Equipping a druid

[PollyOliver]

I'm building a druid for a play by post game I'm hoping to join, and I'd like some help, as I've played a druid only once and several years ago. I'm a level 12 druid with normal wealth by level.

It's a role play-heavy game with a mix of higher and lower tier classes, so I'm not looking to optimize all that much. My character is a traveling healer and an ex-army tracker and reconnaissance specialist. I plan to use spells mostly for healing, buffing, and sneaking around and to wild shape into mostly cats and bears. Feats include track, improved grapple, and augment healing and healing touch for this purpose (I know they're not optimal).

However, I have absolutely no idea what to do for equipment. I haven't played a druid in years, and have never started at this high a level before. I expect to spend a moderate chunk of my money on gear the character would have had in the army and as a healer, and maybe on a nice item for my dog. Beyond that, are there any items I could choose that would still have benefits in wild shape? (I know about wildling clasps, but if I use any it'll probably only be one or two; I don't want to go nuts). Any pieces of equipment you'd consider vital at that level?

[The Rabbler]

As long as you pick up the wild spell feat, you (quite literally) can roll 2d%, find the corresponding page in the MiC, pick a random item from that page, and repeat until your WBL is gone.

In fact, if you aren't trying to optimize, you could roleplay your character as being a shopaholic with no sense for actual utility in items.

[Diarmuid]

Is there chance you can swap out one of those feats for Natural Spell? I know you're looking for equipment help, but Natural Spell is just such a must for a druid that's going to spend any time wildshaped.

As for equipment, a Healing Belt seems like a good fit. Wand of Lesser Vigor works well. Obviously a Wisdom enhancement item to boost your Spell DC's and Bonus spells. Other healing centered items would be the Ring of Mystical Healing, Amulet of Retributive Healing or Amulet of Emergency Healing.

Many consider a Belt of Battle an all around great investment for many classes, so that's something you could look into as well.

[PollyOliver]

Oh, sorry, I do have natural spell. I was just listing feats that came to mind as being part of the concept.

Thanks for the healing items; they sound like just her thing. Are they in MIC? I'll have to see if my copy successfully made the move with me.

[Etrivar]

VoP :smallbiggrin:

[gomipile]

You'll need Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Druid unless you can afford the -4 penalty for wielding a druid as an improvised weapon.

[Gnaeus]

Beyond that, are there any items I could choose that would still have benefits in wild shape? (I know about wildling clasps, but if I use any it'll probably only be one or two; I don't want to go nuts). Any pieces of equipment you'd consider vital at that level?

Yes. Complete champion has a set of items "of the Beast". The Ring of the Beast is the must have, but the others are good also.

Also, there is a set of items in the back of the MIC (with the other sets) that retain their bonuses when wildshaped. (I want to say Raiment of the 4, but I may be misremembering) that had some nice effects.

[Darrin]

Beyond that, are there any items I could choose that would still have benefits in wild shape? (I know about wildling clasps, but if I use any it'll probably only be one or two; I don't want to go nuts). Any pieces of equipment you'd consider vital at that level?

Not necessarily vital but recommended for treehuggers:

Beastskin Armor (+2 armor enhancement, MIC p. 7). Cheaper than Wild armor, and any external enhancements (such as armor spikes/netcutter spikes, augment crystals) are still available.

Monk's Belt (13000 GP, DMG). Wis bonus to AC, and attack with unarmed strikes + all your natural weapons as secondary attacks.

Bracers of Lighting (11000 GP, MIC p. 206). Swift action to activate, all your melee and ranged attacks gain the Shock property for 1 round.

Fanged Ring (10000 GP, Dragon Magic). Grants Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Natural Attack (unarmed strike), and deals 1 Con damage on any unarmed strike crit.

Ring of the Beast (8000 GP, Complete Champion p. 141). Automatically heightens your SNAs by one effective spell level.

Folding Boat (7200 GP, DMG). Wildshape into something feathery, fly over your targets, and carpet bomb them with a boat (20d6 falling object damage *no save*). Feather Token: Swan Boats/Trees are cheaper (450/400 GP per use), but the Folding Boat is (in theory) re-usable.

Hand of the Oak Father (5000 GP, MIC p. 109). Sort of a grab-bag of 1/day utility spells.

Thorn Pouch (4400 GP, MIC p. 188). Two really useful battlefield control spells, and one stupendously awesome battlefield control spell (wall of thorns).

Stormfire Ring (4000 GP, MIC p. 206). Oh, my favorite ring... oh yes, my precious... faerie fire 5/day, autohit area effect, negates invisiblility/concealment, and does up to 25d6 electricity damage per day *no save*.

Heart of the Beast (2000 GP, Magic of Faerun p. 160). Eat your heart out, Mr. "I have Divine Powah!" Healbot.

Ehlonna's Seed Pouch (1400 GP, MIC p. 158). You have to worship Ehlonna and blow a feat on True Believer, but 1400 GP for wall of thorns or fire seeds 3/day? Heck yes!

Pearl of Speech (600 GP, MIC p. 118). Oh look... get Natural Spell for only 600 GP.

Talisman of the Disk (500 GP, MIC p. 188). "Pouncing Sidecar", if you or your animal companion have pounce, well now so does your favorite frontline meatbag.

Golden Desert Honey (300 GP, Complete Mage p. 136). Reduces casting time of full-round summons to standard action. If 300 GP per dose is too expensive for your tastes, you can create 20 cubic feet of the stuff with a Chaos Flask (Planar Handbook p. 76) and summon monster VII (djinn's major creation, vegetable matter = permanent duration).

[faceroll]

Note that items and wildshape don't get along too well. If you had a pet animal that carried things for you, and you had a form with hands, it'd be ok. Actually, girallon's blessing lets you grow arms with hands, and has a nice duration.

In combat, I like to use ape shapes with girallon's blessing to 4 arm wield a large quarter staff with shillelagh and spikes cast on it.

[MeeposFire]

Eventually you want lots of wilding clasps. Wild armor is good as well (especially if you use the various leaf armors to make leaf fullplate to wear).

[faceroll]

Eventually you want lots of wilding clasps. Wild armor is good as well (especially if you use the various leaf armors to make leaf fullplate to wear).

I prefer a monk's belt.

[Gavinfoxx]

I like using Ironwood, Bronzewood, or Duskwood full plate with Wilding Clasps, generally. Just look at the Druid Handbook, I think it has ideas?

[MeeposFire]

I prefer a monk's belt.

That is certainly another way to go that requires less shenanigans. Just need another wilding clasp and you are good to go. Add in magic robes and it is awesome.

[Kyberwulf]

Okay, can Druids ANY weapon they are profiecient with? I seem to recall that they where prohibited from using Any Matellic weapons. Someone pointed out that they do not have any weapon restictions any longer. Is this true?

[Etrivar]

Okay, can Druids ANY weapon they are profiecient with?

I need a verb :smalltongue:

[MeeposFire]

Okay, can Druids ANY weapon they are profiecient with? I seem to recall that they where prohibited from using Any Matellic weapons. Someone pointed out that they do not have any weapon restictions any longer. Is this true?

They can use any weapon period (though they take a -4 if they are not proficient:smalltongue:).

Here is the full section on proficiencies

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with wild shape.

Druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. (A druid may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. See the ironwood spell description) Druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.

A druid who wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited shield is unable to cast druid spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.

So armor bad weapons good.

[Gavinfoxx]

And if you are playing in Forgotten Realms, and you have a Druid of Mielikki, the armor issues are relaxed so that you can wear any armor a Ranger could wear, so you can use Mithral Breastplates.

[PollyOliver]

I'd be playing in a homebrew world. I'd originally wanted to do vow of poverty, but was afraid exalted-ness would clash with some party members. However, it looks like I am in fact exalted again, so I think I'm back to vop.

Thanks for all the suggestions, though; I'll file them away for the next time I play a druid.

[Etrivar]

Yay! VoP for the win! :smallbiggrin::smallbiggrin::smallbiggrin:

[TheAzrael]

VoP can work for a druid but it still worse than what you could buy with your wealth there are many threads that can explain that better than me :P . In general VoP is a trap.

pearl of speech may not work (some dms say it lets you get the knowledge of a language not the ability to speak it without vocal cords ) but amulet of freedom of speech from http://www.scribd.com/doc/16563071/D20-DD-Adventure-Icy-Heart specificaly works.

I believe that you can use a wild fullplate armor in wildshape with a monks belt (since the wild armor doesnt count as being worn even if it still provides you with the benefits) but i am not sure on that.

ghoust shroud from Mic is nice to get ghoust touch ability on all your melle attacks.

wildshape amulet from Magic of Faerun can be quite powerfull if allowed.

there is the amulate of natural weapons from savage species as well if memory serves me correctly.

as mentioned the set armor of the beast is quite nice especialy if you take the armor and change it to a darkleaf fullplate instead ( thats from 3rd edition armor and equpment guide) or a blue ice fullplate from frostburn or Sentira (material from Sarlona). All 3 arent metal and are 1 category lighter.

hope that helped and that i didnt do too many spelling mistakes.

[Cog]

VoP can work for a druid but it still worse than what you could buy with your wealth...
I fail to see how this is a problem, considering we're talking about a Druid. VoP isn't good, but when you can solve the problems inherent to it it's not bad, and Druid certainly does that.

[PollyOliver]

Yeah, I realize that vop is far less powerful than what you can do with full wealth by level. But 1) it's a druid, and 2) it fits the character (a traveling healer) a lot better than having magic items coming out her ears, even if they are mostly healing-themed.

Thanks for the suggestions, though. If I play another druid in the future I'll keep them in mind.

[MeeposFire]

VoP is fun though only if your DM is cool with not screwing you over with it (if your group had no problems with paladins it should be fine). I am and so were my friends when they were in charge o I had a lot of fun.

[The Glyphstone]

How can a DM screw you over if you take VoP? Aside from obvious jerkery interpretations like 'the thief reverse pickpockets a copper coin into your robes, and you fall', the only thing he can do is increase treasure totals above standard WBL to spite you. And if he does, everyone wins...your party gets bigger shares, and your chosen charity for your share gets more money too.

Er. Well, there's the whole [Exalted] tag. That could be an issue, admittedly.

[faceroll]

Doesn't VoP get you tongues? That should be helpful.

[MeeposFire]

How can a DM screw you over if you take VoP? Aside from obvious jerkery interpretations like 'the thief reverse pickpockets a copper coin into your robes, and you fall', the only thing he can do is increase treasure totals above standard WBL to spite you. And if he does, everyone wins...your party gets bigger shares, and your chosen charity for your share gets more money too.

Er. Well, there's the whole [Exalted] tag. That could be an issue, admittedly.

Those are some ways. Reasonable DMs won't be a problem but I have heard the horror stories from bad DMs. Of course it is the DMs that are the problem but if you have a DM that you think will enjoy finding ways to make VoP against you in an unfair manner you probably should opt out of it. I don't think that is the case this time.

[The Glyphstone]

Those are some ways. Reasonable DMs won't be a problem but I have heard the horror stories from bad DMs. Of course it is the DMs that are the problem but if you have a DM that you think will enjoy finding ways to make VoP against you in an unfair manner you probably should opt out of it. I don't think that is the case this time.

That's the thing - VoP doesn't really have any clauses that can be 'used againt you', unless your DM is the sort who slips coins into your pocket, or makes Paladins fall because an Evil person say 'Hi" to them on the street. I don't consider jerkward DMs of that caliber to be a flaw of VoP, because if you're playing with them at all, you deserve what you get. The worst a DM can do is give your party more WBL than standard to 'punish' you for giving up your loot, or deliberately build fights where you can't contribute...but being a druid makes that far, far harded.