[3.5] Shapeshifter Druid Build Question

[Valwyn]

So the Shapeshifter Druid ACF (sucks, I know) can't cast spells while shifted, but it can still cast SLAs. I was wondering, could this class be paired with Warlock (who uses SLAs, not spells) to cast while shifted? The idea of a wolf shooting lasers or a treant with shadow bat wings and an eldritch glaive/claws is amusing (assuming a lenient DM who allows a shapeshifter druid to enter Arcane Hierophant to advance shifting and invocations). I'm mostly going to use buffs, so MAD isn't as much of a problem. And even if stats are a problem, a shapeshifter can cast Aspect of the Wolf/Earth Hunter and similar spells to use those base stats and then get the boost from shifting on top. Not as OP as wild shape, but still potentially fun and powerful.

Any thoughts?

[Fouredged Sword]

So the Shapeshifter Druid ACF (sucks, I know) can't cast spells while shifted, but it can still cast SLAs. I was wondering, could this class be paired with Warlock (who uses SLAs, not spells) to cast while shifted? The idea of a wolf shooting lasers or a treant with shadow bat wings and an eldritch glaive/claws is amusing (assuming a lenient DM who allows a shapeshifter druid to enter Arcane Hierophant to advance shifting and invocations). I'm mostly going to use buffs, so MAD isn't as much of a problem. And even if stats are a problem, a shapeshifter can cast Aspect of the Wolf/Earth Hunter and similar spells to use those base stats and then get the boost from shifting on top. Not as OP as wild shape, but still potentially fun and powerful.

Any thoughts?

The problem is that a shapeshifter druid's shapeshifting is only advanced by druid levels. The ACF plays very badly with multiclassing or PRC's. While yes, you can get minor stat bonuses, but you are almost better just going standard druid and dipping warshaper and casting alter self to gain roughly the same bonuses while being much friendlier to an AH build.

[Valwyn]

Hmm. I think it would be reasonable to allow a shapeshifter's shifting to advance by most classes that advance wild shape (except Master of Many Shapes). It would be a house rule/DM call, but it seems reasonable to me. Assuming that was the case, or maybe just a druid 17/warlock 3, would invocations work? And would they be worth it?

[Fouredged Sword]

Hmm. I think it would be reasonable to allow a shapeshifter's shifting to advance by most classes that advance wild shape (except Master of Many Shapes). It would be a house rule/DM call, but it seems reasonable to me. Assuming that was the case, or maybe just a druid 17/warlock 3, would invocations work? And would they be worth it?

I think they would work, but I debate their usefulness on a chassis that also has full druid casting even if they never cast in combat. When I play a shapeshifter druid I tend to be a melee monster with bite of the X spells supplementing melee power.

I just can't think of any invocations that are as valuable as three levels of druid casting. Maybe in Gestalt, using druid as the passive side it would be effective. It still seems kinda silly.

[Waker]

Warlock invocations are nice, but you'll have so few of them that they won't make a huge difference. How about dipping into Incarnate or Totemist instead? Totemist especially would fit thematically, not to mention that doing so gets you access to all the soulmelds for the class.

[Valwyn]

Not really familiar with Totemist or Incarnate...