Please help with druid build. Helpful suggestions welcome. Now with 20% more urgency!

[mootoall]

Jebni, Servant of Bahamut (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=340980)
Male NG Dragonborn Gnome Druid, Level 4, Init +0, HP 32/32, Speed 20 ft.
AC 11, Touch 11, Flat-footed 11, Fort +9, Ref +1, Will +8, Base Attack Bonus 3
(+1 Size)
Abilities Str 5, Dex 10, Con 20, Int 16, Wis 19, Cha 13
Condition None

Basic Druid build, I think. Wild Shape comes next level, and in the meantime he'll rely on a Warbeast Riding Dog and Warbeast Fleshraker for melee and tanking. What are good spells to prepare? I assume buffing through Magic Fang is a good idea, especially with WS potential for next level. However, I'd also like some nice Druid options for battlefield control and blasting, since I've never really done Druids before.

Edit: For now, looks like spells are the following.

0th level:
Cure Minor Wounds x2 (for stabilizing in combat)
Detect Magic x3 (for generally being a useful spell)

1st level:
Enrage Animal x2 (Buff)
Entangle x1 (Battlefield control, probably gonna use the Pearl of Power on this)
Omen of Peril x1 (The first Divination I can rock out with)

2nd level:
Mass Snakes' Swiftness x1 (Buff)
Flaming Sphere x2 (BFC and damage)

Edit the second: Just to add a little note of urgency, this is for a game going on tomorrow which I was only just invited to. Thanks in advance!

Edit the third: Also for your review; Hariza'ad, the Fleshraker Animal Companion, (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=340998) and Maridina, the Riding Dog Wild Cohort (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=340999). Both had the Warbeast template added to them post joining Jebni, as a proper soldier in Bahamut's army *must* be trained for war.

Could someone also look through those and help me calculate new attack bonuses/damage for their natural attacks? I'm a bit fuzzy on how the Fleshraker's Rake attack bonus and damage are calculated as well.

[GnomeGninjas]

Is being a gnome important to you?Is it to late to switch to another race? What books are aloud for you to use?

[mootoall]

Is being a gnome important to you?Is it to late to switch to another race? What books are aloud for you to use?

I'm doing gnome for the Constitution bonus, seeing as it's the only important stat I can really boost through race if I don't wanna use Lesser Aasimar. Pretty much whatever non-setting specific books I like are available to me.

Edit: Oh, and please excuse the piss-poor backstory there. I threw this together for a game that's going on tomorrow, which I was only just invited to. It's also why I'm reaching out to the forum for help! Elsewise I'd be digging through books and handbooks myself.

[mootoall]

Bumpidy bump bump. I'm usually more patient, but I'd also like some of that precious "sleep" stuff I've heard about.

[Aegis013]

If possible, Anthropomorphic bat from Savage Species is a much better racial pick.

You may want to look into Venomfire from Serpent Kingdoms (I think that's the book it's in) which adds 1d6/caster level acid damage to a form that naturally has poison (FLESHRAKER!), a very good, albeit a bit cheesy, buff.

Are you intending to focus on wildshape, casting or summons? There aren't enough feat slots, sadly, to pimp out all three of them to the highest degree.

Edit: Also, if you know the campaign will not be high magic, definitely consider taking Vow of Poverty. If allowed, use flaws to cover Sacred Vow and Vow of Poverty from Book of Exalted Deeds.

[mootoall]

If possible, Anthropomorphic bat from Savage Species is a much better racial pick.

You may want to look into Venomfire from Serpent Kingdoms (I think that's the book it's in) which adds 1d6/caster level acid damage to a form that naturally has poison (FLESHRAKER!), a very good, albeit a bit cheesy, buff.

Are you intending to focus on wildshape, casting or summons? There aren't enough feat slots, sadly, to pimp out all three of them to the highest degree.

Anthro bat is a bit too far on the cheesy side for me. I'm not a huge fan of most of Savage Species, besides the Amulet of Natural Attacks for Monks and some of the rituals.

Venomfire is a definite possibiltiy for my beautiful Fleshraker buddy, but Serpent Kingdoms is, unfortunately, a setting-specific book. Also, yes, cheese.

I think I plan to focus on my animal companions, and that will incidentally make summons a good idea. However, I'd like to avoid Greenbound, not least because the plant type makes animal-only buffs not work. Rasheimi's Elemental Summoning might be good for later though, I guess. Still, there's no reason, as far as I can see, I couldn't do casting and summoning almost concurrently, since feat investment doesn't do much that I can't do with items (metamagic is replaced by metamagic rods, spell focus is almost useless). It's mostly spell selection I'd like help with.

Incidentally, my plan for wildshape is either to grapple heavily, or keep in the sky and untouchable while casting.

Edit: As far as BoED goes, I don't feel like playing Exalted for this character. The DM seems fairly generous with magic items that are definitively useful, and seems to have a good eye for balance. Oh, and I forgot Rasheimi's is in a setting-specific book as well, so that's out.

[Aegis013]

Right... the setting specific book thing... what setting books are available? None at all?

If you're doing grapple heavy the big question is will you be able to get a Monks X (belt or vest or something) and a wilding clasp so you don't absorb it by shape shifting? Otherwise you may consider using your 1st and 3rd level feats for Improved Unarmed Strike and Improved Grapple.

If you're going the summoning route/caster route, I don't remember if Ashbound is a setting specific book, but it's certainly a worthwhile feat. Extend Spell and Fell Drain are good metamagics if you're going that route.

[mootoall]

Right... the setting specific book thing... what setting books are available? None at all?

If you're doing grapple heavy the big question is will you be able to get a Monks X (belt or vest or something) and a wilding clasp so you don't absorb it by shape shifting? Otherwise you may consider using your 1st and 3rd level feats for Improved Unarmed Strike and Improved Grapple.

If you're going the summoning route/caster route, I don't remember if Ashbound is a setting specific book, but it's certainly a worthwhile feat. Extend Spell and Fell Drain are good metamagics if you're going that route.

None at all, I'm afraid.

Yeah, I'll probably be able to pick up a Monk's Belt when it becomes affordable. I'd likely also, rather than waste 4,000 gp. on the Wilding Clasps, just have my allies put in on my after I wildshape. I would only use forms with Improved Grab for grappling, so, while a Monk's Belt is standard optimization, it's far from necessary for that role.

Ashbound's in an FR book. Extend Spell is being covered by metamagic rods, and fell drain is only good if I plan on using many damaging spells, which I don't see myself doing very often. Again, mostly battlefield control is my goal. Damage is incidental, since my animal companions can take care of that.

[Aegis013]

Well then I still am going to push Vow of Poverty over the Monk's Belt.
But other than that, seems like my typical druidic leanings aren't going to help you here.

[mootoall]

Well then I still am going to push Vow of Poverty over the Monk's Belt.
But other than that, seems like my typical druidic leanings aren't going to help you here.

Still looking for particular spells to use, by the by, which you haven't suggested yet :smalltongue:

[Aegis013]

I'd just be repeating the Druid's handbook at you, but if you really want...

Level 1
Aspect of the Wolf (SpC)(early wildshape, sorta)
Lesser Vigor (SpC)(for healing)
Produce Flame (PHB)
Shillelagh (PHB)(beatstick)
Spider Hand (BoVD)(scouting)

Level 2
Barkskin
Bull's Strength
Bear's Endurance
Bite of the Wererat (SpC)
Creeping Cold (SpC) with extend = awesome if DM allows the optimal interpretation
Nature's Favor (SpC) for your animal companion
CHEESE ALERT: Blinding Spittle (it's in the SpC although originally from a setting specific book)

There's a plethora of others. Basically pick and choose what you want
and I did suggest venomfire, although that went out the window.

[mootoall]

I'd just be repeating the Druid's handbook at you, but if you really want...

Level 1
Aspect of the Wolf (SpC)(early wildshape, sorta)
Lesser Vigor (SpC)(for healing)
Produce Flame (PHB)
Shillelagh (PHB)(beatstick)
Spider Hand (BoVD)(scouting)

Level 2
Barkskin
Bull's Strength
Bear's Endurance
Bite of the Wererat (SpC)
Creeping Cold (SpC) with extend = awesome if DM allows the optimal interpretation
Nature's Favor (SpC) for your animal companion
CHEESE ALERT: Blinding Spittle (it's in the SpC although originally from a setting specific book)

There's a plethora of others. Basically pick and choose what you want
and I did suggest venomfire, although that went out the window.

Ah, that's an excellent list! Thank you very much!