Author Topic: The Druid Handbook  (Read 598761 times)

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IlPazzo

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #260 on: December 11, 2010, 06:21:19 PM »
Hi all!
I'm playing a campaign in faerun
"whoa, I finally get to use venomfire cheese on my fleshraker!"

however, since we're starting in a cold region (the north), the master is not allowing animals from warm habitats (but he didn't check every animal's habitat in respective description, in fact I temporarily use a dire bat)

we're at ECL 5

can you think of a great animal companion and/or wild shape and/or other animal that I may use with venomfire in a cold setting?
Or, maybe, is there a way I can buff my animal with a long duration spell so it can produce venom?

thanks!
« Last Edit: December 11, 2010, 06:23:13 PM by IlPazzo »

mottalol

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #261 on: December 12, 2010, 12:44:12 AM »
this guide is my very favorite :3

Just using it to rule in my actual campaing: core only, just the PrCs from core and Complete's are allowed...

So i've decided, no PrCs for me =P

cru

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #262 on: December 13, 2010, 04:34:17 PM »
Hi all!
I'm playing a campaign in faerun
"whoa, I finally get to use venomfire cheese on my fleshraker!"
however, since we're starting in a cold region (the north), the master is not allowing animals from warm habitats (but he didn't check every animal's habitat in respective description, in fact I temporarily use a dire bat)
we're at ECL 5
can you think of a great animal companion and/or wild shape and/or other animal that I may use with venomfire in a cold setting?
Or, maybe, is there a way I can buff my animal with a long duration spell so it can produce venom?
thanks!
Looking at the options listed in the poison handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=4854.0)

Animal companions:
[spoiler]1st:
* Snake, Medium Viper: a pretty weak choice.
*Sea Snake, Medium: Stormwrack also weak, but slightly better with +2 to the DC of the bite.
* Stingray Stormwrack: the poison is quite excellent (DC 12 or nauseated for 1d4 hours, on a successful save sickened for 1d6 rounds), so this is a decent low-level companion for an aquatic game or for a druid that takes it during downtime to get poisons, and uses another companion while adventuring.  
*Swindlespitter: MMIIIThis is a dinosaur with a blinding poison, and probably the best combat choice for this level if the DM allows dinosaurs.
4th: Fleshraker Dinosaur MM3: An awesome choice - pounce, grapple, rend, and poison!
7th: Snake, Huge Viper: A good grappler with constrict, but the poison DC is low.  A sea snake adds +2 to the poison DC and can swim as well.
13th: Giant Banded LizardSandstorm: a huge grappler with a decent poison (DC 21, 2d4/2d4 Strength).  [/spoiler]

Gear
[spoiler]Collar of Venom BoVD: granting all natural attacks a d10 poison effect seems like a good deal to me!  The only problem is the low DC and the high cost.  The Collar of Virulent Venom gets the DC to 20, but is ridiculously expensive.  Still, either collar would be an insane combination with Venomfire for a druid in wildshape.
Poison Fangs Serpent Kingdoms: For 8,000 gold, give yourself poisonous fangs for free poison!  The DC scales with your level and Con modifier, which helps this scale much better than many abilities.  
[/spoiler]
« Last Edit: December 13, 2010, 04:35:52 PM by cru »

IlPazzo

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #263 on: December 14, 2010, 11:54:24 AM »
Thanks a lot! I think Poison Fangs qualifies for venomfire (as the spell requires a creature naturally capable of producing venom).
I don't think the master is going to allow such an expensive item, however, since 8000 gp is almost all the standard wealth at ECL 5, but I may try. Also, the guide you listed is going to help a lot on this.


... think I'll ask the party to move near a warm forest, where fleshrakers live...

cru

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #264 on: December 14, 2010, 12:42:04 PM »
Vermin have often poison. Check the section on vermin companions here: http://coboard.wikia.com/wiki/Druid. Perhaps you'll find something useful. The online article listed there seems more powerful than the ECS/DotU options.

ShriekingDrake

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #265 on: December 18, 2010, 03:50:31 PM »
Has anyone else noticed what I think is an error in the description of Summon Nature's Ally VII Pixie summons in the OP to this thread?  I don't think that SNA VII will summon a Pixie that can cast Irresistible Dance.  I think you have to wait until Summon Nature's Ally IX to do that.
« Last Edit: December 18, 2010, 06:37:50 PM by ShriekingDrake »

Akalsaris

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #266 on: December 18, 2010, 05:54:05 PM »
Good luck with the poisonous animal, Ilpazzo!  Realistically, the poison can be as weak as a d2 dex damage, because the 5d6 from Venomfire is going to wreak encounters.  Personally I'd go for anything with a strong bite attack. 

Unfortunately, most of the natural poison-using creatures are reptiles, so you would need to cast Endure Elements every day (and probably use a skill trick for 'slither in snow') for them to feel comfortable following you into the arctic without hibernating or going into 'OMG what the hell is this ice stuff??' mode.

nijineko

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #267 on: December 19, 2010, 03:14:13 AM »
shrews have a poison bite.... but not many in cold habitats i'm thinking.
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McPoyo

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #268 on: December 19, 2010, 03:38:39 AM »
shrews have a poison bite.... but not many in cold habitats i'm thinking.
Wrong!
[Spoiler]
A gygaxian dungeon is like the world's most messed up game show.

Behind door number one: INSTANT DEATH!
Behind door number 2: A magic crown!
Behind door number 3: 4d6 giant bees, and THREE HUNDRED POUNDS OF HONEY!
They don't/haven't, was the point. 3.5 is as dead as people not liking nice tits.

Sometimes, their tits (3.5) get enhancements (houserules), but that doesn't mean people don't like nice tits.

Though sometimes, the surgeon (DM) botches them pretty bad...
Best metaphor I have seen in a long time.  I give you much fu.
Three Errata for the Mage-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Barbarian-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Monks doomed to die,
One for the Wizard on his dark throne
In the Land of Charop where the Shadows lie.
[/spoiler]

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #269 on: January 04, 2011, 07:26:00 PM »
Great guide!

There is just one little detail that I disagree with, or perhaps I am reading something wrong. I am currently building a druid myself, but when I reached the question of my starting Animal Companion, something struck me.

Quote
Riding dog: Make sure yours is trained for war, per the monster entry. Tough, relatively hard-hitting, can wear barding without wasting feats. Superior in every way to a wolf. Good mount (small druids only) and substitute low-level tank if you give it barding.

Emphasis mine. While a riding dog certainly gives a wolf a run for its money, I think that the wolf at least deserves to be mentioned for its trip attack. For quite a while, I actually thought that the warbeast template gave the base creature trip, but it apparently doesn't.

Does anyone agree?

juton

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #270 on: January 04, 2011, 08:09:57 PM »
I'm using a riding dog as an animal companion in a current game, and they are superior in about every way. They get trip just like a wolf but they have higher strength so they will trip more reliably. They have a higher AC as well, the only thing they have going for them is their 'coolness' factor, they also move slightly faster so may be more appealing as a mount.

E-mail

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #271 on: January 04, 2011, 08:11:33 PM »
But where does the riding dog get Trip from? I don't see it in the MM entry for riding dogs, or the warbeast entry.

EDIT: D'oh! I missed the 'if trained for war' part. My bad. Move along :-p
« Last Edit: January 04, 2011, 08:13:25 PM by E-mail »

Bortasz

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #272 on: January 31, 2011, 06:26:06 PM »
My proposal for 6 (or higher) lvl Druid Animal Companion:
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/wolverine.htm witch Battle beast Template :]

Why?

Average wilverine have 3 HD witch Template he have +1HD and when Become the 6 LVL Druid Animal Companion he have extra 2 HD
So 3+1+2= 6HD

And when Wolverine have more then 4HD he become Large. So our Druid can ride on him into the Battle :]

Now because of Battle Beast template our Wolverine can wear  All Armours :] But i think that Chain Shirt will be Fine (Cost only 400gp)

So our 6 HD wolverine will have that Stat:
Str: 14+3(Temlapte)+8(Size)+1(Animal Companion)=26
Dex: 15 -2(Size)+1(Animal Companion)=14
Con: 19+3(template)+4(Size)=26
Int: 1
Wis 12+2(template)=14
Cha: 10
AC: 10+2(dex)+2(Natural)+2(size)+2(Animal Companion)-1(Size)=17 +4(Chain Shirt)=21
Attack: 2 Claws +11 and Bite 6
Damage
Claws D6+8
Bite d8+4
Speed 30+10(Template)
Feats: Rage, Scent and Dodge.

3 Attack Two witch +11 and one +6
Damage from 9-14 and 5-12
AC like Warrior in Mitril Full Plate or Ranger witch Mitril Chain Shirt.

Add to that. Druid is Riding him like Horse. So what the Problem Casting Long Step and Oak Body?
Fist have Duration 6 hours and give +10 foot Speed.
Second give only for 1 hour +3 to Natural Armour.

if You have a 9 lvl Druid get iven Better. Because our Battle Wolverine get +2HD and +2 Natural Armour and +1 to Str+Dex

20 lvl Druid have bi his site a 14HD Battle Wolverine. Witch AC 10+4(dex)+14(Natural Armour)=28
Str 30 plus Rage...

For my its Monster. I'm not Sure but if you could combine Templates than Battle Best (training) + Magebred(Born) will create a Biggest Monster.
Radical Taoist
[spoiler]It bears saying: if up against a logic-impervious DM who thinks Core is balanced and Psionics*  isn't, then the most powerful way to disprove that is to play a C.o.D. (Cleric or Druid). Noncore material will not be necessary unless you are going for pure overkill (Draconic Wildshape? Divine Metamagic?). So by all means, if you must win that argument, take you C.o.D. to town. Annihilate the opposition. Make the NPCs and other players scream "Oh no, it's C.o.D.zilla!!!!!" in badly dubbed English. Breathe radioactive fire. Knock down buildings. Then stomp out of the burning Tokyo that is the ruins of the game and swim off into the ocean, seeking a DM with some basic cognitive functions. [/profile]

GrokThis

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #273 on: February 02, 2011, 01:02:22 AM »
My DM had said once about the Domain Druid (UA) that giving a druid a domain would be fine, but I would have to trade off one of the other staple druid features like Wild Shape or Animal Companion. I never did get to play the druid, but I'm still curious as to what would be acceptable. My idea was a sort of "Lord of the Elements," taking Contemplative @ 11-16 for the two bonus domains and finishing out the druid 17-20, with my first epic feat being Extra Domain. Turn, rebuke, and command all elemental creatures, and maybe even take Extra Domain (Cold) at level 24. Sure, being a cleric instead would net me 4 domains (w/Contemplative) by level 16, but I liked the druid flavor more, and undead were only a sometimes issue in his games.

As a side note, it would be really sweet if you could apply Undead Mastery (Epic) to your elemental turning, but that's probably taking it too far. :D

cru

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #274 on: February 02, 2011, 06:25:13 AM »
Losing wild shape or animal companion is a big loss. Even losing the progression for 6 levels is a big loss. Usually, druids are ill-suited for prestige classing.

Note that Contemplative does not require to have a domain to enter. I.e., you don't need to sacrifice anything. Complete Divine has rules on what happens if a character without domains gains them. Of course, you lose the 6 levels of progression.

Contemplative, however, needs knowledge (religion) 13 ranks, you need to spend a feat to make it a class skill.

Sovereign Speaker (Faiths of Eberron) is a 10 level prestige class and gives one domain on each level. Requires a domain to enter.

If you desire 2 domains, go drd10/con1/ss1/drd8. You waste 2 feats, 2 levels of wild shape, 2 levels of animal companion, and 1 level of spell casting for 2 domains. Of course, it's generally not worth it.

If you desire domains above all else, Sovereign speaker is the way to go! Certainly better than spending epic feats. Just make sure you realize that domains are much weaker than companion or wild shape.


But you can have elemental flavor as a druid even without shooting yourself in the foot. Just stick to druid. Cast elemental spells. Summon elementals. Get the elemental companion ACF (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20061010a). Get Summon Elemental reserve feat (Complete Mage). Wild shape to elementals at levels 16+.

Edit: I guess you could go Cleric 1 / Druid 19.
Edit: Actually, your turning level would suck. Hmm.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2011, 06:50:35 AM by cru »

Shiki

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #275 on: February 02, 2011, 06:57:30 AM »
Reflavoring Initiate of Nature? :rollseyes
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Bortasz

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #276 on: February 02, 2011, 08:05:15 AM »
I have question.

LEoF and UE i don't recognize this short cut. Can somebody can give me the whole name of this Book?
Radical Taoist
[spoiler]It bears saying: if up against a logic-impervious DM who thinks Core is balanced and Psionics*  isn't, then the most powerful way to disprove that is to play a C.o.D. (Cleric or Druid). Noncore material will not be necessary unless you are going for pure overkill (Draconic Wildshape? Divine Metamagic?). So by all means, if you must win that argument, take you C.o.D. to town. Annihilate the opposition. Make the NPCs and other players scream "Oh no, it's C.o.D.zilla!!!!!" in badly dubbed English. Breathe radioactive fire. Knock down buildings. Then stomp out of the burning Tokyo that is the ruins of the game and swim off into the ocean, seeking a DM with some basic cognitive functions. [/profile]

Agita

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #277 on: February 02, 2011, 08:07:44 AM »
I have question.

LEoF and UE i don't recognize this short cut. Can somebody can give me the whole name of this Book?
It's all about vision and making reality conform to your vision. By dropping a fucking house on it.

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Bortasz

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #278 on: February 02, 2011, 09:10:05 AM »
Thank You :)
Radical Taoist
[spoiler]It bears saying: if up against a logic-impervious DM who thinks Core is balanced and Psionics*  isn't, then the most powerful way to disprove that is to play a C.o.D. (Cleric or Druid). Noncore material will not be necessary unless you are going for pure overkill (Draconic Wildshape? Divine Metamagic?). So by all means, if you must win that argument, take you C.o.D. to town. Annihilate the opposition. Make the NPCs and other players scream "Oh no, it's C.o.D.zilla!!!!!" in badly dubbed English. Breathe radioactive fire. Knock down buildings. Then stomp out of the burning Tokyo that is the ruins of the game and swim off into the ocean, seeking a DM with some basic cognitive functions. [/profile]

GrokThis

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Re: The Druid Handbook
« Reply #279 on: February 02, 2011, 04:58:49 PM »
Losing wild shape or animal companion is a big loss. Even losing the progression for 6 levels is a big loss. Usually, druids are ill-suited for prestige classing.

Note that Contemplative does not require to have a domain to enter. I.e., you don't need to sacrifice anything. Complete Divine has rules on what happens if a character without domains gains them. Of course, you lose the 6 levels of progression.

Contemplative, however, needs knowledge (religion) 13 ranks, you need to spend a feat to make it a class skill.

Sovereign Speaker (Faiths of Eberron) is a 10 level prestige class and gives one domain on each level. Requires a domain to enter.

If you desire 2 domains, go drd10/con1/ss1/drd8. You waste 2 feats, 2 levels of wild shape, 2 levels of animal companion, and 1 level of spell casting for 2 domains. Of course, it's generally not worth it.

If you desire domains above all else, Sovereign speaker is the way to go! Certainly better than spending epic feats. Just make sure you realize that domains are much weaker than companion or wild shape.


But you can have elemental flavor as a druid even without shooting yourself in the foot. Just stick to druid. Cast elemental spells. Summon elementals. Get the elemental companion ACF (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20061010a). Get Summon Elemental reserve feat (Complete Mage). Wild shape to elementals at levels 16+.

Edit: I guess you could go Cleric 1 / Druid 19.
Edit: Actually, your turning level would suck. Hmm.

I should have been clearer, sorry. It isn't just about summoning elementals, but being able to control (turn, rebuke, etc.) any creature with an elemental subtype, unless my interpretation of the domain powers is incorrect. As written, each elemental domain says you can turn or destroy it's opposing creatures as a cleric does with undead, and you can rebuke, command or bolster creatures of the corresponding element. I take that to mean anything such as undead, outsiders, aberrations, and even dragons, that have an elemental subtype. But as I said, I may be misinterpreting things.

Now as a druid, your turning checks would be abysmal without levels of cleric, but what if you allowed the druid the power to turn like a paladin? Or even as a full cleric? (only as those domain powers though.)

I guess it's really all academic and subject to what a particular DM would allow. One could simply play a cleric and maybe give that cleric an animal companion for some druid flavor. I just didn't want to make the druid more powerful than it already is, since most would agree that it's one of, if not the most powerful class in the game. Just trying to find some balance for what I think would be an interesting variant. :)

EDIT: Thanks for the tip on the Sovereign Speaker! I looked it over and got the wheels turning some more. :)
« Last Edit: February 02, 2011, 05:07:16 PM by GrokThis »