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Leon
2007-03-30, 11:26 AM
Looking for some idea's to present to my DM about a alternate druid - one with something in place of Wild Shape, he's offered me Domains but im a lil leery of that.

Some background - Its Dark Sun, Druid is Human, Stats havent been assigned, i am going to have a Kank as my companion, the various Druidic weapons and armour restrictions have been lifted (aside from Blood Obsidian)

Fax Celestis
2007-03-30, 11:41 AM
Try the Shapechange variant in the PHB-II, or the Hunter UA Variant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druid) (you know, the one everyone glosses over because it doesn't have a class-feature table).

TempusCCK
2007-03-30, 11:52 AM
I never noticed that variant in the SRD before, but I totally dig it.

henebry
2007-03-30, 02:46 PM
Howzabout domain spells plus weak turn/rebuke elementals (scales as paladin ability) plus weak wildshape (in essence enabling movement advantages but relatively little combat advantage)?

PinkysBrain
2007-03-30, 03:08 PM
Paladin's turn/rebuke is not useful, as long as it's turn undead you can at least use it for powering divine feats ... but that's about it. Half turning and half casting were both terribly bad ideas.

Draz74
2007-03-30, 04:03 PM
Paladin's turn/rebuke is not useful, as long as it's turn undead you can at least use it for powering divine feats ... but that's about it. Half turning and half casting were both terribly bad ideas.

Unlike half-turning, half-casting can actually be pretty cool and useful. Though the spells available in Core are mostly a little lackluster.

Lord Tataraus
2007-03-30, 07:59 PM
You could always go shifter Druid with the substitution levels and gain insane shifting. And a beast spirit as well (if you want).

Clementx
2007-03-30, 08:09 PM
Aspect of Nature is very nice, too. You basically get Wild Feats instead of Wild Shaping. Mild shapeshifting, but no need for Natural Spell, Wildling Clasps, and twinked out bears.

PinkysBrain
2007-03-30, 09:10 PM
Unlike half-turning, half-casting can actually be pretty cool and useful. Though the spells available in Core are mostly a little lackluster.
To make it cool and useful they introduced low level spells with the power of what would be higher level spells on normal caster spell lists. Doing that has all kinds of unfortunate side effects (archivist, artificer, relatively cheap scrolls and wands useful for UMD characters etc etc).

To me a shifter druid seems a bit of a pain to play, all the shifting back and forth to regain your spellcasting ... meh.

Leon
2007-03-31, 04:07 AM
Thanks for the suggestions, i like the look of the Aspect of Nature one particually - i do like the Shapeshift Variant but i lose the compabion when taking that.

Hunter Variant is interesting aswell - does that work when under the affect of Inertia Armour?


You could always go shifter Druid with the substitution levels and gain insane shifting. And a beast spirit as well (if you want).
No Shifters on Athas and that aside im going Human for the supreme versitility of choice in both Stat Bonus's and Powers + the normal extra feat and Skill pts

axraelshelm
2007-03-31, 04:30 AM
Sorry talking about alternate druids does anyone know if there is a undead druid like shifts into undead? looking up necromancer-like class's or can be made into a necromancer-like class.
We are trying to make a purely necromancer group using any magic system in dd.

marjan
2007-03-31, 04:32 AM
Sorry talking about alternate druids does anyone know if there is a undead druid like shifts into undead? looking up necromancer-like class's or can be made into a necromancer-like class.
We are trying to make a purely necromancer group using any magic system in dd.

Wouldn't this be opposite to everything Druids are supposed to be? You know nature and all that.

Zincorium
2007-03-31, 04:36 AM
Sorry talking about alternate druids does anyone know if there is a undead druid like shifts into undead? looking up necromancer-like class's or can be made into a necromancer-like class.
We are trying to make a purely necromancer group using any magic system in dd.

Blighter, pg 23 of the Complete Divine, sort of an ex druid class in the same way the Blackguard is an ex paladin class.

Gets undead wild shaping, undead animal companions, yadda yadda yadda and a few other nifty tricks. Since they're crazy and evil and all that, should fit very well with a group of necromancers. They're also one of those classes that gets 9th level spells within a 10 level progression, so you can end up with those spells earlier than you would with just a druid.

Leon
2007-03-31, 04:36 AM
Simu'd with Zincorium

Leon
2007-03-31, 05:39 AM
Just found and read a Guide on Shapeshift Druids and the option of taking the Wild Cohort feat - will have to consent with the DM on it tho.

Feats are not going to be a issue with being a Human and having the option of Flaws

martyboy74
2007-03-31, 10:34 AM
Just found and read a Guide on Shapeshift Druids and the option of taking the Wild Cohort feat - will have to consent with the DM on it tho.

Feats are not going to be a issue with being a Human and having the option of Flaws
You can never have enough feats.

Leon
2007-03-31, 10:56 AM
Well they'll be less of a issue than a atypical 1 feat @ 1st for a non human

Person_Man
2007-03-31, 03:24 PM
Even without Wildshape, Druids are full casters with d8 hit die, decent Skills, an animal companion, and other special abilities. Removing Wildshape makes them balanced with other full casters.

I'd pick whatever variant has the best flavor for what you want to do. I'm particularly a fan of the Aspect of Nature (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm#wildShapeVariantAspectOfN ature), even though its weak compared other Druid variants.

Leon
2007-04-23, 07:23 AM
Updated

Anyway. Ive Decided to go with Shapeshift as i reckon the wild cohort feat would be a waste of feat when i can just buy a Kank to ride or just use the innate speed of the Predator form

Current Build is

Human Druid (Shapeshift)

31 Pt Build

Str 14
Dex 16
Con 14
Int 12
Wis 16
Cha 12

Armour - Studded Leather AC:16 (21 in Shapeshift)
Weapons - Glaive, Lite Crossbow (im allowed 1 Martial Weapon and All simple weapons)

Innate Psi Power: Inertia Armour


I was (and still am) drawn to the Swift Tracker Variant as it would fit well with Dark Sun particully if i took the Variant Fav Enemy of Arcane Casters + it matches a really nice bit of artwork that i have - http://www.reapermini.com/goodies/desktops/artemis_1024.jpg

If it was a higher starting lvl than 1 (Ecl 2) i'd go for a Hunter variant Thri -Kreen Druid, but the +2 LA and 2 HD slow that down at a low level