Three druid builds, only one is the best.

[Ryu_Bonkosi]

I can't decide between a few builds of a Dreamsight Shifter Druid. Which of these is the best?

Druid 5/Planar Shepherd 10/Druid 5

Druid 5/Planar Shepherd 5/Moonspeaker 1/Planar Shepherd 5/Druid 4

Druid 5/Planar Shepherd 5/Moonspeaker 1/Planar Shepherd 4/Moonspeaker 5


On the topic of Shifter Druids, which is better, the spirit animal thing or the standard animal companion?

[Tvtyrant]

Where is Moonspeaker from? If I knew the class I could help.

[olentu]

Where is Moonspeaker from? If I knew the class I could help.

Races of eberron.

[NOhara24]

Druid optimization is like adding a pound of TNT to a nuclear bomb. We get it; you're going to kill everything either way. Do you really need that extra pound of explosives?

[Urpriest]

The first build is probably the most powerful, since sacrificing wildshape HD as a Planar Shepherd hurts. That said, the trick with Druids is making them interesting, not making them powerful, and I'd argue the third build is more interesting.

[Ryu_Bonkosi]

Druid optimization is like adding a pound of TNT to a nuclear bomb. We get it; you're going to kill everything either way. Do you really need that extra pound of explosives?

But more boom means more fun...

[Icestorm245]

But more boom means more fun...

Vaarsuvius: "As the size on an explosion increases, the number of social situations it is incapable of solving approaches zero." =P

[tyckspoon]

On the topic of Shifter Druids, which is better, the spirit animal thing or the standard animal companion?

Personal opinion: The standard companion is more powerful, especially if your build advances AC throughout like your Druid/Planar Shepherd layout. The extra actions and active body the normal Animal Companion adds to your party is very good if you have a build that allows it to remain at or near full strength. The Beast Spirit feature isn't bad- Prepare Spell and the typeless bonus to a physical stat are the standouts- but it doesn't compare to the advantage of a full on pet. It's good enough, tho, and it's a decent replacement if you want to reduce your Druid's bookkeeping load and/or don't want to argue with your DM about what exactly you can get your Animal Companion to do.

[Godskook]

For those who don't know the two prestige classes being discussed in detail, the relevant bits:

Planar Shepard:
-Progresses Animal Companion
-Progresses Wildshape(except types)

Moonspeaker 1:
-Augment Summoning(without pre-req)
-Many feats now count as shifter feats for determining certain shifter racial bonuses

Moonspeaker 5:
-Progresses Wildshape(except types)

So what you 'lose' for not going Druid 5 is:
-Up to 5 levels of Animal Companion power
-Venom Immunity
-Wildshape(if MS 1/Dr +4)

What it loses for 5 levels of Animal Companion:
-2 HD/AC/Str/Dex and 1 special ability(maybe)

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@OP, personally, I'd go with the full moonspeaker 5 choice. Your AC is already fairly powerful, to the point where you'll likely not notice much difference, and should you notice such a difference, your AC is probably going to die regardless, so in either case, you're better off having the better buffs yourself.

[Urpriest]

For those who don't know the two prestige classes being discussed in detail, the relevant bits:

Planar Shepard:
-Progresses Animal Companion
-Progresses Wildshape(except types)

Moonspeaker 1:
-Augment Summoning(without pre-req)
-Many feats now count as shifter feats for determining certain shifter racial bonuses

Moonspeaker 5:
-Progresses Wildshape(except types)

So what you 'lose' for not going Druid 5 is:
-Up to 5 levels of Animal Companion power
-Venom Immunity
-Wildshape(if MS 1/Dr +4)

What it loses for 5 levels of Animal Companion:
-2 HD/AC/Str/Dex and 1 special ability(maybe)

--------------------

@OP, personally, I'd go with the full moonspeaker 5 choice. Your AC is already fairly powerful, to the point where you'll likely not notice much difference, and should you notice such a difference, your AC is probably going to die regardless, so in either case, you're better off having the better buffs yourself.

Just to note, Moonspeaker progresses Wildshape at level -4, not at full, even at Moonspeaker 5.