Wildshaping Druid possible variant question

[Zesty Gordita]

Hey Enworld!

I'm playing a gestalted Changeling Druid 5/Master of Many Forms 2//Ranger 4/Warshaper 3/Nature's Warrior 0, and my DM and I were wondering if trading out all spellcasting for gaining the Supernatural abilities of creatures I turn into is a fair trade or not?
Thanks for all the help!

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

It would be unbalanced in your favor, if you chose to take advantage of it. and it would be difficult not to. You'd be trading a spell list (powerful) for every supernatural ability in the game (really, really powerful).

For example, once you take your 4th level of Master of Many Forms, you re-assume Druidic spellcasting if you become a Nymph, plus gaining the ability to Blind humanoids without trying (they look at you) and stun them when you do try (you look at them)

There's a reason why the PrC grants you only the extraordinary abilities of the form you assume at level 7, and not the supernatural ones. That's powerful.

But hey, if you can get it past your DM & everyone's ok with powergaming, enjoy!

 

[Zesty Gordita]

Yeah, we figured it would be really op. So a different question then, in terms of just a straight up variant without that build in mind, say... just a non-gestalt Druid, how would it be in terms of fairness? Or would it be a better idea for it to be an epic feat or something along those lines? If it's op no matter how you look at it, then I would just continue through Druid like I was originally planning upon entering epic.

Thanks for your reply RUMBLETiGER!

 

[MarkB]

Yeah, we figured it would be really op. So a different question then, in terms of just a straight up variant without that build in mind, say... just a non-gestalt Druid, how would it be in terms of fairness?

Straight-up Druid is just animals, plants and elementals, right? And you already get all the abilities as an elemental. How many animals and plants actually have Supernatural abilities? The only one I can find in the SRD is Phantom Fungus.

Is there a particular form or ability you have in mind for this build?

 

[Zesty Gordita]

There are also feats like Frozen Wild Shape.
It's not so much a particular form or ability, I just wanted to get the absolute most out of Wild Shaping that I could. And I was trying to think of what I could get rid of in order to do that.
I was already thinking of grabbing Assume Supernatural Ability, however I had originally thought that it worked with an in general ability, not a specific ability of a specific creature.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

There are some ways to do this without resorting to house rules:

Assume Supernatural Ability and the Improved version are from Savage Species. The book is 3.0 and generally considered to be filled with broken, overpowered options, but it's official and legal. The feat allows you to choose 1 Supernatural ability from the form you take, so choose wisely and be devastating. All 10 eyestalks on a Beholder count as one Supernatural ability, for example. Use with the Aberration Wild Shape feat.

Secondly, the Planar Shepherd, considered to be the best way to take the amazing Druid class and make it even more incredible, the 9th level ability grants you the extraordinary, supernatural and spell-like abilities associated with the elemental and outsider forms you can take at that level. This is stupid-powerful, and also official. And not even the most powerful thing about the PrC, but again, official material.