Pimp My Druid!

[the_mighty_agrippa]

I've finally, finally got a chance to play a druid! I'm coming in between 6th to 8th level (dire bear wild shape here I come).

Right now, I'm thinking of a human male with Spellcasting Prodigy, Natural Bond (DM says OK), Natural Spell and Scribe Scroll/Create Infusion.

Any spectacular ideas or tactics I should be aware of?

Thanks!

 

[mikebr99]

I've finally, finally got a chance to play a druid! I'm coming in between 6th to 8th level (dire bear wild shape here I come).

A dire bear has 12HD... you need to be a 12th level Druid to wildshape into that form.

Right now, I'm thinking of a human male with Spellcasting Prodigy, Natural Bond (DM says OK), Natural Spell and Scribe Scroll/Create Infusion.

Any spectacular ideas or tactics I should be aware of?

Thanks!

Your DM is allowing the natural bond feat to lessen the negative character level WRT alternate animal companions?

Is your DM using the wildshape errata?

Scribe scroll is excellent for Druids... not sure SP is anymore due to it not effecting spell DC.

If you are planning on spending alot of time wildshaped... the multi-attack feat (MM) might be helpful.


Mike

 

[Gestalt]

The Wildling Clasp is back in the Magic Item Compendium.

 

[Sejs]

At 8th lvl you have access to large forms, but still with the cap of your HD.

Options include (up to 8hd and large; from the MM): Polar Bear, Giant Octopus, Rhinocerous, Large Shark, Tiger, Megaraptor, Dire Ape, Dire Bat, Dire Boar, Dire Lion, and Dire Wolf. Make sure to clear up what your DMs policy is regarding familiarity required for Wild Shape.

As for feats, I'd probably pass on Spellcasting Prodigy. There's got to be a better feat that you can spend it on. I'll definitely echo Mikebr's comment about Scribe Scroll being very handy. Trick there is to scribe all those niche spells that you don't want to keep memorized all the time, but when you need 'em, you really need 'em. Neutralize Poison, for example. Or Reincarnate.

Maybe one of the Initiate feats? Expanded spell lists are always a plus. Or Extra Wild Shape. Lets you use Wild Shape for more utilitarian things without worrying as much about limited uses per day. Track may also be worth consideration, especially if there isn't any other tracker in the party.

Don't forget you need to use the Handle Animal skill to direct your animal companion. Tends to be overlooked frequently.

 

[the_mighty_agrippa]

I just stumbled across the Character Optimization thread at Wizards.

Ouch.

 

[szilard]

Options include (up to 8hd and large; from the MM): Polar Bear, Giant Octopus, Rhinocerous, Large Shark, Tiger, Megaraptor, Dire Ape, Dire Bat, Dire Boar, Dire Lion, and Dire Wolf.

Dire Wolverine is nice, too.

-Stuart

 

[kjenks]

And now for some pretty amazing damage...

Human female (lighter weight so she can ride the dire bat)

Str 14+
Wis 14+
Other stats don't matter so much.

1 Druid 1 Mounted Combat, Ride-by Attack - select heavy horse animal companion
2 Druid 2
3 Druid 3 Spirited Charge
4 Druid 4 - select dire bat animal companion
5 Fighter 1 Power Attack
6 Fighter 2 Improved Bull Rush, Shock Trooper
7 Druid 5
8 Druid 6 - dire bat advances by 2 HD; choose 1 cross-class rank in Tumble and the Flyby Attack feat

Skills: Concentration, Ride, Handle Animal

Get a masterwork wooden lance and Druid's Vestments (DMG) -- see if your DM will allow you to buy them at the cheaper price listed in the Minor Magic Item table rather than the 10,000 gp listed in the item description. Or just get a Lesser Metamagic Rod of Quicken -- if you can get this, you don't really need any other magic items.

Cast Spikes on your wooden lance for +2 attack, 19-20/x3 crit range, +6 damage (overlaps with +1 enhancement bonus on the wooden lance).

Attack bonus: +6 BAB, +2 lance with Spikes, +2 Str, +2 when charging
Damage bonus: +6 Spikes, +3 Str, +12 two-handed Power Attack/Shock Trooper/Heedless Charge

Mounted lance charge: +12 attack, damage 3d8+63; crit 19-20 for 5d8+105.

At level 9, select the Lion's Pounce feat so you get two lance attacks on a mounted lance charge. If you can get Riding Boots (DMG2), you can have a free Ride-by Attack feat; this allows you to have Lion's Pounce by level 6 if you swap your druid and fighter levels around a bit. Extra Wildshape would be a nice feat, too, as would Quicken Spell.

 

[moritheil]

That's probably the fastest build to pounce I've seen. Nice.

Of course, if you're using BoED, you can take 5 levels in a PrC that would give you pounce all day long, on every charge, without the need to take Lion's Pounce.

 

[mikebr99]

I just stumbled across the Character Optimization thread at Wizards.

Ouch.

Keep walking... nothing to see here!

They'll be trying to get you to take greenbound summoning feat...
To use Legendary animal forms...
Being a jermaline or anthropomorphic bat...

nasty place...



Mike

 

[Fishbone]

Ooh, Greenbound Summoning. I felt pretty bad for a monk when a player's Greenbound Augmented spell-infused(some feat) Dire Rhinos kept showing him up.