Looking ahead on the Shaman

If everyone starts out with the same AC, why bother designing armors then?

do shamans start with leather?

If yes, then they start with about the same AC as a wizard...
 

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Seems like we've gotten some stimulating thoughts huh?
However, it's not to say everyone should have the same AC and I'm not complaining about it either. Maybe Shamans are meant to be squishy and Other defenses like will and ref become somewhat more prominent in later levels?

Anyway, until I find myself getting really bruised up or if I find the room, i leave HAE for now.
 


Spending 2 feats and putting a 13 into a stat that does nothing else for you (maybe a 12 if you can wait for paragon) since it's on the same defense as your secondary just so your AC scales properly with level? It's terrible feat design (and a general design bug for about a dozen builds who need something similar to get reasonable AC). It's either broken or worthless/way more expensive that it should be for most, the only build I think it actually works for is the swarm druid....

Yes, because Druids are renowned for using Strength for Melee Basic Attacks...

The alternative would be to go Armor Proficiency: Chain.

Now, the irony of this is, that -also- requires Strength 13, and penalizes your movement.

So, for two feats you get decent enough AC, and you're able to move at your full movement. For one feat, you get decent enough AC, but move one square less.

AC is not the only consideration with armor. That movement rate is very important to consider, especially given that it also penalizes the movement of your spirit companion as well.
 

Frankly, I think they failed the Shaman in a lot of ways with the Primal Powers book, although I haven't had it in my hands for an extended period of time.

I'd have liked a power that gave the Spirit Companion more effective hit points at higher levels somehow, to make it less squishy.

I'd have liked some kind of feats to make up for the fact that the Spirit Companion doesn't have, and never will have, magic weapons. This makes it a bit behind the curve on to-hit and damage down the line. More of the same for weapons feats (expertise, focus) that also increase those numbers. Oh sure, I can and did take Implement Expertise, but I'd have liked some other Spirit Companion feats to use too.

And I'd have liked to see some really fancy "oh this is cool to have for my Spirit Companion" combat feats.
 

If everyone starts out with the same AC, why bother designing armors then?

do shamans start with leather?

If yes, then they start with about the same AC as a wizard...
Start with being the operative issue (and only with a 12-16 in Dex/Int, depending on the wizard). But it's a problem as AC scales, because you either need to:
A) Be in light armor and adding a stat that you increase to AC.
B) Be in heavy armor.
C) Get some sort of other fix (Barbarian Agility).

The Wis/Con shaman builds don't have any of these options unless you spend points on Str.

Yes, because Druids are renowned for using Strength for Melee Basic Attacks...

The alternative would be to go Armor Proficiency: Chain.

Now, the irony of this is, that -also- requires Strength 13, and penalizes your movement.

No, swarm druids are the only primal build that both needs this feat and gets hide without having to spend Str (Str/Con barbs never needed it).

The fact that chain also requires Str 13 is also a problem, and one that this feat doesn't fix or address in any way. Hide Armor Expertise don't fix the AC for the build at all because chain could already do that; the issue is the cost is far too high. Since the cost for this is the same it's irrelevant that you get +1 speed, you could also take a feat for the +1 speed at paragon. The real issue is bear shaman shouldn't need 13 Str.
 
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I'd have liked some kind of feats to make up for the fact that the Spirit Companion doesn't have, and never will have, magic weapons. This makes it a bit behind the curve on to-hit and damage down the line. More of the same for weapons feats (expertise, focus) that also increase those numbers. Oh sure, I can and did take Implement Expertise, but I'd have liked some other Spirit Companion feats to use too.

And I'd have liked to see some really fancy "oh this is cool to have for my Spirit Companion" combat feats.

Um... Totemic Spear allows the use of weapon-specific non-weapon power feats (spear push, weapon focus) with your implement powers so long as they don't require the Weapon keyword.

Otherwise, your evocations should be treated the same as any other implement user.
 

Do you define "decent AC" as "Equal to or better than the defender"?

If so, Leaders generally should not be that high.
I define decent AC as "scaling, like at all". If you don't spend a feat, your AC does not keep up with monsters, and you will be hit on a 2 quickly. And since your spirit gets attacked, you can't just hide behind your huge range.

The real issue is bear shaman shouldn't need 13 Str.
Spot-on, tertiary stat taxes suck. Also: feat taxes. It's why I award Shamans Chain as a houserule, and why everyone gains free attack and defense boosts as they get to Paragon and Epic and the expertise feats don't exist.
 
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I define decent AC as "scaling, like at all". If you don't spend a feat, your AC does not keep up with monsters, and you will be hit on a 2 quickly. And since your spirit gets attacked, you can't just hide behind your huge range.


Spot-on, tertiary stat taxes suck. Also: feat taxes. It's why I award Shamans Chain as a houserule, and why everyone gains free attack and defense boosts as they get to Paragon and Epic and the expertise feats don't exist.

Or any shaman for that matter. Anyhow, there are perks that comes with the shaman, and I consider my DM rather kind after hearing your stories. Hopefully, I'll have time before I get too mangled.
 

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