Feats for a Shapeshift Druid

[Aximili]

The title says everything.
I'm making a Shapeshift druid build and I'm trying to figure out what feats go along well with it. I was looking for a little more than just the basic power attack.

So, any ideas? My first thoughts were towards karmic strike, simply because it would allow extra attacks, and this build lacks iterative attacks. But it's easy to see there's little sinergy in there.

(also, prc ideas are welcome. Though full druid seems the best way to go)

EDIT: Just to be clear. I'm talking about the Shapeshift Variant from PHBII.

[The_Snark]

Nature's Warrior and Warshaper are good PrCs, though they'll lose you some or all of your spellcasting progression, so you can take them or leave them as you please.

Feats... tricky. If you feel like stretching the game balance, you can take Vow of Poverty, since its benefits stay with you in shapeshifted form (whereas magic items do not). I'd eventually grab Power Attack even if you don't get anything that relies on it. If you do end up taking a prestige class that reduces caster progression, Practiced Spellcaster is a good idea.

Aside from that, you could grab some standard caster feats; metamagic if you want it, maybe some stuff that increases your summoning.

[Annarrkkii]

Ha! I just made this, actually, for WhiteKnight's game.

I went Ranger (wild shape/fast movement variant) 5/Master of Many Forms 3/Warshaper 5. 5 ranger levels, 2 levels master of many forms, 5 levels Warshaper, and then on from there as Master of Many forms.

Master of Many forms if from Complete Adventurer and Warshaper is from Complete Warrior.

As for feats. Complete Divine and Complete Adventurer offer a few Wild Feats. I recommend grabbing Rhino Hide and Eagle's Wings, to augment natural forms. Thanks to multimorph, from Warshaper, you don't need the many wildshape uses you get out of Master of Many Forms, and can instead use those uses to give your low-natural armor forms high armor, or give non-flight forms wings. There are other wild feats, but most of those I ignored.

The ranger variant beats druid because it lets you hit those +4 BAB and wildshape prestige classes a level earlier than druid would. I invested several feats in Extra Wild Shape from Complete Divine.

Snark's spot on with Power Attack, as the strength bonuses the big forms hit, as well as the Warshapers ability, though Practiced Spellcaster isn't as useful for my build, as I avoided spellcasting entirely in favor of the shapeshifting, and, by that same token, Natural Spell is less useful.

I avoided Nature's Warrior. It's a solid bet for druid shapeshifters, so you may want to hit it up, as it advances spellcasting as well, but Warshaper far exceeds it in power, and Master of Many Forms makes you much more versatile. Nature's Warrior is just a little too narrow in its abilities, and focuses on Elemental forms a great deal—which I find uninspiring.

[Aximili]

vow of poverty is not an option (it has been banned by the DM).

I thought about Warshaper, but no spellcasting is pretty heavy.
Nature's warrior gains spell levels, but the abilities are not as nifty.

I guess I'll have to stick with a few metamagic and the most important combat feats. =/

Annarrkkii, I think you got me wrong. It's not a druid with wildshape, it's a druid with shapeshift (the variant from PHBII). So the wild feats from complete divine are (unfortunately) useless.

[mikeejimbo]

Natural Spell?

[Annarrkkii]

If you are fixed on spellcating as well as shaping, you aren't going to get as much bang for your buck when you shapeshift. Nature's Warrior just doesn't make you that much more effective—while Warshaper is absolutely insane. I mean, multiple forms out of one use? Strength and Constitution bonus? Fast Healing? Reach? Improved Natural Weapon? I strongly advise you to take Warshaper—even if it does mean sacrificing spell levels. Go straight druid, maybe some Nature's Warrior, but at least grab a level or two of Warshaper. Warshaper is the one class that focuses solely on making you more effective while shaping, and therefore is the best option for someone who wants to be as effective as possible in wildshape.

[crazedloon]

vow of poverty is not an option (it has been banned by the DM).

I thought about Warshaper, but no spellcasting is pretty heavy.
Nature's warrior gains spell levels, but the abilities are not as nifty.

I guess I'll have to stick with a few metamagic and the most important combat feats. =/

Warshaper is much better then it may look. Indead we have banned it in all our games. With it you can polymorph into a hudra with a head of every dragon and one with bee breath. (ok youll need to be a little high level wise but this is still possible sanse the bee breath) then there is the spead the lack of crits/sneak vs you and you become a 1 man killing machine. realy at that point spell casting is nice but its nor needed im sure other people in your party can deal with spell casting.

If you realy want casting you will need Naural spell (its a little obvious but im just reminding you)

[ImperiousLeader]

Since there aren't many feats specifically for Shapeshift Druids, I tend to focus on casting. Either make a strong summoner, maybe get Persistent Spell and put up 24 hour buffs that will stay with me when I shapeshift, unlike magic items, or otherwise focus on my spellcasting.

[Annarrkkii]

ImperiousLeader:

Are you referring to a lack of shapeshifter feats in general? Or just a lack of feats for druids who plan to shapeshift and still be druidish?

The first I disagree with: Complete Divine and Adventurer can offer a good few, and racial substitution levels out of a few of the Races books, as well as a few feats out of those, can make a difference.

The second I agree with, and am not surprised by. Druids are awesome enough without being allowed to excel with both shapeshifting and magic—more than they already can.

[The_Snark]

I think the original poster meant a druid using the Shapeshift variant from the PHBII, meaning that Natural Spell doesn't work, the Master of Many forms would require a complete overhaul, and Nature's Warrior and the Warshaper get better, since the Shapeshift variant is useable at will. Wild feats also don't work with the variant.

That's part of the reason finding feats for it is so difficult.

[Annarrkkii]

::shame::

Oh. I was so excited to see someone else doing a build like mine.

Just... ::shame::

[Aximili]

If you realy want casting you will need Naural spell (its a little obvious but im just reminding you)

Shapwshift variant does not allow spellcasting in any way. It specifically includes natural spell.

[crazedloon]

Shapwshift variant does not allow spellcasting in any way. It specifically includes natural spell.

I like others was confused dont yell at me

[Aximili]

I like others was confused dont yell at me

Hm... OK, I suppose I could forgive you.

[Everyman]

Actually, the key to a good shapeshift druid is not through their feats but through their buffs. Extend and Persistant Spell can greatly add to this, but is not necessary.

Also, try choosing feats with the idea that you are a "fighter". The Power Attack (cliche as it is) tree is still one of your most viable options. However, an intelligent druid could use the Combat Expertise tree to pull of some amazing combos. Opposed STR checks versus a transformed druid are hard, so Imp. Trip and Disarm can be great.