[3.x] Help with a Vermin Druid into Blighter

[SartheKobold]

I'm building a Vermin-Based Aasimar Druid with a Large Centipede Animal Companion. He's Level 3 right now, and with two more Druid levels he can go into Blighter. The trick now is making him viable in the campaign up to this point. The rest of the party is fairly optimized, but I just can't find any options for a Centipede Druid...

[tuesdayscoming]

May I ask, is there a particular reason that you're going into blighter? I've never actually played one myself, but it seems to me that they're terribly underpowered. Particularly since your party is, as you said, fairly optimized, I'd probably steer clear of it.

On the vermin topic, though, I know that Drow of the Underdark has some great material for vermin. Can't remember any specifics off hand, but thats probably a good place to start.

[SartheKobold]

Mainly for concept. The party consists of an Awakened Skeleton Fighter, a Necropolitan Necromancer, a Gnome Mortician (Cleric), and another yet-to-be-named character. I figured I'd play a druid for support, but I needed the theme to fit. He's a manifestation of decay, with a Large Centipede companion. Also, the idea of playing Hexxus from Ferngully is too awesome to pass up.

I figure I can balance it out by getting spell levels early and casting as efficiently as possible. I'm not trying to outstrip them, just keep up.

My natural inclination would be to look through the undead-helper books, but there's not a lot for druids...

[Urpriest]

The Planar Shepherd (Faiths of Eberron) prestige class says in its fluff that it's taken by Blighters. It's ambiguous whether they can even qualify by RAW, but with a few minor houserules to make the abilities work for you it could actually be reasonable. Planar Shepherd is usually regarded as pretty broken, but since Blighter is fairly weak I think it might be ok in this instance. You'd want to be devoted to Mabar, the plane of night, which I think is a popular choice among the Children of Winter (which I assume you are one of, since that's the main way people get a vermin companion).

[Optimator]

Yeah, Blighter is a total trap. Just stay Druid and call it a Blighter.

[SartheKobold]

I was just looking it over, and I see where the trap is. The spell-list is pretty limited... Now the question becomes how to spice things up. Straight Druid is already almost optimized on it's own, but I'm still looking for undead-supporting abilities and verminous abilities.

[Skaven]

Doesn't Eberron have custom vermin druids? Child of winter or something?

[SartheKobold]

Hadn't heard of them, but I'll check it out. Thanks again, playground.

[Runestar]

Underdark has a vermin-themed druid prc, which lets you wildshape into vermin forms and get a vermin companion.