Ok, so the pathfinder Druid took a huge hit in terms of power, and rightfully so. The 3.5 druid was beyond powerful, and generally dwarfed (So to speak) the other characters of the party. Now, this new Druid is a whole new animal, and requires a different eye when exploring optimization potential.
Ok, assuming that 3.5 material is on the table, let's look at how we can optimize the druid. In 3.5 it was pretty much a given that Druid 20 is the way to go. Today, that's still probably the case, but with the changes it might be worth exploring some other options.
For starters, there's a druid prestige class that immediately jumps to mind: Nature's Warrior from the Complete Warrior. In 5 levels you lose 3 levels of spells, 5 levels of your animal companion/domain abilities, and 2 skill points. You gain full wild shape progression (which stops progressing at 12, anyways), a full base attack bonus (which amounts to a whopping +1 over a druid 20), and an array of abilities (the best of which seem to be +5 natural armor, DR 3/-, and fast healing 1).
There are also a few awesome feats, like Fast Wild Shape from the Complete Champion, where you can use your wild shape as a swift action, and Natural Bond which increases your animal companion level by 3 (not to exceed your HD). Many, if not all, of the wild shape feats are invalidated by your level 20 capstone, so anyone who pursues them might want to ditch that last level of druid. With domains you've got access to the domain devotion feats of the complete champion as well, but few seem awesome enough to pursue, and none can be boosted by blowing turn undead attempts.
What do y'all have?
Um, the Planar Shepherd, Faiths of Eberron, p. 105. Not only is there full caster progression, but there are scads of extra magical abilities, plus the ability to attune yourself to a plane and get extra abilities from that.
Even the Pathfinder druid would get turbocharged by that.
My beta druid was more fearsome in half-orc form than animal form, and probably would've been more effective as a fighter or barbarian than druid.
Really, the uses of wildshape are limited to the following, in my opinion:
1) Flying in the air and raining spells down
2) Oddball terrain difficulties
3) Scouting and subterfuge
4) Getting circumstance bonuses to skill checks (yes, a Tyrannosaurus can be quite intimidating.)
5) (ab)using subtype trait templates
Our DM ruled that vermin were essentially just freakish animals, and allowed them, particularly since they get partial immunities to psionics.
since they nerfed animal domain, my gm let me retrain to companion. I was thinking of taking 1 level of beastmaster to get that +3 bonus level to companion level. As for NW. im still thinking of taking for the water form. surrounded by bad guys or simply need to get to your buddy through combat.
From what I saw with the domain nerfs and the AC buff there really isn't much point in taking a domain over the AC. I wish they gave druids access to the healing domain. That would be one domain I might actualy take.
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They sort of reverted to 1E Druid Wild Shaping, as they have essentially made Wild Shaping a non combat form. I played a 1E Druid (17th level) for almost 9 years as a spell casting Druid (a lot of good Druid spells in 1E like Unwilling Wood, Finger of Death, Creeping Doom.)
In 3E I never took Druid 20, always PrC out by 5th level or build a "Druid" without Druid levels (Spirit Shaman -> Lion of Talis or Ranger -> Abolisher)
In PRPG, I'm unlikely to build a Druid (at least for a while.) Many other good options.
While I liked the 3.5 Wild Shape (post errata) rules, the redesign is pretty clean. Gives you things (SQ's) that you previously needed Enhanced Wild Shape spell or Master of Many Forms 7th level to gain and really only destroys that spell and that PrC for backward compat.
I've taken a monk 1 / druid 12 (with my DM's blessing) with the earth domain natural bond, and tell you what, he is pretty damn optimised just there :)
If a Druid has a Barbarian worthy STR, DEX and CON and focuses on Wildshape, is he still not an effective combatist? Or are people assuming the typical build when they say this?