3.5 Druid/planar shepard help (trulani outsider)

[Ketiara]

go to post 11

Hi Playgrounders

I'm being advised by my DM to ready an alt for our game as we will be entering enemy territory and player deaths or even tpk's will be possible unless we step up our game.
We are at the moment lvl 13-14 and we are a party consisting of :
an assimar pelor cleric with a destruction feat (sun something).
A twf rogue with craven and some flanking feats.
A ranger with splitting enchantment.
A barbarian
a glass cannon sorc blaster
And me a crusader/warblade
So far I'm the most optimised of course the cleric can do a lot but is mostly a buffer and played medium op.

If ill die I would love to play a planar Shepard. Not because of the op'ness but because it fits the story. (And ofc because I will have the possibility of power - I mean who am I kidding)
We are in the middle of an abyssal invasion and so far Pelor has sent the cleric to help us, and I'm thinking another deity could send this planar Shepard to help further.
I'm thinking as a background story this dude has the normal sap story that some abyssal monster killed something he loved, and he has now devoted his life to prevent further abyssal destruction. He has made it so far that he is now an important tool of ... to prevent the abyssal chaos that unchecked portals and experimental magic might cause.
Now that an evil emperor has aligned himself with a daemon/devil the hordes of the abyss is on the brink of a fullscale invasion. My PS has been charged with the quest to help close the portals to the mortal realm, and help destroy this evil emperor.

we are using manual of the planes and deities and demigods, not eberron or faerun when it comes to gods. But otherwise if its in official books its allowed.


What I'm looking for:
I don't want to break the game or outshine everyone by doing their jobs etc. But I do want versatility and to be able to take a tank role if nessisary.

What I'm thinking is Druid5/PS10/?? We won't go into epic.

I would love to have access to angels/archons/eladrin etc if possible. Or something with a lot of spell like abilities and melee capabilities. But I would also love to grant my groupe wish so they get the +5 inherent abilities

What plane/diety would be good to choose? And what WS/companions/feats/spells is good? I have read a lot of the Druid handbooks so I have a fair knowledge of what's good for a Druid, but not what's good for a PS.
I'm not going for cheese and I will be playing him medium op.

If any of you guys have some input it would be much appreciated!

Kind regards
Ketiara
P.s English isn't my native language so I apologise for bad grammar and spelling.

[Feralventas]

The Planar Shepard's most potent aspect is linking with the plane of dreams from the Ebberon setting and using the planar bubble feature to put a little zone of 10/1 time acceleration so that you can cast 10 spells per round before applying Belt of Battle or Quicken.

Taking a celestial plane will have much less directly potent action economy, though it'll still have plenty of kick. You mentioned some types of creatures that you'll be able to wild-shape into. Fluff-wise, you'd probably want to consider some of the Neutral Good aligned planes that fit in with the balance of nature more easily; druids still Fall if they go LG or CG according to the book, though it may be up to your DM as to how important that is.

The three "Angel" creatures listed in MM1 all have their environment set as "Any Good Aligned Plane" so as long as you can figure out that part you'll have access to those, though recall that Wild Shape is based off of Polymorph, which caps at 15HD creatures. Planetars are 14HD though, and cast spells as 17th level Clerics so that will get you at least that one Wish per day, but in order to get up to that +5 you need to cast it 5 times; if you have to purchase 9th level pearls of power, you may as well just grab the scrolls rather than trying to SLA your way to Inherant Bonuses.

The Archons (Hound, Lantern and Trumpet) are set in the 7 Mountains of Celestia.

Eladrins are set in the Olympian Glades of Arborea, and you could also look into the Blessed Fields of Elysium or the Wilderness of the Beastlands and still get some of them.

If you haven't already, check out the Book of Exalted Deeds for more celestial outsiders to shift into, and the Tome of Magic for Tome Archons (truenaming is good for research even if it's a mess to use in general) and Tome of Battle for Valkyries.

[Ketiara]

I'm aware of the 1/10 time trick and that's just too powerful!

So if I choose Ehlonna(NG) would I have access to all outsiders with a good descriptor? Or would I be limited to creatures that exist on beastland plane? And if its Pelor would It be Elysium?
And where do I see wich outsiders belong on what plane?

And are you sure I get to cast the cleric spells if I WS into an outsider with cleric spells? I thought I was only allowed to use the spell-like abilities?

[Rebel7284]

And are you sure I get to cast the cleric spells if I WS into an outsider with cleric spells? I thought I was only allowed to use the spell-like abilities?

Very unclear to what type of ability spellcasting is. One monster manual defines casting as an ex ability for like 3 monsters as I recall. Undefined everywhere else. You CAN argue that if you give them time to memorize spells (1 hour) you can, but overall.. Ask your DM.

[Ketiara]

Very unclear to what type of ability spellcasting is. One monster manual defines casting as an ex ability for like 3 monsters as I recall. Undefined everywhere else. You CAN argue that if you give them time to memorize spells (1 hour) you can, but overall.. Ask your DM.

I would personally say that if I get to cast cleric spells as a level 17 cleric, along with SLA and my druid spells, it would be way too powerful, and piss off the party cleric.

[Ketiara]

What about weapons use? I reckon that when ws'ing into a solar/balor you don't get the weapons or armors... What weapon would be good for a Druid that is in WS as an outsider?

[bekeleven]

What about weapons use? I reckon that when ws'ing into a solar/balor you don't get the weapons or armors... What weapon would be good for a Druid that is in WS as an outsider?

The weapons do not come with the wild shape.

The proficiency is an extraordinary special quality.


recall that Wild Shape is based off of Polymorph, which caps at 15HD creatures.
Check the SRD - this is not the case, it's based off the Alternate Form ability now.

And even if it were the case, I think it would be a specific trumping general, although I could be wrong.

[greyknight666]

I'm currently having the same issue on converting planar shepherd for core cosmology. Your sort of having to bite it not having any good effects for Planar Bubble to mess with.

Here's what i've come up. Almost all planes give some type of -2 to skill checks to the opposite alignment of what ever its strongly aligned for.
Almost all the upper planes have some of the good outsiders floating around at various times can be argued.

Elysium: All good outsiders, Fast Healing 2
Hades: If you want all evil outsiders
Beastlands: Magical beasts if you don't want to go full 10 lvls
Outlands: All outsiders, melding pot of the outer planes. Its magic trait might be able to be played with your DM which part your bubble comes from.

[Ketiara]

I'm currently having the same issue on converting planar shepherd for core cosmology. Your sort of having to bite it not having any good effects for Planar Bubble to mess with.

Here's what i've come up. Almost all planes give some type of -2 to skill checks to the opposite alignment of what ever its strongly aligned for.
Almost all the upper planes have some of the good outsiders floating around at various times can be argued.

Elysium: All good outsiders, Fast Healing 2
Hades: If you want all evil outsiders
Beastlands: Magical beasts if you don't want to go full 10 lvls
Outlands: All outsiders, melding pot of the outer planes. Its magic trait might be able to be played with your DM which part your bubble comes from.

Where did you find that all good outsiders is on Elysium? (And I take it its the outsider/good descriptor that work?)
Im going all 10levels in PS. For flavour most of all. The bubble isn't what's important for me, since 10rounds of actions will ruin the flow of the game and probably take longer than actually playing 10 normal rounds ;)

I have a few more questions: animal companions? What to choose?
And the weapons? Is there a material that a Druid can use (nonemetal) as swords or something?
What feats would be good for a nonoptimized nonsummoning pref-melee spellcasting Druid/planar Shepard?

[greyknight666]

Sorry on the delay on replying back. But anyway its in Manual of the Planes, pg 139 under Elysium Inhabitants
"All types of good-aligned outsiders can be found on Elysium, including those of lawful or chaotic disposition and even natives of the Elemental Planes such as djinn. While all types of celestials can be found here, the dominant
type is the guardinal, which includes the winged
avoral guardinal and the powerful leonal guardinal.
The plane is also aswarm with celestial creatures and
half-celestials."

[Ketiara]

Hope its not a thread revival, but ive learned more.

I really want to end up with the trulani outsider (Exhalted deeds p.172) it's an eladrin, chaotic, good. Do these creatures belong to Elysium plane? Or do I have to find another plane?

I've even been allowed to use wildshape amulet that gives me an extra 4 HD , so I can use this at level 14.

As for the trulani: he has a lot of real nice abilities and I'd love to know wich I can use.
1) the brilliant sword, can I summon that and if yes will it be out of my Druid proficiency?

2) dream ray can I use?

3) gaze and SLA are charisma based. So if I'm a level 14 Druid/ps with charisma 14 what's my DC for the abilities? Or do I use the values the trulani has? Or use the values but calculate for the lower charisma bonus?

4) the bardic music - can I use that? If yes Is it 18hd or 14 HD? Lets assume I take the initiate feat (can't remember the name) that gives me the preform as classkill and I actually meet the req for the different songs will I be able to be a bard aswell?

5)The feats I'm thinking of taking will be melee oriented mostly, but the metamagic feats I take, is it possible for me to use them on SLA?

I really appreciate your help all!!

[Ketiara]

Anyone able to help?

[sleepyphoenixx]

Tulani Eladrin are native to the Olympian Glades of Arborea so thats the plane you'll need to select if you want to wild shape into one. Outlands could work too since the fluff says that pretty much any outsiders live there.

1) It's a (Su) ability, so yes. Martial Proficiency is part of the outsider type. Since WS doesn't change your type you don't get it for free. You get martial weapon profiency at PS 10 when you change into an outsider though so it's only a problem for 1 level.

2) It's a (Su) ability, so yes.

3) A Tulani has 26 Charisma. If your Cha is 14 your DCs are 6 lower.

4) It's a special quality, so yes. Since it specifies that the ability is used as a 18th level bard you can use it as a 18th level bard, no matter your HD. You'll need the necessary perform ranks of course.

5) No, there are seperate metamagic feats for SLA's.

[Ketiara]

Thanks so much!!

So when i become an outsider how does that effect my skillpoints/bab and saves?

[ahnbalto]

Just wanted to jump on the wagon for your Eladrin idea

According to ECS cosmology All Eladrin are also native to Thelanis, you said in the first post, no gods of Eberron, so I think this would still be allowed. Fluff wise, this is where most druids become Greensingers, they who become planar shepherds, unless you want to be a child of winter.

Also a planar bubble of Thelanis empowers and extends arcane magic for your sorcerer.

just my two copper pieces

[sleepyphoenixx]

Thanks so much!!

So when i become an outsider how does that effect my skillpoints/bab and saves?

Becoming an outsider does nothing for your skill points/bab/saves because those are for racial levels. Class levels have their own progression.

[Ketiara]

Becoming an outsider does nothing for your skill points/bab/saves because those are for racial levels. Class levels have their own progression.

So what does outsider do for me?


And i cant find Thelanis in manual of the planes or dmg, but beastlands plane would be the one I see fit the trulani best.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Outsiders get 60ft Darkvision and proficiency with all simple and martial weapons. You're also no longer a viable target for spells and effects that target humanoids.
On the other hand you're vulnerable to stuff that targets outsiders although the native subtype makes you immune to most of the really nasty ones.

To find Thelanis you'll have to look in the Eberron books since it's a campaign specific cosmology.