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Adoniis
2008-01-07, 05:35 PM
I am thinking of making a Ranger/Druid. That is my first question. Is that combo decent? Or is it pointless? (I just want personal opinions/maybe facts). I have no direct question other then that.

My second and last question is, what is a good level to Multiclass into a druid? At the moment I have a level 7 Ranger. I want to multi class him to a druid. However I'm not sure at what level it would be best to do that, or perhaps it would be best to start a level 1 Ranger/Druid and level up from the bottom up?

Frosty
2008-01-07, 05:39 PM
There's no synergy. If you wnat to be a druid, then be druid for 20 levels. Rangers can multiclass into Scouts for some precision-damage fun.

Frosty
2008-01-07, 05:45 PM
*double post*

RTGoodman
2008-01-07, 06:55 PM
It doesn't seem to be a very good build, mechanically speaking.

If you haven't actually made the character yet, might I suggest the Wild Shape Ranger (http://systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/unearthedCoreClass.html#simple-ranger) variant from Unearthed Arcana? It gives you wild shape in exchange for combat style, but keeps BAB, skills and all that. It should have the same flavor and background and such, but gives the best of both worlds.

CASTLEMIKE
2008-01-08, 02:33 AM
Depending on the level of the PC in question the UA/SRD PRC Prestige Ranger could be an option for 2, 4 or 6 levels (anymore and you sacrifice level 9 spells in a 20 level game. Prereqs +4 BAB, 3 feats and able to cast calm animals.

Person_Man
2008-01-08, 10:01 AM
It gives your Ranger access to Flame Blade. But other then that, Ranger/Druid is a very poor multi-class combination from a crunch perspective. And from a fluff perspective, I personally have never seen much of a reason to combine them either, since they both have the "nature's soldier" thing going for them.

Strait Druid is generally thought of the most powerful base class in core. You really don't even need to optimize it. Take Natural Spell. Wildshape into something big and scary. Buff yourself. Summon some friends. Kill enemies.

Strait Ranger with access to the right feats and spells from various supplements can be potent and useful as well. It has the benefit of slightly better Skills and BAB, but poorer spells. A Wild Shape Ranger is a good idea. There are various feats you can use to get around the medium animal restriction. Sword of the Arcane Order feat from Champions of Valor lets you memorize Wizard spells. The Stalker of Karash prestige class from Book of Exalted Deeds gives you Favored Enemy (Evil), which allows you to apply your Favored Enemy bonuses to tons of different enemies. You can then pick up Favored Power Attack, Nemesis, Wise to Your Ways, Improved Favored Enemy, etc.

But the real question is, what is it that you want to do? You can optimize almost any character concept.

Adoniis
2008-01-08, 10:16 PM
Well ATM I have a level 7 Drow Ranger as I said. I like him decent enough, but to be honest I don't know that much about them. I'm going to start reading up on some of the books I got and look into the suggestions already made.

To be honest I love having "pets" (The more the merrier IMO) and the idea of Wild Shape just seems awesome. Maybe re-roll a druid and scratch my Ranger might be the best bet?

If I do re-roll a druid I want a "shapeshifting" race similar to a Fey'ri. I love the idea of changing my form at will with no time limit. Thoughts?

Lastly, Someone told me a few days ago that I should make a Druid/Sorcerer, any thoughts on that?

tyckspoon
2008-01-08, 10:38 PM
Someone told me a few days ago that I should make a Druid/Sorcerer, any thoughts on that?

By themselves, it's rather poor; you stop advancing one casting progression to start a different one all over again, which is never good for a character's power. It's made worse by the Sorcerer's slowed progression and the fact that you're using two different stats for casting.. although that is more affordable in this case when you can use Wildshape to replace Dex and Str if needed.

However, if you or your group have a copy of Races of the Wild somewhere, the combination can get you into Arcane Hierophant. It's a theurge class (advances two different casting types) that advances wildshaping, animal companion bonuses, familiar bonuses, and lets you cast arcane spells in druid armors. The really neat part for people who like pets is that it lets you stack your familiar and animal companion bonuses into one creature.

togapika
2008-01-08, 10:48 PM
If you like turning into stuff, then use the PHB II Shapeshift druid variant.

Person_Man
2008-01-08, 11:55 PM
To be honest I love having "pets" (The more the merrier IMO) and the idea of Wild Shape just seems awesome. Maybe re-roll a druid and scratch my Ranger might be the best bet?

If I do re-roll a druid I want a "shapeshifting" race similar to a Fey'ri. I love the idea of changing my form at will with no time limit. Thoughts?

Lastly, Someone told me a few days ago that I should make a Druid/Sorcerer, any thoughts on that?

If you want pets, then you can enter Beast Heart Adept (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070209a&page=4) without remaking your build (although a Ranger 6/Beast Heart Adept X with non Level Adjustment race would be better).

If you want Wildshape, strait Druid or Wildshape Ranger (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/unearthedCoreClass.html#simple-ranger) works fine. Though a Wildshape Ranger requires certain splat book feats to be useful at high levels.

RE: Druid/Sorcerer: Here's a very simple optimization guidelines:

If you want to be a full caster (Wizard, Sorcerer, Cleric, Druid, etc) do not multi-class, and do not take any levels of a prestige class unless unless it fully progresses your casting. There are certainly exceptions, but as a general rule nothing is more powerful in D&D then access to higher level spells. Anything that your caster level should be avoided unless you really know what you're doing.

If you want to play a full BAB class (Barbarian, Paladin, Fighter, etc), do not multi-class into other classes unless they have full BAB. Although extra Skill points or a few low level spells might be really helpful when you're a low level PC, once you hit higher levels the reduced BAB, hit points, and possibly AC will be a much bigger deal. This is a much more flexible guideline, but its a good starting point for new players.

If you want to play a Skill Monkey or hybrid class (Rogue, Bard, Monk, etc) accept the fact that you're probably going to be a mechanically weaker then most other players unless you really know what you're doing. So you should generally avoid them unless you really know what you're doing, or if your group is filled with newer and/or unoptimized players, or if you just don't care about optimization.

And above all else, remember that you can't "win" D&D. Optimization doesn't make the game easier or inherently more fun. It just gives you different options. So play what you enjoy playing, whatever that is.

RTGoodman
2008-01-08, 11:57 PM
If I do re-roll a druid I want a "shapeshifting" race similar to a Fey'ri. I love the idea of changing my form at will with no time limit. Thoughts?

Without my books, I can only think of about three standard PC races that are shapeshifters.

The Killoren from Races of the Wild (I think) aren't really shapeshifters, but they're sort of nature fey things that have three different "aspects," choosing one each day.

The other two are from the Eberron campaign setting, though they were reprinted in Monster Manual III. Changelings are descendants of humans and doppelgangers (a word that, apparently, Firefox's spell-check says should change to "paperhangers" :smallconfused: ) that can alter self at will (I think). They're the epitome of shapeshifting and having a new form all the time, though the forms have to be humanoids.

Also from Eberron are the shifters, descendants of lycanthropes. There are several different "subspecies" that have different abilities depending on the type of lycanthrope (loosely).