Core only + Forgotten Realms Druid Optimization

[alcoholander]

In a couple of months we’re going to start the adventure “City of the Spider Queen”. It’ll be core only (PHB, DMG, MM + any Forgotten Realms books) so that restricts a little bit the feat selection

I’m planning to go for a druid, and being an optimizer, I’d appreciate your helping me make a strong build. I’ve read most of the threads about optimizing a druid in core only and I have a decent idea about what I should do (Wild Shape + Natural Spell).

As I’m playing a Wizard Conjurer focusing heavy on summons and battlefield control spells in our ongoing campaign I don’t want to make a druid summoner. What I want is a wild shaping caster screwing with his enemies.

So far I’ve come up with the following ideas:

28 point buy
Race: Gold Dwarf, middle aged
Abilities: str 7, dex 7, con 16, int 10, cha 10, wiz 19
Feats :
1 lev : Extend Spell
3 lev : Empower Spell
6 lev: Natural Spell
9 lev: Quicken Spell
12 lev: Spell Penetration
15 lev: Greater Spell Penetration

I’ll boost wisdom every 4 levels.

What I know about the adventure is that it's for characters from 10 up to 18 level and it takes place in the Underdark.

What are your suggestions about race selection, ability points distribution, skill selection, other interesting feats and spells from the Forgotten Realms books? How well will all these elements interact with wild shaping in a mid-to-high level game?

 

[Wyvernhand]

All FR books? Even Lost Empires of Faerun? At the risk of getting bludgeoned about the head and face, take a look at Greenbound Summoning in there. It gives all of your critters the Greenbound template. Then take a look at what that actually does. Yea...thats right. Wall of Thorns (a 5th level spell, and a GOOD 5th level spell at that) 1/day as a SLA. So at level 1, you summon 1 badger, and BAM, it summons a 5th level Wall of Thorns to WTFBBQPWN the encounter. At level 3, summon 1d3 of the critters, and at level 5, summon 1d4+1 of them.

That's probably not an option, though. Its stupid broken. Just saying what you COULD do.

As far as your build...I'd lose Extend Spell. It comes cheaply enough as a MM Rod, and most of the good druid buffs are in the 1-3 level range. As far as what to replace it with in a mostly core game...There really isn't much good. I'd probably say to try to snap in Augmented Summoning. Some of the druid summons are decent grapplers, and giving them +4 Str means a higher grapple check and more HP to keep from getting insta-gibed.

 

[Dandu]

You want Improved Initiative, Multiattack, and possibly Combat Reflexes. Lose Extend and the Spell Penetration feats.

 

[Sekhmet]

I agree with Wyvernhand about dropping Extend. If you don't have access to Persistent Spell, you may as well use a metamagic rod of Extend Spell for all your extending needs. Spell Pen and Empower Spell will be a waste if you aren't planning to sit back and blast.

I'd probably choose Human, slap 16 at Wisdom, 14 Int and Cha, and the rest into Con.
You want to get Multiattack and Improved Natural Attack (both from Monster Manual).
Initiate of Nature (Player's Guide to Faerun) is a great choice - grab some nifty spells, and you can rebuke Animals as a Cleric rebukes undead. It also allows you to command 2 HD / class level in animals, meaning you can snag yourself a double strength companion.

These three feats fit in nicely into replacing Extend, Empower, and Spell Pen. I'd take Initiate of Nature at 9th, and push Quicken to 12th.
Your feats might look like this:
1: Imp. Initiative
3: Multiattack
6: Natural Spell
9: Initiate of Nature
12: Quicken Spell
15: Combat Reflexes

You could switch 12 and 15 if you wanted to wildshape into a N headed Hydra and just murder everything.

 

[alcoholander]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll think about them. The Improved Initiative, Multiattack and Initiate of Nature feats look good, and I've also thought about picking them. I'll ask our DM if he'll allow taking Multiattack.

I know druids are pretty good at summonning but I'd prefer something different this time because my wizard conjurer is a summoner. Also I've played mostly human in our campaigns and I want to change that a little bit.

So do you have any suggestions about what race will fit well in an Underdark campaign?

 

[Dandu]

Gnomes and Dwarves.

 

[Sekhmet]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll think about them. The Improved Initiative, Multiattack and Initiate of Nature feats look good, and I've also thought about picking them. I'll ask our DM if he'll allow taking Multiattack.

I know druids are pretty good at summonning but I'd prefer something different this time because my wizard conjurer is a summoner. Also I've played mostly human in our campaigns and I want to change that a little bit.

So do you have any suggestions about what race will fit well in an Underdark campaign?

Anything with Darkvision and no penalty to Con.

 

[alcoholander]

I asked our DM and he disallowed me to pick Multiattack because in my human form I won’t meet the prerequisite
Being an optimizer I can’t ignore the fact that druids are great summoners and I decided to exploit it. So my feat selection will look like this:

1 lev: Spell Focus Conjuration
3 lev: Augment Summoning
6 lev: Natural Spell
9 lev: Initiate of Nature
12 lev: Quicken Spell

My question is about the feat Initiate of Nature. It states that: “You can rebuke or command animals or plant creatures as an evil c leric rebukes or commands undead”. According to SRD: “At any one time, the cleric may command any number of undead whose total Hit Dice do not exceed his level”

So where does the 2 HD / class level come from?

 

[Sekhmet]

[MENTION=87534]alcoholander[/MENTION] The 3.0 version of the feat gave 2 HD/Class Levle.

If you're going Summoner, definitely pick up Greenbound.

I know that the DM's word is law, but remind him that when you lose the prerequisites of a feat, it becomes inactive. If you have the prerequisites fulfilled when you take the feat (ie: are a Hydra when you take the feat), there shouldn't be a problem.

I really dislike having to throw SF: Conjuration in there. Consider being one of those halflings in Faerun that get the extra feat, so you can knock Spell Focus and Augment out at first level.

 

[Sekhmet]

[MENTION=87534]alcoholander[/MENTION] The 3.0 version of the feat gave 2 HD/Class Levle.

If you're going Summoner, definitely pick up Greenbound.

I know that the DM's word is law, but remind him that when you lose the prerequisites of a feat, it becomes inactive. If you have the prerequisites fulfilled when you take the feat (ie: are a Hydra when you take the feat), there shouldn't be a problem.

I really dislike having to throw SF: Conjuration in there. Consider being one of those halflings in Faerun that get the extra feat, so you can knock Spell Focus and Augment out at first level.