[3.5e] Wolf-Themed Character Help

[SoraWolf7]

So I had an idea a while ago and wrote the idea down, a wolf-themed Melee character. I wanted to do a character with an animal theme, and I chose wolves because I like wolves and I've played a tripper before.

The plan is to use feats, magical weapons and magical items to replicate the abilities of wolves, dire wolves, and winter wolves. These abilities include Tripping, Tracking, and cold damage.

So the classes I have in mind so far are Wolf-Totem Barbarian 2 for Improved Trip, and Ranger 1 for Track and Wild Empathy.

Feats needed are Improved Initiative and Alertness, both easily achieved first level with a human bonus feat.

I am also considering using High Sword, Low Axe for tripping people. Anything else in 3.5 is fair game. Does anyone have any ideas?

[Pesimismrocks]

I believe the feats shape Soulmelds Worg Pelt and Chakra Bind arm give you a better representation, but they require a bite attack so this is easier to do as a totemist.

[Fax Celestis]

So this actually came up back in like 2007. There was a whole thread about Worgs as a playable race.

Yup. Look 'em up. 4 RHD, LA +1. Racial stats as follows:

Str +6, Dex +4, Con +4, Int -4, Wis +4
Medium size
50' land speed
+2 natural AC
Bite (1d6, 20/x2)
Darkvision 60', Low-Light Vision, Scent
Trip: A worg that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the worg.
Racial skills: A worg has a +1 racial bonus on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks, and a +2 racial bonus on Hide checks. A worg has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

With I think one level in ranger, you can walk into Beast Heart Adept (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070209a&page=4) and get yourself a pack of worg pets. I'd go Worg 4/LA +1/Ranger 1/Beast Heart Adept 10/Warchief (from Minis Handbook) 4 (or 5 if you can use LA buyoff (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm)). Also see if your DM will let you take Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) (I'd probably put it on the effective druid level -3 list) or Leadership for a worg cohort--your Leadership followers can be young worgs or wolves.

[A.A.King]

If we are just going for Wolf-Themed then the prestige class Animal Lord from Complete Adventure might be something for you. You chose an animal group to bond with and part of the abilities it grants you is based on which group you chose. You would obviously go for Wolflord. Before going into Animal Lord you might want to consider 1 level in Beastmaster (same book) to gain an Animal companion (wolf) because Animal Lord advances Animal Companion but doesn't grant it.

And for the cold damage bit check out Frostrager (frostburn).

Also, what race are you considering? There is Shifter with the razorclaw trait (Races of Eberron) and Lupin (Dragon Compedium) as two great wolf-themed races

[Kuulvheysoon]

So this actually came up back in like 2007. There was a whole thread about Worgs as a playable race.

Yup. Look 'em up. 4 RHD, LA +1. Racial stats as follows:

Str +6, Dex +4, Con +4, Int -4, Wis +4
Medium size
50' land speed
+2 natural AC
Bite (1d6, 20/x2)
Darkvision 60', Low-Light Vision, Scent
Trip: A worg that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the worg.
Racial skills: A worg has a +1 racial bonus on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks, and a +2 racial bonus on Hide checks. A worg has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

With I think one level in ranger, you can walk into Beast Heart Adept (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070209a&page=4) and get yourself a pack of worg pets. I'd go Worg 4/LA +1/Ranger 1/Beast Heart Adept 10/Warchief (from Minis Handbook) 4 (or 5 if you can use LA buyoff (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm)). Also see if your DM will let you take Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) (I'd probably put it on the effective druid level -3 list) or Leadership for a worg cohort--your Leadership followers can be young worgs or wolves.

Isn't that LA +1 "technically" cohort only? 'lest there's an update that I've missed out on....

[Fax Celestis]

Technically, yeah, but it's "cohort" in this case for probably two reasons: alignment (which is dumb) and lack of opposable thumbs (which is a legitimate concern and not something a newbie player should have to deal with).

[Kuulvheysoon]

Technically, yeah, but it's "cohort" in this case for probably two reasons: alignment (which is dumb) and lack of opposable thumbs (which is a legitimate concern and not something a newbie player should have to deal with).

Given that Illithids have a LA, I'm inclined to agree with you on the lack of opposable thumbs.:smallcool:

It would be pretty awesome to be a Worg PC. Hmmm....

[Snig]

If you can get a familiar and take the feat Improved familiar you can get a worg with 3rd lvl arcane spellcaster and a winter wolf at 7th level arcane spellcaster.

[SoraWolf7]

So this actually came up back in like 2007. There was a whole thread about Worgs as a playable race.

Yup. Look 'em up. 4 RHD, LA +1. Racial stats as follows:

Str +6, Dex +4, Con +4, Int -4, Wis +4
Medium size
50' land speed
+2 natural AC
Bite (1d6, 20/x2)
Darkvision 60', Low-Light Vision, Scent
Trip: A worg that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the worg.
Racial skills: A worg has a +1 racial bonus on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks, and a +2 racial bonus on Hide checks. A worg has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

With I think one level in ranger, you can walk into Beast Heart Adept (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070209a&page=4) and get yourself a pack of worg pets. I'd go Worg 4/LA +1/Ranger 1/Beast Heart Adept 10/Warchief (from Minis Handbook) 4 (or 5 if you can use LA buyoff (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm)). Also see if your DM will let you take Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) (I'd probably put it on the effective druid level -3 list) or Leadership for a worg cohort--your Leadership followers can be young worgs or wolves.

While I admit it would be awesome to be a worg, I'd like to stay away from being a wolf or wolf-like race. Mostly because that's just straight up making a wolf character, not a wolf-themed character. I'd like to build someone who gets a name in the vein of wolf terms or ideas from their choice of tactics, weapons, or just straight-up acting like a wolf in combat.


If we are just going for Wolf-Themed then the prestige class Animal Lord from Complete Adventure might be something for you. You chose an animal group to bond with and part of the abilities it grants you is based on which group you chose. You would obviously go for Wolflord. Before going into Animal Lord you might want to consider 1 level in Beastmaster (same book) to gain an Animal companion (wolf) because Animal Lord advances Animal Companion but doesn't grant it.

And for the cold damage bit check out Frostrager (frostburn).

Also, what race are you considering? There is Shifter with the razorclaw trait (Races of Eberron) and Lupin (Dragon Compedium) as two great wolf-themed races

Animal Lord might work, and I'd have to dip into Druid or Ranger for that. Or Ranger -> Beastmaster -> Animal Lord.

As for Races, Lupin would work, and since I'm unfamiliar with Shifters, I think I'll pass on them.

[Diovid]

I'd go with something like Barbarian x / Ranger y / Beastmaster 1 / Animal Lord 10.

Possible feats: Natural Bond (Complete Adventurer), Extra Rage (Complete Warrior), Shared Fury (Races of the Wild) and Wolf Berserker (Unapproachable East).

Barbarian variants: Spiritual Wolf Totem (Complete Champion), Trapkiller (Dungeonscape).

Ranger variants: Champion of the Wild (Complete Champion), Fangshield substitution levels (Champions of Valor, only if playing a non-humanoid race).

[Azoth]

Feral Quasilycanthrope Azurin. wolf totem barb2/Wildshape ranger 5/primeval (dire Wolf)10/warshaper3. Not necessarily in that order. You are a big hairy guy that shapeshifts into a pseudo dire wolf/man hybrid x/day. You get semi-decent stat bosts while in primeval form to help with the tripping. Take the feat that given a companion based on craracter level and you are pretty decently set. Azurin gives you an essentia so with shape soulmeld you can pick up a handy canine themed soulmeld and enhance it a bit.

[A.A.King]

Might I also suggest the City Brawler Barbarian variant (been doing that a lot lately) is from a Dragon Magazine. You trade away shield and all but light armor proficiency and gain Improved Unarmed Strike and Two-Weapon Fighting for Unarmed Strikes.

If you then take Spirtual Wolf Totem (Complete Champion) and Wolf Totem (Unearthed Arcana) as ACF for Barbarian and the Fangshield Subsitution levels for Ranger (great suggestion by Diovid) and you go Barbarian 2 / Ranger 3 you get the following feats just as a bonus:

Improved Unarmed Strike, Two Weapon Fighting (Unarmed Strikes Only), Track, Improved Natural Attack (Unarmed Strike) & Endurance.

And we still have our level 1 and 3 feat open. Though if you go with this I suggest taking Superior Unarmed Strike at level 3 (Tome of Battle) to actually get some damage out of your unarmed attacks. If you take Handle Animal as your first level feat you can get Beast Master at level 5 and then go Animal Lord (Wolf Lord) from there on.

[AMFV]

There's also that Lupin race from Dragon Compendium, which are wolf-people in a literal sense, and even better faux-French wolf people.

[Diovid]

If you then take Spirtual Wolf Totem (Complete Champion) and Wolf Totem (Unearthed Arcana) as ACF for Barbarian
I wouldn't go with Wolf Totem actually. Wolf Totem gives you Track and Improved Trip, but Ranger also gives you Track and Animal Lord also gives you Improved Trip so the benefits of Wolf Totem would be wasted.

[A.A.King]

I wouldn't go with Wolf Totem actually. Wolf Totem gives you Track and Improved Trip, but Ranger also gives you Track and Animal Lord also gives you Improved Trip so the benefits of Wolf Totem would be wasted.

You wouldn't stay long enough with Wolf Totem to gain the Track but you're right, I forgot about the Improved Trip gained from Animal Lord. That does change it a little. Barbarian 2 / Ranger 2 still seems a good pick but now the question becomes, do you want Ranger 3 for Endurance (and a +1 on Wild Empathy Checks) or do you want Barbarian 3 for the Trapkiller ACF

EDIT: But if you are going for the unarmed variant, I would definetly chose Trapkiller ACF (Barbarian 3) above the Endurance feat (Ranger 3). What is a better way then saying no to a trap then by falcon-punching it to death?

[SoraWolf7]

I'd go with something like Barbarian x / Ranger y / Beastmaster 1 / Animal Lord 10.

Possible feats: Natural Bond (Complete Adventurer), Extra Rage (Complete Warrior), Shared Fury (Races of the Wild) and Wolf Berserker (Unapproachable East).

Barbarian variants: Spiritual Wolf Totem (Complete Champion), Trapkiller (Dungeonscape).

Ranger variants: Champion of the Wild (Complete Champion), Fangshield substitution levels (Champions of Valor, only if playing a non-humanoid race).


Might I also suggest the City Brawler Barbarian variant (been doing that a lot lately) is from a Dragon Magazine. You trade away shield and all but light armor proficiency and gain Improved Unarmed Strike and Two-Weapon Fighting for Unarmed Strikes.

If you then take Spirtual Wolf Totem (Complete Champion) and Wolf Totem (Unearthed Arcana) as ACF for Barbarian and the Fangshield Subsitution levels for Ranger (great suggestion by Diovid) and you go Barbarian 2 / Ranger 3 you get the following feats just as a bonus:

Improved Unarmed Strike, Two Weapon Fighting (Unarmed Strikes Only), Track, Improved Natural Attack (Unarmed Strike) & Endurance.

And we still have our level 1 and 3 feat open. Though if you go with this I suggest taking Superior Unarmed Strike at level 3 (Tome of Battle) to actually get some damage out of your unarmed attacks. If you take Handle Animal as your first level feat you can get Beast Master at level 5 and then go Animal Lord (Wolf Lord) from there on.


You wouldn't stay long enough with Wolf Totem to gain the Track but you're right, I forgot about the Improved Trip gained from Animal Lord. That does change it a little. Barbarian 2 / Ranger 2 still seems a good pick but now the question becomes, do you want Ranger 3 for Endurance (and a +1 on Wild Empathy Checks) or do you want Barbarian 3 for the Trapkiller ACF

EDIT: But if you are going for the unarmed variant, I would definetly chose Trapkiller ACF (Barbarian 3) above the Endurance feat (Ranger 3). What is a better way then saying no to a trap then by falcon-punching it to death?

Alright, looks like the proposed build is Barbarian 3 with Trapkiller ACF/Champion of the Wild Ranger 2/Beastmaster 1/Animal Lord 10/X, with the feats: Improved Unarmed Strike, Superior Unarmed Strike, Track, Endurance, Natural Bond, Extra Rage, Shared Fury, and Wolf Berserker. If anyone would like to iron this out and help create a reasonable level progression?

[A.A.King]

Something like:

Race: Lupin
Class: Barbarian 1 / Ranger 2 / Barbarian +2 / Beast Master 1 / Animal Lord 10 / X

Feats:
1. Skill Focus (Handle Animal)
F1 Extra Rage
F2 ?
3 Superior Unarmed Strike
6 Natural Bond
9 Shared Fury
12 Wolf Beserker
15 ?
18 ?

Bonus Feats and ACF:
Barbarian 1: At first level you'll Improved Unarmed Strike and Two-Weapon Fighting (Unarmed strikes only) from the City Brawler Barbarian Variant from Dragon Magazines. You'll also get an extra +2 on attack rolls when flanking because of the Spiritual Totem Wolf from Complete Champion. (This will be extra nice when you get an Animal Companion)

Also, take the Whirling Frenzy ACF instead of normal rage, it's from Unearthed Arcana

Ranger 1: Track
Ranger 2: The main reason you take Ranger before finishing Barbarian. The Fangshields Ranger Substitution levels from Champions of Valor. Instead of Two-Weapon Fighting (which we already have anyway) or Rapid Shot you get Improved Natural Attack (unarmed strike). Combined with the Superior Unarmed Strike your fists now deal 1d6 of damage instead of 1d3 which they do first two levels. Sure, for now it's the same as a one level monk, but at level 4 it will become 1d8, at level 8 it will become 2d6, at level 12 2d8 and at level 16 3d6. Best part is, you get the feat 1 level before normally possible (and as monk you usually have to wait till level 6) thanks to Ranger Combat Style Bonus Feats ignoring prerequisites.

Barbarian 3: Gain the Trapkiller ACF (Dungeonscape) in exchange for Trap Sense.

Animal Lord 6: Your last bonus feat, the Second Totem (Wolf) gives you Improved trip. A bit late but not everything can be perfect.


You still have 3 feats open in this build (one of which is a flaw which is optional). I placed Wolf Beserker at level 12 instead of as a flaw because you won't really be tripping until you Improved Trip, which is at level 13

Also take note that you don't get Endurance as a bonus feat because that is granted at level 3 from ranger which this build doesn't take. It also doesn't take the Champion of the Wild ACF because you take it at Ranger 1 but you don't get the benefit till Ranger 4 which this guy doesn't take so no point in it.

Also note, thanks to Beastmaster 1 and Natural Bond at level 16 you'll have an Animal Companion with effective Druid Level 11 (Animal Lord and Beast Master levels) + 3 (Natural Bond) +3 (Beastmaster) = 17.

I hope this helps.