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Character Builds & Optimization
An unusual druid build.
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<blockquote data-quote="Machiavelli" data-source="post: 3213667" data-attributes="member: 40964"><p>I've been toying with the idea of a non-shaping, non-summoning druid recently, ignoring the need for extra character sheets. I figure it would be fun to cut this very powerful class down at the knees, then think of creative ways to build its power back up to respectable heights.</p><p></p><p>Now, it need not be a straight-up druid, and in fact I anticipate some multiclassing, but I'd like to avoid any multiclassing penalties (as per the rules for that in the PHB), and stick to classes/PrC's that have a thematic feal roughly similar to each other.</p><p></p><p>Okay, my ideas for this build mostly stem from the one test build I did for a race I created (one which I think turned out just swell! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />). Here is said build: [sblock]Male elyx fighter 2/druidic avenger 5/scout 3;</p><p>Challenge Rating: 10;</p><p>Type: Medium monsterous humanoid;</p><p>Hit Dice: 10 plus 1d10+1 plus 5d8+5 plus 3d8+3</p><p>Hit Points: 60;</p><p>Init: +3;</p><p>Speed: 40ft, fly 40ft;</p><p>AC: 18 (+2 Dex, +6 Armor), touch 12, flat-footed 16;</p><p>Base Atk: +7/+2;</p><p>Grapple: +11/+6;</p><p>Attack: Elyx steel talon +11 melee or elyx tail spikes +11 melee;</p><p>Full Attack: Elyx tail spikes +11/+6 melee and bite +9 melee and 2 talons +9 melee;</p><p>Damage: Elyx steel talon 1d6+6/19-20x2 (p&s), elyx tail spikes 2d4+4/x2 (s), talon 1d4+2/x2 (p&s), bite 1d4+2/x2 (p&s); </p><p>Alignment: Chaotic Good</p><p>Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 10;</p><p>Saves: Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +6;</p><p>Skills: 42 skill points, 13 ranks max, 8 ranks Jump, +5 Hide checks;</p><p>Feats: Multiattack [MM 304], Extended Rage [CWar 97], Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Elyx Steel Talon, Power Attack, Leap Attack [CAdv 110], Lion's Pounce [CDiv 82];</p><p></p><p>Equipment:</p><p>+3 Leafweave darkwood-studded leather Shadow armor of Woodwalking (22,515gp) [RotW 168/171]</p><p>+2 Elyx Steel Talon (4,065gp)</p><p>+2 Elyx Tail Spikes (4,080gp)</p><p>18,340gp remaining (49,000gp total)</p><p></p><p>Special Abilities:</p><p>[d] Druid spells 5,4,2,1 per day</p><p>[d] Wild shape 1/day</p><p>[d] Barbarian Rage 1/day (11 rounds)</p><p>[d/s] Fast movement +20 feet</p><p><s> Skirmish (+1d6, +1 AC)</s></p><p><s><s> Battle fortitude (+1 Fort & Initiative) </s></s></p><p><s><s>[d] Nature sense (+2 Know(nature), +2 Survival)</s></s></p><p><s><s>[d] Wild empathy (-4 checks)</s></s></p><p><s><s>[d] Woodland stride</s></s></p><p><s><s>[d] Trackless step</s></s></p><p><s><s>[d] Resist nature's lure</s></s></p><p><s><s><s> Trapfinding</s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s> Uncanny dodge</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>[armor] Woodwalk (3/day uses of Tree Stride spell)</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s></s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Druid Spells Prepared (5/4/2/1; save DC 11 + spell lvl): 0- (3)Cure Minor Wounds, Resistance, Guidance; 1- (3)Magic Fang, Obscuring Mist; 2- Barkskin, Bull's Srength; 3- Call Lightning;</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s></s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Abilities started as Str 16, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10 (32 point buy)</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s></s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>-~-</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s></s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Ambush tactics:</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>First a self-buffed diving charge out of the trees...</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Battle Fortitude (+1 Init, +1 Fort)</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>+2 Atk charging</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>+8 Jump check for Leap Attack</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Cast Bull's Strength[2] (+4 Str)</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Cast Magic Fang[1x3] (+1 Atk&dmg Bite and 2 Talons)</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Cast Barkskin[2] (+2 natural AC)</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Cast Resistance[0] (+1 to all saves)</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Cast Guidance[0] (+1 to a single attack, save, or skill check) </s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Cast Call Lightning[3] (1 bolt/rd standard action)</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Barbarian Rage (Str +4, Con +4, AC -2)</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Steel Talon 2d6 + Str x3 + PA x6 + 1d6 skirmish</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s></s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Then a hasty retreat covered by spells...</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>+20 land movement</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Woodland Stride into undergrowth</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Call bolts of lightning (3d6 dmg/bolt; max 5 bolts)</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Cast Obscuring Mist[1] if needed, for full retreat</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s></s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Finally, a leaping charge to finish the foes...</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>+2 Atk charging</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Barbarian Rage (Str +4, Con +4, AC -2)</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>+8 Jump check for Leap Attack</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Lion's Pounce (full attack at end of charge)</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>-1 Talon 1d6+1 + Str x.5 + PA x2 + 1d6 skirmish</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>-1 Talon 1d6+1 + Str x.5 + PA x2 + 1d6 skirmish</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>-1 Bite 1d6+1 + Str x.5 + PA x2 + 1d6 skirmish</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>+0 Tail Spikes 2d4 + Str x1 + PA x2 + 1d6 skirmish</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>+0 Tail Spikes (BAB-5) 2d4 + Str x1 + PA x2 + 1d6 skirmish[/sblock]</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Now, I'm not interested in another Elymastix character, mostly because getting such a character approved for a game would be dependent entirely upon the DM of said game, and I'm hoping to eventually play this character. I just like the ideas I had for a focus on charge attacks.</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s></s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Starting level: 6th</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Final level: Approx 16th</s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s></s></s></s></s></p><p><s><s><s><s>Food for thought: Are there any Wild feats that improve combat and are not a <em>complete</em> waste of a wild shape? If forced to focus on Lion's Pounce [Wild], how can it be mechanically optimized?</s></s></s></s></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Machiavelli, post: 3213667, member: 40964"] I've been toying with the idea of a non-shaping, non-summoning druid recently, ignoring the need for extra character sheets. I figure it would be fun to cut this very powerful class down at the knees, then think of creative ways to build its power back up to respectable heights. Now, it need not be a straight-up druid, and in fact I anticipate some multiclassing, but I'd like to avoid any multiclassing penalties (as per the rules for that in the PHB), and stick to classes/PrC's that have a thematic feal roughly similar to each other. Okay, my ideas for this build mostly stem from the one test build I did for a race I created (one which I think turned out just swell! :)). Here is said build: [sblock]Male elyx fighter 2/druidic avenger 5/scout 3; Challenge Rating: 10; Type: Medium monsterous humanoid; Hit Dice: 10 plus 1d10+1 plus 5d8+5 plus 3d8+3 Hit Points: 60; Init: +3; Speed: 40ft, fly 40ft; AC: 18 (+2 Dex, +6 Armor), touch 12, flat-footed 16; Base Atk: +7/+2; Grapple: +11/+6; Attack: Elyx steel talon +11 melee or elyx tail spikes +11 melee; Full Attack: Elyx tail spikes +11/+6 melee and bite +9 melee and 2 talons +9 melee; Damage: Elyx steel talon 1d6+6/19-20x2 (p&s), elyx tail spikes 2d4+4/x2 (s), talon 1d4+2/x2 (p&s), bite 1d4+2/x2 (p&s); Alignment: Chaotic Good Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 10; Saves: Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +6; Skills: 42 skill points, 13 ranks max, 8 ranks Jump, +5 Hide checks; Feats: Multiattack [MM 304], Extended Rage [CWar 97], Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Elyx Steel Talon, Power Attack, Leap Attack [CAdv 110], Lion's Pounce [CDiv 82]; Equipment: +3 Leafweave darkwood-studded leather Shadow armor of Woodwalking (22,515gp) [RotW 168/171] +2 Elyx Steel Talon (4,065gp) +2 Elyx Tail Spikes (4,080gp) 18,340gp remaining (49,000gp total) Special Abilities: [d] Druid spells 5,4,2,1 per day [d] Wild shape 1/day [d] Barbarian Rage 1/day (11 rounds) [d/s] Fast movement +20 feet [s] Skirmish (+1d6, +1 AC) [s] Battle fortitude (+1 Fort & Initiative) [d] Nature sense (+2 Know(nature), +2 Survival) [d] Wild empathy (-4 checks) [d] Woodland stride [d] Trackless step [d] Resist nature's lure [s] Trapfinding [s] Uncanny dodge [armor] Woodwalk (3/day uses of Tree Stride spell) Druid Spells Prepared (5/4/2/1; save DC 11 + spell lvl): 0- (3)Cure Minor Wounds, Resistance, Guidance; 1- (3)Magic Fang, Obscuring Mist; 2- Barkskin, Bull's Srength; 3- Call Lightning; Abilities started as Str 16, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10 (32 point buy) -~- Ambush tactics: First a self-buffed diving charge out of the trees... Battle Fortitude (+1 Init, +1 Fort) +2 Atk charging +8 Jump check for Leap Attack Cast Bull's Strength[2] (+4 Str) Cast Magic Fang[1x3] (+1 Atk&dmg Bite and 2 Talons) Cast Barkskin[2] (+2 natural AC) Cast Resistance[0] (+1 to all saves) Cast Guidance[0] (+1 to a single attack, save, or skill check) Cast Call Lightning[3] (1 bolt/rd standard action) Barbarian Rage (Str +4, Con +4, AC -2) Steel Talon 2d6 + Str x3 + PA x6 + 1d6 skirmish Then a hasty retreat covered by spells... +20 land movement Woodland Stride into undergrowth Call bolts of lightning (3d6 dmg/bolt; max 5 bolts) Cast Obscuring Mist[1] if needed, for full retreat Finally, a leaping charge to finish the foes... +2 Atk charging Barbarian Rage (Str +4, Con +4, AC -2) +8 Jump check for Leap Attack Lion's Pounce (full attack at end of charge) -1 Talon 1d6+1 + Str x.5 + PA x2 + 1d6 skirmish -1 Talon 1d6+1 + Str x.5 + PA x2 + 1d6 skirmish -1 Bite 1d6+1 + Str x.5 + PA x2 + 1d6 skirmish +0 Tail Spikes 2d4 + Str x1 + PA x2 + 1d6 skirmish +0 Tail Spikes (BAB-5) 2d4 + Str x1 + PA x2 + 1d6 skirmish[/sblock] Now, I'm not interested in another Elymastix character, mostly because getting such a character approved for a game would be dependent entirely upon the DM of said game, and I'm hoping to eventually play this character. I just like the ideas I had for a focus on charge attacks. Starting level: 6th Final level: Approx 16th Food for thought: Are there any Wild feats that improve combat and are not a [i]complete[/i] waste of a wild shape? If forced to focus on Lion's Pounce [Wild], how can it be mechanically optimized?[/s][/s][/s][/s] [/QUOTE]
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