Looking for a Critique on my Primeval build

[lytokk]

so its 3.5 content, using a wildshape non-spellcasting ranger variant as the base class. Race, warforged, with the dragonblood template. All stat changes up to and including level 9 have been included below

Str 20
Dex 14
Con 20
Wis 14
Int 14
Cha 9

1 Ranger Mithral Body, fast movement +10
2 Ranger Endurance
3 Ranger Toughness
4 Ranger +1 Str
5 Ranger
6 Ranger Self Sufficient fast movement +20
7 Ranger
8 Ranger +1 Str
9 Primeval Multiattack or Improved natural attack

hp will be 7d8 +1d10 + 56 (max hit points at first level, not sure if a house rule or not)

Base AC 17

going dragonborn with the breath weapon, which if I'm right should be like 4d8 at level 9, with a save dc 19, in warforged mode at least.

Primeval form will be the megaraptor, giving him +10 str, +2 Dex, and +10 con. Thats going to raise the breath weapon DC to 24 while in primeval form, since it's still a polymorph affect the breath weapon is still useable. With all of the bonuses, AC in primeval form will be 24 as well, and with all the fast movements, a wonderful 80ft movement speed.

the questions I'm running into weapons/enchantments and such. Keeping him as close as I can to the source inspiration would give him either a longsword or greatsword, at minimum +1 flaming, probably adamantine just for kicks. The longsword route would more than likely be paired with a heavy shield, just to keep it close to the source. Most of the rest of the money would be best spent, in my thoughts at least, on armor enchantments as opposed to other magical items, since they'll carry over into the primeval form.

I know either at 12 or 15 I'll need to take a mithral fluidity feat in order to keep getting the most out of the primeval forms increase in dex, so thats in the back of my head as well.

A big question is, when or should I take level 9 in ranger? 9 gets me evasion, which while not essential, is useful to say the least. Should I take it at 10 before I start my regression in order to get the most skill points possible? Of course, I don't want o be accused of rampant optimization, but after primeval, if we make it that far, I don't see me using any other classes to help me out. Possibly barbarian, just for more movement.

any critiques/thoughts are welcome, but I don't enjoy rampant multiclassing so much. To me, thats any more than about 4 classes.

[claypigeons]

Why not use real armour with a wildling clasp? You lose your basic plating via the switch to Dragonborn anyway.

Also, is Toughness a requirement for Primeval? You could try speaking with your DM about allowing Improved Toughness instead.

[CyberThread]

Would you be open to 1 warshaper and 1 barbarian dip?

Pounce gained, and then you get immunity to crits and sneak attack, and also a scaling of your natural attacks up one level.

Think would have entry level 10

Another thing which would have an entry level of 10 would be

Master of many forms 4

Shifter's speech improved wild shape (humanoid,giant,large,monster humanoid,fey, and tiny) and you can shape as a move action instead of a standard action.

Which would drastically increase the options you have open to yourself, and things you can do .

[lytokk]

Mithral body is a feat, thus not lost on the transformation to dragonborn.
Also, Primeval is the only class that maintains the breath weapon when transforming, as master of many forms and druid are an alternate form ability, instead of polymorph, which even in the errata Primevals maintain.
Toughness is a requirement, and I would prefer improved toughness. I am going to try and talk the DM into changing self sufficient feat from +2 to heal and survival to +2 to craft (weaponsmith) and survival, but only weaponsmith checks designed to repair damage.
I don't feel like bringing up the fact that becoming a dragonborn removes the half healing effects from a warforged, and just going with the craft checks to heal damage. And obviously the transformation healing hit points.

I think I maintain pounce with the primeval form anyway, at least in all the ways I've read it, though I could be wrong.

I'm only really interested in having the 1 alternate form anyway, most special since it adds attributes with primeval instead of changing them as wild shape does.

[claypigeons]

Mithral body is a feat, thus not lost on the transformation to dragonborn.

The point was that instead of spending feats on armour, you could spend gold. Gold is a renewable resource. If you drop Mithral Body you could take something fun like... Entangling Exhalation.

Mithral Body+Mithral fluidity is (closely) replicated with a Mithral Breastplate.

[lytokk]

so, that would be, if my math is right, 8350 gp instead of 2 feats. checked and its the same numeric effects.

The problem with that is it still comes out of wealth by level, but I'll crunch some numbers a little later and see how much of the wbl is affected, since I'd be starting at level 9.

Another thought is, would it hurt that much if I switched the charisma and intelligence stats? since CHA was naturally a 13, I'd lose 12 skill points, but not have a negative charisma, which really isn't much for this build.

[claypigeons]

A level 9 character starts with something like 36,000 gold. You have enough for it, unless the rest of your starting package is pricey and more important.

[cojiro7]

I would try to fit Fist of the Forest in there for some great bonuses to your primeval form. Use a couple of monk levels to snag a bunch of the feats that the build would require.

There's a PHBII ACF that lets you trade your animal companion for "distracting attack", which makes an enemy considered flanked for others if you hit it. With this build the Animal companion will be pretty weak and useless in comparison. On the other hand, people like to have their pets.... There's a Complete Champion ACF that trades Wild Empathy for the ability to speak to plants and animals 3/day.

1 Ranger 1 feat: Power Attack (req for leap attack and FotF), Fast movement
2 Ranger 2
3 Ranger 3 Endurance; feat: Great Fortitude (req for FotF)
4 Ranger 4 Distracting attack ACF
5 Ranger 5 Wildshape (1/day)
6 Undying Way Monk 1: improved UAS, Toughness, flurry of blows, and Wis to AC. Feat: Extra Wildshape (primeval more!).
7 UW Monk 2: Evasion, and endurance again--ask your dm to trade the 2nd endurance for the self-sufficient feat, as it still fits flavor.
8 Fist of the Forest 1 - d8 (or d10?) unarmed damage. Con to AC. Fast movement.
9 Warblade 1 Feat: Leap Attack; Battle Clarity adds your +2 int to reflex. Maneuvers: Sudden Leap, Moment of Perfect Mind, Action Before Thought.
10 Primeval

The Undying Way monk variant swaps out the normal lv 1 and 2 monk bonus feats (Improved Grapple or Stunning Fist, and Combat Reflexes or Deflect Arrows) for Toughness and Endurance, so free feats especially if you can trade endurance (since you already have it from Ranger) for Self-sufficient. If not, lose the extra wildshape or leap attack for s-s.

Instead of going with the mithral body stuff, this nets you your wis bonus (+2) and con bonus (+10 when you're in primeval form) to AC when unarmored: +12, and that applies to touch attacks too. You can make your iterative of unarmed attacks (I believe it would be BAB +9/+4 at level 10, or more with flurry of blows) followed by all your natural attacks at -5. If your dm rules you maintain pounce, you can leap attack to double your power attack and make 2 or 3 unarmed strikes (headbutts, elbows, knees) and then your natural attacks (bite, claw, claw, talon, talon).

With your strength and enough ranks in jump for leap attack and your massive speed (+4 to jump for every 10' over 30' move), your jump should be enormous. Sudden Leap maneuver allows you to jump just about anywhere on the battlefield as a swift action. The other 2 maneuvers allow you to make a concentration check in place of a will save or a reflex save (which will suffer from multiclassing). Any round you attack without using a maneuver, you get all three back. So max out your concentration skill (you get a +2 from the Undying Way monk fighting style) and fear no saves.

Since primeval is based off of polymorph, you don't need wilding clasps for anything a megaraptor could reasonably wear (besides armor, which you don't need anyway). Consider a Circlet of Concentration +5 (2500gp), Bracers of Armor (+1 to +3), an item of +2 dex, items for +4 Str or Con (now that con goes to HP AND AC). Also consider a Winged Cloak, 8000 gp for 5 rounds of 60' flight usable 3/day. A pearl of speech (600gp) could arguably give you the ability to speak common in your primeval form.

[lytokk]

is there a rule for the polymorph not needing wilding clasps for certain things? Like I could imagine the megaraptor still being able to wear at minimum 2 rings and an amulet. Possibly a pair of bracers and a cloak. More than likely not boots or a helmet.

The big problem with the build you suggested is that primeval is any non-lawful. Monk would require lawful and my groups a bit of a stickler for not changing alignments for conveniences sake.

Though power attack is a really good idea. Will see if I can work that in somehow.