Need help with character class choice due to template

[Graymage]

Hello. Bit of a dilemma. Soon in a upcoming us-as-ourselves campaign I will be playing my character which will start as a human then get the Woodling template. the DM is yanking the mind-affecting immunity to drop the LA to +2 and make it more tolerable with our group. The party is large 6 people, no idea on there characters.

I only know one is going Vassal of Bahamut.

So with a +2 LA do I go with Druid (Plant themed) Plant companion from Dragon Magazine going later into Holt Warden.

Or should I run a totemist?

Oh and the game is 3.5 and D&D rulebook along with Dragon Magazine.
I would like some options

[eggynack]

I'd expect druid to have more plant theming. You can have the plant companion, there are plant spells (plant growth, entangle, wall of thorns, and so on), plant summons (either by way of greenbound or just a summons that is a plant, cause you got those), and eventually plant forms.

[Graymage]

well the thing that is bothering me is the LA affecting caster level and spells know. How bad will that template hurt as far as being a caster?

[eggynack]

well the thing that is bothering me is the LA affecting caster level and spells know. How bad will that template hurt as far as being a caster?
It's obviously not an ideal situation, that. However, druids are really good. If the concern is power level, I'm doubtful that the advantage granted to the totemist by the fact that their abilities are less level dependent will outweight the druid's advantage from being a druid.

Edit: Decided to start seriously working on an entry for plant companion for my handbook. My current conclusion is surprisingly close to my old conclusion, from when I thought the evolutions and the standard advancement were mutually exclusive. They're just really really not all that good at hitting enemies in the face. Not saying you shouldn't use one, mind you. Just focus on utility oriented stuff a bit more than, like, alacrity.

[Graymage]

The reason I was thinking Totemist was the fact the LA wouldn't do much to it, but overall I don't expect to do much summoning due to a 6 person group. Too many bodies on the field, so I am leaning toward battlefield control with spells and the companion.

Due to going toward Holt Warden my wildshape is going to be limited.

Which leads me to wonder should I take the Shapeshifter ACF from Player's Handbook 2. I would lose the Plant Companion.

Spell selection is thankfully something I have gotten plenty of practice in other editions so no worries there.

Something just occured to me, the SLA of the Woodling. Would they increase as I went up in level?

[eggynack]

Due to going toward Holt Warden my wildshape is going to be limited.

Which leads me to wonder should I take the Shapeshifter ACF from Player's Handbook 2. I would lose the Plant Companion.
No, shapeshifter is awful. Also, way less flavorful. I'd actually advise cutting some holt warden levels. The first level is great, and rebuke plants is okay, but it kinda goes downhill from there. Even if you're going all the way with holt warden though, medium forms are nice.


Something just occured to me, the SLA of the Woodling. Would they increase as I went up in level?
They're based on your HD, so sure.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

If the whole party has level-adjusted characters, it shouldn't really matter. In any case see if you can buy off the level adjustment (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm) eventually. That will put your ECL below the party level and you'll get more xp per encounter until you catch up.

Woodling gets +7 natural armor and DR 5/Slashing, so stay in your own form. Maybe go with a Deadly Hunter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druid) Druid, maybe combine that with Druidic Avenger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druidVariantDruidicAve nger), or maybe go Archivist or Spirit Shaman. A party of six characters doesn't really need any animal companions or other extra bodies.

Consider using Silverbrow Human if possible, and make a DFI (Savage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bardVariantSavageBard) ) Bard, with one level in Sorcerer with the Dragonblood substitution level to switch DFI to a different energy type. You can even take Wild Cohort (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) if you really want a companion. DFI stacks with normal Inspire Courage, and with DFI for different energy types, so your whole party could all be (Savage) Bards with Wild Cohorts.

[eggynack]

Woodling gets +7 natural armor and DR 5/Slashing, so stay in your own form.
Those two things strike me as significantly worse than the stuff you get out of wild shape, even if you pull even more AC into it with deadly hunter. Wild shape is how druids fly, y'know? Along with tons of other stuff.

Edit: Vaguely wondering if you can get the LA dropped even more, maybe by ditching the SLA's entirely. Just about everything on the template is rendered ultimately redundant or pointless by druid stuff. I still think it's the optimal strategy, but it's an annoyingly asynergistic one.

[Graymage]

Oh all of the party is starting human, I don't know about the rest but I think I am the only one getting a template. The campaign is "Us as our selves" IE as if all of us in real life got dropped into a D&D world.