Urban druid optimization

[Soranar]

I've been meaning to update my handbook on the subject but, for now, I'm wondering how best to optimize a ''typical'' urban druid. I've figured a few strange options and I need help further optimize them


Weird option A, charming the crossbow (urban druids are proficient with all crossbows)

So charming the arrow is essentially zen archery that uses Charisma

but you need to be a fey the only LA 0 fey types without a CHA penalty I could find were duskling and killoren

the idea of this build would be to use a great crossbow (with the aptitude enchantment so I can use the hand crossbow focus that grants rapid reload)
through urban wild shape I can turn into any humanoid and it turns out there are large humanoids (found in oriental adventure, their STATS are meh but being large is useful in this case) so, by level 8, I can use a large great crossbow

so my crossbow damage goes from 2d8 to 3d8 and my to hit is determined by my CHA
by level 15 I can turn into huge humanoids (again, found 1 in oriental adventures) and my damage goes up another size category (3d8 to 4d8)
finally I can throw strongarm bracers on this build to wield a gargantuan great crossbow for 6d8 damage per shot.

If you guys can think of anything else to add to this, feel free

Option B melee ,works with any race

again, because of my urban wildshape, I can get size increases which helps combat through the increased reach. My fighting forms have bad DEX so I can't really optimize attacks of opportunity
through catalogues of the enlightenment I can get the war domain (and the weapon proficiency) so eventually I'd have divine power on top of wildshape and I guess I could take the holy warrior reserve feat
since humanoid wildshapes are humanoid, they can cast spells so I don't need natural spell like a druid

option C sneak attack/iaijutsu focus dagger thrower

aerenal elf can take their special focus feat to get iaijutsu focus (and +3 on the roll)
and the darkstalker humanoid shape gives you 3d6 sneak attack (available at level 5 so it's not a long wait) with fairly decent STATS too and it's a medium humanoid so you can use the same equipment


option D mounted combat

you get 2 decent options of animal companions for a mount (riding dog or light warhorse)
take the lance proficiency, maybe be a killoren (for the smite) and just go for the mounted combat route

Finally what domains would you recommend?

I can get 1 domain through catalogues of the enlightenment and I can attune to another domain through a domain staff

here are the spells I already have access to as an urban druid:

http://srd.dndtools.org/srd/magic/spells/classSpellLists/urbanDruidSpells.html

[Troacctid]

I don't know that I'd classify these as "typical." I think of a "typical" urban druid as more of a well-rounded shapeshifting support caster and party face, possibly riding around in an animated adamantine war wagon. I'm more likely to be taking feats like Practiced Binder, Spawn of the Dark Prince, Nymph's Kiss, and Silver Tongue. Maybe Vow of Nonviolence or Touchstone (Catalogues of Enlightenment, Charm Domain) to boost your enchantments, or Combat Panache and Martial Study/Stance for melee.

Anyway, the large nagas in OA were changed to monstrous humanoids in the 3.5 update, so they're no longer eligible for urban shape.

[Soranar]

ok well that throws a wrench in my options. No more large forms worth the trouble save for the dire bat, the heavy warhorse or the large scorpion.

The darkstalker form becomes a clear winner vs creatures that aren't immune to sneak attack

[Soranar]

ok so my ranged option looks like this:

Point blank shot at level 1

Hand crosbow focus at level 3

crossbow sniper at level 6

I'm dumping my physical stats and relying on spells from level 1-4 and I can shoot my great crossbow once every other round

By level 5 I can wildshape into darkstalker which has 17 DEX and crossbow sniper lets me sneak attack from 60 ft away

rapid shot by level 9 (at which point I should have an aptitude great crossbow)


Or I can do something like this (assuming human)

level 1

education + knowledge devotion (human + 14 Int and x4 skillpoints should manage)

level 3

power attack (use a quarterstaff for now)

level 6 catalogues of enlightment (war domain with greatsword proficiency)

level 9 holy warrior

war domain has useful spells
the greatsword is definitely an upgrade
knowledge devotion and holy warrior also work with any type of attack

I still have 1 domain to choose for my domain staff

[Gavinfoxx]

Eh, I usually just get a Collar of Perpetual Attendance (possibly Wilding Clasp'd), and use that to pull back the Great Crossbow!

[Maat Mons]

You could use the feytouched racial class, but never actually take any levels in it. That gives you a +0 LA race with the fey type, +2 Dex, -2 Con, and +2 Cha.

You could use the gruwaar race (Dragon 317, p25). They're +0 LA, have the fey type, and have -2 Str, +2 Dex, -2 Wis, +2 Cha.

There's also the completely-broken and almost-certainly-misprinted unseelie fey template.