The Character Workshop

[JKTrickster]

True, true but it IS being run next to a Beholder Mage. At those levels, it hardly matters

But honestly CE2JRH is right. Druid 20 is strong and flavorful enough. Anything I'm telling you just pumps you to Tier 0. Take tiny amounts of it, and rev yourself at 50% during the entire game (you'll still have plenty of fun).

[Zxahn]

Animal Companion: Do you have any particular ones that are overly useful in particular? I had always had my eye on the Giant Crocodile, but never had the chance to play in a game at a high enough level to get one.

Fleshraker Raptor (MM3) is a classic choice for ruining a wizard's day as it gets to pounce -> trip -> grapple -> pin -> poison, all in the first round of combat.

[Cancer]

For question #7 and for all questions in the future concerning optimization.


I understand the concept of asking on the forum for build assistance, but there are other compiled resources that tell you exactly what you need to do. This : (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19868802/Druid_Handbook_revived is something that I found while googling Druid optimization at least a year ago. It still has all current and up to date information.

As per Wild-Shape oriented druid. Ditch endurance, alertness, and hover. Instead take feats that enhance your prowess in the wildshaping roll. Such as power attack, multi-attack, and (Because you're good right?) intuitive attack (BoED) for ditching STR to hit in favor of your already high WIS.

You can buff yourself and your animal companion easily.

Be sure to pick up wilding clasps for extra items while wild shaped. And do not forget about Luminous armor (BoED). This spell is a guaranteed must for any melee person. +4 to armor bonus to AC with a -4 penalty on any creature attack in melee. Effective +8 AC while in melee.

Then pick up Luminous Armor Greater (BoED) +8 AC with the same -4 penalty to attacks in melee. Effective +12 AC in melee.

Be sure to cast Tortoise Shell (SC) on yourself to give yourself a massive boost to Natural armor. Then, if you can get it, cast Scintillating Scales (SC) on yourself to give yourself a stupid high touch.

You can easily get your AC and Touch into the 50s with the proper wildshapes. Your animal companion as well will have an obscene AC for your level.

With this, you're replacing any melee person in your party. In fact, you even might invalidate the melee-cleric if it weren't for extraordinary spell aimed AMFs.

Now, to move onto to more broken things.

If you can afford the skill cost, might I recommend the Planar Shepard?

[God Kaze]

A quick follow-up question of my previous post.

I decided to stick with Urban Ranger for 6 Levels, and, at Level 3, should I replace Endurance with Heat Endurance (Sandstorm)? I have no idea how useful Endurance is, but I see Heat Endurance gives a +2 to saves against fire effects.

[Cancer]

Question 4:

To maintain effectiveness I recommend taking Shapechanger variant (Found in Unearthed Aracana). This variant nets you wildshape as a druid (Only small to medium creatures[Fleshraker = win]) as well as getting fast movement like the barbarian at the cost of losing weapon style feats.

How optimized do you want to get?

Btw Swordsages are really fun to play. They have some epic flavor.

As per Heat Endurance, its really just fluff. I'm quite sure you can use the previously stated wildshaping ability to gain similar abilities from desert creatures.

[chaosaccountant]

Assuming you aren't going to go for the wild-shape varient, the two feats are both sufficently situational that it depends entirely on the campaign they're in. You're standard dungeon crawl, the +2 to saves will likely see use where the other might not, but it's not a big bonus. If you're expecting to use the tiredness rules at all, standard Endurance is probably better. If you're going to be in a tropical environment with associated heat, then the heat endurance is clearly better.

[God Kaze]

The game takes place in Spain, so I doubt I'll get too much use out of Heat Endurance (except maybe a few priests using Burning Harnds...).

I don't really care about optimization anymore. I just want to keep the flavour of the character. I ended up with an Urban Ranger with the Spelless Variant from the Complete Warrior. I know you get the same speed boost and wildshape from the Unearthed Arcana Variant, but Wildshape doesn't really seem like the character. I decided to just ditch the spells because I couldn't find a list of noteworthy spells (Too many sourcebooks to go through...), and I don't have the wisdom score to match.

This is the character sheet: http://www.rpgcrossing.com/profiler/view.php?id=21773

The game hasn't started yet, so last minute changes should be fine. I don't like the idea of Wildshape, or Swordsage, for this specific character. I'd be willing to sacrifice my Spelless Variant for some advice on spell selection and stat redistribuion. (I plan to stay a Ranger until level 6, then dip into Exotic Weapon Master. After that, no idea anymore).

[JKTrickster]

Again what are you trying to accomplish with your character? Why don't you feel that spells or supernatural abilities don't fit him? These should be fine as long as you accept a definite level of supernatural abilities within the church - the organization that Jericho was raised up in. After all, he was trained by the church specifically - why wouldn't they give him some magical or quasi-magical training to go along with his martial abilities?

[Wolfman]

I am far from a Expert on any of this but here is my two coppers anyway.

I like the Urban Ranger, even more so if the adventure tales place outside a Dungeon or the Deep Dark forest. But the Spell less Ranger dose not really get much back for the loss of the spells. So I would keep the spells, given that your 3rd level, you have time to sift through the spells and get suggestions for your character before they are needed. I too am not very "UP" on all the spells that are out there in all the different books, but then that is why there are threads like this one, I am sure you can gets lots of suggestions for different spells. Probably more then you would ever care for, but that is better then none!

Good luck on the Adventure!

Wolfman

[God Kaze]

The church is hunting down those with magical prowess, and I wanted a character that was different because he did not have any magic and yet was still being hunted. Though I guess it does make sense that he would have access to magic, and a Ranger's magic is treated as "divine". Alright, I'll give him Magic at Level 4. *Switches INT with WIS*

Will I really need a WIS score higher than 13? I don't think I'll be sticking with Ranger long enough to even make it past the 1st Level spells.

Does anyone have a link to a good list of ranger spells, or have some personal recommendations?

[a1hamms]

This is my lv 10 druid. He is built at 10.

http://www.rpgcrossing.com/profiler/view.php?id=21499

my campaign is "a new start" were all in private mode still not all together yet.

Here are my questions,
1) I would like him to be a wild shape, spell casting druid. are my stats placed correctly
2) are my feats correct to accomplish these goals.
3) Should I take as many ranks in survival and knowledge nature?
4) I put my armor together and it is pricy is glamored and anti-impact that valuable? could I do better.
5) my Dm is allowing my weapon

 

Ashen Branch
(DR324 p29) dragon mag. issue# pg#
2’ long branch that looks recently cut.
When thrown, the branch becomes a +3 Adamantine Spear. After the attack
is resolved, it turns back into a branch.

could I do better?
6) Still have cash to spend what kind of items could I get for my 10k budget after armor weapon buy. I plan on using my shapeshifting as my second weapon.

TY in advance for everyone who takes the time to help me out here, you might find that my nubness might make me a permanent fixture here

also ty cancer for the druid answers

[Cancer]

Alright.

Here is the thing, you are playing one of the most powerful classes in 3.5ed. In fact, you'll make the other melee people look like they're just standing still and just flailing their arms randomly at every encounter. Unless you have no understanding of the game, or are intentionally nerfing your potential, you will show up other players.

Alright, down to business:
1) You might want to invest into Intuitive attack (Wis instead of Str on attack rolls), but the kicker is that you have to be of the good alignment.

2) Augment summoning is a crappy feat as it requires investment into Spell Focus: Conjuration, another crappy feat. Ditch it in favor of greenbound summoning(LEoF). And if you want your summons to last longer, Ashbound summoning(EbCS). When you hit level 6 or 9, invest into Rashemi elemental summoning(UE). These let you summon your elementals with better templates.

3)Survival is handy as well as is Knowledge: Nature. Though if you have a factotum or Archivist in the group, being the one who identifies monsters isn't all that important.

4)Your armor is useless while wildshaped, that is unless you buy wilding clasps.

5) A simple quarter staff or club will take out anything.

6) Invest in stuff that improves your Con and Wis. Wildshaping doesn't improve your HP, so every drop of Con matters. As well, Higher wis = higher save DCs and higher attack rolls.

Spellcasting:

Take use of Fell Drain(Libris Mortis) and Decomposition (Complete Divine). Any creature who has taken damage during combat takes an additional point of damage each round. Here is the kicker, with Fell Drain they are also taking a negative level!

Be sure to use your buffs wisely.

On animal companion:

When in doubt, pick the Fleshraker (MM3) as your animal companion. It will be your friend till the game ends.

General:

Depending on how broken you want to get, might I recommend Planar Shepard (Races of Eberron.) This enables you to wildshape in creatures found on other planes, and eventually to outsiders that inhabit the planes of existence themselves. Think about it, Solar Angel with unlimited Wish game.

This is a good link for those wanting to get some optimization tips.

[a1hamms]

ok I need to go back and verify my acceptable book list in case there is a conflict, this is much better advice than anything I have read on the web so far ty. I'l be back just in case there is a book conflict.


edit.
I am going to have a problem with alignment, might have to kill townsfolk to restore an Obad-hai fountain. every day I am turning a 10x20 section of town to mud around the fountain.

[chaosaccountant]

Saying that Insightful Strike requires a good alignment is a bit of an understatement - it's an Exhalted feat, and as such requires unwavering commitment to the highest standards of goodness. Unless you're a complete optomiser, that's a big character call for the benefit of a feat, especially as you wild shape will frequently give you Str 30+ at higher levels anyway. Unless you DM is willing to waive the Exhalted requirements entirely, I'd skip it for all that it's a powerful ability.

[a1hamms]

Wow ok, I understand that I was trying to get a dragonhawk but once I looked up all the requirements I decided not to just because of the nube factor. It is starting to sound like this might be the same kind of thing. Next I had asked for a megaraptor, I forget why I couldn't get that to work, so now I have my trusty Tiny, A Rhino with a Three seat exotic saddle. I am still solo so I think I can make a few changes still, will not hear from DM till next week.


Edit
OOC helped me find the original thread for the game
All 3.5 books except:
Tome of Battle
Sword and Fist
Magic Incarnum