Adjusting a homemade class - the Shaman, the one who turn into a tree

[Emmerlaus]

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Shaman_(3.5e_Class)

I found this class and need help in balancing it to meet a few goals.

The main goal I wanna achieve is a class less powerful then druid, more focusing in casting nature spells (and summoning nature allies) then being in melee.

The flavor of the class, how I wanted to adjust it, is to make the Shaman turning more and more like a tree, bringing it closer to nature.

What I want to adjust so far:

1) At level 13, instead of turning into a incorporal creature, your animal companion gain the woodling Template, without the spelllike abilities the Template give. Heres the Template:

http://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/templates/woodling.shtml

2) Shamanic Fortitude give Natural Armor and bonus to Mind-affecting, paralysing and stunning effects (you know, what the plant traits give immunity from, the shaman get a few bonus to resist it instead)

3) The Shaman get the Druid spell list.

4) Once the Animal companion can turn into a plant, the Shaman can wild shape into a plant as well.


==============

So far, thats all I came up with. I would deeply appreciate feedback to make the class balanced (more then the druid, who is so OP). :)

Im thinking removing the staff bonus and mecanic, if needed to make it more balanced.

I'll finish with this note: I AM GROOT !!! :D

[ComaVision]

Uh... Use the Druid class. It can Wildshape into a plant as it is. If you want to make them a bit weaker, change their spell mechanic to match the Sorceror (slower progression, spontaneous but limited spells). That'll bring them to Tier 2.

[Emmerlaus]

Uh... Use the Druid class. It can Wildshape into a plant as it is. If you want to make them a bit weaker, change their spell mechanic to match the Sorceror (slower progression, spontaneous but limited spells). That'll bring them to Tier 2.


Yes, but its not the whole flavor of the build. This build limit the WIld Shape to the Animal companion specie only and its the whole flavor I wanted to give.

I dont like how Druids can wild shape into elemental at higher levels too. Elemental are being from a other plane, technicly. If a shaman want to use teh power of the elements, he would cast teh spells for it.

Your idea have merit for the simplicity but offortunatly, it doesnt fullfill the flavor I want to give to the class. The character who continue in this class NEED to turn more ad more like a tree, PERMENENTLY, rather then using Wild Shape for it.

Yeah, I have more problems with the druid wild shape itself.

[ComaVision]

4) Once the Animal companion can turn into a plant, the Shaman can wild shape into a plant as well.



Yes, but its not the whole flavor of the build. This build limit the WIld Shape to the Animal companion specie only and its the whole flavor I wanted to give.


Ok...

Flavour is whatever you say it is. If I want to be a druid that turns into plants but not elementals then I'll use Wildshape for plants but not elementals. Either way, the Druid is closer to what you outlined than that Shaman. There's no reason you couldn't have the Druid's animal companion acquire the template eventually and change Wildshape progression to turning-into-a-tree progression.

[Emmerlaus]

Ok...

Flavour is whatever you say it is. If I want to be a druid that turns into plants but not elementals then I'll use Wildshape for plants but not elementals. Either way, the Druid is closer to what you outlined than that Shaman. There's no reason you couldn't have the Druid's animal companion acquire the template eventually and change Wildshape progression to turning-into-a-tree progression.


COnsidering your advice, I adjusted the Druid class to be more thematic of what I had in mind. Here's the result:

1st Animal companion, Plant Domain, wild empathy

2nd Woodland stride

3rd Trackless step

4th Wild Shape (into animal companion only) (1/day)

5th Shaman Fortitude +1 (Bonus of natural armor and on save against mind-affecting, paralysing and stunning)

6th Bonus Feat (Eshew material)

7th Wild Shape (2/day)

8th Bonus Feat (Spell Focus (Conjuration) )

9th Augment Summoning +1 (summoning spell treated as 1 level higher. Summon Nature ally 1 would turn into summon nature ally 2 for exemple)

10th Shaman Fortitude +2

11th Woodling Animal COmpanion

12th Venom Immunity

13th Wild Shape (3/day)

14th Augment Summoning +2

15th A thousand face, Shaman Fortitude +3

16th Wild Shape (plant)

17th Timeless Body

18th Shaman Syphoon (gain troll regeneration)

19th Augment summoning +3

20th Gain the Woodling Template (And lose Shaman Fortitude)

===============


How does it sound? :)

If gaining the Woodling Template is too abusive with the troll generation, I will simply keep Shaman FOrtitude and increase it to +4 at level 20... and a immunity to polymorphing effects and no longer need to sleep. Wish I could give the class teh Damage Reduction 5/slashing at level 20 but I feel it would be too much.