3.5 Help with Alternative Wild Shape Choices

[ShriekingDrake]

Our DM is experimenting with an approach to both limit and empower druids in new ways. Druids will get far fewer choices for wild shaping but a little more interesting choices. Essentially, the druid gets to wild shape into only 3 animal and 2 plant forms. Wild shaping into elementals are as normal. Druids may no longer select dragon wild shape, aberration wild shape or frozen wild shape as feats. However, at 12th level, pursuant to the rules associated with those three feats, the druid may select one form from each of those categories that he may add to the forms available to him. The form he selects may not be switched out at another time (as it can be for the animal and plant forms at a rate of one switch of an animal and plant form upon leveling), though the HD/size of the forms will increase as the character gains levels if there are advanced versions available, such as with Dragons and Elementals. Then again at 15th level, he may add a second form of each of those types.

So, here's what I'm thinking . . . but I'd like your help and advice.

12th Choker; Young Shadow Dragon (Drag.) ; Frozen Salamander (MMII)
15th Will-'o-the-Wisp; Young Adult Mercury Dragon (DoF);12-headed Cryohydra

I don't know if these are the best choices but they seemed solid enough to me. I would like some help.

[Zaydos]

I'm assuming you'll be using Enhance Wild Shape to gain the extraordinary abilities of choker and will-o-wisp.

You might want to consider a gem dragon as they get Plane Shift (Inner Planes only).

[ShriekingDrake]

Thanks.


I'm assuming you'll be using Enhance Wild Shape to gain the extraordinary abilities of choker and will-o-wisp.
Indeed. Do you (or anyone else) think those are good choices for the aberrations?


You might want to consider a gem dragon as they get Plane Shift (Inner Planes only).
That's a good suggestion. I was also thinking Steel Dragon as a possibility. Do you have a gem dragon you're partial to?

[Zaydos]

Thanks.


Indeed. Do you (or anyone else) think those are good choices for the aberrations?

Yes. Ex Immunity to magic and invisibility or Ex extra actions are good choices. And a reason to take that feat sometime... or never allow it I haven't decided.


That's a good suggestion. I was also thinking Steel Dragon as a possibility. Do you have a gem dragon you're partial to?

Amethyst and Sapphire were the first I encountered as a DM -horrible flashback-. Oh wait where was I. I always liked emerald but that's just because they're pretty. Well actually looking over them again Emerald is nice because it has Sonic breath and Sonic immunity (with fire resistance to boot), but Sapphire gets the ability to sense psychoportation (which includes teleportation) within an area around it at Juvenile while still medium sized so that's nice also it has above average Dex (1 less natural armor than standard for dragons of its HD).

[ShriekingDrake]

There may be other aberrations with better abilities, but those seemed pretty strong to me, and very useful.

I'm heading to MMII to check out the Gem Dragons now.

[isotunknown]

How about steel dragons, cloakers, and rust monsters for something different?