Need help with Alternate Druid class

[Draeke Raefel]

Hey guys... I had an idea for a character the other day and that got me thinking of alternate druid class features.

Basically, I was going to be a druid, but not really cast spells that much. Animal Companion and Wild Shape were the main things I was looking at in the Druid class with spells as kind of an added bonus. So... I was thinking of 2 things.

1. Change casting progression to the bard casting progression and up the hd to d10s and give full BAB.( or should that be changed to Paladin/Ranger casting progression for the changes? )

or, since I really don't care about the casting

2. Remove casting all together and change hd to d10s and give full BAB... And fill it out with some bonus feats taken from a given list? Or what? Maybe d12 hp? But that kind of infringes on the barbarians awesomeness...

Any ideas?

[Draeke Raefel]

Maybe I should offer a digital cookie?

[Khalarak]

This is pretty similar to an idea I myself had for an alternate Druid a few weeks ago; never really fleshed it out, but the basic idea was swapping the progression of Wild Shape and spellcasting so that the druid started with wild shape at 1st level and picked up spellcasting at 4th (lagging behind 3 levels thereafter in his progression).

Your idea of dropping spellcasting altogether could be interesting too. Bumping him up to a full BAB/HD class would probably balance it well enough, provided you added bonus feats or some other perk to cover the dead levels (5th, 7th, 11th, and 17th) where the normal druid gets new spell levels, and the one at 19th. If you use bonus feats though, I'd consider keeping the list of potential feats pretty limited. Full BAB/HD plus a full animal companion progression sounds pretty nasty all by itself.

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As an alternative, have you thought about instead using a variant of the barbarian? (maybe call him a berserk, for the sake of this musing) Instead of raging, he gains wild shape, and in place of his damage reduction and trap sense, he gains a ranger-style animal companion at 4th level.

If you limit the wild shape ability to only mimicking the various 'beast shape' spells, but include magical beasts, you end up with something that seems pretty balanced with rage and rage powers; the raw strength and constitution bonuses are weaker, you can't wear most armor, and you miss out on power-attacking with a magic greataxe, but you get natural armor, movement forms, and lots of fun special attacks.

[shalandar]

The problem is, you are changing a class DRAMATICALLY at this point, and that is why no one probably wants to chime in.

I would be more apt to suggest "use your spell casting in a way that just enhances your other things".

Such as:
1st level: Endure Elements, Longstrider, Magic Fang, speak with animals, Cure light wounds, Charm Animal
2nd level: Backskin, stat enhancers, fog cloud, resist energy, restoration lesser, tree shape, warp wood
3rd level: cure moderate wounds, daylight, dominate animal, magic fang greater, meld into stonre, neutalize poison, protection from energy, remove disease, speak with plants, stone shape, water breathing.

If you think of your spells as just ways to enhance yourself or as a "replacement" for some magical items that would be useful, it may solve your problem.

[SmiloDan]

If you go Full BAB and 1d10 HD with no spells, instead of bonus feats, may I suggest class features that enchance your wildshaping? Maybe something along the lines of ki strike? Magic around 4th, aligned around 10th, adamantine around 16th?

Maybe a special class feature that grants you a rolling +2 that you can add to any physical stat or natural armor when wildshaping? And maybe have this increase a bit at higher levels?

Maybe, MAYBE an innate Shield Other effect with your animal companion?

You could almost design a brand new class around a shape-shifting warrior and animal friend.

Beast Warrior

BAB: +1
Good Saves: Fortitude and Reflex
Hit Dice: 1d10

Class Skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Craft, Disguise, Escape Artist, Fly, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge nature, Perception, Profession, Ride, Stealth, Survival, Swim.

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Beast Warriors are proficient in all Simple and Martial Weapons and all natural weapons of any forms they assume through wildshape. They are proficient in Light and Medium Armor, and all Shields (except tower shields).

1. Wildshape 1/day, Wild Empathy, Animal Companion.
2. Wild Enhancement +2
3. WS 2/day
4. Wild Strike (magic)
5. WS 3/day
6. Wild Enhancement +2/+2
7. WS 4/day
8. Wild Strike (silver)
9. WS 5/day
10. Wild Enhancement +2/+2/+2
11. WS 6/day
12. Wild Strike (aligned)
13. WS 7/day
14. Wild Enhancement +2/+2/+2/+2
15. WS 8/day
16. Wild Strike (cold iron)
17. WS 9/day
18. Wild Enhancement +2/+2/+2/+2/+2
19. WS 10/day
20. Wild Shape (unlimited uses), Wild Strike (adamantine)

Wild Enhancement (Ex). When wildshaped, the beast warrior adds the indicated bonus to Str, Dex, Con, natural armor, DR/silver, or multiplies it by 5 and adds it to speed. He can change how this bonus is distributed each time he wildshapes or assumes a new form.

[Draeke Raefel]

Hmmm... Interesting comments. It is kind of a separate class... I could try using ranger, but instead of spell progression he gains the druid wildshape ability... Don't know if that balances out though...