Fighter/Druid a.k.a. "Warrior Shaman"

[Arkhios]

Having slept for like 4 hours last night, and eyeballing another thread regarding a druid build half-asleep, I came up with an idea of a slightly unorthodox approach to building a druid with a fighter multiclass, using Wild Shape (and probably spells too) only for utility purpose.

The stats would lean towards having higher strength, and mediocre wisdom, with Great Weapon Fighting Style and Resilient* (Wis) at 1st level. Probably with War Caster ASAP.
Perhaps like this, using standard point-buy:
Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 8
Variant Human: +1 Str, +1 Wis; Feat*

For the sake of theory-crafting, I'd limit the sub-/class options to PHB and XGtE (because of reasons). I don't mind using only hide armor, because I'll probably use Barkskin a lot, anyway (especially if I start as a Fighter).

Having up to 10 levels to work with, what level split would you guys suggest?

Also, which sub-classes would work best with the above concept?

[nickl_2000]

How sweet are you on strength to attack instead of using shillelagh with wisdom?

As for a melee build i would probably do 5/5 so you get third level spells and a second attack.

[JellyPooga]

Totem Barbarian sounds like a good alternative to Fighter for this one. Not only does it take some pressure off the Druid for theme (having acces to Speak with Animals and so forth), but pairs well with both Two Weapon Fighting (Rage bonus damage adds to both weapons) and toughing it out on the front lines (let alone the shenanigans of being in both Wild Shape and Rage...).

[Arkhios]

How sweet are you on strength to attack instead of using shillelagh with wisdom?

Well, I was planning to use either two Warhammers (if TWF Style) or a Maul (if not).

As I said, I'm going for an unorthodox build. Shillelagh is so common option it's getting boring.

[Vogie]

Too bad on the limitations, because a blend of Spore Druid would work wonders... but it's in GGtR.

If you're mostly using the Druid levels for Barkskin or other utility things, I'd suggest Shepherd Druid. The Spirit Totem ability allows you to generate AoE Effects, which you'd likely use for free THP and Advantage on Strength checks & Throws.

I'd also suggest 5/5 for the same reason.

The next best option would likely be Land - you'd be able to act as a pseudo Paladin/Green Knight. Grassland Druids have Haste and Invisibility, Desert Druids have Silence, Protection from Energy & Blur, Arctic has a litany of Crowd Control Effects, and Coast gives Misty Step and Mirror Image.

[CheddarChampion]

If that stat array includes the racial boosts, you're missing 2 points (9, 4, 7, 0, 5, 0, totals 25).

I'd go TWF over THF unless you want to Faerie Fire/Entangle first then action surge for GWM attacks at advantage.
Actually, yeah do that.

5/5 is a good split. I'd go battlemaster for precision/trip/riposte, and dreams for bonus action healing since your AC will be low. Boost Str both times with your ASI's. Either shoot for 11/9 or 5/15 as your end goals.

Alternatively, start as EK 7/druid 3 for cantrip+attack goodness. Thorn whip -> big mail swing just seems cool for some reason.
Or just the normal BB/GFB plus attack. Shoot for 10/10 to get eldritch strike and keep using war magic, or go 11/9 for three attacks, or go 12/8 for lots of ASI's.

[Arkhios]

If that stat array includes the racial boosts, you're missing 2 points (9, 4, 7, 0, 5, 0, totals 25).

I'd go TWF over THF unless you want to Faerie Fire/Entangle first then action surge for GWM attacks at advantage.
Actually, yeah do that.

5/5 is a good split. I'd go battlemaster for precision/trip/riposte, and dreams for bonus action healing since your AC will be low. Boost Str both times with your ASI's. Either shoot for 11/9 or 5/15 as your end goals.

Alternatively, start as EK 7/druid 3 for cantrip+attack goodness. Thorn whip -> big maul swing just seems cool for some reason.
Or just the normal BB/GFB plus attack. Shoot for 10/10 to get eldritch strike and keep using war magic, or go 11/9 for three attacks, or go 12/8 for lots of ASI's.

Oops! Granted, I was half-asleep when I tried to calculate the stats, but still, that's embarrasing : D.
Fixed the stats in OP, and decided it's best to take Resilient (Wisdom) at 1st level, along with GWFS, and use Maul. The Thorn Whip + Maul Swing is just so hilarious!

I suppose I'll go with Eldritch Knight 7/Shepherd 3. At least I'd get 2nd-level spells from both classes and (amusingly) 3rd-level spell slots.

BB/GFB are from SCAG, and weren't duplicated in XGtE, but that's alright. They're almost as overused as Shillelagh.

[Nhorianscum]

Battlemaster/Scout/Monster hunter 8-Spore 2

We're still in the chunk of the game where poison is a decent damage type and tacking 4d6 onto an action surge is relevant. The ASI gives us better utility spells via potential ritual caster than druid spells as we don't care about saves. We're really only popping bless in hard fights.

[CheddarChampion]

Be sure to pick spells for EK that don't rely on your Int score.
Shield, absorb elements, light (no darkvision), magic weapon, utility, buffs, etc.

[Arkhios]

Battlemaster/Scout/Monster hunter 8-Spore 2

We're still in the chunk of the game where poison is a decent damage type and tacking 4d6 onto an action surge is relevant. The ASI gives us better utility spells via potential ritual caster than druid spells as we don't care about saves. We're really only popping bless in hard fights.

There's a few issues:
First, I said I'd use PHB and XGtE, only. Circle of Spores is from GGtR.
Second, Scout isn't "official" yet (if it ever will be), and definitely not in either PHB or XGtE.
Third, Bless isn't on Druid's spell list.


Be sure to pick spells for EK that don't rely on your Int score.
Shield, absorb elements, light (no darkvision), magic weapon, utility, buffs, etc.

Obviously :)

[Nhorianscum]

Bless isn't on Druid's spell list.

Oh that's just upsetting for druids.

[CheddarChampion]

Second, Scout isn't "official" yet (if it ever will be), and definitely not in either PHB or XGtE.

I'm pretty sure scout is a rogue archetype in XGtE.

[Nhorianscum]

I'm pretty sure scout is a rogue archetype in XGtE.

Oh I was 100% referring to the UA fighter's as alternates to BM.

[CheddarChampion]

Ah. Nevermind then.

[ff7hero]

Barkskin and 14 Con are not ideal stats for standing next to things.
If I were building a Fighter/Druid multiclass at level 10, I would probably go Fighter 2/Moon Druid 8, then add levels of Druid from there. Probably take the first level in Fighter for Con save, well that must have been the plan with Res (Wis) anyway.
I'd probably distribute the stats differently and plan to fight in animal form most of the time. Druid AC is just too low for melee. Maybe if you had a shield it would be ok.
Recommend Athletics and Prodigy (I think in XGtE) for Expertise in it. Warcaster is probably not needed with Con save proficiency since the other benefits wouldn't matter while Wild Shaped, but it still might be nice. Lucky would probably be a better choice at that point though.

[Contrast]

Shillelagh is so common option it's getting boring.

Huh. I've literally never seen someone take Shillelagh, let alone use it as a fundamental part of their build. It never ceases to amaze me how differently people play this game :smallbiggrin:


Have you considered multi-classing ranger instead? They're probably not as powerful as fighters generally but keeping some spell progression going will help your druid side in the long run.

[KorvinStarmast]

Huh. I've literally never seen someone take Shillelagh, let alone use it as a fundamental part of their build. My life cleric took it with Magic Initiate. She carries a club and if she needs to mix it up the shillelagh serves its purpose nicely. She has whacked a few things with that stick, yes she has. :smallbiggrin:

[GlenSmash!]

If you move your Human score boost from Wisdom to Con then drop Con points down to 13 and Wisdom points up to 13, you get one more point to play with. This is because 13s are cheaper than 14s in point buy.

That's marginally useless as all you can do with it is get Int or Cha to 9. But I just thought I'd point it out.

Otherwise if you really are only using wildshape and spells for Utility, Barbarian would be far tougher.

I've been playing a 16, 14, 14, 9, 14, 8 V Human Zealot for about a year now and it works just fine. I even multi-classed into Ranger after 5 to pick up Ranger utility spells (and a Gloom Stalker's darkvision and ambush abilities). Barb/Druid would have even more utility with the better spell list and wildshape.