Druids and fighters- wildshape and all sorts of fun

[SidusLupus]

First off I'd like to appologize if these questions are answered before somewhere, I tried searching for some help, but to no avail. I can't find a search function nor is google helping me. So I come to you.

Due to the untimely death of my gestalt ranger/paladin in a noble effort to fight off the insurgent undead horde, I have now made a Druid/Fighter gestalt character.

I've never been one to play major spellcasting capable characters and as such wildshape or polymorph are completely new territory to me.

Originally the plan was to go Master of Many Forms at 6, but my friend pointed out that Nature's Warrior is a pretty good choice to get some nice ac/ regen/ damage in the wildshapes.

We haven't yet completely begun playing the new characters and so I have a few questions. For background, I'm playing with a friend who's got gestalt sorc/ favored soul. So I'm the melee to his spell power.

I promise to ask my questions now.

When I wildshape, as I understand it, I gain the melee stats of the form I'm taking, along with the natural attacks. Also, I gain the natural ac and what not so my ac goes from when I'm human 19 to between 13- 15 which as the melee is pretty bad. I know my armor doesn't count untill i get a special ability on it which is expensive. Does however the Amulet of Natural armor count, and my ring of protection? If i went from my +1 hide armor to bracers of armor later, would they count? Also, which magic items would I gain benefits from while wildshaped?

Secondly: from what I can tell, bear or leopard are going to be my standard shapes while I'm wildshaping- is there something I missed that a 5th level druid could be that might be better? We're playing Ebberon, and I was going to be a Deionicys (raptor) dinosaur till I realized that it's large and I can't be one for a while.

Third: I looked over the wild feat selection and none of them were really good that I could tell... especially since alot of them required using two wildshapes to activate. Instead I have extra wildshape for a total of 3/day and Natural spell so I can cast spells while shaped. The spell selection I have atm is buffs for myself to improve my melee damage since my friend has the spell damage covered. Are there any feats that I should look into getting to improve my wildshaping, or compliment the combat type?

Fourth: Armor, besides eventually getting a hold on some very expensive Iron wood armor, is Hide going to be it? Was thinking eventually the equivalent of a chain shirt made of ironwood but if there's another option I'd love to hear it.

Lastly: I realized against things with material damage reduction I'm pretty much hosed. Wildshape gives me no benefits there, and for weapons the best I could come up with was a silver scimitar, and perhaps a coldiron one later. I have a nonmagical quarterstaff for all the nifty spells that can be applied to that, but is there no way to augment a staff to bypass material DR legally? I was thinking imbedding metallic rings in the staff on the striking ends, but is that even a valid mechanic? I do have power attack which I guess I may have to fall back on.

I hope this is in the right place.. any advice or pointers would be much appreciated.

Oh, important information I forgot.

Human gestal fighter/druid- 5
STR 14
DEX 16
CON 17
INT 12
WIS 17
CHA 12
Feats-
Improved Init
Power Attack
Track
Natural Spell
Extra Wildshape
Weapon Focus- Natural Attack

Planning for 6- 5 fighter/druid, 1 Nature's Warrior/ Druid

Setting- Ebberon, centered around Sharn.

 

[ksbsnowowl]

Good and interesting character, but there are a few problems with your feats.

Feats-
Improved Init
Power Attack
Track
Natural Spell
Extra Wildshape
Weapon Focus- Natural Attack

Natural Spell and Extra Wildshape have a prerequisite of the ability to Wildshape. You did not meet that requirement before fifth level, and none of you feats were gained at fifth level. You got three at level 1, one at level 2, one at level 3, and one at level 4.

Also, I doubt you would have qualified for weapon focus - natural attack before 5th level, as without wildshape you would not have a natural attack form.

Unless your DM has houseruled otherwise, you must choose 3 different feats.

Other than that, things look good. You made a smart choice to take the PrC on your fighter side and continue progressing Druid. Though, if I may make a suggestion, the 5th level of Fighter is worthless; instead, take a level of Ranger or Barbarian to get Track for free, opening up a feat slot, or fast movement and Rage.

Battle Jump from Complete Adventurer could be a good feat for you. How restricted are you on sources? Core and Eberron? The splat books or Complete series? Can you include some Forgotten Realms feats?

Edit: a few notes on equipment. A wilding clasp (Masters of the Wild) will allow you to keep an item functioning while wildshaped. Alternatively, there is an on-line article on the WotC web site called 'Wild Life' that lists magic item slots for animals. The rules in The Draconomicon state that magic items other than weapons and armor resize to fit the wearer. If your DM allows it, you could wear most items without the clasp.

Get a Monk's belt; it will grant you your Wisdom Modifier +1 to AC.

 

[SidusLupus]

Oh forgot to mention the books.

We have all the Complete books available to us, FR we do have, but prolly not. We have Races of Stone and perhaps another Races book.
I do have the Draconomicon, I'll have to ask then I guess if I get my non armor/ weapon magic items.

On the feats, GM is okay with it; he suggested some of them.

Also, I took the 5th level of fighter because I plan at 7th to go fighter/ Nature's warrior to pick up an extra combat feat like improved bullrush or improved sunder (though i think without magical help it may be pointless) or something else that would play to the power of the wildshapes or perhaps even weapon spec.

Hrm.. what's Battle Jump? though i own Complete Adventurer, it's not here atm so I can't have a look at it.

Also I am perhaps still toying with Master of Many Forms at 10th so I might have to pick up Endurance and Alertness, another reason why I want to keep up with fighter feats to get some combat prowess. Although from what i'm seeing perhaps MoMF isn't as nifty as it mighta been when it was 3.0

 

[ksbsnowowl]

Another note on the Draconomicon, check out the Dragon Wildshape feat......you can't take it until 12th level, but it's awesome.

Battle jump has a prereq of Power Attack and some ranks in jump (8, maybe?), and if you jump on your opponent (during a charge?), and succeed at a jump check (I don't recall the DC; 10, maybe 15 or 20?), you double the damage output from power attack.

 

[Saeviomagy]

I'd suggest that you read through the materials in the ECS. There are better armours in there.

Additionally dragonhide armour appears in the PHB. That might not be appropriate to eberron though.

Also - since you're in eberron, horrid animals may be possible. I'm not sure though.

 

[isoChron]

Perhaps it's better to get a MW non-magical quarterstaff ?
Shillelagh won't work on a magical one. And you can still cast brambles or better spikes on it to make it magical if you have run out of shillelagh-spells.
Combine the spells for some extra damage.
Shillelagh+Spikes: 2W6+1+1/CL(max10) and +3 to hit. Crit 19-20/x2.
Not that bad.


Be careful with the ironwood spell on armor. It works CL days but the MATERIAL COMPONENT (!) is the item turned to ironwood (the armor in your case).

Material (M): A material component is one or more physical substances or objects that are annihilated by the spell energies in the casting process. Unless a cost is given for a material component, the cost is negligible. Don’t bother to keep track of material components with negligible cost. Assume you have all you need as long as you have your spell component pouch.

The only way to make it less costly is to get an armor made with permanent ironwood spell on it. Or is there a magic armor made of iron wood in one of the books already ? Don't know.

 

[Tric]

Ah, Wild Shape. Good ability. I'm making a wild shape-focused char at the moment. In the campaign I'm joining, we get 10,000 exp, so not gesalt exactly... But I'll put up my build for your consideration.

Race: Kobold (RP... Plus, it's cool to transform from meek kobold to mighty War Troll, mohahaha)

Stats:
Strength 8 (10-4 racial)
Dex 12 (10+2 racial)
Con 8 (10-2 racial)
Int 17
Wis 19
Cha 15

We get 80 points in our campaign, to distribute however we wish. Physical stats are useless for a wildshaper, since you get your new form's stats.

1st level: Alertness (prereq), 3rd level: Endurance, 6th level: Extra Wildshape, 12th: Track (prereq)

Level 5: Druid 5 (duh) (Heard UA had Wildshaping Ranger, which would be a better bet. Don't have it tho, but getting... slowly )
Level 6: Druid 5/ Master of Many Forms 1
Level 7: Druid 5/ MoMF 2 (Troll shape, yay)
Level 8: Druid 5/ MoMF 2/Warshaper 1 (for immunities, useful)
Level 9: Druid 5/ MoMF 3/Warshaper 1
Level 10: Druid 5/MoMF 4/Warshaper 1
Level 13: Druid 5/MoMF 7/Warshaper 1 (Get ex, no need for further levels for now)
Level 14: Druid 5/MoMF 7/Warshaper 2
Level 15: Druid 5/MoMF 7/Warshaper 2/Nature's Warrior 1 (+3 damage)
Level 16: Druid 5/MoMF 7/Warshaper 2/Nature's Warrior 2
Level 17: Druid 5/MoMF 7/Warshaper 2/Nature's Warrior 3 (Armor of the Crocodile)
Level 18: Druid 5/MoMF 7/Warshaper 3/Nature's Warrior 3
Level 19: Druid 5/MoMF 8/Warshaper 3/Nature's Warrior 3
Level 20: Druid 5/MoMF 9/Warshaper 3/Nature's Warrior 3

At epic levels, max MoMF first, then Nature's Warrior. Then go Druid. Warshaper aren't worth it, since it doesn't increase Wild Shape in any way, and it's abilities at 4th and 5th aren't worth it.

Allow me to shut up now.

 

[SidusLupus]

Thanks so far for the input, I appreciate it.

ksbsnowowl,
I do happen to have ranks in jump, so perhaps I will look into that feat. Dragon wildshape is definately something i'm going to keep my eye on for the chance to get it.

Saeviomagy, I'm afraid I have no idea what the ECS is.. but soon as I do know I'll try and see what I can find.

Yeah, Dragonhide is a no no quite probably, and rather expensive if I remember.

Horrid Animals did look very cool, but to save alot of time and headaches, we made a deal where anything I faced in combat was fair game for shaping, but untill then, unless it was a creature that could be found in set terrain types determined by my origin, I wouldn't be able to shape into off the bat. And I believe horrid animals have huge HD, no? So it would be a while. But nifty I'm betting.. I only got to see the picture of the ape, and i'm intrigued.

isoChron, I was prepared for the Shillelagh/ Spikes combo, part of why I have my quarterstaff. Also part of the reason why I'm wondering if there's any way you can mod a quarterstaff to by pass material DR, instead of a staff and scimitar. Legally the only way I can think of would be making a quarterstaff purely out of metal, which a druid would probably not be able to use. I'm hoping there's another way to do that still.

Tric, your build is interesting, and somewhat similar to the original idea that spawned what I'm making now. Physical stats may mean nothing, but it didnt feel right making a wimpy melee character =) also, we rolled two sets of stats and then picked one for both characters to use and arrange as we like. Works well enough for me I think. Don't want to be totally screwed if for whatever reason I can't wildshape.

 

[ksbsnowowl]

Saeviomagy, I'm afraid I have no idea what the ECS is...

Eberron Campaign Setting

 

[Pielorinho]

One small note:

I am convinced that the single best magic item a druid can buy is one you give away. Specifically, it's a wand of mage armor that you give to the party wizard, with the instruction that she zap you (and maybe your anima companion) with it whenever adventuring begins. That +4 AC in wildshaped form is fantastic and very low-cost. And it's even sweeter for your companion.

Daniel