Another Druid Post

[Man With Dog]

Hi there,

Wonder if there are any Druid experts out there.
I am starting a game at 8th level and it is a relatively powerful game, everyone has a special ability for their class, everyone has a magical item they were given a few levels ago, boots of springing and striding in one case.
Then, i make me now - A Druid.

I knwo all the OP phrases and the 'You dont need any equipment lol' but the DM has decided he wants to have the say on gear and such (so i cant go too OP with lvl8 starting gold mostly) but he wants me to input what kind of thing i would like.

Also, instead of an ability - he is willing to give me an extra feat - and possibly the option of taking a higher level animal companion (i think there is a feat for that too)

I have good stats and was going to make myself middle aged which would give me a natural 18 wis (and 2 points to add from lvl 4 and lvl 8)

Anyone have tips on gear i should hint at and feats for use?
I think i may end up fighting melee more than anything else.

I have thought of:
Natural Spell and possibly Companion Spellbond.
Maybe the 2 casting ones to enhance my Summonings if needed.
And also gearwise - A monks belt although not 100% sure how that works

Any tips or suggestions from anyone?

EDIT: Am not allowed a dino pet

[Fouredged Sword]

You are likely going to spend most of your time in wildshape. It is just that good, so pick up the feat that lets you cast like that and wildclasps. Your middle age won't matter anymore now that you are useing the stats of a hydra.

Really want to make a DM cry. One of the dragon books has a feat that lets you wildshape into a dragon. A wildshape that can talk, manipulate objects, fly, have impresive stats, good natural armor, and you can cherry pick the right invulnerability by dragon color.

....

add wildclasped dragonhide platemail?

...

profit.

[Man With Dog]

"Really want to make a DM cry. One of the dragon books has a feat that lets you wildshape into a dragon. A wildshape that can talk, manipulate objects, fly, have impresive stats, good natural armor, and you can cherry pick the right invulnerability by dragon color.

add wildclasped dragonhide platemail?"




Think the armour is ALOT of money and he will likely stop me from going down the 'Turn into a dragon ability' as he is stopping my having a fleshraker

[Optimystik]

I'll just leave this here

Feats are post 3, gear... not finished yet it seems.

[Another_Poet]

Definitely take the improved animal companion over the feat.

The Augment Summoning feat is not worth it. You and your companion are already twice the melee force of any normal PC, summoning temporary critters is mediocre and giving them higher stats for their couple of rounds is generally not worth it.

If you want to be a summoner consider a summon reserve feat if that's allowed.

There is also a feat that lets you blow a buff spell whjen you cast a summoning spell, and the summoned creature(s) appear with the buff on them. It still seems like a sub-par use of spells to me but it will make them a lot more badass than Augment Summoning.

[Optimystik]

If you want to be a summoning druid, Greenbound Summoning is extremely powerful, and Rashemi Elemental Summoning is pretty useful as well.

The only downside is that both are in Faerun-specific books.

[Man With Dog]

Sounds like some good idea's actually.

Anyone good with gear?

[Prodan]

Bears. Your WBL is invested in buying and training bears.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Dragon Wild Shape is a waste of time, it requires Kn: Nature 15 ranks so the earliest you could get it is level 12. It only allows you to take the form of small and medium dragons, which by that level is laughable. A better option would be Frozen Wild Shape from Frostburn, which would allow you to take the form of a Cryohydra, though even that isn't worth it unless you get Master of Many Forms 7+ and take Robilar's Gambit. Your only Wild Shape feat should be Natural Spell, and maybe Combat Reflexes, Multiattack, and various other combat feats. The only Wild Shape feat which could make a DM cry would be Aberration Wild Shape from Lords of Madness, which combined with Assume Supernatural Ability in Savage Species will enable you to take the form of a Beholder and freely use all of its eye rays.

For items there's Armor of the Beast, Mantle of the Beast, and Ring of the Beast in Complete Champion, which should be some of the first things you work toward obtaining. The Raiment of the Stormwalker item set in MIC also has some nice pieces. You'll definitely want at least one Lesser Rod of Extend for your lower level buffs. A Circlet of Rapid Casting + Wilding Clasp is also useful to cast a low level spell and still get to full attack, such as Entangle, or Enrage Animal on your companion, or even Produce Flame which would be delivered on each of your natural attacks.

A Monk's Belt gives you the entire Monk AC bonus class feature, including adding your Wisdom bonus to AC when unarmored. This would apply even when Wild Shaped, though you'd want a Wilding Clasp from MIC if you intend to change forms much. Since Wild armor melds with your form but continues to grant its AC bonus, you're technically not considered to be wearing it whenever you're Wild Shaped, so you would still get your Monk's Belt AC bonus. Also note that you'd get Improved Unarmed Strike like a Monk, which can be used in any form. You could use unarmed strikes as your primary attack, along with iterative attacks, and then any natural weapons your form has as additional secondary attacks. This is a good reason to get Multiattack, and maybe even Improved Multiattack so those secondary attacks will be at your full attack bonus.

For your animal companion, you should probably get a Dire Eagle from Races of Stone. Definitely get Natural Bond, as it will negate the 'level -3' for it being a more powerful companion. Consider taking Exalted Companion from BoED to get a celestial version, which would be more intelligent and most importantly good-aligned. That will make your animal companion qualify for Vow of Poverty, which would give it substantial bonuses based on its HD and you wouldn't need to provide it with any gear. Its vow would have no effect on your character's gear or wealth, and since animal companions normally don't receive a share of loot anyway it wouldn't have any drawbacks other than the feats spent to get it.

[subject42]

If you want to do something hilarious, spend your entire WBL on the following items:

A large or huge mundane club, which is free.

A custom wondrous item of Shillelagh (uses/day) made by a high level caster.

A custom wondrous item of Brambles (uses/day) made by a high level caster.

A custom wondrous item of Spikes (uses/day) made by a high level caster.

A custom wondrous item of Greater Mighty Wallop (uses/day), made by a high level caster.

Use all of those items as a pregame buff train, then assume a wild shape (such as an ape) that can manipulate the club.

Commence to spend the rest of the combat swinging for the fences, Mark McGuire style.

[nedz]

If you want to do something hilarious, spend your entire WBL on the following items:

A large or huge mundane club, which is free.

A custom wondrous item of Shillelagh (uses/day) made by a high level caster.

A custom wondrous item of Brambles (uses/day) made by a high level caster.

A custom wondrous item of Spikes (uses/day) made by a high level caster.

A custom wondrous item of Greater Mighty Wallop (uses/day), made by a high level caster.

Use all of those items as a pregame buff train, then assume a wild shape (such as an ape) that can manipulate the club.

Commence to spend the rest of the combat swinging for the fences, Mark McGuire style.

You forgot A custom wondrous item of Entangling Staff (uses/day) made by a high level caster.