Ok, so... I'm working on making a PC who is a Wolf Shaman Druid. Probably human. Essentially, he was raised amongst some other droods, and they were all killed by orcs or some such, and he was orphaned and never learned how to do the drood thing. So, as he grows up, his only companion is this wolf that follows him around, and he sort of lives off the land as soon as he can fend for himself (presumably some old hermit or maybe the wolf itself provided for him before he was old enough). Anyway, as soon as he starts to feel the lupine magic in him, he notices that his hair is thicker, sharp nails, teeth, etc., and assumes that holy crap I must be a werewolf and maybe I killed my family!
He hides it, lives in the woods, and makes a living hunting, which he is strangely good at, due to the wolfymagix. He's not very bright, and just assumes the magic skill he has is due to being like a sorcerer or something. He barely remembers his childhood, and doesn't remember WHAT his parents were at all.
His animal companion doesn't do anything to help him, mainly because it doesn't respect his lack of knowledge as to his true nature, and sort of silently judges him. He almost thinks its a hallucination, since it runs off as soon as anyone shows up, usually faster than he can notice.
The ADVICE, I suppose, is that I HAVE NEVER EVER played a druid, and almost never play prepared spellcasters. For the idea of a high wis, low int/charisma, wolf shaman, what should I be looking for? I'll definitely end up doing lots of melee combat in wolfy-form, and want to focus on sort of a bestial off-tank, dodgy, with a natural sense of leadership but without the personality to make it work, so he sort of clings to the strongest person around.
I was also thinking of maybe multiclassing into some ranger thing, what do you guys think?
Generally, multiclassing isn't all that great in PF, and druids are well enough as they are. You could do it if you really want to, but I think it is the weaker option.
Anyhow, for a more complete mechanics perspective checking a few guides can't hurt. Overall I'd suggest picking good strength and wisdom - possibly focusing on the strength if you want to be more of a warrior than a caster, with wisdom being in the 14/16 range. Decent dexterity and constitution(12-14) are definitely good if you can afford them, which with poor intelligence and charisma you probably can. Unless your DM rules that a wolf shaman doesn't need to meet the prerequisites for the shaman bonus feats, you need 13 intelligence for improved/greater trip, so this does not sound like a good option. For your starting feats, I'd either go for dodge/toughness for combat bonuses or SF conjuration so I can get augmented summoning soon. At level 3 for a combat druid I probably get power attack, and at 5 natural spell is almost too good to pass up.
I don't like dumping intelligence because I like skills, and the druid list has several very good ones. Still, not all of them are core to the concept, so you don't have to take them With your concept, survival and perception should be pretty much guaranteed, and steath works fine (I suggest getting a trait that unlocks it as a class skill). Heal and knowledge nature can help a bit as useful to your survival in the wild, but are not as central.
In terms of spell selection, well, I'd suggest going for a mix between utility and buffs, depending on what you can expect and who else is in the party.
The story part bugs me a bit, although of course it depends on how your DM and you want to play this. The thing is, iirc druids are assumed to receive some instruction in what they are doing - prepared magic is a sort of magic ritual that you, well, prepare and then unleash. Someone most likely taught you how to do this - a spirit guide, a druid you met later, the fae... This isn't a big deal and can be glossed over, but thematically if that power is bubbling from within it works better with something like an oracle with the Lunar mystery.
The second thing that strikes me as odd is the "animal companion doesn't help him" bit. Remember, druid and ranger companions are, before they start getting bonuses from intelligence from levels, fairly normal animals (ok, particularly fit and reactive ones) and act appropriately. Unless, say, ridden by a spirit or compelled by a spell, they act in a way that animal is supposed to act. It could make for an interesting backstory (why is that wolf acting like that around me), but I'd suggest not troubling your fellow players by insisting you do some epic quests to essentially make use of a class feature you are assumed to have by default. The overall assumption is that a starting character has already completed whaterever tests, rites and training s/he needs to get all the class features at this level.
Ok, so... I'm working on making a PC who is a Wolf Shaman Druid. Probably human. Essentially, he was raised amongst some other droods, and they were all killed by orcs or some such, and he was orphaned and never learned how to do the drood thing. So, as he grows up, his only companion is this wolf that follows him around, and he sort of lives off the land as soon as he can fend for himself (presumably some old hermit or maybe the wolf itself provided for him before he was old enough). Anyway, as soon as he starts to feel the lupine magic in him, he notices that his hair is thicker, sharp nails, teeth, etc., and assumes that holy crap I must be a werewolf and maybe I killed my family!
He hides it, lives in the woods, and makes a living hunting, which he is strangely good at, due to the wolfymagix. He's not very bright, and just assumes the magic skill he has is due to being like a sorcerer or something. He barely remembers his childhood, and doesn't remember WHAT his parents were at all.
His animal companion doesn't do anything to help him, mainly because it doesn't respect his lack of knowledge as to his true nature, and sort of silently judges him. He almost thinks its a hallucination, since it runs off as soon as anyone shows up, usually faster than he can notice.
The ADVICE, I suppose, is that I HAVE NEVER EVER played a druid, and almost never play prepared spellcasters. For the idea of a high wis, low int/charisma, wolf shaman, what should I be looking for? I'll definitely end up doing lots of melee combat in wolfy-form, and want to focus on sort of a bestial off-tank, dodgy, with a natural sense of leadership but without the personality to make it work, so he sort of clings to the strongest person around.
I was also thinking of maybe multiclassing into some ranger thing, what do you guys think?
I would offer to go with a full lunar oracle. There is the curse that gives him a werewolf's muzzle (so he gets a bite attack) but also he has problems speaking which translates to a 20% chance to fail casting, but not expend, a spell. This translates to you can focus on being a melee god instead.
Your best choice is likely the following:Aasimar (Scion of Humanity) or Teifling, if Aasimar take the two talons to lose Daylight, and go with a variant build if you are allowed. If Teifling go with the Claws.
Try
Fighter 1 - 4 (get Martial Versatility, natural attacks), Oracle 5 - 20 (make sure you take the Wolfscarred Face curse).
So your build might go
Aasimar (Scion of humanity) (2 Talons)
(Fighter 1) Weapon Focus: Talons
(1st level) Power Attack
(Fighter 2) Weapon Specialization: Talons
(3rd level) Racial Heritage: Kobold (or ratfolk if you can't take Talons)
(Fighter 4) Martial Versatility: Natural Weapons. This means now Weapon Focus/specialization: Talons becomes Weapon Focus/specialization: Natural Attacks.
(5th Level) Level 1 Oracle (1 Bite)
(5th level) Tail Terror (1 Tail Slap)
(7th level) Angelic Blood
(9th level) Angelic Flesh
(11th__lvl) Angel Wings
(13th__lvl) Metallic Wings (2 wing attacks)
So you effectively have the same at dual wielding attacks at this point (6 attacks), but three of your attacks are at Full Bab and 3 are at Full-5 Bab. This makes your hit chance better, and on top of that your Amulet of Mighty fists buffs them all equally. Multi-attack, a good one to pick up, reduces the 3 secondaries to -2 instead of -5 to hit.
If you DM does not allow you to pick the Talons then Racial Heritage Ratfolk, buy a tail blade, then go with the Sharpclaw feat instead of Tail Terror. Claws are superior to Talons in that Talons are only Slashing while Claws are Slashing and Blunt, so it is a buff, and you get to keep the Spell Like Ability from Aasimar.
Aasimar don't HAVE to look like human, they can look very different. They can be covered in fur, have long tails, scales, horns. It wouldn't be hard to look like a celestial werewolf that is less bestially proportioned.
Have fun! The best part is that the levels in fighter auto-train you in Armor and shields, but don't use shields since it eats one of your natural attacks.
Additional note: If you want to go for a Dex build--no clue WHY if you are not getting sneak attack--but you could just put blade-boots on each foot, and full attack when you have 11 Bab for 12 attacks instead of 6.
Blade boots:
11-2/ 11-2/ 11-7/ 11-7/ 11-12/ 11-12 (1/2 str to dmg of "off-hand" [or leg in this case] attack.)
Natural attacks (with multi-attack)
11-2/11-2/11-2/11-2/11-2/11-2 (1/2 str to dmg of all natural attacks since they are all considered secondary if using manufactured weapons as well.)
Have fun!
I think a wolf is an interesting story but an incredibly ineffective melee character. A dire wolf (large animal creature) melee is BITE at 1d8 + STR damage + Trip. That's it. So, when you shift into a Dire Wolf, that's your only attack and damage. The trip is pretty decent I suppose, as long as you're attacking things with 2 legs.
By contrast, had you shifted into a Dire Tiger, you'd have three attacks, all of which have the +Grab ability, and access to POUNCE (and at level 8 you get RAKE for 5 attacks on a charge).
The Dire Wolf is completely outclassed by the Dire Tiger in almost every way, yet both are large animal creatures.
So, if you really want wolf kind of background, probably something like Taku was posting would help, since a Dire Wolf is just, lame.
I think a wolf is an interesting story but an incredibly ineffective melee character. A dire wolf (large animal creature) melee is BITE at 1d8 + STR damage + Trip. That's it. So, when you shift into a Dire Wolf, that's your only attack and damage. The trip is pretty decent I suppose, as long as you're attacking things with 2 legs.
By contrast, had you shifted into a Dire Tiger, you'd have three attacks, all of which have the +Grab ability, and access to POUNCE (and at level 8 you get RAKE for 5 attacks on a charge).
The Dire Wolf is completely outclassed by the Dire Tiger in almost every way, yet both are large animal creatures.
So, if you really want wolf kind of background, probably something like Taku was posting would help, since a Dire Wolf is just, lame.
Plus with Oracle you gain access to Defending Bone, which can give you DR 5/blunt. It isn't anywhere near as good as Blood Money + Stoneskin that arcane casters can get, but it isn't terrible either. Then again your entry to it would be level 8, but hey, some damage reduction is better than no damage reduction.
Lunar Oracle Mystery really sounds like what you are looking for. You can have a pet wolf animal companion following you around, you can get an additional gore attack on to of your natural attacks, add your CHA instead of DEX to AC, and gain a sort of Wildshape as well.
This is really doing what you want.