Nature Fang Druid halp

[Secret Wizard]

I love the idea of a Druid with more feats and no wildshape, so I've always wanted to roll one of these.

Now I have the opportunity to roll one, with the following considerations:
- Starting at level 12
- 3.5 material is allowed.

Here are a couple of my personal preferences:
- Goblin
- Melee with some casting
- I hate SNA, wish i could stack an archetype with spontaneous domain casting instead of that.
- I prefer a domain over an AC since there's too many melee already.
- Choice of archetype is not negotiable. I love it.

Builds I'm considering:
- Butterfly Sting 2H scythe build, using Small But Deadly feat.
- Use AC for mount and take mounted combat feats with the Slayer-Ranger combat style feats.
- Springing Dervish Dance build.

I would really appreciate input about:
- Domain?
- Archetype stacking?
- Best build?
- Spells to go with build?
- Equipment?
- 3.5 material that could be useful?

Thanks!

[RumpinRufus]

I've been working on this Nature Fang that uses dual-wielded touch attacks + Sneak Attack. Still somewhat of a work in progress, but this board really gave me a ton of great ideas on how to make it viable, dare I even say powerful.

[Secret Wizard]

Alright, decided on this ----

COMBAT STYLE: 2H scythe wielding, necromancy

DOMAIN: Vulture Domain (necromancy spells, saves against death effects and disease, quick reincarnations)

FEATS/SLAYER TALENTS:
1. Shade of Uskwood
3. Spell Focus (Necromancy)
4. Combat Style (Power Attack)
5. Dodge
6. Combat Style II (Furious Focus)
7. Combat Reflexes
8. Weapon Training (Scythe)
9. Greater Spell Focus (Necromancy)
10. Combat Style III (Great Cleave)
11. Small But Deadly
12. Evasion

Will mostly use necromancy spells from afar to murderblast some dudes, and then go into melee range to finish them off.

After level 13th, I'll take Critical Focus and Combat Trick (Improved Critical), then perhaps things to up saves, or stuff like Step Up, or Metamagic feats, or utility stuff like Blood Reader.

[blackbloodtroll]

What about a Goblin-borne Tiefling? Tieflings can be borne of any race,

Qlippoth-Spawn Small Tiefling, Panther Domain, Fiend Sight.

Move is absolute Darkness, and SA all day.

[Secret Wizard]

With only 1d6 sneak attack, there's really no huge need to build for it, it's sort of a reward for flanking.

[blackbloodtroll]

If going Goblin, then why not Dervish Dance?

That is a lot of Dex.

[Secret Wizard]

Costs two feats, Small But Deadly only costs one and allows for full damage power attacks and 1.5 STR.

That being said, I'd change to scimitar if someone gives me a good reason to keep one hand free.

[Dafydd]

Well Flame Blade is a good reason. It has been said, that since you wield a Flame Blade like a scimitar, you can only dex to hit with it when you have Dervish Dance or Swash Finesse+Slashing Grace.

It's damage does not decrease with the small size, and getting Dex to hit is a nice little boon, on top of the vs touch and ignoring DR.

If Dervish Dance does not do it for ya, you could go with 1 level of swashbuckler and then it allows you to use a MWK Scimitar in areas of Anti-Magic. Pick up the Weapon Focus at 1st, Slashing Grace at 3rd.

Also, could use Flame Blade as your crit fishing weapon. That said, you will want improved critical Scimitar. That said, you could ignore the dex to hit with this plan.

So Combat would go something like this:
T1 Cast Flame Blade, move to position and pull out scythe to have in off hand.

T2 Swing with Flame Blade, crit, easily confirm as it is vs Touch, pass crit to self as you swing with Scythe, free action to "drop" flame Blade and free action to shift grip on scythe to combat grip.

[Secret Wizard]

Yeah but between the choice of fire spells or necromancy that Shade of Uskwood invites...

Fire scimitars are okay, but death scythes just entice me more.

[Dafydd]

If 3.5 is allowed, there were a pair of feats back then that allowed you to spontaneously cast Cure and Inflict Spells respectivly.

IIRC, the prereqs were X/non-good, spontaneous SNA, and 4 ranks in KN religion.

Converted to PF, you would need 3 ranks in KN religion. You could even take them both and be able to deal out life with one hand, death with the other. Would just need to be Neutral.

[Secret Wizard]

That's awesome! I could learn how to cast Inflict Wounds! That'd be right up this character.
I'd already have Cure Wounds though, as this guy is a Druid.

[Glutton]

it would take a dip into cleric for one level, but

Spoiler:

Domain Spontaneity

Type: Divine
Source: Complete Divine

You are so familiar with one of your domains that you can convert other prepared spells into spells from that domain.

Prerequisite: Ability to turn or rebuke undead.

Benefit: Each time you take this feat, choose a domain that you have access to. You may now convert prepared divine spells into any spell from that domain. You expend a spell of equal or higher level, as well as expending one of your daily turn undead attempts. This works just as good clerics spontaneously cast prepared spells as cure spells.

Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new domain.