Core only Druid: must have?

[Kalmageddon]

I'm going to be playing in a 3.5 core only campaign soon and I'm going to play a druid.
The setting is somewhat vague but from what I can understand it's a mix of Scandinavia and Greenland, so I'm thinking of playing an Inuit-like character from a nomadic tribe of hunters.
Specifically my character will travel with a pack of tamed wolves trained to pull his sleigh, with the alpha of the pack being his animal companion, and use a spear as weapon.

I'm looking to build a druid that is very good with handling animals but is also functional on his own, but I'll admit that my 3.5 knowledge is quite rusty. What are the must have for this concept or to build a good Druid in general? Keep in mind that, barring exceptions, this is going to be core only.

[HaikenEdge]

Natural spell, if you intend on wildshaping.

[kellbyb]

Natural spell, if you intend on being a druid.

FTFY. /10chars.

[eggynack]

Core druid build optimization is actually really simple. You're going to take natural spell, because it's one of the most powerful feats in the game, but after that, options are pretty low impact. Augment summoning is solid, and stuff like craft wondrous and improved initiative is alright, but nothing there is at must have status. Really, far more of your attention should be paid to spell selection. On that note, what level is the druid? Rather not start tossing around stuff like shapechange when suggestions should rightly be at entangle level.

Beyond that, there's not much of interest for your particular concept in a core environment, as handle animal and animal companion optimization tend towards other sources. If you want to seek out particular exceptions, I'd advise companion spellbond (PHB II, 77), natural bond (CAdv, 111), and maybe exalted companion (BoED, 42) for the animal companion half, and I like half-orc (RoD, 159) or shifter druid (RoE, 126) substitution levels for the handle animal half.

[jiriku]

Your spear is for decoration only. For combat, use a wolf or polar bear form, or dire versions thereof. At low levels, aspect of the wolf gets you a wolf form even before you can wild shape, and is thematic for a character who keeps wolves.

[Kalmageddon]

What's RoD and RoE?

The campaign will start at level 1, but do toss a few suggestions for future levels, I'd like to have a build planned out.
I'm probably going to play a human and I'm thinking of taking one of those feats that give skill bonuses, would that be a waste because there are early spells or items that do the same but better or...?
And by all means, suggest any spells you think should be in my selection.

Also, considering that the DM seems to like attention to details, what should I be carrying on my sleigh? Like, what kind of tools would be needed for an Inuit-like character? Although I realize this is not exactly a 3.5 specific question...

Keep in mind, this is most likely going to be core only.

[jiriku]

The feats that give skill bonuses are garbage. Avoid them entirely. Improved Initiative isn't bad though.

[Kalmageddon]

The feats that give skill bonuses are garbage. Avoid them entirely. Improved Initiative isn't bad though.

Well, I'd like to be above average in handling animals and surviving in the wilderness. What alternative to those feats do I have to represent this?

[eggynack]

What's RoD and RoE?
Races of destiny/Eberron respectively.


The campaign will start at level 1, but do toss a few suggestions for future levels, I'd like to have a build planned out.
In that case, you're generally going to want some mix of detect magic, create water, and cure minor wounds in your zeroth level slots, mostly entangles, along with maybe some obscuring mists or a bit later produce flames in your firsts, perhaps some summon swarm, along with soften earth and stone and maybe barkskin out of seconds (I don't much like core seconds), and everything from sleet storm to stone shape to wind wall to plant growth to greater magic fang out of thirds (I really like core thirds). Summons at those levels are generally wolves at I, hippogriffs at II, and dire wolves or lions at III. As for build planning, there's just really not much of it to do in core.


I'm probably going to paly human and I'm thinking of taking one of those feats that give skill bonuses, would that be a waste because there are early spells or items that do the same but better or...?
It's definitely a waste, because you can do better than marginal skill bonuses off of a feat, even in core, but it's not like it's a waste that's going to destroy your character. Core druids can feasibly have room for a couple of crap-feats for flavor, or even a lot. I'd probably spend the first two feats on augment summoning, to get that right away, and were I really committed to getting this really bad feat, then I'd do that at third, when I otherwise don't have much to do.

Edit:
Well, I'd like to be above average in handling animals and surviving in the wilderness. What alternative to those feats do I have to represent this?
Just put the maximum possible quantity of skill points into handle animal and survival, while making charisma your tertiary stat instead of intelligence. Also, maybe prepare a speak with animals on occasion. Really though, you're a druid. That means that you just naturally have the flavor support for this stuff without any real investment. The animal companion is right there, supporting the idea of you as an animal lover, and the fact that spells are ridiculously powerful supports the idea of you as a survivor.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Well, I'd like to be above average in handling animals and surviving in the wilderness. What alternative to those feats do I have to represent this?

Druids already get a bonus on survival and on handling their animal companion. For normal animals you get Wild Empathy and normal handling of animals is only a DC 10 check.

[jiriku]

I'd suggest taking the Craft Wondrous Item feat. You can use it to make items that grant you a competence bonus to those skills. Also, don't neglect masterwork tools that support those skills -- people often overlook them, but for 50 gp each you can get a +2 bonus, and that's a lot at 1st-3rd level.

[Kalmageddon]

What kind of tools would someone use to handle animals? The best I could come up with is a whip of some kind, but I feel it would be out of character for a druid to use a whip to have his animals respect his commands. I figured my character would mostly use vocalizations and body language given his strong animal instinct.

[sleepyphoenixx]

What kind of tools would someone use to handle animals? The best I could come up with is a whip of some kind, but I feel it would be out of character for a druid to use a whip to have his animals respect his commands. I figured my character would mostly use vocalizations and body language given his strong animal instinct.

A leash, muzzle, chewtoy, tough leather gloves to prevent being bitten, special protective clothing, a stick to play fetch with? The options are only limited by your imagination. The rules don't specify a form for the tool, just that it exists.

[Eldariel]

For combat, Summons are good. For your theme, it's convenient that Druid gets to spontaneously convert spells into Summon Nature's Ally and Summon Nature's Ally can get Wolves and later Dire Wolves and they're all very reasonable summons for their level, particularly once you can get multiples. Augment Summoning is thus the first feat I'd look into. Extend Spell is second (so you can keep Greater Magic Fang on your companion and potential other animals under your control plus yourself in Wildshape form come level 7) and yeah, Craft Wondrous Items is extremely solid, particularly if magic items are rare or hard to come by. Craft Magic Arms and Armor is also nice particularly since you'll eventually want a +1 Wild Fullplate (Dragonhide is an example of a material a Druid can wear) and a +1 Wild Heavy Darkwood Shield (or other options).

If you ever plan on offensive magic, Spell Penetration and Improved Spell Penetration are incredibly good and if you plan on being a Wolf a lot, Improved Trip is a nice feat (it's superior to Wolves' inherent Trip-attack and gives bonuses to it to boot). Multiattack [Monster Manual] is nice for other forms (e.g. Polar Bear, large felines, etc.) so take it if you think you'll use those forms but with your original idea, I suppose you probably have little need for it. And yeah, Natural Spell is a superior feat; eventually you can sublimate your human form and embrace wolfhood.

[Troacctid]

What kind of tools would someone use to handle animals? The best I could come up with is a whip of some kind, but I feel it would be out of character for a druid to use a whip to have his animals respect his commands. I figured my character would mostly use vocalizations and body language given his strong animal instinct.

Complete Adventurer has an animal training kit that includes "signal whistles, a short hollow pole with a loop of rope threaded through it, savory treats, and other well-made items suited for the training of animals." So there's a start. It says the tools only work for rearing or training animals, not for other uses of the skill, but handling checks in combat are only DC 10 anyway.

[Gavinfoxx]

Remember that if you aren't actively in combat, you can take 10 on skills. With no repercussion, no extra time spent, nothing. Like, you know. Handle Animal.

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