Aasimar Bard/Druid advice

[Tegu8788]

I'm going to be running a game for some friends, trying 4E for the first time. Most of them are pretty simple, but one player has a cool character concept, and I want to try and represent it. I'm willing to do airbrush level homebrew, but the closer I can get to existing crunch the better.

She wants to be an Aasimar, which she has described as being good, charismatic, and well liked. Not having a clue who they are, I told her that we could take an existing race and do a complete refluff. My first thought was Half-Elf, but I have another player that wants to be a Half-Elf, so advice for this is desired. My other thought is maybe a Deva?

As for the Druid/Bard part, I've explained why that's a horrible hybrid, and that I'm not requiring fluff to always match crunch. She has said she wants to be charismatic, able to heal, be a caster with spells like entangle, and that while shapeshifting isn't a big thing, an animal companion would be nice.

I briefly considered a Sentinel|Fake-Skald, but talking skills would suffer and she wants that, so I'm trying to figure out the best nature themed Bard I can. Fey Beast Tamer is an easy call, and I'm willing to let her swap the Bard rituals for Druid rituals, as well as key Nature of off Int instead of Wis in exchange for another skill.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a Druidic Bard, perhaps spells that immobilize. I know that's the opposite of what bards normally do, but I thought it was worth asking.

[Mando Knight]

Reflavored Deva works well (or well enough, IMO). With Dragon #397's Racial Ability Bonuses article, the Deva gets access to 3.5's Aasimar racial bonuses (+Wis and Cha) as an option.

[windgate]

Themes can resolve some of the desires independent of Class:

Animal Companion:
Fey Beast Tamer

Shape shifting:
- Werebear
- Werewolf
- Pack Outcast

Partner one of those themes with a hybrid Warlord or Cleric.

Both hybrids have healing capability and can resolve their AC issues without needing to use their hybrid talent feat for it:

CLeric-
Battle Clerics Lore Feature for Scale Armor + 2 shield bonus
MC into druid (for wild shape, shapeshifting)
Paragon Path - Spiral Winds Ally or paragon Multiclass
Theme: Fey Beast Tamer for Pet
Ability Scores - Wis + Cha

Warlord:
Armored Warlord feat (requires the class type with the initiative shift) Scale Armor + Heavy Shields

Hybrid Warlords can be built "'lazy" (picking powers that don't require a attack roll from the warlord) Frees you up to put stats anywhere you want.


Also,
Arcane Mutterings - Level 2 Arcana encounter utility power. Substitute an arcana check for any social skills check.

[windgate]

I suppose the most difficult part I am seeing is the desire to be a druid (Wisdom) + Bard (Charisma). Really tanks the defenses...

Keep in mind the Alfsair spear enchant works really well for spring sentinel druids that want to cast spells.



How About A Hybrid Bard/Warlock with the familiar feat, some of the familiars are animals. Fey type warlocks have a bunch of forced movement and immobilizing powers.


Also rangers can be the beastmaster subtype and spend 2 feats to make their shots slow/prone the target (Sacrifice quarry damage)

[Tegu8788]

Let me be clear, I'm not interested in merging the classes, or even making a hybrid. Shocker, I know, but this is a brand new player to 4E, and I don't want something overly complex. I'm looking for tips on my slight home brew, ways to get Druid flavor onto the Bard chassis, or if there might be a better class to combo Druid and Bard flavor onto that does control and healing.

[windgate]

Let me be clear, I'm not interested in merging the classes, or even making a hybrid. Shocker, I know, but this is a brand new player to 4E, and I don't want something overly complex. I'm looking for tips on my slight home brew, ways to get Druid flavor onto the Bard chassis, or if there might be a better class to combo Druid and Bard flavor onto that does control and healing.

Sorry about that. Keeping it simple...

Human Sentinel probably remains your best bet.

Find a way to get arcana and nature trained on the character. At level 2 grab the feat: "Skill Power"

Level 2 (default) Utility Power: All - Encompassing Nature
Level 2 (Bonus via Feat) Utility Power: Arcane Mutterings

Result = The player can now make a nature check in leiu of all Knowledge and social skills.


Theme: Pack Outcast (requires human or shifter)
Provides a minor action polymorph with a "bite" melee attack:
+3 Proficiency 1d8 damage (enhancement = primary weapon)

The character builder does not add the bite to the character sheet, however you can customize a magic weapon or implement in the equipment section and rename it "bite".

Houserule any beast form keyword issues as the DM.



Players Ends up with:
High Wisdom
Nature Theme
Good Social Skill checks
High control druid dailies
Shapeshifting
Healing
A pet.


Edit: A Starting Array of 16/16/13/11/10/8 will let you put a 13 in Charisma, its not high by heroic adventurer standards, but per game lore average humans have a score of 10-11, and it will become 15 by Epic.

Edit #2: As a human, she will have access to three different at will powers. I am thinking.. 1 Implement, 1 Weapon and 1 beast form power(House rule the keyword issue).

[windgate]

Social Skills and "insight".

I have always viewed the "insight" skills as substantially more than just "sense motive"

Perception will let a person see that a person is crying, Insight lets that person know what they means and have some insight into why.

You can turn insight into a variant of being socially popular (instead of being a great speaker, she is a great listener") That is why people like her so much.

There is also the level 10 encounter utility power, "insightful comment" that will add the players wisdom modifier to the parties diplomacy, bluff and intimidate checks.

Rather than being a fast talker, the utility powers will make the character become the person that makes a major statement at critical points but spends most of the time listening.

[Apapalypse]

http://www.nodiatis.com/pub/15.jpg (http://www.nodiatis.com/personality.htm)

[Tegu8788]

I may not have been clear enough, there is no need for shapeshfting. She wants to be charismatic, something that the Sentinel is not. She also want's to be a caster, something the Sentinel is not. Also, she is not going to be a human, most likely deva mechanics as a refluffed Aasimar.

Upon further thought, I am inclined to give her Animal Messenger for free once a day, and Knack for Survival. I see those as ways to fill out her character without giving a key mechanical advantage.