Class levels 11-20 for a Werewolf

[cartejos]

Character notes:
A free LA +1 not contributing towards character level
Further level buyoff allowed
DM approved buying off the "Levels" of the Werewolf Template class from the web enhancement
Savage Progression Ghost and Werewolf (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040117a)
At level 1, the free +1 LA is the Template class, and first level is Dire Wolf from the same web enhancement
lvl
2: Template (Bought off at 5)
3-5(4): Dire Wolf (4)
5: Template (Bought off at 8)
6-7: Dire Wolf (6)
8(7): Warshaper 1
8-10: Warshaper (4)


The character is going to be the outdoors man of the group. I'm debating just stuffing ranger levels onto the character, or if there is a prestige class that could more fully round out their survivalist capabilities at a higher level. Base Attack Bonus is at +6, so as far as I'm aware, a variety of non-caster PrC's should be available to the character around this level.

[Silly Name]

If you have the requisite ranks in Knowledge (Geography), Horizon Walker from the DMG is a great class for a survivalist/outdoorsman type of character, and it gets really nifty stuff at every level (plus full BaB and d8 HD).

Ranger is nice, but starting it at level 11 might feel a bit... underpowered. Whatever Combat Style feats you might have been interested in, you should have already taken them by this point (even assuming you are allowed to use the alternate Combat Styles from Dragon Magazine #310). And if you do take an animal companion, it's going to get slaughtered, although you could fix this issue with some ACFs (Distracting Attack is lots of fun).

All in all, Scout might be a better choice for rounding out your Survivalist skills (plus you get some neat utility skills, and Skirmish is plain awesome. And if you are allowed Dragon Magazines, #346 has an ACF called Sniper which increases damage if you attack from 60 feet away or more, but that doesn't seem to be what your character is built around). If you really want to have Track, it is also in the Scout's bonus feats list. Or maybe just get the first level of Ranger, then go Scout and take Swift Hunter. Full Skirmish progression, Favored Enemy bonuses, and you still get Track and Wild Empathy at the cost of Blindsense 30 ft, but by level 20 that should be redundant.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Instead of wasting racial HD and LA on werewolf, how about use your free LA on a refluffed divine minion (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20050209a) 1/shapeshifter druid 1? You can transform into both an animal form and a hybrid form, and all for 1 LA and 1 class level, which is druid? Druid casting is awesome anyway, even if you trade in wild shape and animal companion. Just use a feat to replace your animal companion, if you really want one. Otherwise, focus on something other than druid.

This way you'll have an extra 9 class levels to use, especially since you get a free point of LA. Maybe go barbarian and use rage to improve your stats when you transform to further "pretend" to be a werewolf.

[cartejos]

Ranger does seem to be lacking when you enter at higher levels, I didn't know if there was some prestige styled class that emulated it at all. Scout doesn't seem too great, and Track is a bonus feat for the Template Class, while Scent is also obtained from the Dire Wolf class.

I actually ran across Warrior of Darkness from Book of Vile Darkness and it seems nifty. The Evil part isn't an issue in the party. It gets to full attack and move, but only 3 rounds/day, at higher levels, which is easier gotten by Barbarian, but the optimization level of the build isn't too high, and the trickier positioning and tactics can be fun too.

I was more looking for a 10 level PrC that either played along well with Werewolf or brought something new and interesting with it that could function independently of the rest of the build.

Getting a mouthpick weapon seems kind of redundant, but the flavor could be there, and Warrior of Darkness has the ability to give a +1 equivalent ability to a weapon, not much, but again, could be nice fluff-wise

[Buufreak]

For a melee natural attacker from Hades, I love slapping Totemist onto a Werewolf, or really any kind of Lycanthrope. The soulbonds you make add additional natural attacks, by RAW, whether or not the soulbond is adding arms or not. Then I believe it is Dread Carapace that when bound to the right chakra adds flat damage to all natural attacks. Finally, a few Abyssal Heritor feats (the ones from Fiendish Codex 1, in case I am misremembering a name) will allow for even more flat damage stacking. 1d6 looks a hells' loads more devastating when it is followed by +22 between Strength, soulbond, and feats.

[PunBlake]

If you want to tack on some spells, you could go (Cloistered) Cleric 1 / Deadgrim 5 (Magic of Eberron) / <Ranger or Cleric PrC> 4. Deadgrim is a really good, Ranger-y, anti-undead-becoming-undead chassis and can be refluffed if not in Eberron. You can also have fun looking into deities for Were-creatures.

If you want Incarnum, (Spirit Lion Totem) Barbarian 1 / Totemist X / Totem Rager Y seems fine. You lose some BAB, but the soulbonds are nice.

You can use a level of Scout or Wilderness Rogue for skill ranks to get into a Ranger-y PrC. Highland Stalker (CAdv) comes to mind.

You could also tack on the start of a Swift Hunter build (Scout 4 / Ranger X), which is functionally equivalent.

[liquidformat]

A few thoughts:

First I would suggest 1-2 levels of barbarian:
-Look at whirling frenzy rage variant level 1
-Lion spirit totem variant for pounce level 1
-And either Wolf totem for improved trip or trap killer to get even more bang out of survival. if you go for wolf totem getting Wolf Berserker and Knock-Down is a good idea.

Second take Fist of the Forest, taking greater fortitude and improved unarmed strike are well worth the benefits which include con to ac, good progression for unarmed strike, good fort&ref, good bab, treat all your natural weapons as magical, and a different rage that gives you an additional bite with a fix damage.

Third is kind of a tossup my top choice would be frostrager, for the cost of Frozen Berserker it is extraordinarily easy entry and with the addition of Blazing Berserker you are now immune to cold and fire with some bonuses to damage. Like was said before Horizon Walker isn't a horrible choice, if you are going evil anyways then taking some levels in Black Blood Hunter somewhere in your build is a good idea to let your shape shifting function the same as wildshape for item abilities. Totemist also gives you some fun additions though I wouldn't do more than a level or two dip.

An alternative is to hop into Runescared Berserker after your level or two of barbarian and focus more on intimidate.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Instead of wasting racial HD and LA on werewolf, how about use your free LA on a refluffed divine minion (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20050209a) 1/shapeshifter druid 1? You can transform into both an animal form and a hybrid form, and all for 1 LA and 1 class level, which is druid? Druid casting is awesome anyway, even if you trade in wild shape and animal companion. Just use a feat to replace your animal companion, if you really want one. Otherwise, focus on something other than druid.

This way you'll have an extra 9 class levels to use, especially since you get a free point of LA. Maybe go barbarian and use rage to improve your stats when you transform to further "pretend" to be a werewolf.Is there a reason why this isn't being considered? It's like being a lycanthrope but better.

[cartejos]

Is there a reason why this isn't being considered? It's like being a lycanthrope but better.

Because "Lycanthrope but better" is very different from "I want to play a werewolf"

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Because "Lycanthrope but better" is very different from "I want to play a werewolf"But aside from not nerfing your character anywhere near as horribly, what are you not getting from an in-game perspective, either fluff-wise or gameplay-wise?

You can turn into an animal form and a hybrid form at will, gain physical power and abilities appropriate to a carnivorous quadruped/biped, and are actually better than the standard lycanthrope in a number of ways, including no RHD, very little LA, practically all the same abilities that you can use at will instead of being restricted, don't have weaknesses to silver or the moon, and don't destroy your clothes and magic items every time you transform. You also don't have to waste further resources so you don't devour your own party members or spread a curse-slash-disease to every humanoid and giant you fight, and you aren't forced to be Chaotic Evil because apparently pop culture says you have to be.

It actually opens more roleplay opportunities, because your alignment isn't nearly as restricted.

Though if you want to attack your own party indiscriminately whenever you use your transformative abilities, take some frenzied berserker.