Commander (Planar) Shepard

[Acanous]

While browsing the forums, I've encountered several refferences to the Planar Shepard being something absolutely awesome, on par with an Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil or Incantatrix. Sadly, I've got no experience playing one, and would like to know exactly how one goes about optimizing this in such a way that it could singlehandedly end the reaper threat, save the citadel, and have the toughest decision of the day be which female NPC to romance.

So, anyone willing to explain this to me? :3

[Heatwizard]

As I'm given to understand it(although I just looked it up now), it's basically Druid+. 10/10 spellcasting, levels count for Wildshape(and you get nastier shapes to boot), and you get this goofy planar bubble; pick a plane where time moves really fast and suddenly your turn turns into ten turns. Seems like it kind of optimizes itself.

[Longcat]

You also get to wildshape into outsiders and use their abilities. Free Wish!

[Acanous]

That does sound pretty awesome. Sadly, it is rare that I get the chance to play a Druid (They're outright banned in one of my gaming groups, and frowned upon in the other two, like clerics)
Is there any other way to get into the class? would Wildshape variant Ranger or Barbarian work?

[Heatwizard]

You need eight ranks of Knowledge(nature) and four ranks of Knowledge (planes), Wild Shape as a class feature, and either Greensinger Initiate or Initiate of Nightbringers. (DM's choice)

This is Faiths of Eberron, p. 107, by the by.

[Cog]

That does sound pretty awesome. Sadly, it is rare that I get the chance to play a Druid (They're outright banned in one of my gaming groups, and frowned upon in the other two, like clerics)
Is there any other way to get into the class? would Wildshape variant Ranger or Barbarian work?
Um. If Druids are already too much for your groups, have you considered maybe not playing a Planar Shepherd?

[Ravens_cry]

Um. If Druids are already too much for your groups, have you considered maybe not playing a Planar Shepherd?
I agree. It is considered a courtesy to tone down the optimization, and not try to nitpicky circumvent it, if requested.

[Acanous]

Oddly, the majority of the druid hate stems from the ease of access to healing spells. They've got no beef with wizards.

It's mostly druids and clerics that get hated on, for making injuries meaningless and death a minor setback.

Barbarians that deal over 9000 damage in a round and planar binding shennanigans that end with players owning flying kingdoms are some examples of standard optimization by level 13.

I had to talk the DM into banning candles of Evocation, because godhood by lv 7 used to be common.

[Heatwizard]

Oddly, the majority of the druid hate stems from the ease of access to healing spells. They've got no beef with wizards.

It's mostly druids and clerics that get hated on, for making injuries meaningless and death a minor setback.

Barbarians that deal over 9000 damage in a round and planar binding shennanigans that end with players owning flying kingdoms are some examples of standard optimization by level 13.

I had to talk the DM into banning candles of Evocation, because godhood by lv 7 used to be common.

Al...right. That's...hm.

Ranger can get you there, yes. I might consider grabbing a one-level dip in a dedicated caster class like cleric or something, just to have something better to progress with those levels rather then Ranger casting. I could swear that there was a Barbarian variant somewhere that counted as wildshape, but I can't find it, so.

[Cog]

...

Objection retracted.

[Acanous]

Bear Warrior might count, I know there's a way for it to happen, somewhere...

[Cog]

Shapeshifter, from Oriental Adventures, gets you wild shape. The 3.5 update from Dragon Mag bases it on character level instead of class level for HD purposes.

[Acanous]

That sounds like it has potential :3

In defense of my roleplaying group, we have a lot of fun optimizing, and so does the DM. We fight things +4 or +5 to party CR regularly, and the divine caster hate is mostly to try keeping some drama in with all that narm.

When you really have to work at it for someone to get hurt, you want that damage to matter.

[Divide by Zero]

It advances wild shape, casting, and your animal companion, and thus is strictly better than straight druid aside from the entry requirements (one feat and a couple of skill points, neither of which a druid is really starved for). So if you can take it, there's basically no reason not to.

[erikun]

As others have mentioned, 10/10 spellcasting and full wild shape advancement is more than enough to recommend it for a Druid.

For more brokenness, it also gains the ability to transform into outsiders of their attuned plane; wildshape into something that grants Wish as a SLA! That is just as powerful for a Wildshape Ranger as it is for a Druid. The class also allows you to take on properities of your attuned plane - Dal Quor (an official Eberron plane) has a 10:1 ratio with the Prime Material Plane, meaning you get 10 rounds of actions for every 1 round otherwise. You might see Planar Shepherd banned if you try that, though.

[Big Fau]

As others have mentioned, 10/10 spellcasting and full wild shape advancement is more than enough to recommend it for a Druid.

For more brokenness, it also gains the ability to transform into outsiders of their attuned plane; wildshape into something that grants Wish as a SLA! That is just as powerful for a Wildshape Ranger as it is for a Druid. The class also allows you to take on properities of your attuned plane - Dal Quor (an official Eberron plane) has a 10:1 ratio with the Prime Material Plane, meaning you get 10 rounds of actions for every 1 round otherwise. You might see Planar Shepherd banned if you try that, though.

This, right here, is the reason the PrC is often banned. Infinite Wishes used to be that reason, but when CO stumbled on this about two years ago it put PLanar Shepherd at the top of the Most Overpowered PrCs (who cares about Tainted Scholar or Shadowcraft Mage when your entire party is taking 10 extra turns for every round your opponents have?).