Druid and Shifter class mix. Suggestions for Wild Shaping?

[Randomocity132]

My friend is about to host a steampunk based 3.5 game for me and 2 other people to help them get accustomed to being more active in D&D. Our team consists of a homebrewed CG Mad Scientist class (think Int based Ranger) and a LG Ranger/Duelist. I have a little more experience with D&D, and I'll be filling in as the party's tank and general magic support as a NG Druid. I felt like straight Druid would be a little too strong, and the Shifter class interested me.
(http://dndtools.eu/classes/shifter/)

My question is what mix of levels would you recommend getting. What druid spells do I really need access to, and how soon should I take levels in Shifter? The campaign will start at level 5 and go til approximately level 15. What are some interesting creatures to shift into, for the purpose of tanking in different sorts of encounters? (flying, grappling, straight HP, heavy attacks, etc.) It needn't be fully optimized.

[Urpriest]

My friend is about to host a steampunk based 3.5 game for me and 2 other people to help them get accustomed to being more active in D&D. Our team consists of a homebrewed CG Mad Scientist class (think Int based Ranger) and a LG Ranger/Duelist. I have a little more experience with D&D, and I'll be filling in as the party's tank and general magic support as a NG Druid. I felt like straight Druid would be a little too strong, and the Shifter class interested me.
(http://dndtools.eu/classes/shifter/)

My question is what mix of levels would you recommend getting. What druid spells do I really need access to, and how soon should I take levels in Shifter? The campaign will start at level 5 and go til approximately level 15. What are some interesting creatures to shift into, for the purpose of tanking in different sorts of encounters? (flying, grappling, straight HP, heavy attacks, etc.) It needn't be fully optimized.

Shifter is 3.0, you should use Master of Many Forms instead, since Wild Shape changed between editions.

In particular, Straight HP is never something a form will help you with, since HP doesn't change under Wild Shape.

The important point here is that if you take a PrC like Shifter or Master of Many Forms, you won't be able to do magic support for the most part since your casting will rapidly fall behind. If you want to focus solely on Wild Shape, using the Wild Shape variant for Rangers (trades Combat Style for Wild Shape, basically. It's from Unearthed Arcana) might make more sense. Otherwise, it depends on whether you are content with just getting stuck with 3rd level spells forever. If that's not an issue, then PrC out ASAP, and focus on Wild Shape. There's a handbook out there, Master of Many Forms Bible, that lists a number of great forms for this sort of thing.

[Grod_The_Giant]

The Master of Many Forms handbook (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-general/threads/1060931)should cover your wild-shaping needs. (Also, that class looks like the updated version of the Shifter, which is 3.0 content.)

If you want a "druid, but slightly weaker," have you looked at the Shapeshift variant from the PHB 2? It gets at-will shapeshifting into a very limited number of "forms," each consisting of stat boosts, NA, natural weapons and the like. Much more balanced than anything wild-shape-y.

EDIT: swordsage'd

[Randomocity132]

Excellent. I'll check into that instead.

[Grod_The_Giant]

The "classic" shapeshifter warrior build is Wildshape Ranger 5/Master of Many Forms 10/Warshaper 5, jumping back and forth between the two PrCs as you see fit.

[Randomocity132]

The "classic" shapeshifter warrior build is Wildshape Ranger 5/Master of Many Forms 10/Warshaper 5, jumping back and forth between the two PrCs as you see fit.

I'm not familiar with the Wildshape Ranger. What book is that in?

[mythmonster2]

I'm not familiar with the Wildshape Ranger. What book is that in?

It comes from Unearthed Arcana (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#ranger) as a variant class, just changing out Combat Style for the ability to Wild Shape into small and medium animals and Barbarian's Fast Movement.

[Fax Celestis]

As a shifter (race), you qualify for the totally excellent Moonspeaker prestige class for druids.

[Randomocity132]

As a shifter (race), you qualify for the totally excellent Moonspeaker prestige class for druids.

Where can I find that?

[Fax Celestis]

Races of Eberron for the PrC. Shifters are in Eberron Campaign Setting.

[eggynack]

Don't forget the shifter druid substitution levels, also from Races of Eberron, which is one of the coolest ACF's that druids get. Do note, however, that going moonspeaker means delaying wild shape advancement for four levels, which seems to be the exact opposite of what you want to do.

[Fax Celestis]

Don't forget the shifter druid substitution levels, also from Races of Eberron, which is one of the coolest ACF's that druids get. Do note, however, that going moonspeaker means delaying wild shape advancement for four levels, which seems to be the exact opposite of what you want to do.

No? You can't get into Moonspeaker until 7th, after you have wildshape. However Moonspeaker won't advance wildshape until 4th. After that you add Moonspeaker -4 to your Druid levels to determine your wildshapery.

[eggynack]

No? You can't get into Moonspeaker until 7th, after you have wildshape. However Moonspeaker won't advance wildshape until 4th. After that you add Moonspeaker -4 to your Druid levels to determine your wildshapery.
You actually can't get into moonspeaker until 9th, because of skill rank requirements. However, I was referring to the advancement of already existing wild shape, which probably could have been clearer. It might not be that important though, because you start to slow your advancement after you already have large, and the slowed advancement will still get you dire tortoise eventually.

[Kennisiou]

The "classic" shapeshifter warrior build is Wildshape Ranger 5/Master of Many Forms 10/Warshaper 5, jumping back and forth between the two PrCs as you see fit.

It's actually pretty common to only go either MMF 9 or Warshaper 4 to grab an early level of Nature's Warrior. It depends on whether or not you want more forms or the ability to basically wildshape infinitely.