Deadly Hunter Druid

[MichielHagen]

I am currently building a level 12 Druid that uses the "Deadly Hunter" variant from UA, which replaces Wildshape with some monk and ranger abilities.
I am also taking the Vow of Poverty feat from BoED, from which i also get Intuitive attack.

Now i want him to get into melee from time to time.

The current options i see are using Shillelagh and Spikes on a Quarterstaff (doing 2d6+10 damage, decent AB from Intuitive attack), but i would need to cast both spells in combat since they do not last long.
The other is Flame Blade (1d8+6 damage, touch attack).

Are there any other good options i am currently missing?

[ex cathedra]

Are there any other good options i am currently missing?

Not losing Wildshape is the first that comes to mind.

[MichielHagen]

Ok, i was doubting whether i should have mentioned it to the letter, but i thought it was clear enough.

I am losing Wildshape and taking the Alternate Feature.
I am taking Vow of Poverty.

This may or may not be optimal, but it is not up for debate, it simply is part of the character i am making.

[ex cathedra]

I see; excuse me for being hopeful.

Well, I would suggest that primarily don't melee. You have spells.

When you do melee, however, I'm.. going to have to suggest that you rely on the staff and good self buffs. At your level, you should be able to buff with Bite of the Were(bear/tiger), which will really help you out, depending on where your VoP stat bonuses are placed.

Without full BAB/Divine Power, ways to generate lots of extra spells to mitigate your need of in-combat buffing, the easy natural weapons resource that is wildshape, and a reliable source of good damage, you're going to have trouble.

Be sure to buff your companion to the best of your ability; a fleshraker (MM...3?) would be ideal, especially depending on your spell sources; venomfire does terrible things with fleshrakers and similar beasts.

[Melamoto]

Well, your PrC choice will be quite different. You'll probably have to go without one, as there are no PrCs that advance all the abilities of your class, including spellcasting.
The Druid's casting isn't so Gish supportive, but it could still work. So mainly you just have to work on close combat support really.

[Gan The Grey]

I think it would be worth your while to hop into Scout for a single level, take the feat that progresses both Scout and Druid abilities (can't remember the name, but the important part is that your Druid levels increase Skirmish capabilities). My buddy did this and his druid actually turned out pretty cool, even if he did lose one level of caster progression.

My 2 cents.

EDIT - The feat is 'Swift Avenger'. Stacks Skirmish and Wildshape progression. Since you are subing out Wildshape, I would assume it would progress whatever you swapped it out for. The requirements are Skirmish 1d6 and Nature Sense.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I think it would be worth your while to hop into Scout for a single level, take the feat that progresses both Scout and Druid abilities (can't remember the name, but the important part is that your Druid levels increase Skirmish capabilities). My buddy did this and his druid actually turned out pretty cool, even if he did lose one level of caster progression.

My 2 cents.

That feat is called Swift Hunter

[ErrantX]

I think it would be worth your while to hop into Scout for a single level, take the feat that progresses both Scout and Druid abilities (can't remember the name, but the important part is that your Druid levels increase Skirmish capabilities). My buddy did this and his druid actually turned out pretty cool, even if he did lose one level of caster progression.

My 2 cents.

2nded. I think that is a good idea, given the selection and the character you're building.

-X

[Gnaeus]

Swift hunter is a good feat, but it requires +1d6/+1AC skirmish. I think that means it would need a 3 level scout dip, unless there is a trick I don't know.

[Gan The Grey]

Umm....I don't think Swift Hunter is the feat...that's for rangers and scouts.

[ErrantX]

Swift hunter is a good feat, but it requires +1d6/+1AC skirmish. I think that means it would need a 3 level scout dip, unless there is a trick I don't know.

Ooo, +1 point to Gnaeus. This is true. It'd be a 3 level dip into Scout to qualify for Swift Hunter. May or may not be worth it to a deadly hunter druid, but probably not.

Umm....I don't think Swift Hunter is the feat...that's for rangers and scouts.

Favored Enemy and Skirmish, doesn't matter where you got it from to qualify.

I was also rereading the feat and it only stacks scout and ranger by the RAW. I suppose DM fiat could change that to deadly hunter druid, but yeah. 3 Scout would hurt your spells for only damage. It's awesome on a Ranger, makes both classes amazing. 3 Scout / 17 Sword of the Arcane Order Ranger FTW.

-X

[Eldariel]

Ooo, +1 point to Gnaeus. This is true. It'd be a 3 level dip into Scout to qualify for Swift Hunter. May or may not be worth it to a deadly hunter druid, but probably not.

Favored Enemy and Skirmish, doesn't matter where you got it from to qualify.

I was also rereading the feat and it only stacks scout and ranger by the RAW. I suppose DM fiat could change that to deadly hunter druid, but yeah. 3 Scout would hurt your spells for only damage. It's awesome on a Ranger, makes both classes amazing. 3 Scout / 17 Sword of the Arcane Order Ranger FTW.

-X

I personally prefer Mystic Ranger here; one less FE, sure, but you get 5th level spells (TELEPORT!) and can more easily fit a level of Cloistered Cleric for Travel Devotion and 2 more Scout-levels for faster Evasion/Spell Reflection. Of course, Scout 3/Mystic Ranger 17 is still great for Hide in Plain Sight, but it also makes a Scout 5/Mystic Ranger 14/Cloistered Cleric 1 a very real option.


That said, I guess that's off-topic for the Druid; I do sort of like the idea of Deadly Hunter though the lost CLs will suck. It also has the issue of Druid not really triggering Skirmish very easily, so in the end, I think it's best to stick to buffed-up Power Attacking.

I guess since you're giving up Druid's best class features already, might as well go all the way and pick up Druidic Avenger too to get rid of the animal companion and be able to get angry about it. I mean, yeah, AC's combat presence is probably far greater than your Rage-bonus, but if you want to be as awesome a Druidic combatant as you can, it's probably a solid option anyways.

[Gan The Grey]

The feat is 'Swift Avenger'. Stacks Skirmish and Wildshape progression. Since you are subing out Wildshape, I would assume it would progress whatever you swapped it out for. The requirements are Skirmish 1d6 and Nature Sense.

[MichielHagen]

I believe i would have liked to take it, but it is in a Dragon Magazine, which is not allowed in our group (nor are any campaign-specific books, with the exception of Faerun).

[Leon]

I am currently building a level 12 Druid that uses the "Deadly Hunter" variant from UA, which replaces Wildshape with some monk and ranger abilities.
I am also taking the Vow of Poverty feat from BoED, from which i also get Intuitive attack.

Now i want him to get into melee from time to time.

The current options i see are using Shillelagh and Spikes on a Quarterstaff (doing 2d6+10 damage, decent AB from Intuitive attack), but i would need to cast both spells in combat since they do not last long.
The other is Flame Blade (1d8+6 damage, touch attack).

Are there any other good options i am currently missing?

First off, Good to see you playing a variant, too many people seem to get bogged down in Wildshape/NS and cant move past it.

Secondly, i play a Deadly Hunter/Avenger Druid and it rocks - he is often in melee and does well in it (fights with a Glaive and Unarmed). Dont have VoP and have never used it so i cant say much on it, but there are a decent number of good buffs to be had from the Druidic list.

Extend Spell is always handy for having those nice buffs longer, Companion Spellbond for sharing spells at a longer range, Natural bond for better companions sooner.

For potential PrCs, it depends weather your after heading down a more Combat focused line or the spellcaster line.


Lion of Talisid comes to mind since you already have Exalted feats.

The Wildshape part you can probably just ignore or see if you can use it to power the various Wild feats from complete divine (my Druid is in a PrC that advances Wildshape and actually required it to get into it so the Dm just said to ignore it - talk to yours and see what they think)

[imperialspectre]

Get Brambles (SpC, 38) for your staff - L2 spell, it gives +CL to damage rolls, capped at 10. If your DM will let you use the version from Complete Divine (SpC version was way nerfed), upgrade to Spikes - one spell level higher, changes duration to hours/level instead of rounds/level.

Don't do anything that gives up CL, because you need your spells to boost your animal companion. Lion of Talisid is a good suggestion, because even if you don't want to wildshape the free Pounce is awesome (and without wildshape, you have no other way to get Pounce without losing CL).

[Moriato]

I'd suggest getting into the "Lion of Talasid" prc from BoED. It will give you haste, and pounce, which should improve your melee, and it gives full spellcasting.

The only problem you might run into is that it gives you wildshape, heh. Does anything about the "Deadly hunter" variant advance with level? If so, I'm sure it would be a simple enough matter to just say that lion of talasid advances that for you instead of wildshape.