The other day I posted looking for some help on the artificer as a buddy of mine was looking to play it. We both read the guide and got his character ready. (Thanks for those who helped as well.) Now I'm getting mine together and I'm looking for advice. We played a session with a hastily thrown together druid I made, and now Im taking the opportunity to give this build hell. We started at level 3, and the artificer was not able to craft anything with his craft reserve (Which will be given to him retroactively now that we're level 4 so he can craft like a mofo), and keeping that in mind I took mostly summoning feats. It seemed to work out pretty well, but some of my books weren't with me so I couldn't make the most out of it. Keeping meat shields between us and the enemies while the Arty and I wung ranged attacks kept us alive.
Later on I want to have a powerful contingent of minions, able to hold their own in melee or range depending on whether I summon animals or elementals. Sharing spells with my animal companion will let him stand next to me while I wildshape and lead the charge. The artificer will be using two arbalesters as turrets, firing off blasts with sculpted, sonic energy substituted wands of ice storm and fireball himself. Simultaneously keeping us buffed and alive with things like schema of haste, mass bulls strength, and mass cure moderate wounds. Rods of Quicken can make summoning on the fly easy and I think this keep us alive and a contestable force both on and off the battlefield. Here's my proposed build:
(4d6 score system) Str: 10 Dex: 10 Con: 18 Int: 12 Wis: 18 Cha: 12
Raising Wis at every level possible
Human Feat: Greenbound Summoning (applies Greenbound template to animal companions) PEoF
Level 1: Ashbound Summoning doubles duration and gives +3 luck bonus to atk rolls. ECS
Level 3: Natural Bond (increases effective animal companion level by 3 to a max of my druid level)
Level 4: Fleshraker animal companion
Level 6: Natural Spell (allows casting in wildshape form.) PHB
Level 9: Assume Supernatural ability (allows usage of one supernatural ability from a form) Savage Species
Also at level 9: Swift Concentration
Level 12: Dragon Wild Shape (Allows shifting into dragon forms) Draco
Level 15: Frozen Wildshape (Allows shifting into frozen template animals) Frost
Level 18: Initiate of Nature (Allows 2HD/level rebuking of plants and animals) PGtF
Questions: When should I replace fleshraker? A companion that eclipses it nearly completely is what I'm looking for. Keep in mind that with the Natural Bond feat he's treated as though I had him at level 1. If Im reading Assume Supernatural Ability right, I can only choose one ability. Which one should I choose? Will Greenbound summoning do enough in the later levels to offset the decline in power from Summon Nature's ally? What magic items are vital for my artificer and I? Are any of my feats a poor choice? Im thinking of dropping Initiate of Nature, because it doesn't seem like it will be all that great. Although at that level 36 HD worth of animals or plants could really be useful to swell the ranks. What's your view on that?
I can't get this picture out of my head:
[spoiler]
The scene starts with a side profile of my druid's face. Shining black hair sways backwards as the wind blows, revealing tan skin etched with blue tribal along the strong jawline. A horn blows in the distance and with a slight cock of his head you see the glow of mysterious green eyes. The camera pans out to show him sitting in the saddle of his fleshraker both clad in dark hide armor. He points his off into the distance. With a bellowing roar the raptor like figure begins riding off into the distance. The camera follows them through tall grass and past trees until they disappear behind a hill. The camera pans up to reveal a massive army marching toward them. Though they're clearly far off, looking like lines of hundreds of black ants in the distance.
Cut to the bottom paws of the raptor smacking into the ground kicking up dust as he gallops forward. Panning up it shows his legs and long tail adorned with tribal paint. As it moves you see the druid's hand reach behind and unhitch a staff from his back. It's dark oak handle and glinting orange crystal ends shine in the glow of the sun. He takes it firmly and spins it above his head. The camera follows the staff into the air, with a slight lense flare as it twirls over head. Panning out to a frontal view of the rider and mount, the raptor's head cocks back and forth as the staff is pointed straight out. The dust from the running beast, fully visible in this frontal view, begins to swirl with a light green energy.
A small bush passes over top of the camera and is quickly crushed by the fleshraker's foot. As it passes out of sight attention is drawn again to the magic now forming into a shaped outline. Cut to a close up on the fleshraker's claw as roots and vines spurt from the ground, sending bits of dirt and pebbles scattering this way and that. The plants cover the framework creating a massive set of gray hooves that shake the camera gently as they smash into the ground running. Cut back to the frontal view as the framework on either side of the Druid becomes immersed in greenery. The forms are coming into focus. Panning from left to right: A black and orange striped tiger snarls as the magic finishes off creating the tip of it's tail, a rhinocerous lowers it's head, baring the deadly horn. The camera pans to the right of the Fleshraker as the design of a giant, round eared beast opens massive jaws. Lifting it's head, the magic finishes adding flesh to the green outline and the devastating roar of a dire bear sounds through curling lips. Paning again to the right, a dire wolf's snow white fur pokes it's way through as the glowing green dust of the magic disappears.
Cut back out to a frontal view of the horde of fierce predators sprinting forward. Vines of ivy grow rapidly from the ground, enveloping all but the fleshraker and rider. The plants set into place, acting as a second skin on the animals. Small thorns protrude all over their bodies and glowing red eyes pierce into visibility.
The camera begins panning backward rapidly and turning slightly to the right. The scene shows the top of a large hill looking down into a valley where the red flags and steel armor can be seen in the distance. Grass sways forward in the wind when suddenly there is a puff of black smoke. As the smoke clears, a figure stands tall. Wearing light chainmail, it's clear he's heavily equipped. Tons of packs hang from him, a bandolier across his chest holds dozens of wands and from a quiver on his back juts out no less than 8 staffs. In his hands he holds a small box with a circle in the center. It glows with an orange light. The top detatches, spins a second and reattatches itself in a new position. The camera pans up to a bust shot of him looking down at it with a large pride filled grin on his face. He kisses it and holds it up in the air for a last look, then stores it away in a pouch on his waist. Rising from his shoulder plates, two small boxes with thin clawlike steel legs scurry down his back, clanging and clinking with moving parts. They descend onto the grass. Lifting their sharp feet, they smash them into the dirt gaining firm grip.
From a case on his side he draws a scroll. The camera pans in a circular motion around to the front of the parchment as he unrolls it, revealing detailed blueprints of some kind. The camera cuts to a frontal view as the heavy stomping of feet becomes audible. Treading into sight is the pack of animals and it's rider, who turns his head to look at the man with the scroll and nods. The camera pans back to a back side profile where the man can be seen snearing and holding the paper unrolled in one hand. Just as the group reaches him he snaps his fingers and the white writing illuminates mysteriously. White glowing arcane letters form above the heads of the pack as the camera catches them riding over the hill. Panning back slowly the focus is directed to the two bots rooted into the ground, now twisting and turning. With a clank into place they now greatly resemble repeating crossbows. The camera turns upward as the mans hand is taking a wand from the bandolier on his chest. Swinging it into the air at the army, two burning red spheres burst from the tip. The camera cuts to a frontal view of the spheres and the two contraptions at the mans feet fire off bolts cackling with electricity into the sky. Quickly catching up with the spheres, the arrows fly past them as the man becomes out of focus on the hill above.
The camera cuts back to the rider and his beasts. The symbols above their heads are disappearing, raining sparkling ashes upon them. A side view of his bust shows him setting his staff into it's holster on his back. The spidery sounds of magic whispers from his lips and echoes into the air. Catching hold of the reigns, he leaps, standing upright in his saddle. The magic flows around him, warping his hands into massive claws covered in brown fur. The camera pans out and the fleshraker's body is changing too. His face twists and contorts into that of a fierce bear. As the camera turns slightly to the right, the army is seen, within a mere hundred feat from the pack as it descends the final hill. Small arrows fall from the sky into the lined up bunches of soldiers, piercing through eye sockets and sending shockwaves of electricity through their collapsing bodies. In the distance two small orbs fall on opposing sides sending huge mushroom clouds into the air, leaving behind only charred earth of what was once their infantry.
The camera pans directly behind the druid. The troops grow ever closer and he crouches down. With all his might he rockets himself forward and into the air, where his form shifts, splits and grows larger and larger. White fur sprouts from all around his body and by the time he reaches the peak of his jump he's fully transformed. The camera pans to the shoulder of the dire polar bear as it descends ahead of the summoned creatures and fleshraker behind him. The camera follows the right massive claw as it pierces through the armor of the first troop in the battle line. Blood spurts out into the air and flesh tears to pieces as the camera follows the paw to the ground and goes black. [/spoiler]