Maneuvering Druid?

[TrueJordan]

> Be me
> Druid lvl 16
> wat do

Aright so long story short, we went from 14 -> 16 in a few epic levels of questage and as a reward I have about 90K of gold to spend. Now, I don't know much about maneuvers, but I don't mind spending most of my money on them, using items in ToB 149, using the rules here: http://drammelsnotes.wikidot.com/the-unofficial-official-errata) if they're good, since I don't really know what else to get (I have most of the 'recommended' items for my level.)

Other info: Very optimized, also undead (Blood Fiend FF 46, thanks to PaO), favored wild shape is Octopus Tree with the local wizard casting expeditious retreat. Only weakness I can really find is battling in an AMF which happened last week and I was exactly useless.

What I'd ideally want is to have the Iron Heart Surge feat to end any AMF, but I could only see that being accomplished with 2 feats, which I'd rather not do if I can help it. Ideas for both this and what other maneuvers I should buy?

[RavynsLand]

http://huntergsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/jackie-chan-confused.png

Out of curiosity, how in the world do you plan to roleplay an undead kung fu warrior druid who transforms into an octopus tree?

[TrueJordan]

Obsessed with power/focusing on becoming the strongest gish warrior capable of engaging in fisticuffs with dragons and such.

[RavynsLand]

So he's actually specifically acknowledging that his career choices are for the purpose of breaking the game? O_O

Alluringly meta.

[TrueJordan]

He has a high enough int and a wand of Divine Insight that he got a 33 on Knowledge (Metagame), so yes.

More 'realistically', he just wants to do what he can to become the best. There doesn't have to be meta involved.

[NoACWarrior]

Just because you don't understand it doesn't mean its not a good idea.

Dealing with an AMF is another issue altogether. While iron heart surge does many many many weird and messed up things, I wouldn't recommend going for it as a counter. Playing counter to everything can make the DM have a harder job.
With that said, you are playing druid, so the DM already has a hard enough job.

If possible, and if you are willing to grab a few interesting items at the cost of your gaming soul, you can optimize further.

For 550.8 gold you can get command worded 1 charge of 1/day timestop - its very useful when you want to buff yourself before fighting.
If you want to take it to the extreme, you could go 1 charge of 1/year limited timestop for 1.509 gold - just buy different magic items so that you don't actually have to wait a year.

For 327.6 gold you can get command worded 1 charge of 1/day limited wish - this will give you added flexibility to whatever you can already do.

But all kidding aside, just get whatever you want and you should be fine. In fact, if you are super bored you can probably convince your DM you can find a spell storing ring with 325k castings of lvl 0 spells from a cleric for around that cost. You then can preserve your daily spells for the shenanigans you need to pull off to win scenarios.


full disclosure - I couldn't stop laughing and smiling while reading / typing for this thread.

[TrueJordan]

Where'd you get 550.8 for timestop 1/day?
Even using the custom rules, it's 17*9*1800/5, which is,,, 55080.

So to be more clear, this thread isn't about thwarting the DM, we were doing high OP PvPs and the only way I got beaten was because of an AMF, and even then it was mostly a draw.
We're probably not gonna do custom items, but thanks. What were you saying with having that many level 0 spells? How would it help?

[eggynack]

Do you have to fight within the AMF, or do you have room to maneuver (not use maneuvers), such that you'll be able to stand outside of the AMF and shoot spells in? Druids have a non-trivial number of spells that can do that sort of thing, after all, and while those spells aren't great, if you're flying high above your enemies with friendly fire up, the things your enemies can do to you while stuck in an AMF aren't all that great either. You won't necessarily need to destroy the AMF, in other words.

[Vrock_Summoner]

http://huntergsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/jackie-chan-confused.png

Out of curiosity, how in the world do you plan to roleplay an undead kung fu warrior druid who transforms into an octopus tree?

Dat mental image tho.

[TrueJordan]

It was basically this 40x40 AMF maze and you couldn't really use Splinterbolt to shoot anyone in it unless they were right near the enterence.

As I said, we ended up stalemating, since he (Swordsage) didn't want to leave it and I didn't want to go in, since I have a strength of 10...

[eggynack]

It was basically this 40x40 AMF maze and you couldn't really use Splinterbolt to shoot anyone in it unless they were right near the enterence.

As I said, we ended up stalemating, since he (Swordsage) didn't want to leave it and I didn't want to go in, since I have a strength of 10...
Yeah, that sounds like it would do it. That's a weird place to do a PvP, though I guess it makes sense if the Swordsage is the attacking party. Was there no way to explode the maze itself?

[TrueJordan]

Nah, basically the DM (of the PvP; we switched off) knew that the only way to be 'fair' against spellcasters was to put an AMF in the middle. And no, he made sure the structure was reinforced titanium etc. etc. basically 'You can't Destroy It.exe'
What about a rod of cancellation, would that have helped?

[NoACWarrior]

Where'd you get 550.8 for timestop 1/day?
Even using the custom rules, it's 17*9*1800/5, which is,,, 55080.

So to be more clear, this thread isn't about thwarting the DM, we were doing high OP PvPs and the only way I got beaten was because of an AMF, and even then it was mostly a draw.
We're probably not gonna do custom items, but thanks. What were you saying with having that many level 0 spells? How would it help?

Ah didn't know it was this purpose, then a spell storing ring would have no effect - having that many lvl 0 is only for fluff / out of combat healing.

As for the timestop - 1800 base x 17 CL x 9th level / 5 / 2 (conversion from no global charges to 50 global charges) / 50 (charges). Making a single use command worded item shouldn't be done for pricing issues with NPCs using them as one offs.