Wild Shape forms that would benefit from flight

[Zombulian]

So we all know that when it comes to making Shifter Druids, Dreamsight is the golden trait to use. We also all know that the Desmodu Hunting Bat is the gold standard for high utility + high defense forms.

For a moment let's forget those two facts.

Say you were making a Swiftwing Shifter Druid. What forms would you use to take advantage of having a flight speed tacked on?
The first thing that comes to mind for me is Swindlespitter for their decent AC and poison breath attack. And of course there's always fleshraker...

[Zombulian]

Ok so Protoceratops may be a decent choice. Low HD, +8 Nat Armor, and a powerful charge ability.
That ability though... Their base bite attack does 1d8+4. The powerful charge ability does... 2d8+11? Anyone have any idea how that works?

[Endarire]

The short answer is "All of them you'd normally use that don't already have the sort of flight speed and maneuverability you want."

[Zombulian]

The short answer is "All of them you'd normally use that don't already have the sort of flight speed and maneuverability you want."

Well I know that, man :smalltongue:

I’m kinda looking for favorite underdogs here. Things that you guys look at and go “Man, I really like this choice, but I’d probably just be better off with the hunting bat.”

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Well, if you can shift into magical beasts (such as via a feat or a PrC), a 12-headed pyro/cryohydra with Flyby Attack is pretty much gold standard, since you can make a pseudo full-attack as a standard action. Also, strafing breath weapon attacks.

[edit] Ropers are great if you can do magical beasts, as well. Those Str-draining touch attacks are killer on a lot of monsters, whether they rely on high Str (thus taking lots of Str damage) or have low Str (thus getting paralyzed in short order).

[Zombulian]

Yeah adding Flyby attack to forms that have strong standard action abilities was something I thought would be cool.
I did just lose a lot of steam just now though when I realized that dive attacks only work with claw/talons and you can only attack once.

[DwarvenWarCorgi]

Legendary Ape plus flight plus Bow of Mighty Pulling sounds fun........

[Zombulian]

Legendary Ape plus flight plus Bow of Mighty Pulling sounds fun........

Unfortunately you can’t use your hands for anything but holding items when you have Swiftwing activated...
Otherwise Legendary Ape + Giant’s Wrath to rain death from orbit would be pretty cool.
Considering all the limitations it’s starting to feel less and less worth running this race though :/

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Unfortunately you can’t use your hands for anything but holding items when you have Swiftwing activated...
Otherwise Legendary Ape + Giant’s Wrath to rain death from orbit would be pretty cool.
Considering all the limitations it’s starting to feel less and less worth running this race though :/Use giant's wrath with a literal ton of boulders affected by shrink item for happy-fun-times.

For you, not for them. They're in for a bad time.

[Zombulian]

Use giant's wrath with a literal ton of boulders affected by shrink item for happy-fun-times.

For you, not for them. They're in for a bad time.

How would you work this? Shrink Item doesn’t have a dismissable duration.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

How would you work this? Shrink Item doesn’t have a dismissable duration.It does, however, blow the boulders back up upon impact, burying foes in tons of boulders. Permanency to make 'em reusable.

Or make your familiar the caster of shrink item and have it call out the command word to unshrink them as they're flying...

[Zombulian]

It does, however, blow the boulders back up upon impact, burying foes in tons of boulders. Permanency to make 'em reusable.

Or make your familiar the caster of shrink item and have it call out the command word to unshrink them as they're flying...

Oh NICE.
How’d you know I was playing a Druid with an Urban Companion familiar 🤔

[Endarire]

I liked Smilodon/Sabre Tooth Tiger (Frostburn) as my primary melee form and would like it more with flight.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

I liked Smilodon/Sabre Tooth Tiger (Frostburn) as my primary melee form and would like it more with flight.Fly of the Tiger?

[Zombulian]

I liked Smilodon/Sabre Tooth Tiger (Frostburn) as my primary melee form and would like it more with flight.

Ooh that’s a great pick.

Actually I just reread the Dive attack rules and it doesn’t limit you to one attack (and if it did Pounce would probably overrule that), but the fact that the attacks are limited to claws and talons makes Deinonychus an even better combat pick than it already was. Two talons for 2d8+8 and two claws for 2d3+4 at level 5 is a pretty tasty attack routine.

[Vizzerdrix]

How about sharks, crocodiles, and octopui (octopusis?)

Oooh! Or pigs. A flying pig. Yup.