Druid Equipment

[grautry]

So, I'll be starting a new game as a Druid 8 - that is 27k WBL.

I'm wondering what would you recommend to purchase. ;)

The "staples" of druid equipment: Wild armor, Periapt of Wisdom, Torc of Animal Speech, Monk's Belt etc. are pretty damn expensive at this level - obviously I can't purchase all of them.

At the moment I'm pretty much decided on a Lesser Rod of Metamagic Extend or maybe Empower as well but otherwise I'm stumped.

What would you recommend?

It would be nice also if you included some suggestions for higher levels(let's say 8-12 for the moment).

Thanks in advance.

[Glimbur]

Wilding Clasps. Even if you don't have equipment to put them on yet, if you buy them now you don't have to try to find them in-game.

[Cedrass]

Wilding Clasps. Even if you don't have equipment to put them on yet, if you buy them now you don't have to try to find them in-game.

This. Really.

If you're wondering what those are, they are in the Magic Item Compendium, they attach to any item you wear and allow the item to be worn by the new form, as long as it is reasonable. 4000 gp for each one, really worth it! (I'm not saying anything I shouldn't right? About the item and not being OGC?)

Edit: If you're wondering, to allow each magical item you are wearing to function, you would need 13 Claps, since a character has 13 slots for magical items.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

Say instead that they are 3,999 gp.

[Coidzor]

6 Wilding Clasps. That'd be your max and leave you with 3K to get the rest with before treasure fills whatever it'll fill out. But really, check with the DM about being able to get them before doing something that foolhardy, maybe two or three though....

What'chu talkin'bout Pharoah's Fist?

I can see periapt definitely, belt probably, rings maybe.

Seem like for now the periapt, natural spell, and maybe the monk's belt'd be good to go, so that's four magic items between them and their clasps and then if you can get some good armor...

...What is the best armor for a druid anyway? Dragonplate?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

A Monk's Belt with a Wilding Clasp is really the only thing you need. Remember that its AC bonus won't work with Wild armor, so you're better off going unarmored. Lesser Metamagic Rods of Extend are also good to have, attach them to your belt so they won't change when you Wild Shape and use them for buffs and offensive spells like Creeping Cold.

Monk's Belt is 13,000 gp
+Wilding Clasp is 4,000 gp
Lesser Rod of Extend is 3,000 gp
Lesser Rod of Extend is 3,000 gp

That leaves you with 4,000 gp remaining for mundane items and other stuff. I'd spend it on an extra Wilding Clasp for whenever you get another item to put it on.

I'd get Companion Spellbond (PH2) at level 1, Natural Bond (CV) at 3, Natural Spell at 6, and whatever you want after that. Get a Fleshraker dinosaur (MM3) or a Dire Eagle (RoS) animal companion, Natural Bond will negate the 'level -3' penalty for it being more powerful than a level 1 companion. Give it enough cross-class Spellcraft ranks to get Mage Slayer (CA), maybe even spend one of its ability increases every 4 HD to boost its Int high enough to be good-aligned and take Vow of Poverty, which is extremely cheesy but extremely powerful.

At around level 12+ you'll want a standard Metamagic Rod of Extend and a 6th level Pearl of Power. Every other day alternate between casting Energy Immunity x3, or on the days between cast Energy Immunity x2 and Superior Resistance. Use the Pearl of Power to recover an Energy Immunity each time so you only spend two 6th level spells/day. Use the Rod of Extend on each and they'll all last 48 hours. That will give you constant immunity to all five types of energy as well as a +6 Enhancement bonus to all of your saving throws.

Also at level 11+ you'll want a standard Metamagic Rod of Empower and maybe two 6th level Pearls of Power. Cast Fire Seeds to make the berry bombs three times, using the Pearls of Power to recover each and Empower each one. Make the command word the same for all of them and put them in a pouch. At level 11 each bomb will deal (1d8+11)x1.5 fire damage, for an average of 186 damage per spell, or 558 damage for all three. Wild Shape into a bird and drop the pouch in the center of four opponents, or summon a small Fire Elemental to deliver the pouch to the desired spot, and spend a free action to speak the command word and detonate it. Get some Ungent of Timelessness and you can cast it in advance quite a few times.

[Cedrass]

...What is the best armor for a druid anyway? Dragonplate?

I found Dragonhide Full Plate to be quite fun, you put the Wilding property and it melds with your new form, giving you the armor bonus without the maximum Dex and the nice part (by RAW anyways) is that you don't have to be proficient with it anyways, since it melds with you!

[mostlyharmful]

Bear in mind that magic items resize themselves to the user and if you have clearly identifiable body parts that relate to the item slot you can use it. If you turn into a Brown Bear then you clearly have a neck, distinct digits on your forepaws, a waist and a head. Your druid might look a little funky but just get your team to put your Monks Belt, Periapt of wisdom, rings of whatever and hat of disguise onto you. Then you use the hat of disguise to conceal the items.

Wildling Clasps are generally for high level druids with items for every slot and DMs with no sense of fun.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

The best armor for a Druid would be Bracers of Armor or a Mage Armor spell from the party Wizard, because a Monk's Belt AC won't work with anything else.

[mostlyharmful]

The best armor for a Druid would be Bracers of Armor or a Mage Armor spell from the party Wizard, because a Monk's Belt AC won't work with anything else.

It'll work with a strict reading of Wild modified Armour which melds into your form, and with Barkskin which all druids should have up at all times, and with Dancing Shields since you aren't wearing or wielding them, and with deflection or dodge bonuses such as from protection from X. Just saying.

[Eldariel]

The best armor for a Druid would be Bracers of Armor or a Mage Armor spell from the party Wizard, because a Monk's Belt AC won't work with anything else.

Depends, by RAW a Wilding armor works fine with it when Wildshaped. Of course, many DMs will nuke that.

EDIT: Ninja'd... Stupid 1 post/minute limit.

[Keld Denar]

Dancing Shields since you aren't wearing or wielding them

Actually, Animated Shields DON'T work with a monk's unarmored bonuses, since even though your hand is free, you are still "wielding" the shield. An Animated Shield still imposes an Armor Check Penalty (if any) and Arcane Spell Failure (if applicable). It is, for all intents and purposes OTHER than occupying a hand, wielded, and thusly would interfere. All the rest of it should work well with it though!

[mostlyharmful]

Actually, Animated Shields DON'T work with a monk's unarmored bonuses, since even though your hand is free, you are still "wielding" the shield. An Animated Shield still imposes an Armor Check Penalty (if any) and Arcane Spell Failure (if applicable). It is, for all intents and purposes OTHER than occupying a hand, wielded, and thusly would interfere. All the rest of it should work well with it though!

The Monk bonus says it doesn't apply when the Monk is armoured, encumbered and when they carry a shield. If you have a mithral large shield you have no armour check penalty, you arent carrying it and you arn't armoured. You aren't in fact 'wielding' the shield, it just specifically still has an armour check penalty and applies armour check penalties which are avoidable, you wield it in all ways except the one that counts.

[Keld Denar]

Animated
Upon command, an animated shield floats within 2 feet of the wielder, protecting her as if she were using it herself but freeing up both her hands. Only one shield can protect a character at a time. A character with an animated shield still takes any penalties associated with shield use, such as armor check penalty, arcane spell failure chance, and nonproficiency.

Strong transmutation; CL 12th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate objects; Price +2 bonus.

Emphasis mine. Its still wielded, and a monk still can't benefit from it. Thems the RAW.

Also, the 2nd bolded area indicates that the character suffers all penalties associated with wielding a shield. Losing the benefits of your monkly abilities is a penalty you draw when you wield a shield.

[The Glyphstone]

If you've got access to Wilding Clasps, a Clasp attached to your armor will save a great deal of money over actual Wild Armor.

[Eldariel]

If you've got access to Wilding Clasps, a Clasp attached to your armor will save a great deal of money over actual Wild Armor.

But lacks the awesome of Wild armor like lack of ACP, no need for proficiency, and no Max Dex.

Also, Ring of Force Shield with Clasp for shield-bonus to AC if you feel so inclined.

[awa]

"Any gear worn or carried by the druid melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional" From d20srd

Wild shape works differently from other shape shifting powers you cant select items that your new form can wear and keep them while transformed

From a meta gaming perspective if its going to be a long game try and spend as much of your cash on one item as you can becuase it's less likely to become obsolete as quickly as numerous weaker items. i personally like wild dragon hide full plate becuase of its raw defense although i take the heavy armor proficiency so im not quite as helpless in normal form.

P.s. i believe wild works with shields as well

[Berserk Monk]

You could just go Vow of Poverty. Druids one of the few classes that can pull it off.

[tyckspoon]

"Any gear worn or carried by the druid melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional" From d20srd

Wild shape works differently from other shape shifting powers you cant select items that your new form can wear and keep them while transformed

The traditional method is to take off everything you intend to wear, wildshape, and have your party members/hired servant/unusually intelligent and prehensile-limb-bearing animal companion re-dress you. Most of the basic slots (head/neck/belt/cloak) can go on just about any shape. Only really practical for the kinds of druids that live in bear/giant eagle/whatever form; characters that prefer to hang out in their 'normal' shape or who change a lot are better off investing in wilding clasps or non-worn gear like ioun stones.

[Claudius Maximus]

I'd get Companion Spellbond (PH2) at level 1, Natural Bond (CV) at 3, Natural Spell at 6, and whatever you want after that. Get a Fleshraker dinosaur (MM3) or a Dire Eagle (RoS) animal companion, Natural Bond will negate the 'level -3' penalty for it being more powerful than a level 1 companion. Give it enough cross-class Spellcraft ranks to get Mage Slayer (CA), maybe even spend one of its ability increases every 4 HD to boost its Int high enough to be good-aligned and take Vow of Poverty, which is extremely cheesy but extremely powerful.

I sincerely doubt that an animal can raise its int to 3 with an ability increase. If this were the case, wouldn't there be a certain proportion of advanced animals that are sapient? Besides, the SRD entry for the animal type states that "no creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher can be an animal," So I think it's impossible.

[awa]

true you could have an ally equip you but that does limit your versatility you cant switch forms on the fly

[Coidzor]

I found Dragonhide Full Plate to be quite fun, you put the Wilding property and it melds with your new form, giving you the armor bonus without the maximum Dex and the nice part (by RAW anyways) is that you don't have to be proficient with it anyways, since it melds with you!

I thought it counted as medium armor which druids have proficiency in?

<_< >_> What color of dragon makes the best armor, generally speaking?

[Gorbash]

I thought it counted as medium armor which druids have proficiency in?

It doesn't. Read the description in DMG.

<_< >_> What color of dragon makes the best armor, generally speaking?

Whichever color matches your eyes, since it doesn't make any difference.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

I sincerely doubt that an animal can raise its int to 3 with an ability increase. If this were the case, wouldn't there be a certain proportion of advanced animals that are sapient? Besides, the SRD entry for the animal type states that "no creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher can be an animal," So I think it's impossible.

True, which is why you instead take Celestial Companion from the BoED. That gets you a Good-aligned companion with enough Int(through the template and the new Magical Beast type) to take VoP.

[olentu]

I can not seem to figure out why is it often suggested that druids give a fleshraker vow of poverty without fully fleshing out the possible problem of repeated use of their claw attacks or tail attack likely making the companion loose the benefit of the feat due to the stat damaging poison that comes with these attacks. It seems that if one is going to suggest this tactic one would at least make a note of this problem or perhaps even give ways to get around the limitation such as possibly keeping a neutralize poison spell on the companion at all times.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

I can not seem to figure out why is it often suggested that druids give a fleshraker vow of poverty without fully fleshing out the possible problem of repeated use of their claw attacks or tail attack likely making the companion loose the benefit of the feat due to the stat damaging poison that comes with these attacks. It seems that if one is going to suggest this tactic one would at least make a note of this problem or perhaps even give ways to get around the limitation such as possibly keeping a neutralize poison spell on the companion at all times.

Poison from natural weapon attacks is specifically exempted from the already confusing and idiotic 'poison is EEEEVIL' rules.

[olentu]

Poison from natural weapon attacks is specifically exempted from the already confusing and idiotic 'poison is EEEEVIL' rules.

Interesting. I have no memory of such a rule and as such would you provide me direction to the passage that states such a thing since it appears that I am completely missing that statement.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

From the BoED:

Poison and disease are generally the tools of evil monsters and
characters, implements of corruption and destruction. If snakes
and vermin are associated with evil, as they are in many cultures,
it is usually because of their venom that they are viewed in
such a negative light despite their neutral alignment. Using
poison that deals ability damage is an evil act because it causes
undue suffering in the process of incapacitating or killing an
opponent. Of the poisons described in the Dungeon Master’s
Guide, only one is acceptable for good characters to use: oil of
taggit, which deals no damage but causes unconsciousness.
Ironically, the poison favored by the evil drow, which causes
unconsciousness as its initial damage, is also not inherently evil
to use.

Their reasoning behind this is inherently flawed and contradictory. They begin by saying that creatures who have a natural ability to deliver poison are neutral aligned despite that ability, then go on to say that use of poison is an evil act. Luckily, this is taken from Chapter 3: Exalted Equipment, therefore everything in this chapter, including the above paragraph, can be taken as a reference to equipment and items in the game. In that sense, "Using poison that deals ability damage is an evil act..." only refers to the use of poison as equipment which must be obtained, not the use of a poison that is naturally created by the creature using it. Any type of non-equipment poison is exempt from this rule, otherwise the above paragraph contradicts several core books and can be completely disregarded. For example, if a Neutral Good Druid worships a good aligned deity, that character can cast Poison as often as she wants without angering her deity or compromising her good alignment, because it is not an evil act. Luckily, the above paragraph does not contradict this because it only refers to equipment, not spells.

[olentu]

From the BoED:

Their reasoning behind this is inherently flawed and contradictory. They begin by saying that creatures who have a natural ability to deliver poison are neutral aligned despite that ability, then go on to say that use of poison is an evil act. Luckily, this is taken from Chapter 3: Exalted Equipment, therefore everything in this chapter, including the above paragraph, can be taken as a reference to equipment and items in the game. In that sense, "Using poison that deals ability damage is an evil act..." only refers to the use of poison as equipment which must be obtained, not the use of a poison that is naturally created by the creature using it. Any type of non-equipment poison is exempt from this rule, otherwise the above paragraph contradicts several core books and can be completely disregarded. For example, if a Neutral Good Druid worships a good aligned deity, that character can cast Poison as often as she wants without angering her deity or compromising her good alignment, because it is not an evil act. Luckily, the above paragraph does not contradict this because it only refers to equipment, not spells.

So first animals would be a listed specific exception from the general alignment rules due to their being incapable of moral action and as such there would be no conflict. However by using similar logic the statement on poison is in the ravages and afflictions section. Therefor everything in this section can be taken as a reference to ravages and afflictions. In that sense "Using poison that deals ability damage is an evil act..." only refers to the use of poison as a ravage or affliction, not the use of poison that is not a ravage or affliction. Any type of non ravage or affliction poison is exempt from this rule.

Now then I see no contradiction between the core rules and this statement. The only restriction on divine spellcasters and spells is spells with alignment subtypes. For example take a Neutral Good Druid that worships a good aligned deity, said druid takes flame blade. The druid can then use the spell to anger the deity by killing innocents or can use it to protect them. So the fact that a druid can get a spell that can be used to anger the deity the druid worships is not evidence for anything.

So I would say that your argument about placement in the book either makes the rule have basically zero effect or does not apply while your argument that there is some contradiction with the core rules about druids and spells does not seem like it works.

[Coidzor]

Now then I see no contradiction between the core rules and this statement. The only restriction on divine spellcasters and spells is spells with alignment subtypes. For example take a Neutral Good Druid that worships a good aligned deity, said druid takes flame blade. The druid can then use the spell to anger the deity by killing innocents or can use it to protect them. So the fact that a druid can get a spell that can be used to anger the deity the druid worships is not evidence for anything.

Actually, it is. It means that the spell is acceptable for the character to use against legitimate targets in that deity's eyes if said deity is providing the spells. Otherwise it would have alignment tags to prevent one from using it if it violated the ethos of the alignment to use it, ever.