Need Help Getting Druid Into Prestige Paladin

[Ziegander]

No, it's not optimized. That's not the point. I just want to do it. And you're gonna help me (I mean, if you want to). :smallredface:

The two problems here are


"Ability to cast protection from evil as a divine spell."
and, "Ability to turn undead."

Now, the build I originally envisioned (Druid 4/Fighter 1/Prestige Paladin 15) is already suboptimal as hell, but it doesn't work at all. Adding Cleric 1 into that mix would suck even worse (maybe). Any help on this would be greatly appreciated (especially on the high end of the levels, I know I can dip out of Prestige Paladin after like, level 2 or 3, and still get more casting). Just don't go overboard on this, it's supposed to be unoptimized to play nicely with Tier 3s and 4s.

[WinWin]

The big issue is alignment. Druids must be partially neutral or they lose class abilities. Prestige Paladins must be lawful good.

They are incompatible.

Spirit Shaman could do it. But not Druid.

You could also jump through some hoops with the Urban Druid class from Dragon Compendium. It requires a neutral alignment, but does not have the "lose class features" clause if you change alignment.

Take the feat Heretic of the Faith from Power of Faerun. This will allow you wear prohibited weapons and armour. It will also allow you to exchange any Domains you aquire for another.

The Master of Radiance prestige class, the Sacred Exorcist prestige class or the Knight of the Raven prestige class will grant you Turn Undead. Knight of the Raven will also grant you a bonus domain, which you can exchange for the Good domain (for protection from evil). Or you can pick up another PrC that grants bonus domains.

With all of that hoop jumping, you can qualify for Prestige Paladin by level 9, if you take the required 3 levels of Knight of the Raven for Turn Undead and the Bonus domain. You may be able to shave another level or 2 off by taking a different route.

[sleepyphoenixx]

One of the Eberron Initiate feats (Warden or Gatekeeper iirc) gives Protection from Evil as a first level spell.
The Wild Reaper variant from Dragon 311 gets you Turn Undead in class, though only at level 12.

Sacred Exorcist advances casting but getting one of the required spells on the druid list is hard.
A level of Contemplative taking the Good domain would work but that isn't possible until level 11.

Master of Radiance is doable by level 6 if you can get Knowledge(religion) as a class skill (there's several feats for that).

Knight of the Raven is doable by level 7 without any special requirements but you have to take 3 levels to get turning instead of one.

The alignment restrictions will require DM fiat though.

[Xerlith]

If you can get your alignment handwaved, you might be also able to obtain the Planar Touchstone (Catalouges of Elightenment) with the Sun domain to grant you TU.

Alternatively, there is also a variant in UA that allows Druids to take domains. One of which is Sun.

[nedz]

If you can get your alignment handwaved, you might be also able to obtain the Planar Touchstone (Catalogues of Enlightenment) with the Sun domain to grant you TU.

The Sun domain doesn't grant TU, it just gives you Greater Turning in place of TU.

[Xerlith]

The Sun domain from Dragonlance does, though.

[visigani]

Are you open to homebrewing it up a bit? Because you could really work the Spirit Shaman into the Prestige Paladin with little effort.

Adjust the requirements as such:

Requirements
To qualify to become a prestige paladin, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Alignment
Chaotic good, Neutral Good.

Base Attack Bonus
+4.

Skills
Knowledge (Nature) 2 ranks, Knowledge (Geography) 2 ranks, Survival 4 ranks.

Feats
Fey heritage.

Spellcasting
Ability to cast Charm Animal as a divine spell.

Special
Ability to Chastise Spirits, and Fast Movement.

Class Skills
The prestige paladin's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Listen (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (Geography) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis) and Sense Motive (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level
4 + Int modifier.

Prestige "Nature's Paladin?" levels stack with Spirit Shaman levels and Barbarian levels for the purpose of Chastise Spirits, and Rage.

Loses: Smite Evil, Divine Grace, Special Mount, Aura of Courage, and Remove Disease.

At the equivalent level you gain: Unearthly Grace (Charisma Modifier as a deflection bonus to AC and Saving Throws) in place of Divine Grace, Companion Familiar (as per Arcane Hierophant) in place of Special Mount, and at every level you would gain Remove Disease or an additional usage of Remove Disease you gain a Fey Heritage feat instead.

[Ziegander]

Okay, just talked to the DM, alignment isn't going to be an issue. So, now I need Protection from Evil (which I can get with a feat), and Turn Undead.

However, the requirement only says, "Ability to Turn Undead," not "Turn Undead class feature," so I was thinking I might be able to get in using either the Bone Talisman spell, or by researching a similar spell of my own. Thoughts on that?

EDIT: Oh, also, what ways exist, beyond PrCs to gain the Wild Empathy feature? Because I'm going to trade mine away... but I actually would like to get it back if only for concept reasons. If PrCs are the only way to go, I guess I'll have to just look around.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Bone Talisman (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20040721a), put Unguent of Timelessness on the spell focus so it lasts 365 times longer. As long as you have one of those available to use you're able to turn undead.

[Darrin]

The Sun domain doesn't grant TU, it just gives you Greater Turning in place of TU.

If you have some other type of turning/rebuke, such as plants or hippos, you can turn it into greater TU with the Sun Domain.

If your DM isn't comfortable with Planar Touchstone -> Catalogues of Enlightenment -> Sun Domain power from Dragonlance, you could try Magical Training (PGtF) + Necromantic Bloodline + Kin Mastery (Dragon Compendium).

If Dragon Magazine is available, #305 has God Touched and Divine Channeler for TU 1/day.

As far as bone talisman goes, you'll need to check with your DM if he considers knowing or preparing the spell to be enough, or if you have to carry the talisman with you... If the latter, you may run into some difficulty if the talisman expires or gets used/lost/stolen, and your DM is using the "no longer qualify" rules for PrCs.

[Ziegander]

Bone Talisman (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20040721a), put Unguent of Timelessness on the spell focus so it lasts 365 times longer. As long as you have one of those available to use you're able to turn undead.


As far as bone talisman goes, you'll need to check with your DM if he considers knowing or preparing the spell to be enough, or if you have to carry the talisman with you... If the latter, you may run into some difficulty if the talisman expires or gets used/lost/stolen, and your DM is using the "no longer qualify" rules for PrCs.

The big trouble I can foresee with Bone Talisman (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20040721a) is that it's from an obscure web enhancement only, and the web enhancement specifically states that you can't learn it unless you read from the book. But Druids can research their own spells just like Wizards can, so I might look into researching my own Turn Undead spell if the DM is game.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

As far as bone talisman goes, you'll need to check with your DM if he considers knowing or preparing the spell to be enough, or if you have to carry the talisman with you... If the latter, you may run into some difficulty if the talisman expires or gets used/lost/stolen, and your DM is using the "no longer qualify" rules for PrCs.

With the Unguent of Timelessness, its duration is almost 61 hours per caster level, and you can use a Lesser Rod of Extend with it. Figure out how long it lasts at your current level, and get that many spell foci with the unguent applied. You can reuse them indefinitely as the unguent never wears off. Keep them threaded on a leather loop, each one marked, arranged in order of remaining duration. If you use one, use it from the end with the shortest remaining duration, and put it on a twist in the loop to keep it separate. Each day cast it on one that you used, or the one with the shortest remaining duration, and move it around the loop to the end with the longest duration.

At level 5 it lasts over 12 days, or over 25 days if you have a Lesser Rod of Extend. So you can have 25 Bone Talismans ready to enable you to turn undead at any given time. At level 8 it lasts over 20 days, or 40 extended. At level 11 it lasts over 27 days, or over 55 days extended. It's absolutely silly how many times you can use this. Even better, you can get a standard Strand of Prayer Beads with the Bead of Smiting removed for 9,000 gp (per DMG pricing), and use the Bead of Karma to get +4 caster level when you cast this along with your other buffs. Not only will it add over ten days to the duration (20 extended), but it also lets you use them to turn undead at +4 levels higher.

[nedz]

However, the requirement only says, "Ability to Turn Undead," not "Turn Undead class feature," so I was thinking I might be able to get in using either the Bone Talisman spell, or by researching a similar spell of my own. Thoughts on that?

Is there not some way to Wild Shape into Undead ?
Then you could turn undead several times a day. :smallbiggrin:

[Xerlith]

If you can get the Bone Talisman, check if you can use nightsticks to have 5 TU/talisman. RAW it should work. I think.



Is there not some way to Wild Shape into Undead ?
Then you could turn undead several times a day. :smallbiggrin:

Blighter 3. :smallbiggrin::smallbiggrin::smallbiggrin:

[Draz74]

EDIT: Oh, also, what ways exist, beyond PrCs to gain the Wild Empathy feature? Because I'm going to trade mine away... but I actually would like to get it back if only for concept reasons. If PrCs are the only way to go, I guess I'll have to just look around.

I think there's a Soulmeld that grants it, which you could pick up via feat. One of the Totemist/Soulborn-list soulmelds, IIRC?

[Ziegander]

I think there's a Soulmeld that grants it, which you could pick up via feat. One of the Totemist/Soulborn-list soulmelds, IIRC?

Hey! I think you're right. Good suggestion.