Key features for a Predator Druid?

[Greyfeld]

I'm currently waiting to see if my level 1 predator druid is accepted into a PBP game. I've done a lot of research and looked over handbooks to try to piece together my character, but to be completely honest, this is the first time I've ever built a 4e character.

So, I was hoping that some of the veterans out there could tell me if I made any good/bad decisions on my build, and give me any suggestions they have. Please keep in mind that the core books for this game are PHBs, Powers, and Adventurer's Vault. Other sources are on a case-by-case basis, and anything with fluff that is setting-specific is a guaranteed "no."

P.S. I don't have/use CB, I just copied the general layout of what I've seen other people post using it.

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Aerindel Wildspeak - Level 1
Elf, Druid
Build: Predator Druid
Primal Aspect Option: Primal Predator

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 11, CON 14, DEX 16, INT 12, WIS 18, CHA 8

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 11, CON 14, DEX 14, INT 12, WIS 16, CHA 8


AC: 16 Fort: 12 Ref: 14 Will: 15
HP: 26 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Nature +13, Perception +11, Heal +9, Athletics +4

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +2, Arcana +1, Bluff -1, Diplomacy -1, Dungeoneering +4, Endurance +1, History +1, Insight +4, Intimidate -1, Religion +1, Stealth +2, Streetwise -1, Thievery +2

POWERS
Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack
Druid Feature: Wild Shape
Elf Racial Power: Elven Accuracy
Druid Attack 1: Swarming Locusts
Druid Attack 1: Savage Rend
Druid Attack 1: Flame Seed
Druid Attack 1: Thorn Spray
Druid Attack 1: Summon Pack Wolf


FEATS
Level 1: Ritual Casting, Agile Form

RITUALS
Animal Messenger
Create Campsite

ITEMS
Ritual Tome
Adventurer's Kit
Ritual Components (50gp)
Hide Armor
Quarterstaff
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[AbdulAlhazred]

I don't see anything in particular that looks especially suboptimal. Endurance should be +2, Thievery and Stealth should be +3.

There are of course infinite feat choices. Overall going for high mobility seems good. I'm assuming the character will focus on beast form and getting in and out. You'll probably want to come up with an AC boost as soon as you can. AC 16 is going to get ouchy when your primary M.O. is going to be a form of kiting pretty much. The rough part is at heroic you have pretty much only one option, the defense feats from HotF*, which you're saying are probably not available. Maybe at level 2 pick up Warding Wind or Barkskin? Should help a bit. Toughness probably wouldn't hurt either.

 

[Greyfeld]

I don't see anything in particular that looks especially suboptimal. Endurance should be +2, Thievery and Stealth should be +3.

They were, but remember Hide armor gives a -1 penalty to certain skills.

There are of course infinite feat choices. Overall going for high mobility seems good. I'm assuming the character will focus on beast form and getting in and out. You'll probably want to come up with an AC boost as soon as you can. AC 16 is going to get ouchy when your primary M.O. is going to be a form of kiting pretty much. The rough part is at heroic you have pretty much only one option, the defense feats from HotF*, which you're saying are probably not available. Maybe at level 2 pick up Warding Wind or Barkskin? Should help a bit. Toughness probably wouldn't hurt either.

Barkskin looks solid. I was kind of concerned about my defenses, due to being on the front lines. But I figured at lower levels, the higher mobility would keep my bacon out of the fryer for the most part.

I'd planned out my next three feats to be Wild Elf Luck (It's FRPG, but I already got it OKed by the GM), Improved Initiative, and Versatile Expertise. I don't know if I should switch any of those out for a defensive feat or not.

If it makes any difference, we're going to be running Keep on the Shadowfell, and if it goes well we'll probably push on to Thunderspire Labyrinth and Pyramid of Shadows.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Yeah, I always forget about hide having check penalties, lol.

Well, as I say, there's not much in the way of defensive feats that will do anything for you. This is the bad part about being a DEX/INT secondary light armor user. That's really why I'd suggest a utility power like Barkskin, it lets you obviate that a bit. I'm not sure Improved Initiative does a LOT for you, your init is reasonably good, and I'd be leery of a tactical concept that involves rushing on far ahead of the party right off. It might get you a few better shots with ranged/area powers though. Toughness might work out better though, those extra hit points and slightly higher surge value may keep you up, especially at low levels.

I'd picture this kind of build moving around the edges of the enemy, darting in, firing off a close burst or hitting an enemy and then getting out of there.

 

[Greyfeld]

Yeah, I always forget about hide having check penalties, lol.

Well, as I say, there's not much in the way of defensive feats that will do anything for you. This is the bad part about being a DEX/INT secondary light armor user. That's really why I'd suggest a utility power like Barkskin, it lets you obviate that a bit. I'm not sure Improved Initiative does a LOT for you, your init is reasonably good, and I'd be leery of a tactical concept that involves rushing on far ahead of the party right off. It might get you a few better shots with ranged/area powers though. Toughness might work out better though, those extra hit points and slightly higher surge value may keep you up, especially at low levels.

I'd picture this kind of build moving around the edges of the enemy, darting in, firing off a close burst or hitting an enemy and then getting out of there.

Yeah that was the idea behind it. Originally, I was planning on jumping in and mixing it up in melee, but then I remembered "I'm playing 4e, not 3.5, Druids are controllers," so I changed it to more of a hit-and-run sort of combatant.

Hmmm... the thing is, I don't know how quickly initiative scales in fourth edition. I noticed that there are a ton of feats that boost initiative, with Improved Initiative giving a rather huge boost. I wanted to make sure I didn't fall behind, and the idea that I could jump in and fire off an early AoE without worrying about hitting my allies is a nice boon as well.

But you're saying that boosting my HP will probably go further than increasing my initiative any further?

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

PC init modifier increases by 1/2 level plus if you are boosting DEX you will get another +1/tier (actually +4 over 3 tiers). Monsters init is calculated the same way as PC init, so in theory it stays around the same if you don't do anything about it. Generally monsters tend to have higher init than PCs of the same level. Since most PCs don't boost DEX those PCs will usually fall a bit more behind. So yeah, Improved Initiative for your average PC will just up it enough to about stay even. For your character it would mean you'd generally have higher init than most monsters you'd face.

The thing in 4e is high initiative is not usually a HUGE benefit. You may go first in the first round, or at least earlier, but once the rotation starts there's no further benefit. For say a war wizard it can be a nice thing to take, you can drop a zone on the enemy right off before they move. Thing is with init being d20+bonus basically you're not really guaranteed to get any benefit in a given fight. Toughness OTOH, yeah, you'll pretty much like having that every day. You can always retrain of course if you find it really beneficial to go first.

 

[Greyfeld]

PC init modifier increases by 1/2 level plus if you are boosting DEX you will get another +1/tier (actually +4 over 3 tiers). Monsters init is calculated the same way as PC init, so in theory it stays around the same if you don't do anything about it. Generally monsters tend to have higher init than PCs of the same level. Since most PCs don't boost DEX those PCs will usually fall a bit more behind. So yeah, Improved Initiative for your average PC will just up it enough to about stay even. For your character it would mean you'd generally have higher init than most monsters you'd face.

The thing in 4e is high initiative is not usually a HUGE benefit. You may go first in the first round, or at least earlier, but once the rotation starts there's no further benefit. For say a war wizard it can be a nice thing to take, you can drop a zone on the enemy right off before they move. Thing is with init being d20+bonus basically you're not really guaranteed to get any benefit in a given fight. Toughness OTOH, yeah, you'll pretty much like having that every day. You can always retrain of course if you find it really beneficial to go first.

Well for example, since I'm taking Swarming Locusts, it would be helpful to pop it off at the beginning of the battle to grant my teammates combat advantage against a number of enemies at once without running the risk of beating our defender in the face with it. Just as an example. Afterall, half my powers are area burst/blast.

But you have a point. I'll probably place Toughness for level 4 (I really want that Wild Elf Luck feat at level 2) to replace Improved Initiative.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

The most important point is "is the character cool and fun" Take anything that makes it fun. Create an interesting concept and develop it in a fun way. You'll do fine.

Now, if I could only figure out a way to make a viable Swarm Druid Beezus!

 

[Greyfeld]

The most important point is "is the character cool and fun" Take anything that makes it fun. Create an interesting concept and develop it in a fun way. You'll do fine.

Now, if I could only figure out a way to make a viable Swarm Druid Beezus!

I considered running a swarm druid, since they're more survivable in close combat, but I decided that I liked the flavor of the predator druid better.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

They get DR, but they're CON based and need to wear light armor... It ain't a pretty sight. Drop your AC by another point. Sure you get Resist 3, but only in wild shape. Shields would be an answer, but they don't work in wild shape. Hide Expertise might help you out some, but the irony that build is pretty much a close in fighter. Overall you're much better off as-is.