Not a cave druid.
Wanted to stick with the base druid class.
No class-dips into monk, barbarian, whatever.
20 point buy. Pathfinder Society compliant (if not, indicate what you took that was outside PFS).
The Early days:
Shillelagh, possibly on an over-sized (L) club.
First Wild Shape (4th):
Which animal (S or M) has the biggest bite/single attack?
Any feats or spells to enhance this?
Second Wild Shapre (6th)
Best large animal? Maybe a rhino?
Third Wild Shape (8th)
Best huge animal? I came across the Behemoth Hippo. I like it just because of the visual of a Hungry, Hungry, Hippo. Dunno if it's the best one though.
Build becomes fully online. (9th)
Since we're going with a single attack, may as well take up Vital Strike.
Final stats:
st18dx14cn14in10ws14ch10
..+2..+2..+.......+2.... from belt/headband
..+6..-4................ from wild shape (behemoth hippo)
st26dx12cn14in10ws16ch10
traits:
Beast of the Society (Magic) when Wild Shape to S or M animal, 2hr/lvl.
Open? Maybe reactionary or intimidate as a class skill.
Skills (human form)-not set in stone, may shuffle around for intimidate...but then I'd need it as a class skill
per +9+3+3+1=+16
k_nat +9+3+0+2=+14
h_ani +6+3+0+0=+9 (+13 with companion)
surv +2+3+3+2=+10
p(brew)+9+3+3+0=+15
spcft +1+3+0+0=+4
fly +8+3+3+0=+14
Feats
01-???
1H-Toughness
03-Power Attack
05-Natural Spell
07-Intimidating Prowess (+str to intimidate, +4 if size greater)
OR Wild Speech???
09-Vital Strike
Combat Gear:
16000 Amulet of Mighty Fists +2
10000 Belt of Physical Might (+2 str, +2 dex)
04000 Headband of wis +2
05000 Jingasa
03000 Ring of Knight-Inheritor (Prot +1, Bless Weapon 1/day)
01000 PoP 1st
02500 Cloak of the Hedge Wizard (at-will acid splash, prestidigitation. 1/day Mage Armor, 1/day Unseen Servant). Put on for effects, otherwise
04000 Cloak of Resistance +2
F/R/W
+6/+3/+6
+2/+1/+3 stats (hippo form)
+2/+2/+2 items
+10/+6/+11 total
Daily buffs (or hr/lvl):
Wild shape(Hippo Behemoth)
Greater Magic Fang (+3) to bite, does not bypass DR except Magic.
Mage Armor
Long-term buffs:
Barkskin
Short-term buffs (min/lvl or less):
Strong Jaw
Weakness: AC is awful. Wild Armor is just too much. Huge barding doesn't seem to exist AFAIK in PFS?
Saves could probably use a bump? Reflex saves are very bad if he's big.
Is +17 or +14 to hit at 9th enough? Based on the Average AC by CR...CR+0 would be AC23 (so 6+ or 9+) CR+3 AC27 (10+/13+)
atk: +6(bab)+8(st)+3(GMF) hit: 8d8(16d8 if Vital Strike)+12(st)+3(GMF)
+17 vs. AC, 16d8+15 dam.
Power Attack
+14 vs. AC, 16d8+24 dam.
Not an over-the-top build IMHO but serviceable maybe? Still he's got all the utility of a regular druid if hippo form doesn't work.
Yes, I did not go the Spell Focus (Conj)+Augment Summoning path.
Though I could take that as his 1st and 7th level feats if I really wanted to fit it in. I know that he'd probably be more effective as an air elemental that's summoning allies, I wanted to try a different concept.
Best damage for a medium animal wild shape: Giant Porcupine (2d6 tail slap)
Best damage for a large animal wild shape: Arsinoitherium (Megafauna) (4d8 gore)
Best damage for a huge animal wild shape: Behemoth Hippopotamus, like you said (4d8 bite)
At least, as far as I can find. I would be glad to be corrected.
A Cloak of Fangs would be a nice item once you get to Behemoth Hippo.
Furious Finish is normally great, but you don't want to dip (which I totally understand) then you'll have to make do with what you have. When you combine that with the fact that you can't get Improved Natural Attack and your BAB means the Vital Strike tree is delayed, I'm not sure this build can function that effectively.
Looks like you already have your build figured out. Not sure if you're legitimately asking for help on your build or gloating. My 8th level Paladin's Atk is +10/+5, Dmg 1d8+16 (higher if smiting), and 27 AC. If you're doing 16d8 at 9th level you may want to scale it down a little or just tell everyone else at the table that you're sorry that you'll be overshadowing everyone.
Looks like you already have your build figured out. Not sure if you're legitimately asking for help on your build or gloating. My 8th level Paladin's Atk is +10/+5, Dmg 1d8+16 (higher if smiting), and 27 AC. If you're doing 16d8 at 9th level you may want to scale it down a little or just tell everyone else at the table that you're sorry that you'll be overshadowing everyone.
Paladin is full BAB, so +8 from that. I'm assuming at least +1 weapon, which leaves you with a 12 Str?
If so, how do you get +16 damage?
I think your build isn't optimized for melee. Unless there's a posting error?
Not sure how you think 9th level players should be, but that's 5th level spells for wizards and clerics, 4th for sorcerers and oracles.
Kinda confused here.
My Paladin's stats are 18str, 16dex, 12con, 8wis, 18cha, +1 Greenwood Longspear, Powerattack is -3atk. I have +1 Mithral Fullplate, Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier, Headband of Charisma +2, +1 Cloak of Resistance, Belt of Giant Strength +2, Boots of the Cat, and +1 Ring of Protection.
Without Powerattack it's +13/+8 for 1d8+7dmg.
It may be 5th level spells for Wizards and Clerics...but at 9th level they only have 2 a day typically!!! The OP's build is a Wildshape build that he can be in for a long time, constantly doing 16d8. Did you not take that into account?
It's still on the low end of damage, and you don't exactly have a great buy set since you wasted 10k on mith full plate when you could get 2 points of AC for about 6000 gold less. You're still using a plus 1 weapon at level 9 and you're assuming he's using his trick and you're not smiting.
You also don't take into account an AOO or haste (Which in no way really helps him).
I expect more damage than you listed from the level 7 pregen barbarian.
The build does 96 damage per round, if it hits, criticaling only on a 20, for a total DPR of 60.48 (65.52 with Haste). That's solid, but not unreasonable for the level.
An optimized Fighter (never mind a Barbarian) of the same level with a falchion, Weapon Specialization, Improved Critical, Str 22 total (including items), Power Attack, Gloves of Dueling, a +1 Weapon, and Haste on has attacks at +19/+19/+14 for 2d4+25 each and criticalling on a 15-20. That comes to a DPR of 89.7 (52.65 without Haste), and a fair bit higher.
Now, the fighter has a bit more invested, and doesn't do nearly as well when not making a Full Attack...but the Druid's damage isn't by any means completely out of line for that level.
The build does 96 damage per round, if it hits, criticaling only on a 20, for a total DPR of 60.48 (65.52 with Haste). That's solid, but not unreasonable for the level.
An optimized Fighter (never mind a Barbarian) of the same level with a falchion, Weapon Specialization, Improved Critical, Str 22 total (including items), Power Attack, Gloves of Dueling, a +1 Weapon, and Haste on has attacks at +19/+19/+14 for 2d4+25 each and criticalling on a 15-20. That comes to a DPR of 89.7 (52.65 without Haste), and a fair bit higher.
Now, the fighter has a bit more invested, and doesn't do nearly as well when not making a Full Attack...but the Druid's damage isn't by any means completely out of line for that level.
I think the 16d8 number just threw me for a loop when I'm used to seeing more static damage. I came up with a 12d6+str dmg Druid build at 10th level with a x2 crit on 17-20 and then looked at the OP's build and was like "damn, nevermind" and just deleted my suggestion.
Note: the 16d8 takes a standard action min/lvl buff via the Strong Jaw spell. Without that it drops to 8d8 with Vital Strike. I may drop a trait to reduce the metamagic cost by 1 and pick up extend spell...but a meta rod or just recasting the spell as needed may work well enough in the long run.
DPR-wise I figured it wasn't as effective as say Dire Tiger Claw, Claw, Bite, Grab Grab Grab Rake Pounce RAWR. I was hoping for acceptable melee without having to roll multiple 6d20's and redoing the math (charge, in a grapple, etc...) several times each turn. I wanted a single d20 and damage roll unless it's a crit :) Plus a standard action attack means not worrying about charge lines (though granted by 9th level everyone's flying).
Cloak of Fangs looks interesting...nice thing to have before he picks up Strong Jaw. Once he has access to Strong Jaw...I think this runs into the "Multiple magical effects that increase size do not stack" clause though.
Any suggestions/ideas for his open feat slots? Traits?
I keep waffling between the SF(Conj)+Aug Summon and something else like Heavy Armor Prof+Extend Spell on the feat side. Trait-wise really not sure what's going to work best in the long run.
I'm pretty sure Cloak of Fangs would stack, because its effect has nothing to do with size. It just says "If the wearer already has a bite attack, the damage of that bite attack increases by one step."
This rough-looking cloak covered in coarse animal hair is greatly prized by goblins. Wearing the cloak grants a +1 resistance bonus on saving throws. Furthermore, the wearer can force its teeth to grow rapidly up to five times per day as a swift action. The oversized teeth last for 1 round, during which time the wearer can make a bite attack. Treat this attack as a primary natural attack that deals 1d4 points of damage (or 1d6 if the wearer is Medium). If the wearer already has a bite attack, the damage of that bite attack increases by one step.
The last sentence is part of the same paragraph and given that the ability that enhances damage appears to be tied to the grow function I dunno. If you don't have a bite attack 5/day for 1 round you can make a bite attack...if you already have one, the larger teeth goes up a step 5/day. If we were to take the last statement as an inherent property you're getting the effect of Improved Natural Attack feat for 2,800 gp.
Yeah, I think it's definitely 5/day, but I think that the "force its teeth to grow" is mainly flavor text and doesn't mean that this is actually an "effect that increases size". But I'm not sure about that.
