Character Concept Help

[Bannan_mantis]

I was thinking of making a Magiczoologist based character for a upcoming dnd session and as I envisioned him more I began with a concept...then I ran into a problem. He had traits of multiple classes but too many that I felt comfortable on just one with most classes that fit him also having problems. My ideas for him are represented well with two classes, druid and wizard (also a little bit of ranger for beast companion and natural explorer.)

I imagine him as mostly intelligent and adept with magic (specifically summoning, utility and healing based) which fits wizard well and wizard doesn't have things which feel awkward with him (AKA, weapons, armour, divine smite etc.) Now the problem with wizard is that the subclasses don't really fit into the theme I am trying to go for with me envisioning his area of expertise being zoology and I can't find much subclasses which fit that (or in my opinion they don't, might be a bit wrong with that assumption and if I am please correct me.) Now the druid fits for it's nature themed casting, circle of the shepard specifically fits very well with him but there are two specific parts of the druid that make it stand out too much, wildshape and wis based spellcasting.

After looking at these problems can anyone suggest builds that tackle this with solutions or has anyone seen homebrew stuff online that works with this? It would very much be appreciated and I don't care much for optimisation so if it fits the niche idea I have but isn't very combat viable or anything like that then I don't mind at all and will be happy with it.

[Wilko]

It sounds like you want the mechanics of a druid with the flavour of a wizard, you could get a lot of this by taking the ritual caster (Wizard) feat as a VHuman and playing the character as fairly intelligent, taking the Sage BG would also lend into this quite well. This would also let you take the Find Familiar spell for a small furry companion. (Who could be used to deliver cure wounds spells at a distance.)
You could set him up as an apprentice wizard who fell in love with studying magical animals, left to do some field research and sort of fell in with druids...

[Unoriginal]

I think you're thinking about a Lore Bard with Expertise in Nature and Arcana.

It lets you have the knowledge, the int, and the spells you want.

[Bannan_mantis]

I think you're thinking about a Lore Bard with Expertise in Nature and Arcana.

It lets you have the knowledge, the int, and the spells you want.

This doesn't fit with the idea of what I am hoping for, bard is very CHA centric and I imagine him as more of a academic type person then a storytelling one who inspires other people.

Also the druid idea was very interesting and too my liking, one question is how would you deal with wildshape? Be able to change it out for spells or something like that? Also I could just have it's spellcasting modifier be INT instead of WIS

[Whyrocknodie]

Wizard! Take 'circle of the shepherd' as the subclass, and add a few druid spells to the spell list that fit the theme. Jobsagoodun.

[Bannan_mantis]

Wizard! Take 'circle of the shepherd' as the subclass, and add a few druid spells to the spell list that fit the theme. Jobsagoodun.

Wow, I didn't realise how that was a option. Thanks a lot. As for getting druid spells I could gain it through feats like magic initiate or just give the subclass the ability to learn be able to learn druid spells and cantrips the same way you can learn wizard spells and cantrips. Through basic levelling and copying spells into your spell book

[Unoriginal]

Wow, I didn't realise how that was a option. Thanks a lot. As for getting druid spells I could gain it through feats like magic initiate or just give the subclass the ability to learn be able to learn druid spells and cantrips the same way you can learn wizard spells and cantrips.

Well it's not really an option, but if you don't mind doing a lot of homebrewing to calibrate a Druid subclass on the Wizard chassis, go for it.

[Louro]

Mmm...
I would go with wizard, and instead school specialization this wizard would get whatever he needs (druid/ranger spells, nature skill, primeval awareness...).

[DanyBallon]

This doesn't fit with the idea of what I am hoping for, bard is very CHA centric and I imagine him as more of a academic type person then a storytelling one who inspires other people.

Also the druid idea was very interesting and too my liking, one question is how would you deal with wildshape? Be able to change it out for spells or something like that? Also I could just have it's spellcasting modifier be INT instead of WIS

If you are willing to discuss with your DM about replacing wildshape, would you consider asking him to change Bard casting stat for INT? You could then focus on the more academic and jack-of-all-trade side of Bard and not focusing on the performer aspect.

[thoroughlyS]

It sounds like you want the mechanics of a druid with the flavour of a wizard, you could get a lot of this by taking the ritual caster (Wizard) feat as a VHuman and playing the character as fairly intelligent, taking the Sage BG would also lend into this quite well. This would also let you take the Find Familiar spell for a small furry companion. (Who could be used to deliver cure wounds spells at a distance.)
You could set him up as an apprentice wizard who fell in love with studying magical animals, left to do some field research and sort of fell in with druids...
I second this implementation. Variant human gets you Prodigy at 1st level, for expertise in Nature. Honestly "zoologist" isn't so much a class as it is a background, best embodied by sage. As for wild shape, your character uses it to gain an understanding of animals which is unmatched by anything you could find in any library. Experience is the best teacher.

To summarize, Variant Human Sage Shepherd Druid.

[Keravath]

Another possibility would be a level of knowledge cleric with expertise in Nature and Arcana (for both mundane and magical beasts) followed up by either druid or wizard.

The druid is a very hands on zoologist who can blend into the creatures environment by changing form and can perhaps be more effective at observing the creatures at close range without disrupting their normal habits. Both moon or shepherd circle druids could work for that.

[Copper_Dragon]

I'm picturing this character playing somewhat like Newt Scamandar in D&D.

If you're avoiding wildshape, maybe try Druid 1 / Wizard X. A 1-level full caster dip doesn't set you too far behind as a caster, and a single level of druid gives you some nature-flavored stuff without getting into the the shapechanging mechanics.