Gestalt Weretiger in need of assistance.

[Arderbaren]

So I'm building a new character at level 15 for a new campaign and I'm having a few problems.

She's a Natural born Weretiger with the Warshaper PrC on one side and the other is Druid/Barbarian.
I've never played Druid before so I don't know if I should try to maximize her Wild Shape efficiency or just take enough levels to get a tiger companion and then dive into Barbarian for the bonuses from rage.

Now the campaign is pretty set as is so I can't change much from what I've already got, but any help would be appreciated.

[Nifft]

How have you applied the racial hit dice (RHD) and level adjustment (LA)? Are both on one side, or does the LA occupy levels on both sides of the build?

For optimal performance, you want to learn how to Druid, and put as many levels into Druid as possible. Barbarian can go on the other side, with the RHD.

To learn how to Druid: google "eggynack being everything druid" and you'll find a comprehensive guide. Make a hot drink, get a comfortable chair, and spend your evening reading through that. It's big, it's hard, it's juicy, and it might hurt at first but you'll get used to it with practice.

[Arderbaren]

The Level Adjustment and Racial HD are applied to the Weretiger side, which is why the only class is Warshaper though there is still 1 level left there.
The problems I'm having with Druid are the Wild shape ability may not be used since she can change into a tiger at will and I could go Ranger instead but then I have to wait longer to get the tiger and I won't be able to make it a Dire tiger until epic if it even goes that long.

[Nifft]

Put exactly one Barbarian level on the Warshaper side. Done. Put more there when you level up.

If you don't want Wild Shape, then disregard Wild Shape. I'd keep it since it can be good for utility even if you always use your Weretiger form for combat, but if you want to swap it you can get Wisdom to AC and some other fun perks: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druid

Again, I'd rather have Wild Shape, but if you don't need it then you should still max out Druid, and just sell off Wild Shape separately.

[Metahuman1]

You'll want to put Barbarian on the Weretiger side, and take Druid 20 on the other.

Either leave Your Wild Shape there for a utility trick to get around none combat problems, Or swap it out for one of the druid variants, just don't touch the animal companion and spell casting progressions and you'll be fine.






On the Barbarian, you already have pounce so Spirit Lion Totem is redundant for you. Instead take one of the other totem or spirit totems that looks nifty too you. Bear or Ape maybe give you some tricks.

Take Whirling Frenzy from Unearthed Arcana/The SRD class variant section. It's better then Rage. If at all possible, get the Tireless feat from, if I recall right, Players Guide to Faerune, and snag Extra Rage feat from complete warrior.

Consider the Wolf Totem AFC. Improved Trip is Snazzy. Also opens up Knock Down. And All these combat maneuver options give you actual options!

Take The Trap Smasher AFC. If possible, this + Maxed survival, Spot, Hide, Move Silently, Listen, The Darkstalker and swift and Silently feats means you can be both scout and effective front line warrior as well or better then any rogue or ranger.

Take 1 last level of Barbarian. You now have 4 Frenzy's a day.




After Barbarian, If there are levels left, consider Swordsage or Psi-Warrior for that side of the Gestalt. Or maybe just fighter, which get's you bonus feats and makes it easy to try and be good at scouting, fighting, and putting the upgrades into your Animal Companion and spell casting to get best use out of them. A 1 level Dip in Sacred Exorcist opens up DMM as an option to explore as well.

[bahamut920]

The obvious power move is to go full druid on one side and keep Wild Shape. Even if you fight exclusively in your lycanthropic hybrid or animal forms, Wild Shape is still a versatile utility option. You can change into a bird for flight, a dolphin to swim, a housecat to scout, etc. Not to mention druid spellcasting, which will give you options when "RIP AND TEAR" isn't one. Even if you never use Wild Shape directly, there's always the option of [Wild] feats, which trade Wild Shape uses for various benefits, and mesh nicely with your warshaper abilities.

If you hate the idea of Wild Shape because it cuts into the uniqueness of your lycanthropy, there's a variant in UA that trades it for a monk's AC Bonus and fast movement, as well as a ranger's favored enemy and tracking ability. All flavorful options, and the AC bonus will save you money on Wilding Clasps and the like.

Barbarian or ranger should go on your weretiger side, after you're done with your warshaper levels.

[noob]

Lion of tsalidid progress the wild shape and casting of the druid(at level -2 for wild shape and full level for casting) and have the same chassis and gives you pounce after 5 levels(and gives you a bunch of not so bad bonuses like ex haste (if you encounter a lot of antimagic zones it is awesome)) so if the only reason you took barbarian was the pounce you might consider this prc.

[Nifft]

On the Barbarian, you already have pounce so Spirit Lion Totem is redundant for you.

Note that only full Tiger form gets Pounce.

The Hybrid form gives DR and ability boosts, but not Pounce.

[Arderbaren]

Update

My DM is allowing me to use the Awakened Template for my animal companion and I have since been convinced that the versatility of Wild Shape makes it invaluable.

The mindset of the character is to combine her full tiger form with the animal companion to flank and pounce in tandem, using the Hybrid form as a means to break through tougher enemies that cause concerns for the team.

Also I was looking into Master of Many Forms but I'm not convinced I need it.

[Nifft]

You don't need Master of Many Forms, that's accurate.

Do you already have Warshaper 4 on the Barbarian side?

[bahamut920]

MOMF is considered a strict downgrade to pure druid IIRC, because even though it powers up wild shape, you don't get any spellcasting off of it. While MOMF offers a druid intending to focus on the wild shape route a lot of combat ability and versatility (it eventually turns wild shape effectively into polymorph), since you're not focusing on wild shape, the base druid ability should be enough for you. I'd recommend against it in your circumstance.

[Arderbaren]

I currently have all 5 levels of Warshaper on the Barbarian side though, I don't require flashmorph/multimorph from the 5th level. It would come in handy but I can work without it.

A fellow player suggested Reaping Mauler for the grapple bonus due to the Pounce from tiger form instead of taking the Barbarian levels.

[Nifft]

The natural course seems to be MORE COWBELL -- er, I mean, more Barbarian on the Barbarian side.

Do you have access to Tome of Battle classes? As mentioned previously, Swordsage is really good for a naked tiger, since you can get Wisdom to AC, plus their maneuvers are great for tactical combat. Similarly, you can get good maneuvers & some perks from Warblade or Crusader.

If you don't want more Barbarian, you could take a couple of Fighter levels on the Barbarian side, then dive into a full-BAB Prestige Class. A couple of bonus Feats might be nice. The Druid side is doing all the heavy lifting, so you're pretty free with the other side.

[Arderbaren]

DM isn't allowing multiple characters to use the same classes so we can "spread the wealth" as it were and one player already has a Swordsage/Warblade build.

[bahamut920]

I wonder if Kensai would be worth it in this instance; it would allow you to enchant one of your natural weapons without needing to go for an amulet of mighty fists. And you'd be able to put weapon special abilities on them, which is what you really want the enhancement for; you can just cast greater magic fang for the numerical enhancement bonus.

[Nifft]

Fist of the Forest is a PrC which grants you Con to AC (while unarmored). I'm guessing your Con is good. It also gives you decent unarmed damage, and a Rage-like frenzy that stacks with Rage.

You can stack unarmed strike damage with claw damage if you have access to the Beast Strike feat.

Even without Fist of the Forest, you can still stack unarmed damage with Improved Unarmed Strike + the feat Superior Unarmed Strike (from Tome of Battle).

[MaxiDuRaritry]

A fellow player suggested Reaping Mauler for the grapple bonus due to the Pounce from tiger form instead of taking the Barbarian levels.Uh... (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?219291-How-To-Optimize-a-Grappler-Reaping-Mauler) No. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?531986-what-is-wrong-with-the-reaping-mauler) Whitetext

[Rebel7284]

On page 8 of Eggynack's handbook thread, I wrote the following post that discusses gestalt ideas: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21362521&postcount=229
While you have a lot fewer levels to work with due to the HD/LA, it does list a number of classes that work great when paired with a druid.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Use Druidic Avenger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druidVariantDruidicAve nger), it's like a Druid/Barbarian hybrid. Combine that with the Deadly Hunter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druid) variant that's already been mentioned, unless you would rather just get a Monk's Belt or dip (Unarmed) Swordsage. Take Wild Cohort (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a), it allows your companion to continue advancing regardless of what class you take.

Spend most of your time in hybrid form, since you only benefit from Warshaper's class features when not in your base race's form. Use morphic weapons to grow your natural weapons to colossal base damage. The 5th level of Warshaper may be worthwhile if you end up getting wild shape.

I would take nothing but Druid levels on one side of your build. That gets you rage, spells, and all the other good stuff your character will want to be able to do. Pick up any cool tricks you want on the other side of the build, like Warshaper and maybe dip Seeker of the Misty Isle if you go with an elf race (Wild or Wood Elf (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/elf.htm#wildElf) would be best).

[Fouredged Sword]

Look up the bite of the X line of spells. Specifically bite of the weretiger. With 15 levels of druid casting being able to stack a massive strenght bonus is a lot of fun.

And you can heal yourself easily as you have healing spells and wildshape and fast healing through warshaper.

This leads me to suggest a karmeic strike / gambit build to hit anything that takes a swing at you. Tank your ac and rely on your large hp pool to stay alive and allow you to trade hit for hit and come out on top.

Druid casting can be focused on utility, bfc, and recovery spells.

[Arderbaren]

Spend most of your time in hybrid form, since you only benefit from Warshaper's class features when not in your base race's form.

Wouldn't the Druid's 13th level ability supersede that since it allows me an alter self at will?

As for Druid Avenger and Deadly Hunter... they're off the table. As I said previously I have been convinced that Wild Shape is too invaluable to my team as a utility to drop and the entire point of the character is to gain access to animal cohort ASAP.

Mind you I'm looking through the guise of a more RP game than strategizing combat, though there will be combat. I'm trying to branch out of my normal hack and slash mentality with her but still having it at the ready.