[PFS] Building a Plague Druid & kitting out a BardBarian

[Silus]

So, I'm working on a third Pathfinder Society character (lvl 1) and I need a bit of an assist. I've never really dipped into Druids before, mostly sticking with martial classes and Bards. The end result (that being ~lvl 8 or so) is, hopefully, a plague/disease spreading druid with some Wildshape capability (Thinking taking the Decay subdomain of Plant to get the aura at lvl 6). If the rules would allow for them, I'd simply skip over to a Ratfolk and make an Alchemist with the racial archetype, but alas, that is not the case.

So I'm looking for good spells to fit the theme, a general stat distribution (key stats to max and which to dump mostly) and good feats to take to make this theme really "pop". Right now I'm pretty clueless on spells, I'm thinking...Wisdom, Con and Strength ought to be highest, and maybe Spell Focus or something for a 1st Level Feat?

As for the BardBarian (Dawnflower Dervish 2/Urban Barbarian 1/ Unarmed Fighter 1), I've got 4069g and I'm looking for a wise investment. I'm using Studded leather currently (Though I'm rocking an 18 AC that I can bump to 20 as a free action) and using a Mithril Scimitar (Silver vs DR and Masterwork). Other than those, I don't really have any proper magic items. Was thinking of enchanting the Scimitar for a +1 and getting a Mithril Chain Shirt to replace my old armor, which, with the sell-back of my armor, would leave me with about...970g or so. Then i suppose if I play up in the next game (usually lvl 4-5 or even 3-7) I can walk away with +1 armor and +1 Bracers of Armor.

Or I can just spurge on a Belt of Incredible Dexterity to up my AC, Hit and Damage stuff and just get even more silly than I already am (Battle Dance + Rage + normal to-hit = +11 to hit with a Scimitar). SO MUCH TO BUY, SO LITTLE GOOOOOOOLD D=

Edit: Looked at the charts, and I think I can swing the +1 sword, a suit of Darkleaf Cloth Hide Armor (For essentially the same bonuses as a Mithril Chain Shirt but for 260g less) and still get the +1 Bracers of Armor.

[Arutema]

As for the BardBarian (Dawnflower Dervish 2/Urban Barbarian 1/ Unarmed Fighter 1), I've got 4069g and I'm looking for a wise investment. I'm using Studded leather currently (Though I'm rocking an 18 AC that I can bump to 20 as a free action) and using a Mithral Scimitar (Silver vs DR and Masterwork). Other than those, I don't really have any proper magic items. Was thinking of enchanting the Scimitar for a +1 and getting a Mithril Chain Shirt to replace my old armor, which, with the sell-back of my armor, would leave me with about...970g or so. Then i suppose if I play up in the next game (usually lvl 4-5 or even 3-7) I can walk away with +1 armor and +1 Bracers of Armor.

Or I can just spurge on a Belt of Incredible Dexterity to up my AC, Hit and Damage stuff and just get even more silly than I already am (Battle Dance + Rage + normal to-hit = +11 to hit with a Scimitar). SO MUCH TO BUY, SO LITTLE GOOOOOOOLD D=

Bracers of armor do not stack with armor, so that's one less thing to buy. I'd go for the +1 weapon first, then a +1 chain shirt or mithral chain shirt.

Lastly, I say: "Beware of playing up." Of the 4 characters I have killed as a PFS GM, 3 of them were playing up. (The 4th dumped Con.)

[Silus]

Bracers of armor do not stack with armor, so that's one less thing to buy. I'd go for the +1 weapon first, then a +1 chain shirt or mithral chain shirt.

Lastly, I say: "Beware of playing up." Of the 4 characters I have killed as a PFS GM, 3 of them were playing up. (The 4th dumped Con.)

Well that saves me about 1000g then. Suppose I could pump that towards +1 armor then.

I'm kinda restricted with playing up with this character though, now that I have a fresh lvl 1 and hopefully a second along the way shortly (A halfling Archeologist/Geisha "Gentleman Adventurer".)

Also, Rage + Defensive Fighting + Crane Style = Hahaha, lotta AC (18 + 2 + 5)

[Psyren]

For the most part, druid spells haven't changed much, so find a Druid Handbook (even a 3.5 one) and check it out for good spells. SNA I, Entangle, and Produce Flame are all decent 1st-level picks for instance. Weather is also a great domain choice if you're not set on Decay.

Plague Druids are a strong archetype so not much to say there.

[Silus]

For the most part, druid spells haven't changed much, so find a Druid Handbook (even a 3.5 one) and check it out for good spells. SNA I, Entangle, and Produce Flame are all decent 1st-level picks for instance. Weather is also a great domain choice if you're not set on Decay.

Plague Druids are a strong archetype so not much to say there.

Any suggestions for feats? I was looking at Natural Spell, but I don't think I can take it before lvl 6, unless I am able to take it at lvl 3 before I actually get Wild Shape.

[Psyren]

The other major druid feat is Augment Summoning, since they tend to do a lot of that. You should be able to pick that up before level 7 when NS comes online.

[Silus]

The other major druid feat is Augment Summoning, since they tend to do a lot of that. You should be able to pick that up before level 7 when NS comes online.

Soooo....jump right in with Spell Focus perhaps? Maybe make'em Human and pick up two Spell Focuses (Conjuration and Necromancy)? And should I worry about keeping my spell save DCs high, or head more for the Wild Shape kinda thing?

Ideally, I want this character to drop plagues on the enemy, morph into something (maybe small'ish) and summon something inorganic (Earth Elemental or something) then turn on the Decay Aura. 1d6 damage a round, no save and a cumulative -1 Strength each round they stay in the 30-ft aura.

Edit: Also, would Planar Wildshape be something good to pickup, or is it just one of those fancy things that isn't all that needed?