Druid Prestige Classes

[The Painted Oryx]

Can anyone suggest a few powerful and interesting prestige classes for druids which could be useful in the STAP?

[Brent]

The Painted Oryx wrote:

Can anyone suggest a few powerful and interesting prestige classes for druids which could be useful in the STAP?

If you want something utterly broken, you could ask you DM to let you take Planar Shepard from Magic of Eberron I believe. Beyond that, there is one in Complete Adventurer that really builds on your wild shape ability, but at the expense of no caster progression called Master of Many Forms I believe. Beyond that, I am not sure. The Arcane Hierophant is good for a Druid/Wizard multi-class character. There were several other Druid related ones in Eberron besides the Planar Shepard, but that one was the most ridiculous in what it allowed you to do.

[Mr. Slaad]

Planar Shephard was actually from Faiths of Eberron.

[Duroon]

Beastmaster would come in handy for certain parts of STAP. Any one of the Animal Lord variants as well. Druids have access to the Infused Spellcaster prestige class also (Dragon magazine #321 page 19). Lion of Talisid out of the book of exalted deeds. Master of Many Forms from the Complete Adventurer. Nature's Warrior from the Complete Warrior.

[Kirth Gersen]

We've got a Sentinel of Bharrai (Book of Exalted Deeds) who multiclassed from cleric of Ehlonna, but druid would work just as well. She has saved the day on more than one occasion.

[Thomas Austin]

If you're playing STAP, buy Stormwrack . Among other goodness, the "Keeper of the Depths" (or words to that effect) would be very powerful for STAP, but might be hard to qualify for with your usual "Grizzly Adams" druid.

It'd be worth it, though.

[Keno]

I think you mean Wavekeeper

[Fatespinner]

Keno wrote:

I think you mean Wavekeeper

Isn't Wavekeeper the Umberlee-based PrC from the Forgotten Realms Faiths & Pantheons book?

...wait... no, that's Waveservant. Nevermind.

[Crust]

Warshaper is in the Complete Warrior. It's worth a look.

[Chris P]

Crust wrote:

Warshaper is in the Complete Warrior. It's worth a look.

Warshaper is awesome for the first two levels, then gets kinda weird after that. But two level to become immune to criticals and stun while wild shaped and the extra +4 to Str and Con is very nice.

[gaborg]

Stormcaster from Stormwrack is a pretty cool choice for a sea faring druid. A druid of Talos maybe? :) If you play in FR.

[ericthecleric]

I like warshaper, too, although it might work better with the "shapeshift" alternate variant druid ability from Players Handbook II.
As an alternative, if you pick up a few levels of wizard or sorcerer, the Geomancer (Complete Divine) is also an interesting choice, as you can pick up some interesting abilities, plus if you concentrate on druid spellcasting, by picking up the Arcane Strike feat you'll be able to use that feat with your druid spells! This strategy might also work well with Two-Weapon Fighting.

[Par-a-dox]

We have a master of many forms in our party... he just got the ability to change into large creatures... he has been decimating terror birds while in TROLL form LOL pretty sweet class... you sacrafice spellcasting for more wildshape forms.

[uzagi]

Problem ist - there are few good prestige classes for the Druid around atm...

Stormcaster from "Stormwrack" is very very powerful (if IMHO severely broken ---> overpowered and under-prequisited) and got mentioned for good reasons, powerwise

I also personally like the "Daggerspell Shaper" (Compl. Adv ) which adds a nice twist to wild shaping (and can be savage when combined with the Wild Feat that gives the pounce-capability ). hThis will make a mean sneaky "attack druid"

The Shapechanger Druid option from the PHB-II might be interesting as well. ----> attack druid options and very fast wildshape, with unlimited uses.

The "Master of Radiance" is a very nifty 5 level PrC from 'Libris Mortis' which will add some massive punch to a druid's anti-undead capability. Will be like a heaven-sent boon in some parts of th STAP.

Forgotten Realm druids may opt for Shaundakuhl as a patron god (winds and travel ? count me in !) , giving them access to the "Windwalker" PrC (Faiths & Pantheons), giving excellelnt travel boosts and some nice bonus abilities, but costing wild shape advancement.

"Planar Sheperd" from the Eberron setting is very much an Eberron specific class, depending on Eberron's specific planar-system for its structure and build. And I don't see it adding much extra punch to the STAP. Same goes for "Holt Warden" (Comp. Champ)

On the other hand, if background and plausibility are not meaningful limits to you (*wicked grin*), the "Lord of Tides" and "Walker in the Wastes" from "Sandstorm" are pretty powerful (especially the "Walker," at higher levels) , and may also present unique roleplaying challenges (and pretty good background stories) , although sacrificing "Wild Shape" capabilities. If anyone can feasibly pull of a "Walker in the Wastes" background story that fits with the STAP; I want to read it !

[Guy Humual]

"Master of many forms" from complete adventurer always seems to get thrown around when talking about good druid prestige classes but I've always wanted to play a "fochlucan Lyrist" from the same book. The master of many forms (as the name suggests) is great at wildshape, but the Lyrist is basically a bard/rogue/druid hybrid. You need 10 levels to simply qualify but the class is pretty solid IMO (full BAB, Two good saves, full spell progresion for both arcane and divine, and 6+ int skill selection, the only weekness is D6 for HD).

[Fatespinner]

Guy Humual wrote:

"Master of many forms" from complete adventurer always seems to get thrown around when talking about good druid prestige classes but I've always wanted to play a "fochlucan Lyrist" from the same book.

I'm actually making one of those for my friend's Dragonstar campaign this weekend. Check out what we've discussed so far!

[Fiendish Dire Weasel]

What are you guys talking about? The best druid based prestige class, in my book, is DRUID. :)

[Fatespinner]

Fiendish Dire Weasel wrote:

What are you guys talking about? The best druid based prestige class, in my book, is DRUID. :)

Oh, absolutely. However, in a limited-player game, you need to branch out (no pun intended).

My Dragonstar game is only going to have 3 players which means that I, as the only veteran player in the group (besides the DM), must fill in the gaps that the other players leave.

[The Painted Oryx]

First of all thanks for all the great suggestions!
I was thinking of going for a spellcasting-orientating druid as opposed to a wild-shaping one..

[Failed Saving Throw]

Fiendish Dire Weasel wrote:

What are you guys talking about? The best druid based prestige class, in my book, is DRUID. :)

Indeed, even in a scenario where you have a limited numbers of players, the druid is probably the class that offers the least advantages when it comes to taking prestige classes. If you keep on as a straight druid, you eventually have a pretty sick range of spells and shapechanging abilities at your disposal. Any of the available druid prestige classes halt progression in one of these talent trees, if you will.

[Russell Jones]

Failed Saving Throw wrote:

Any of the available druid prestige classes halt progression in one of these talent trees, if you will.

I run into the same problem playing an artificer. There are some very interesting and powerful PrC's, but I don't really want to give up what I would be getting in favor of some nifty tricks.

I'll echo the comments for Master of Many forms, the druid in our campaign will be taking it pretty soon.

[The Painted Oryx]

I think I've settled on druid6/warshaper5/nature's warrior5/master of many forms 4, ehehhe
but thanks for the suggestions.....