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Author Topic: Eberron Druid, looking for options.  (Read 4696 times)

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GawainBS

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Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« on: April 21, 2009, 09:01:56 AM »
In Vidar's latest campaign, I'm playing a Half-Elf (deliberate choice) Druid->Heir of Syberis with a Riding Dog at the moment. STR 10, DEX 12, CON 14, INT 14, WIS 18, CHA 14. Pretty much anything is allowed, but I'm actively avoiding the Planar Shephard, so that I don't overshadow the rest of the team. (Illumian Paladin->Boneknight, Orc Half-Earth Elemental Warblade/Barbarian ->Bloodstormblade, a Human Ranger and a Half-Air Elemental Psychic Rogue.
I plan to cast, summon a bit (Augment Summoning; Enhance Elemental) and use my Animal Companion. Wildshape would be a secundary option, mainly for mobility.
I'm planning to take Spell Focus (Conjuration), Augment Summoning, Natural Spell, Heroic Spirit, Quicken Spell, Mark of the Stars. Not sure what to take at lvl 18. Natural Bond maybe.
So, any advice? A cool PrC perhaps? Any feats I'm missing?

Thanks in advance!
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cru

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2009, 09:52:31 AM »
* Consider being from Breland. As per Five Nations, p.75, druids from Breland can have magebred companions.
* How are you going to use your AP? How about the Spontaneous Casting feat?
* Also, Dragon Wildshape gives excellent mobility.
* Out of curiousity, which Mark/House did you pick? Halfelves qualify for 2.
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GawainBS

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2009, 01:14:11 PM »
Well, we are starting in Breland, so that's an excellent suggestion.
We're from house Medani.
Spontaneous Casting sounds good, but Dragon Wildshape is cool as well. Pretty hard choice. Where'd you put either of them in the progression?

Thanks for the suggestions!
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cru

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2009, 06:25:20 PM »
I don't know! It's your character :) Spontaneous casting can be first taken at level 9 (as the level 6 feat is occupied); Dragon wildshape can be taken at lvl 12. On the other hand, Heroic Spirit could be handy early to have more action points earlier.

You could save a feat or 2 by omitting SF conjuration & augment summoning, or replacing them by the ashbound feat (+3 luck to hit, double duration), if Ashbound fits your fluff. Or take them all on lvl 1 if you can have flaws...
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GawainBS

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2009, 06:28:34 PM »
I think I'll drop SF: Conj/Augment Summong and maybe Enhance Elemental. Dragon Wildshape and Spontaneous spell is a lot better.
Where can Ashbound Summoning be found?
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Sinfire Titan

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2009, 07:40:54 PM »
Quote from: GawainBS on April 21, 2009, 01:14:11 PM
Well, we are starting in Breland, so that's an excellent suggestion.
We're from house Medani.
Spontaneous Casting sounds good, but Dragon Wildshape is cool as well. Pretty hard choice. Where'd you put either of them in the progression?

Thanks for the suggestions!

Dragon Wildshape at 12th, no later. It needs 15 ranks in Knowledge (Nature) and a Wis of 19, so get that first. The bad news is you can only WS into Medium or Small dragons, and you don't get Spellcasting or SLAs from the form. A good idea is to apply the Zorvintaal template from MM5 to whatever type you want to WS into, and then just cherry-pick special abilities from that template.
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AfterCrescent

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2009, 07:55:33 PM »
Quote from: GawainBS on April 21, 2009, 06:28:34 PM
Where can Ashbound Summoning be found?
ECS p 50
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Operation Shoestring

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #7 on: April 21, 2009, 09:44:58 PM »
ECS has feats that let you wildshape into a displacer beast or have one as an animal companion.  May not be the best option, but I like it.
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Surreal

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2009, 01:36:24 AM »
Quote from: Operation Shoestring on April 21, 2009, 09:44:58 PM
ECS has feats that let you wildshape into a displacer beast or have one as an animal companion.  May not be the best option, but I like it.
It takes two feats to do that though (Beast Totem is a prereq for Beast Shape), which is tough in a feat starved build, and you can only assume that form 1/day (which is a stupid limitation considering it cost you two feats to get there). Of your totem choices though, Displacer Beast is probably the best since that one gives you +4 vs targeted spells.

Hmm, as a random houserule idea, I think this would be a great feat chain to fit in with the shapeshifting druid.
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Salt_Crow

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2009, 01:46:29 AM »
Summon Elemental reserve feat from Complete Mage is always handy with a druid :) Free elemental summonings to trigger traps and scout at later levels!
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Sinfire Titan

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2009, 04:40:47 AM »
Quote from: Salt_Crow on April 22, 2009, 01:46:29 AM
Summon Elemental reserve feat from Complete Mage is always handy with a druid :) Free elemental summonings to trigger traps and scout at later levels!

Or at will Fly speed! Or a free Vacuum Cleaner! Or a Stove!

The uses are unlimited...
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GawainBS

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2009, 08:55:41 AM »
Thanks for all the answers. Why would you take that Reserve feat (Elemental Summoning?) if you can spontaneously cast SNA?
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Brainpiercing

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #12 on: April 22, 2009, 09:09:02 AM »
Quote from: GawainBS on April 22, 2009, 08:55:41 AM
Thanks for all the answers. Why would you take that Reserve feat (Elemental Summoning?) if you can spontaneously cast SNA?
Hmm... just memorize one at your highest level to get the super expendable elemental? But you're right, it sort of doesn't make sense, because you wouldn't normally memorize a summoning spell.
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veekie

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #13 on: April 22, 2009, 02:07:42 PM »
Quote from: GawainBS on April 22, 2009, 08:55:41 AM
Thanks for all the answers. Why would you take that Reserve feat (Elemental Summoning?) if you can spontaneously cast SNA?
I'm pretty sure he can find a way to make use of a completely expendable summons with Earth Glide. :D
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GawainBS

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #14 on: April 22, 2009, 05:30:53 PM »
Quote from: veekie on April 22, 2009, 02:07:42 PM
Quote from: GawainBS on April 22, 2009, 08:55:41 AM
Thanks for all the answers. Why would you take that Reserve feat (Elemental Summoning?) if you can spontaneously cast SNA?
I'm pretty sure he can find a way to make use of a completely expendable summons with Earth Glide. :D
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Well, that's the stuff I'm actively trying to avoid. ;)Most of the party thinks that D&D should consist of a Fighter, sword & board, a healing Cleric, a blaster Wizard and a Rogue. Mind you, they aren't opposed to CO (except maybe one), but they simply aren't aware of the intricacies.
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Brainpiercing

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #15 on: April 23, 2009, 05:40:39 AM »
Heh, in that case, play stupid: Conjure your expendable elemental a few times and let it inefficiently hit things.

THEN fake a bit revelation moment and send it through the wall to scout out the dungeon. If you can act well enough you might be able to pull it off  :rollseyes.
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Sinfire Titan

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #16 on: April 23, 2009, 06:13:47 AM »
Odd, I thought Summon Elemental required you to maintain LoE in addition to the 30ft distance cap. Makes it a bit more useful.
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veekie

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #17 on: April 23, 2009, 11:53:11 AM »
Air Elemental summons is also pretty much a flank-o-matic. And an at will Mage Hand with a longer range.
Just keep parking it opposite the rogue and get it to use Aid Another instead of attacking, with it's speed, getting in position shouldn't be more than a trivial problem.
I don't use elementals often enough to know their hitting rate, but any melee rogue would love you for the help.

Finally, theres the use of them to engage in trapfinding and ambush springing. Totally expendable at work again. :D I like using Fire for this though.
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The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

Quote from: Soda on July 22, 2009, 02:48:16 PM
"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
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Vidar

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #18 on: April 23, 2009, 12:12:04 PM »
Quote from: Surreal on April 22, 2009, 01:36:24 AM
Hmm, as a random houserule idea, I think this would be a great feat chain to fit in with the shapeshifting druid.

I'm all ears for specific suggestions.    :hmm
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Brainpiercing

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Re: Eberron Druid, looking for options.
« Reply #19 on: April 28, 2009, 01:32:22 PM »
Quote from: Sinfire Titan on April 23, 2009, 06:13:47 AM
Odd, I thought Summon Elemental required you to maintain LoE in addition to the 30ft distance cap. Makes it a bit more useful.
I'm not sure, if this is a reply to me then I might be wrong about the LoE issue. I was just looking for a great utility use.
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