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The Thinktank => Min/Max It! => : feral_child October 25, 2011, 03:56:59 PM

: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: feral_child October 25, 2011, 03:56:59 PM
3.5

I want to have the Cleric buff spells while wildshaping. Specifically, I want to utilize Righteous Might (level 5), Divine Power (level 4), and Earth Hammer (level 5, races of stone). Together, I get +10 strength and a Size category increase (2 sizes for my weapon), among other things.

My plan is to work that with Stonespeaker Guardian (races of stone). Using Wild Shape to transform into Stone Form, I get +4 nat armor and a 1d8 slam attack (medium creature). The Guardian increases that nat armor to +9 over 5 levels, raises the slam attack to one size category stronger (2d6), offers 50% protection from crits, grants Earth Glide as the Earth elemental ability, and 5 levels of divine casting.

I will be a Goliath race to qualify for this. They have Powerful Build, allowing them to wield weapons of one size category larger. Apparently I also need the Powerful Wild Shape feat to have Powerful Build transfer to my Stone Form, which additionally raises that Slam attack another size category (3d6). I will wield a Large Great Falchion (Sandstorm) which is a 3d6 18-20 x2 exotic two-hander.

One more thing, if I have room, I want some levels of Warshaper (Complete Warrior), at least 1 level to raise natural weapon damage a size category (4d6 slam in stone form).

All of this eventually leads to the following:
- Divine Power
- Righteous Might
- Powerful Build Stone Form Wild Shape

BAB = character level
1 temp hit point per cleric caster level (at least 9)
+10 strength
+2 con
+11 nat armor
DR 3/evil (6/evil if cleric caster level is 12)
Character Size: Large
Weapon Size: Gargantuan
Natural Weapons: Colossal

My damage is 6d6 for my Great Falchion and 6d6 for my additional Slam. I'm also getting substantial armor (even with the penalty due to my size) and I'm treated as having full BAB progression regardless of my classes as long as the spells are up. They last 1 round/level. Ideally I would want to extend them, granting 2 rounds/level (at least 24 rounds per casting).

That is my plan and this is the best way I thought of achieving it:

 1. --- (+1 level adjust as Goliath)
 2. druid
 3. druid - proficiency: great falchion
 4. cleric
 5. cleric
 6. cleric - extend spell
 7. druid
 8. lion of talisid
 9. lion of talisid - power attack
10. lion of talisid
11. warshaper
12. stonespeaker - stone form
13. stonespeaker
14. stonespeaker
15. stonespeaker - powerful wild shape
16. stonespeaker
17. nature's warrior
18. nature's warrior - improved crit
19. nature's warrior
20. warshaper

All spellcasting in those prestige classes goes to Cleric, not Druid.

Lion of talisid is a Book of Exalted Deeds class which allows divine casting + wild shape progression without already requiring wild shape as a class. Taking this was the best way I found of both getting wild shape as early as possible AND allowing cleric spell progression without exp penalties for multiclassing.

As you can see, my feat progression is trash. I need Wild Shape to obtain several needed feats, but I can't get Wild Shape until level 10. If I can get it just 1 level earlier it would be great, but I can't without taking multiclass penalties with Cleric. Even Cleric 4/Druid 5 leaves me in the same spot, except 2 more levels go into Druid Spells instead of Cleric Spells, so I'm still worse off.

So I ask you guy for your help. I want to get the Cleric Spells along with Wild Shape as fast and efficiently as possible. I need at least level 5 Cleric, but the more the merrier. I will also be a Goliath so I need to make room for that +1 level adjust.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: weenog October 25, 2011, 04:05:46 PM
If all you want Stonespeaker Guardian for is Stone Form, why not blow off Druid entirely and just use the Mulhorandi Divine Minion (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20050209a) template?  Then you can focus on cleric, maybe with a brief dip in something else to get Survival as a class skill.

One of the weaker divine minion versions (LA +1), goliath (LA +1), cleric 5, ECL 7 you've got your wild shape and your cleric spells as a 5th level cleric.  Barbarian 1 gets you Survival as a class skill, and pounce via lion totem ACF, or you could go ranger 3 to get Survival plus Endurance as a bonus feat.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: Rebel7284 October 25, 2011, 04:17:46 PM
Skypledged PrC gives you both types of spell casting with their divine pool ability.  However, you have to be raptoran to qualify.

edit: on further consideration, as the PrC doesn't actually progress wild shape, you're probably better as something like archivist/druid PrC.  Don't remember the full requirements for planar shepherd.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: Mooncrow October 25, 2011, 04:47:15 PM
Skypledged PrC gives you both types of spell casting with their divine pool ability.  However, you have to be raptoran to qualify.

edit: on further consideration, as the PrC doesn't actually progress wild shape, you're probably better as something like archivist/druid PrC.  Don't remember the full requirements for planar shepherd.

You could go Archivist 5/ Druid 1/Lion of Talisid, etc.  That would get you wild shape, pounce, survival and scent.  You would still need to dip one level of druid for the animal companion.  But less messing around with swapping classes at the beginning and losing caster levels.

edit: or you could go druid 7 and snag contemplative for the competition domain and get divine power and righteous might that way.  I can't imagine earth hammer is worth giving this much up for, honestly.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: CantripN October 25, 2011, 05:03:45 PM
You could even use a Domain Staff (Competition) and just be a Druid 20.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: ksbsnowowl October 25, 2011, 07:38:45 PM
There's also a rangery-type PrC in Lord's of Madness (Abolisher) that grants Wildshape at level 1, if you still wanted to go the cleric route.  Pick a god with the Knowledge domain to help reach the prereq's.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: feral_child October 25, 2011, 07:43:09 PM
Contemplative is perfect. I'd gladly sacrifice Earth Hammer for Wild Shape at level 5. (plus Earth Hammer makes the damage bludgeoning, which makes Keen ineffective). My build now works like this:

 1. --- (+1 level adjust as Goliath)
 2. druid
 3. druid - endurance
 4. druid
 5. druid
 6. druid- stone form
 7. stonespeaker
 8. stonespeaker
 9. stonespeaker - natural spell
10. stonespeaker
11. stonespeaker
12. contemplative - powerful wild shape
13. warshaper
14. warshaper
15. warshaper - track
16. nature's warrior
17. nature's warrior
18. nature's warrior - improved crit
19. nature's warrior
20. nature's warrior

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I do not get my level 1 feat due to the level adjust, right? Because of this I think it'll be hard to get weapon proficiency with a good weapon.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: Mixster October 25, 2011, 07:54:23 PM
If you can't buy off your Level Adjustment, don't take it.

Aren't those spells also on the paladin list? If so, Prestige paladin would get them for you and you can access it with 1 level of that prestige class that grants turning, IIRC.

: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: Mooncrow October 25, 2011, 08:04:34 PM
If you can't buy off your Level Adjustment, don't take it.

Aren't those spells also on the paladin list? If so, Prestige paladin would get them for you and you can access it with 1 level of that prestige class that grants turning, IIRC.



They're not, actually =/
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: JaronK October 25, 2011, 09:00:10 PM
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I do not get my level 1 feat due to the level adjust, right? Because of this I think it'll be hard to get weapon proficiency with a good weapon.

You do get that first level feat.  Feats are based on your class levels/hit dice, not your ECL.

And one way to get Cleric spells as a Druid is to be a Dragonwrought Kobold, and take the right Sovereign Archetype.  That would give you all of them.

JaronK
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: Hitoshura October 25, 2011, 09:23:57 PM
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I do not get my level 1 feat due to the level adjust, right? Because of this I think it'll be hard to get weapon proficiency with a good weapon.

You do get that first level feat.  Feats are based on your class levels/hit dice, not your ECL.

And one way to get Cleric spells as a Druid is to be a Dragonwrought Kobold, and take the right Sovereign Archetype.  That would give you all of them.

JaronK

I don't think so, almost all archetypes allow to cast Cleric (or Druid) spells as "arcane spells".
So unless he goes Arcane Hierophant path this won't work.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: OblivionSmurf83 October 26, 2011, 11:58:06 AM
You could even use a Domain Staff (Competition) and just be a Druid 20.

This is why I love this board; every now and then, someone casually mentions stuff I've never even heard of
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: rot42 October 26, 2011, 03:30:00 PM
You could even use a Domain Staff (Competition) and just be a Druid 20.

This is why I love this board; every now and then, someone casually mentions stuff I've never even heard of

Complete Champion 143. They are basically divine rune staffs, but no customizing unless you can convince your DM to construct a new domain.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: JaronK October 26, 2011, 04:38:21 PM
I don't think so, almost all archetypes allow to cast Cleric (or Druid) spells as "arcane spells".
So unless he goes Arcane Hierophant path this won't work.

Oh, right.  Drat.

JaronK
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: sirpercival October 26, 2011, 04:40:58 PM
You could even use a Domain Staff (Competition) and just be a Druid 20.

This is why I love this board; every now and then, someone casually mentions stuff I've never even heard of

Complete Champion 143. They are basically divine rune staffs, but no customizing unless you can convince your DM to construct a new domain.

Or, get the "Customize Domain" feat from dragon #somethingorother.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: feral_child October 27, 2011, 05:48:11 AM
After some rules clarifications, apparently I don't require powerful build or natural spell in my Stone Form. Additionally, the buffs from Nature's Warrior don't affect me during Stone Form. So now my build looks like this:

druid - endurance
druid
druid - great falchion
druid
druid
druid - stone form
stonespeaker
stonespeaker
stonespeaker - extend spell
stonespeaker
warshaper
warshaper - improved crit
contemplative
stonespeaker
warshaper - ?
?
?
?           - ?
?

So far it's exactly what I want. I get the druid spells, the cleric spells, and lots of damage dealing potential. I need help for my last 4 class levels and my level 15 and 18 feats. I want something that either boosts my defenses or boosts my damage-dealing, and additionally would like spellcasting synergy as well. I've searched through many books and can't think of anything.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: sirpercival October 27, 2011, 09:51:57 AM
Well, you do NOT want to lose any more casting levels.  You could just take more druid, there's nothing wrong with that.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: OblivionSmurf83 October 27, 2011, 10:45:44 AM
You could even use a Domain Staff (Competition) and just be a Druid 20.

This is why I love this board; every now and then, someone casually mentions stuff I've never even heard of

Complete Champion 143. They are basically divine rune staffs, but no customizing unless you can convince your DM to construct a new domain.

Just found them. Don't they require the spell to be on your spell list though? So no using them for a Druid?
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: Mooncrow October 27, 2011, 11:24:37 AM
You could even use a Domain Staff (Competition) and just be a Druid 20.

This is why I love this board; every now and then, someone casually mentions stuff I've never even heard of

Complete Champion 143. They are basically divine rune staffs, but no customizing unless you can convince your DM to construct a new domain.

Just found them. Don't they require the spell to be on your spell list though? So no using them for a Druid?

No, they just require you to be a divine caster. 
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: OblivionSmurf83 October 27, 2011, 09:33:59 PM
You could even use a Domain Staff (Competition) and just be a Druid 20.

This is why I love this board; every now and then, someone casually mentions stuff I've never even heard of

Complete Champion 143. They are basically divine rune staffs, but no customizing unless you can convince your DM to construct a new domain.

Just found them. Don't they require the spell to be on your spell list though? So no using them for a Druid?

No, they just require you to be a divine caster. 

From page 143, 'By expending a prepared divine spell or divine spell slot, the wielder can "cast" a spell of the same level or lower from the runestaff's list, as long as that spell also appears on the wielder's divine class spell list (including his domain lists, if any)'.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: Mooncrow October 28, 2011, 01:30:39 AM
I stand corrected.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: CantripN October 28, 2011, 08:30:46 AM
UMD? It's the same deal with Runestaves being used that way by classes that don't have the spells. RAW, it should work.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: skydragonknight October 28, 2011, 09:47:21 AM
If you have access to Dragon, get a Monk's belt (you're a Wis-based caster using wild shape, so not a bad choice anyway) and take Beast Strike from Dragon 355. You get to add your slam damage to all your unarmed strike attacks, which essentially allows you to use your iterative to deliver slam attack damage, plus the damage boost of the unarmed strikes of whatever (virtual) size category you happen to be.

"But wait! Unarmed Strikes suck!" ...Aptitude weapons, my friend. Aptitude weapons.
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: TenaciousJ October 28, 2011, 12:31:01 PM
If you have access to Dragon, get a Monk's belt (you're a Wis-based caster using wild shape, so not a bad choice anyway) and take Beast Strike from Dragon 355. You get to add your slam damage to all your unarmed strike attacks, which essentially allows you to use your iterative to deliver slam attack damage, plus the damage boost of the unarmed strikes of whatever (virtual) size category you happen to be.

"But wait! Unarmed Strikes suck!" ...Aptitude weapons, my friend. Aptitude weapons.

Help me connect the dots here.  Are you suggesting an aptitude weapon to add the slam damage onto something like a mouthpick weapon used in wildshape?
: Re: I really want to have Cleric spells as a Druid
: skydragonknight October 28, 2011, 01:27:39 PM
If you have access to Dragon, get a Monk's belt (you're a Wis-based caster using wild shape, so not a bad choice anyway) and take Beast Strike from Dragon 355. You get to add your slam damage to all your unarmed strike attacks, which essentially allows you to use your iterative to deliver slam attack damage, plus the damage boost of the unarmed strikes of whatever (virtual) size category you happen to be.

"But wait! Unarmed Strikes suck!" ...Aptitude weapons, my friend. Aptitude weapons.

Help me connect the dots here.  Are you suggesting an aptitude weapon to add the slam damage onto something like a mouthpick weapon used in wildshape?

Mouthpick weapon or a standard weapon in an Ape form. Heck, even an animated shield with shield spikes. Take your pick really. But the overall idea is to essentially give your slams iterative attacks by transferring the damage to your iterative attacks.