn't quite understand the mechanics of it, should probably read more about it in the book, but are there any specific things i Should now about? i couldn't find the feat "Great and Small" what book is it in and what does it do exactly? Lastly, what does essentia do?(Sorry if I'm asking too many questions))

Urpriest
2011-01-15, 08:51 PM
We're happy to answer questions, but it would be helpful to get an idea of what books you have access to. Since you're new to D&D, my guess is that you won't be using a bunch of different obscure books to make your character, but if you want to we can give you that kind of build.

Dead_Jester
2011-01-15, 09:12 PM
What is the power level here?

The short answer is that you need natural spell and half of a brain, and you are already a very effective party member.

Here's the long answer,

Race is really up to you, but humans and strongheart haflings are always good. An incarnum race is mandatory if you want to take that route. The only feat you really need is natural spell, the rest depends on your build.

For normal druid, just either go dragon or aberrant wildshape route, or, if your starting at 18th level, just take shapechange and have fun.

For Droodzilla, then you could start getting creative, doing stuff like wildshaping into an Ethergaunt (free Wizard casting) and then buffing from two spell lists (including one you can refresh a ridiculous amount of times per day). You can even use Shapechange while in a Black Ethergaunt wildshape.

For something truly ridiculous (eg, your Dm will try to murderise your character) take Planar Shepard (FoE), and combine it with the above. Now you can be 2 tier 1 classes, with almost unlimited spells, and one of the best PrC's ever even if you don't get 10-1 action abuse (which you really shouldn't if you want the character to avoid being smited by every god in your game).

Callista
2011-01-15, 09:14 PM
A wilding clasp is a magic item that lets you use equipment while you are in wildshape. It is quite powerful and a few DMs will ban it or limit it to a certain number per character, but if you are starting at level 18 you are likely being asked to create a very powerful character anyhow.

Dead_Jester
2011-01-15, 09:16 PM
A wilding clasp is a magic item that lets you use equipment while you are in wildshape. It is quite powerful and a few DMs will ban it or limit it to a certain number per character, but if you are starting at level 18 you are likely being asked to create a very powerful character anyhow.

Heck, wilding clasps are good, but it probably won't even matter if you have items or not at that level. You're already have the solution to every problem at any time.

Callista
2011-01-15, 09:26 PM
Yep, but so will a lot of your other party members (or they'll have it indirectly in the form of help from an ally, like your basic hydra-polymorphed raging buffed-to-the-gills frenzied berserker does)--so the important thing isn't really "Is this powerful" but "Is this more powerful than what the others will have".

I strongly advocate building characters as a party. This would allow you to balance your power levels, build characters that will work well together, and coordinate your backstories. If you can't do this, at least call up the other people you're playing with and ask which classes they're playing so as to coordinate your abilities with theirs.

Kamaei
2011-01-15, 09:43 PM
We're happy to answer questions, but it would be helpful to get an idea of what books you have access to. Since you're new to D&D, my guess is that you won't be using a bunch of different obscure books to make your character, but if you want to we can give you that kind of build.

I'm pretty sure I have almost every book, my friend let me borrow all that he has.


What is the power level here?

The short answer is that you need natural spell and half of a brain, and you are already a very effective party member.

Here's the long answer,

Race is really up to you, but humans and strongheart haflings are always good. An incarnum race is mandatory if you want to take that route. The only feat you really need is natural spell, the rest depends on your build.

For normal druid, just either go dragon or aberrant wildshape route, or, if your starting at 18th level, just take shapechange and have fun.

For Droodzilla, then you could start getting creative, doing stuff like wildshaping into an Ethergaunt (free Wizard casting) and then buffing from two spell lists (including one you can refresh a ridiculous amount of times per day). You can even use Shapechange while in a Black Ethergaunt wildshape.

For something truly ridiculous (eg, your Dm will try to murderise your character) take Planar Shepard (FoE), and combine it with the above. Now you can be 2 tier 1 classes, with almost unlimited spells, and one of the best PrC's ever even if you don't get 10-1 action abuse (which you really shouldn't if you want the character to avoid being smited by every god in your game).

My DM usually likes to pick on one person or make the game have every classes weakness in it so its nearly hopeless to win. I would like to be a druid that shapeshifts and has the survivalibilty to within attacks but also be able to support the team in case we need to escape like transforming into a dire bird and flying off with the team to escape... If that is possible

Vangor
2011-01-16, 12:24 AM
I've seen my friend play a character using chakra but didn't quite understand the mechanics of it, should probably read more about it in the book, but are there any specific things i Should now about? i couldn't find the feat "Great and Small" what book is it in and what does it do exactly? Lastly, what does essentia do?(Sorry if I'm asking too many questions))

Soulmelds and chakras are fairly simple. Being able to shape a soulmeld lets you use the most basic effect of the soulmeld, and in the case of Strongheart Vest this reduces ability damage by 1 point. You can then invest essentia points, which the Azurin start with 1, into a soulmeld, increasing their effect in some way, and in the case of Strongheart Vest this further reduces ability damage by 1 point per essentia. Note, the essentia remains invested in the soulmeld; you don't use this up by reducing ability damage or something. Now, opening a chakra bind allows you to shape certain soulmelds which fit to that location and receive additional benefits, with the Strongheart Vest at the waist reducing ability drain as well as damage by the same rate. When you shape a soulmeld to a chakra spot, the soulmeld occupies that item slot.

Effectively, you will have 1 essentia from being Azurin and either 1 or 2 essentia from the Bonus Essentia feat (talk with your DM, realistically should be 1) and can invest both into Strongheart Vest, reducing ability damage and drain by 3 (or 4) at all times, which is fantastic in my book.

As to Great and Small, you can find this in Complete Champion. Lets you utilize an additional use of Wild Shape to increase or decrease the animal form size by one step for the duration you are in form.

To note on races, I also agree with human and strongheart halfling (glimmerskin strongheart halfling in particular) as well as the indicated azurin, which is an incarnum human, trading the skill points for an essentia point. Any of those gives you the bonus feat, which is a powerful trait for anyone.

Kamaei
2011-01-16, 05:19 AM
Talked to my DM and he told me no the WC and no on becoming a souldmelder T-T;(DM sucks)

So right now I have my level 18 Human druid with
1. Natural Bond
Bonus: Natural Spell
6. Great and Small
9. Swift Wild Shape or Fast Wild Shape?
12. Extra Wild Shape
15.
18.

Look good so far? Or should I not get the wild shape feats..

Dead_Jester
2011-01-16, 08:16 AM
You don't need extra wildshape or fast wildshape. Your starting level 18, that gives 18 hours in your desired form, and enough uses to cover emergencies and still be able to go back to your favored form after that.

Great and small uses an additional use of Wildshape though, so if really want to use, you could invest in extra wildshape.

Better wildshape feats are those that give you more (better) forms. Things like aberrant wildshape or dragon wildshape that let you transform into types with more bang for their hit-dices. For example. Beholders have 11 hit dices, and are CR 13. You could theoretically get all the eye rays (except the antimagic one) with the Assume Supernatural Ability feat, as they are all under the same heading.

Vangor
2011-01-16, 09:16 AM
Talked to my DM and he told me no the WC and no on becoming a souldmelder T-T;(DM sucks)

Wait...why no soulmelds?


Bonus: Natural Spell
6. Great and Small

To note, and all this does is cause a little reorganizing, Natural Spell has to be taken after getting the Wild Shape class feature and G&S has to be taken after getting the Wild Shape (Large) class feature, putting those feats at level 6 and level 9, respectively.


9. Swift Wild Shape or Fast Wild Shape?
12. Extra Wild Shape

The Fast/Swift line isn't the best use of feats. You'll be in a form for most of the day.

Take Improved Initiative for Bonus, Primitive Caster (RoF) for 3rd, Frozen Wildshape (Frost) for 15th, and who cares what else. You'll cast Enhance Wildshape from SpC, take the form of a twelve-headed cryohydra, and have 22 Fast Healing.

Kamaei
2011-01-16, 01:05 PM
Better wildshape feats are those that give you more (better) forms. Things like aberrant wildshape or dragon wildshape that let you transform into types with more bang for their hit-dices. For example. Beholders have 11 hit dices, and are CR 13. You could theoretically get all the eye rays (except the antimagic one) with the Assume Supernatural Ability feat, as they are all under the same heading.

I was actually trying to find Assume Supernatural Abiltity but couldn't find what book it was in or something called Frozen Wild Shape that was in the Druid Handbook.


Wait...why no soulmelds?

To note, and all this does is cause a little reorganizing, Natural Spell has to be taken after getting the Wild Shape class feature and G&S has to be taken after getting the Wild Shape (Large) class feature, putting those feats at level 6 and level 9, respectively.

Because he remembers how my friend did when he used MoI and said no ahaha. And fixed feats.


Take Improved Initiative for Bonus, Primitive Caster (RoF) for 3rd, Frozen Wildshape (Frost) for 15th, and who cares what else. You'll cast Enhance Wildshape from SpC, take the form of a twelve-headed cryohydra, and have 22 Fast Healing.

What book is RoF and SpC.. Don't know most abbreviated titles ^-^;

And Vangor also mentioned Assume Supernatural Ability so... What is the key difference between them?

Urpriest
2011-01-16, 01:17 PM
Assume Supernatural Ability is a feat from Savage Species, and is more likely to be banned than Enhanced Wild Shape, a spell from the Spell Compendium. Both give you access to the supernatural abilities of your chosen form, with different restrictions.

SpC is Spell Compendium, Frozen Wild Shape is from Frostburn, and RoF is Races of Faerun I believe.

tyckspoon
2011-01-16, 01:17 PM
SpC is Spell Compendium. You'll want to flip through there regardless- there's a number of really awesome Druid spells. Enhance Wild Shape is probably the cheesiest. Frozen Wildshape is in Frostburn; Assume Supernatural Ability is in Savage Species.

Aside from one being a spell and the other being a feat, the major difference between Enhance Wildshape and Assume Supernatural Ability is that Enhance is just really really good (and a little bit more resource intensive, requiring a 4th level spell slot each time you want to use it) while Assume is almost inherently broken. Although since you're playing at 18th level, you could just cast Shapechange and get the same benefits.


Both give you access to the supernatural abilities of your chosen

Enhance Wild Shape gives you the extraordinary abilities, which is part of why it's less likely to be banned; those are generally much less potent than the Su powers of weird forms. Generally it will get you Fast Healing, Regeneration, and special sense modes, although I'm sure there are some more bizarre/broken abilities lurking on some creatures.

Dead_Jester
2011-01-16, 01:21 PM
Assume Supernatural ability is a feat from Savage Species that let's you get one supernatural ability from the form you change in. What is best is that, theoretically, spellcasting is a Su ability.

Enhance Wildshape is a 4th level Druid spell from the Spell Compendium that let's you, amongst other things, assume all the Extraordinary abilities of the next creature you wildshape into, which, for a Hydra, includes the Fast Healing.

Frozen Wildshape (Frostburn) is made solely to let you assume the form of a Cryohydra, and to give 12 breath weapons.

Primitive Caster (Frostburn and, originally, Races of Faerun) is a feat that let's you increase the caster level of spells by adding extra components (verbal, somatic or material).

EDIT: double ninja'd

Urpriest
2011-01-16, 01:31 PM
Really you don't need most of Assume Supernatural Ability, Enhance Wild Shape, Frozen Wild Shape, and the like at your level because you have access to Shapechange, which is generally a better way to get access to all those qualities you want, albeit with a lower duration.

By the way, your build has Natural Bond, have you checked with your DM that it lets you counteract the penalty for more powerful animal companions? Many DMs interpret the feat as only offsetting the penalty you would get from being multiclassed into something that doesn't advance your animal companion, and I believe this is supported by one of FAQ/Sage Advice/Customer Service.