help with druid

[Somensjev]

ok, i'm making a new character for a campaign, lvl 6 human druid, two flaws allowed

as much/little cheesy things as wanted

so i was wondering what feats, skills, items, spells, and wild shapes would be most fun

oh, and no multiclassing

[eggynack]

What kinda book having related superpowers do you have? Also, how do you feel about piles of summoning? Summoning that forms in piles is the best type of summoning. For wild shape forms, the clear winner is the desmodu hunting bat from MM II. 60 foot flight speed with good maneuverability, and a high dexterity for maximum AC and initiative. It's good stuff.

[Somensjev]

Also, how do you feel about piles of summoning? Summoning that forms in piles is the best type of summoning. For wild shape forms, the clear winner is the desmodu hunting bat from MM II. 60 foot flight speed with good maneuverability, and a high dexterity for maximum AC and initiative. It's good stuff.

desmodu hunting bat sounds fun
piles of summoning is fine



What kinda book having related superpowers do you have?
:smallconfused:

[eggynack]

Ya know, what book access do you have? It informs build decisions to some extent. In particular, some of the better summoning feats are in setting specific books, so that can be important for those.

Edit: The three major ones being ashbound summoning from Ebberon Campaign Setting, greenbound summoning from Lost Empires of Faerun, and eventually rashemi elemental summoning from unapproachable east.

[faircoin]

Swift concentration skill trick. Greenbound summoning. Rashemi elemental summoning. Dragon wildshape. Exalted wildshape. (Natural spell... goes without saying.)

You can't multiclass, I guess that covers no PrCs as well? That's OK. You aren't hurt, except for you inability to get Planar Shepherd (Dal'Quor).

Almost forgot: fleshraker animal companion.

And wildshape at your level is best with desmodu hunting bat, as eggynack pointed up.

edit


Edit: The three major ones being ashbound summoning from Ebberon Campaign Setting, greenbound summoning from Lost Empires of Faerun, and eventually rashemi elemental summoning from unapproachable east.

Which reminds me... summon elemental [reserve] is probably really freaking deadly with rashemi elemental summoning.

[Somensjev]

ok, well, pretty much, just reference which book your stuff comes from, i have way to many to actually go through and tell you them all, so if i dont have the book i'll just google it or something

also, 3rd party stuff is allowed, as long as i can actually find it somewhere (i dont have any third part stuff, except dragon compendium I, i think that's the only one)

and i have 23,080gp to play with

[eggynack]

Which reminds me... summon elemental [reserve] is probably really freaking deadly with rashemi elemental summoning.
It's alright. If you don't have 6th level spells, you're still running small elementals, which is usually getting you a 2d6 cone of cold every round, for a standard action every so often. That goes up to 4d6 at 6th level spells, and 8d6 at 8th level spells. It's alright, but getting the smaller elementals isn't all that great for combat, even if you have infinite of them. The opportunity cost per action is a bit on the high side, and the limited range makes it less than ideal for sniping. It's definitely an option, and I've considered it for summoning build filler, but it's not the deadliest thing the world.

Your other advice is quite accurate though. Also, I didn't mention it in my post, but desmodu hunting bat gets even better at 7th level, when you get enhance wild shape (SpC). It gives 120 foot blindsight for hours/level, which is always amazing. It's part of my general druidic buff suite, which after enhance wild shape usually goes: (greater) luminous armor (BoED), heart of air, heart of water (both CMage. Heart of water is far more important, with air being mostly for light fortification with the actual effects secondary), and primal instinct (Dragon Magic). You can pick up the other heart of X spells later, and primal hunter is nice if you want 24 hour uncanny dodge.

[Verditude]

Does no multiclassing mean no prestige classes? the cheesiest thing to do with druid is to go into Planar Shepherd (Faiths of Eberron).

Statswise, Wis is top priority, then Con. You can ignore most everything else, with Int as the highest priority of the remaining stats. Listen, Spot, and Knowledge (nature) are your most important skills; investing in Diplomacy might be good if you have to be the party face. Survival comes in handy every once in a while.

The only indispensable feat is Natural Spell. Augment Summoning is worthwhile, as is Ashbound and Greenbound Summoning if you want to focus on summoning stuff. Initiate of Nature (Player's Guide to Faerun) is a favorite of mine, although possibly not the most optimized (plus, you can't get it till 9th level). Natural Bond is good if it offsets the penalty from a more powerful animal companion. Companion Spellbond is good if you want more mobility fighting alongside your companion while sharing buffs. Extend Spell is boring but useful, as is Fell Drain (good on Produce Flame). I'd pass on most of the Wild feats. Multiattack (if you can take it) or Improved Natural Attack (claw) might also be helpful. When you hit level 12, Dragon Wild Shape is awesome.

Wild armor is cool, especially if your DM allows it to not count for an armor check or nonproficiency penalty while you're wild shaped. Druids don't have heavy armor proficiency, but no one cares if you're always wildshaped with your wild dragonhide fullplate melded into your form, but still providing its armor bonus. Wilding clasps on your typical magic items are useful, especially on your necklace of natural attacks.

Useful spells are Entangle, Creeping Cold (especially extended; see how much total damage your DM says it does if you extend it. Some rule up to 21d6!) but most of all, Venomfire. If you wild shape into a fleshraker dinosaur or have one as your AC, you have a lot of poison attacks that get a free 6d6 extra damage. Barkskin is worthwhile for avoiding problems from your animal form's low, low AC. (Greater) Magic Fang helps too. Mass Snake's Swiftness is fun.

Wild shape for melee use (other than fleshraker silliness; until large wild shape, fleshrakers and desmodu bats are all you really want to be, unless you need some specific form for a non-combat reason) really kicks off at level 8, when you can be a bear riding a bear summoning bears. Another cool wild shape trick is to drop all your items, become a baboon, ape, or something human-shaped, then pick them up again. No need for wilding clasps.

Have fun with the druid! It's sometimes difficult to decide what to focus on with the druid, since there are so many possibilities.

[eggynack]

Ooh, I forgot item advice. My usual wish list is a periapt of wisdom, a pearl of speech, A belt of battle with a monk's belt if you want, A ring of the beast (CChamp), maybe some golden desert honey (CMage), and as many wilding clasps as you need. The items with unlisted books are all core or MiC. I might have some more rattling around somewhere, but those are the basics. I'm not as big of a fan of the other X of the beast items, but they're alright. especially if you want swift action wild shape.

[faircoin]

Also, for items, I always consider shadow cloak (Drow of the Underdark).

+1 deflect bonus to AC.
Immediate action concealment.
Immediate action teleport 10ft (line of sight, not line of effect)

The latter two 3/day, split between both uses.

Probably a bit expensive at level 5 (it's 5.5k gp)

Once you get 5th level spells, belt of the wide earth (Magic Item Compendium) to make up for your lack of teleportation.

[karkus]

OH OH OH MAKE A VERMIN KEEPE-


oh, and no multiclassing

Son of a...

Maybe try for some alternate class features to get rid of any you don't like. I remember one that allows you to pass over rubble, trash, etc. without slowing down; basically woodland stride in more useful situations.

[eggynack]

Maybe try for some alternate class features to get rid of any you don't like. I remember one that allows you to pass over rubble, trash, etc. without slowing down; basically woodland stride in more useful situations.
Come to think of it, I've been looking at a few of the Cityscape ACF's for a brain-build I'm working on. The one that really impressed me was actually iron constitution. You're basically getting rid of a purely flavor based ability, and picking up something that could be actually useful. Nauseated is serious business, and sickened isn't pointless. Being able to stand in a stinking cloud and consistently cast spells is serious business, even if you can only cast summoning spells effectively due to the concealment. It's not a good feat, but it's a good ACF.

[Somensjev]

oh, i figure i should give some numbers to work with (we use rolls instead of point buy) 15, 13, 15, 7, 15, 16 they can go on any stats

[eggynack]

oh, i figure i should give some numbers to work with (we use rolls instead of point buy) 15, 13, 15, 7, 15, 16 they can go on any stats
You should just use standard druidic point assignment. 16 in wisdom, 15 in constitution, two other 15's in cha and int, the 13 in dex (for occasional initiative), and 7 in strength. You're at level six, so you don't care about non-constitution physical scores, and the other mental stats are good for some corner cases. I mean, you'd have enough int and cha to stick together a convincing party face by putting a spare point/level into diplomacy.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Another armor option is Sentira full plate.
It has the same stats as mithril but is grown from coral (so it's druid friendly) and comes with a +5 competence bonus to concentration.
It's in Secrets of Sarlona.

Chronocharm of the Uncaring Archmage (MIC, 500g) is handy at low levels to summon as a full round action 1/day.

Mask of the Tiger (MIC, 4000g) LLV and Track to make full use of your survival skill (depends on campaign).

Shirt of Wraith Stalking (MIC, 6000g) Hide from Undead at will, no save even for intelligent undead. Awesome in undead-heavy campaigns.

Holy Symbol of Nature's Children (CC, 350g) +1CL for all spells that summon, aid, protect or speak with animals. A real bargain.

Lesser Metamagic Rod, Sculpt/Extend (MIC, 3000g) both are very useful metamagics. Both are also relatively cheap.

[Galvin]

You could possibly go a Mounted Combat build with an animal companion big enough to ride on. Go Strongheart halfling for the bonus feat and ride upon either a wolf or a bear, whichever suits your fancy.

Here's some feat progression:

1st-Mounted Combat
Strongheart Halfling-Spirited Charge
3rd-Ride by Attack
6-Natural Spell

Use a lance for spirited charge damage.