Druid with out spells

[Jgosse]

Is there a ACF for druids that would let me give up spells?

[A.A.King]

No there is no such thing. Why would you want such a thing?

[heavyfuel]

There isn't, at least not in any book (maybe in one of the magazines). For a full list of ACFs you can check here http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1151316

[Bronk]

You could be... a ranger maybe?

Then see if you could take an ACF to get rid of their spells and improve their animal companion.

[prufock]

Not really, but you can try:


Spell-less Ranger (CW, p 13): Lose spellcasting, gain fast movement and spell-like abilities.


Shape-changing (UA, p 58): Gain wildshape as druid (small and medium animals only) and fast movement as barbarian. Lose combat styles.

Add on Natural Bond for better animal companion as a bonus feat, or Wild Cohort in place of it.

[Jgosse]

damn I was hoping there was one.

[Bronk]

Add on Natural Bond for better animal companion as a bonus feat

Heh, you could pay for this with Flaw: not a druid and Flaw: still not a druid...

[nedz]

Just have 9 Wisdom.

You could always play a Spontaneous Druid (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/spontaneousDivineCasters.htm) — if you want a Tier 2 character instead of a Tier 1 ?

[Rebel7284]

Master of Many Forms prestige class allows you to focus on your wildshape and doesn't advance spellcasting.

[Darrin]

Is there a ACF for druids that would let me give up spells?

Yep. PHB p. 34. You give up spells, Su abilities and SLAs, but you can wear metal armor.

[Starmage21]

Yep. PHB p. 34. You give up spells, Su abilities and SLAs, but you can wear metal armor.

I dunno why, but this made me chuckle.


2nd on the Master of Many Forms.

[bekeleven]

MoMF + Natural Bond + 1 level beastmaster dip for best of both worlds on that ranger.

[Feralventas]

There's a variant on Ranger that grants Wild Shape, which you can use to qualify for the same Master of Many Forms PrC that doesn't advance spellcasting so you'd only have to sort out a couple ranger spells that can be pretty easily ignored or tossed away via another ACF I think. Alternatively, you could also use Ranger to qualify for Planar Sheppard (with a couple work-arounds for the prerequisite features via feats) to augment your wild-shape And get that fancy Planar Bubble feature to your advantage, though it does advance spellcasting which you seem not fond of. If you're okay with casting-advancement and wanted to run the druid as more of a supporting character, WS Ranger can also qualify for Heartfire Fanner PrC which is pretty much instant free bard levels.

[Jgosse]

master of many forms seems to be doing the job. I wanted the a druid with good animal companion and shape shifting.

[Studoku]

master of many forms seems to be doing the job. I wanted the a druid with good animal companion and shape shifting.
Druid does that.

Just don't cast anything.

[Coidzor]

Is there a ACF for druids that would let me give up spells?

Well, if you gave druids a d10 or even d12 HD and full BAB, they'd still be getting shafted on the deal, so there's that, I suppose. Or just making a Ranger with full strength Animal Companion and Wildshape in exchange for its spellcasting.

[Jgosse]

Well, if you gave druids a d10 or even d12 HD and full BAB, they'd still be getting shafted on the deal, so there's that, I suppose. Or just making a Ranger with full strength Animal Companion and Wildshape in exchange for its spellcasting. can't really home brew in this game.


Druid does that.

Just don't cast anything.

yes but that would just be a waste.

[PaucaTerrorem]

Take Druid and prep nothing but Purify Food and Water. All slots.

[bekeleven]

Ranger 5/Beastmaster 1/MoMF 10 has 15th level wild shape with all the many forms goodies, an animal companion as Drd6 without natural bond (Drd9 with it, then Drd10 with another ranger level). Besides wild cohort it's pretty hard to get better animal companions.

For contrast, a Drd5/Beastmaster 1/MoMF 10 would have lower BAB, the same wild shape, and an animal companion as a Drd9, 12 with the feat. If you don't like druid spellcasting, there's an ACF that lets you exchange prepared spells for party fast healing. Just be wild shape guy (who can heal the party between encounters).

Anyone know any good companion boosts besides natural bond and beastmaster?

[eggynack]

Anyone know any good companion boosts besides natural bond and beastmaster?
I don't know of anything that grants advanced effective druid level for animal companions, but exalted companion+companion VoP is pretty excellent when you're working with an animal companion with much higher than normal HD.

[JusticeZero]

No, but, assuming PF, I found that applying the Ranger ACF that gives tricks instead of spells meshes with the empty levels of a PF Druid. It's a huge step down in power, and leaves you still as a potent character. There is also a Barbarian ACF that reduces rage for a full progression animal companion.

[Lans]

Actually Yes


Its third party, but trades spells for being able to do a binding of up to the level of spell you would normally be able to cast

[Diovid]

Just go with Ranger 5 / Master of Many Forms 10 / Warshaper 5* or Nature's Warrior 5 with the following Ranger variants:

1) Wild Shape Ranger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#ranger).
2) Some variant which trades away your animal companion (options include Distracting Attack (PHB II), Spiritual Guide (Complete Champion) and Solitary Hunter (Dragon Magazine #347)).
3) Champion of the Wild (Complete Champion) to trade away your spellcasting (this is probably better than the spell-less ranger variant).
4) Spiritual Connection (Complete Champion)
5) Maybe Trap Expert (Dungeonscape), you can get track back with a feat anyway.
6) Maybe Favored Environment (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm#favoredEnemyVariantFavore dEnvironment), if you prefer it to Favored Enemy.

Then take the Wild Cohort (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) feat to get an animal companion which is tied to your character level instead of to your effective druid level.

*Note that warshaper doesn't increase your Wild Shape HD but there are items which increase your Wild Shape HD to make up for that.

[Vortenger]

Out of curiosity, why not just treat casting as an out-of-combat thing? Don't take the Natural Spell feat (*gasp*). Be a fierce natural warrior who only casts the occasional divine spell. Does that not give you most of the flavor you desire? Spells are always there as a sideline in case your situation changes, and you can always ramp up the magic if need be. Just focus on the companion and wild shape elements as your meat and potatoes. Spells become gravy. Sweet, sweet gravy.

Also, I like the idea of a druid who gets so pissed off he finally calls down nature's divine fury when the chips are down but doesn't flaunt it otherwise. Seems to make for better storytelling than the average duid doing it all, all the time.

edit: The above post does it better, realistically. Do note than the Animal Cohort is significantly less awesome than an Animal Companion at mid-high levels. (Limited animal choices and lesser benefits from levels can make a big difference.)

[Coidzor]

can't really home brew in this game.

yes but that would just be a waste.

Then just be a Druid. :smalltongue: edit: Seeing as how anything to accomplish what you want would be a waste.


Anyone know any good companion boosts besides natural bond and beastmaster?

Get an Urban Companion Dog, Eagle, or Badger if the Cityscape Web Enhancement and Dragon Magazine alternate familiars are on the table. Then you don't need Beastmaster at all, as all druid progression for it gives you is more Int for the creature and the ability to speak to it and such.

If Dragon Mag won't fly but Urban Companion will, settle for an urban companion that's Tiny-sized without some form of buff that you can't give to them due to giving up spells, and just make use of its ability to use your skill ranks to do things.

[Talya]

Play a wildshape ranger with MoMF. If you want a better animal companion, take Wild Cohort as a feat.

Edit: A.K.A. "Listen to Diovid."

[Ruethgar]

Tippy proposed the Deadly Hunter ACF with giving up spells instead. It isn't an official ACF, but it was put forth by the almighty Tippy. ;-)

Edit: As to the AC, totem druids and animal focus druids could be put together with a lienient DM. Then the Beastmaster background as a fighter to get a second companion.

[Sian]

yeah, Wildshape (UA) Ranger with Champion of the Wild (CC) would probably be the best way to do it.

[nedz]

Play a wildshape ranger with MoMF. If you want a better animal companion, take Wild Cohort as a feat.

Edit: A.K.A. "Listen to Diovid."

I'll add my voice to this option.

There are other ACFs you should consider as well.
Champion of the Wild (CC, p 50): Dumps the Ranger spell casting too, for some bonus feats. This is quite useful since Shape-changing (UA, p 58) costs you the Combat Styles — though you probably didn't want those anyway.

There's also Spell-less Ranger (CW, p 13), which gives you some SLAs instead — which are OK.

[Psyren]

Just have 9 Wisdom.

I vote for this option since then you're not wasting anything - (1) you can't cast any of your spells anyway, and (2) you can throw all those stats into Con instead to power up your Wild Shape later.

[bekeleven]

I vote for this option since then you're not wasting anything - (1) you can't cast any of your spells anyway, and (2) you can throw all those stats into Con instead to power up your Wild Shape later.

See if your DM lets you use the Spontaneous Rejuvination ACF from PHBII despite it technically requiring you to have spells prepared to activate.

[Jgosse]

Out of curiosity, why not just treat casting as an out-of-combat thing? Don't take the Natural Spell feat (*gasp*). Be a fierce natural warrior who only casts the occasional divine spell. Does that not give you most of the flavor you desire? Spells are always there as a sideline in case your situation changes, and you can always ramp up the magic if need be. Just focus on the companion and wild shape elements as your meat and potatoes. Spells become gravy. Sweet, sweet gravy.

Also, I like the idea of a druid who gets so pissed off he finally calls down nature's divine fury when the chips are down but doesn't flaunt it otherwise. Seems to make for better storytelling than the average duid doing it all, all the time.

edit: The above post does it better, realistically. Do note than the Animal Cohort is significantly less awesome than an Animal Companion at mid-high levels. (Limited animal choices and lesser benefits from levels can make a big difference.)

I may just go with this I kinda like the idea now that I heard it. prepare only out of combat spells except maybe one big combat spell that I would only use as a last resort type thing or if super pissed off.