Don't multiclass the druid, newb!

[genuine]

Ok, yes, I know that it's near impossible to even add a PrC to a druid without it loosing power, let alone dipping into other base classes. I also know that Planar Shepherd is the exception that proves the rule.

That being said, Druids are already ridiculously powerful, versatile, and flavorful. So I can't help but ask: so what if it looses some power? Especially given that most of the games I'm in gravitate towards a tier 3-4 medium, it seems ok to let a druid loose out on a couple thirds of it's power-trifecta. Why not focus on your casting and let wildshape slide? Or similar. Obviously not as powerful as the straight druid, but interesting nonetheless.

Which brings us to my point (which is not that druids need nerfing). If you're willing to let a Druid's power drop to tier 3ish, or even tier 4, what builds would be interesting and effective?

I could see a druid moving towards Warshaper and Master of Many Forms being fun - crazy shapeshifting skills. For that matter, wouldn't it be fun to get some way to turn undead and then run an Eldritch Disciple/Warlock druid?

So, of all those who've done the newb thing and multiclassed their druid, have any builds been fun and interesting?

[Lycanthromancer]

A dip into unarmed swordsage or two?

[Shiki]

Dip Factotum, Human w/ Able Learner to be Skillmonkey Beast. ( )

[Ithamar]

Raging Druid / Frenzied Berserker or Bear Warrior - Try to get 15 levels of Druid so you can wild shape into a Cryo-Hydra.  That combined with Frenzied Berserker (and Fast Healing 22) should be plenty of fun.

Deadly Hunter Druid / Scout - Go the Swift Hunter route, works well with Zen Archery.

Goliath Shapeshift Druid 8 / Warshaper 3 / Fist of the Forest 1 is a decent tank and grappler.

[Lycanthromancer]

Dip Factotum, Human w/ Able Learner to be Skillmonkey Beast. ( )

I'd rather be a changeling so I could turn into one thing and look like another.

Just because it's fun.

[Shiki]

Dip Factotum, Human w/ Able Learner to be Skillmonkey Beast. ( )

I'd rather be a changeling so I could turn into one thing and look like another.

Just because it's fun.

I agree.

[Dictum Mortuum]

Get that shifter prestige class in races of eberron. It's cool.

[AtomicKitKat]

Geomancer. "I haven't stopped embracing Nature. I just decided to express the body parts of animals, rather than taking on their whole forms."

[Ras F]

Dip Cloistered Cleric 1 

[gorfnad]

Which brings us to my point (which is not that druids need nerfing). If you're willing to let a Druid's power drop to tier 3ish, or even tier 4, what builds would be interesting and effective?

I'm kinda partial to the Salad Bar Monk
Warforged Monk 2/ Druid 3/ Landforged Walker 5/ Sacred Fist 10 (text trumps table damn it!)

Fochlucan Lyrist is also kinda nice
Bard 2/ Druid 3/ Green Whisperer 3/ Spelldancer 2/ Sublime Chord 1/ Fochlucan Lyrist 9
Bard 1/ Druid 4/ Green Whisperer 3/ Spelldancer 2/ Fochlucan Lyrist 10

[Unbeliever]

I'm kinda partial to the Salad Bar Monk
Warforged Monk 2/ Druid 3/ Landforged Walker 5/ Sacred Fist 10 (text trumps table damn it!)

+1, though I've never sat down and statted one out, it always struck me as a potentially cool idea.

I do always have a bit of an issue w/ characters who can fight and who can cast, though.  I always end up trying to do both in the same round or something -- it's something I have to restrain myself from, otherwise I keep on making Big Guy is With Me or uber-summoners. 

[Whisper]

Ok, yes, I know that it's near impossible to even add a PrC to a druid without it loosing power, let alone dipping into other base classes.

Question: is it worth dipping cleric 1 to get Turn/Rebuke Undead, so that one can get DMM Persistent Spell, and walk around with Undermaster running all day?

Because I haven't crunched the numbers, but at first impression that strikes me as pretty awesome.

[Bozwevial]

Ok, yes, I know that it's near impossible to even add a PrC to a druid without it loosing power, let alone dipping into other base classes.

Question: is it worth dipping cleric 1 to get Turn/Rebuke Undead, so that one can get DMM Persistent Spell, and walk around with Undermaster running all day?

Because I haven't crunched the numbers, but at first impression that strikes me as pretty awesome.

There's a druid variant somewhere (wild reaper) that gets turn undead, along with some other stuff like fast healing and disease immunity. I think it only picks it up at 12th level, though.

[cru]

a druid + rogue/scout into daggerspell shaper gains some unique abilities and decent skills. Depending on the build, you can probably lose enough to get to tier 3-4.

[Kuroimaken]

Do NOT underestimate MoMF.  That class is an absolute BEAST. You don't actually lose anything in the end, because you can just Wild Shape into something with casting if you need spells!

Ubermount druid also sounds like fun. Gallop on the back of Famine's horse. 

[Lycanthromancer]

Hahaha. Dip some legacy champion. Find a way to make your animal companion a legacy item.

[X-Codes]

a druid + rogue/scout into daggerspell shaper gains some unique abilities and decent skills. Depending on the build, you can probably lose enough to get to tier 3-4.

Daggerspell Shaper doesn't actually make Wild Shape better, and forces you to burn two feats to get into the class.  If you fix it, it could be cool.

If you want your druid to drop to Tier 3-4, then just be a Shapeshift druid and dip any of Monk, Ninja, or Swordsage.

[cru]

Daggerspell Shaper doesn't actually make Wild Shape better, and forces you to burn two feats to get into the class. 

Hello? This thread is not about making druids better.

[X-Codes]

Daggerspell Shaper doesn't actually make Wild Shape better, and forces you to burn two feats to get into the class. 

Hello? This thread is not about making druids better.

Still, let's try to not turn it into a Tier 5 character because we used a PrC with screwed up RAW.

[JohnnyMayHymn]

Do NOT underestimate MoMF.  That class is an absolute BEAST. You don't actually lose anything in the end, because you can just Wild Shape into something with casting if you need spells!

So you're saying the spellcasting is EX? Or are you using some other method?
(An honest question, last time I brought up the fact that planar shepherds get EX, SU, and SP abilities and thus, the Spellcasting of the forms, there was a huge argument that spilled into multiple threads and no consensus in the end  )

EDIT: nm I'm pretty sure the innate spellcasting is EX