Originally Posted by
Dread_Head
You choose whether to take a racial substitution level at the point you level up though. Once you've taken that level there aren't any rules for reverting to normal druid if you no longer qualify so you keep the substitution level. So you can choose either of the half orc and shifter subs at 1 and 4 and take the half orc one at 6th for Augment Summoning (which if you were planning on taking it anyway makes up for the feat spent on racial emulation). Then later if you want to enter Seeker of the Misty Isle you emulate an elf until you level up (note that as you lose PrC benefits if you lose the prereqs you would have to stay an elf to retain the abilities). It's not the most amazing choice but it lets you pick and choose racial subs and can make qualifying for some things easier.