I'm getting ready to start an Eberron game and my wife is going to play a Talenta halfling druid with a dinosaur mount/companion. The thing is she really has no desire to wildshape. Any suggestions for an alternative ability. I considered swapping it for the barbarian rage ability but not sure how balanced that would be. She is most likely gonna be Dragonmarked with the mark of healing and swapping out spontaneous summoning for rejuvenating healing from the PH2. Any ideas?
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I'm getting ready to start an Eberron game and my wife is going to play a Talenta halfling druid with a dinosaur mount/companion.
Considering Wildshape is one of the more powerful class features, I don't think swapping it out for Rage would pose much of a balance problem.
In addition to the Monk/Ranger substitution mentioned above, you may want to look into the Shapeshift ability in the PHB II. It gives you versatile stat boosts, and might be more powerful(mechanically) than rage. Especially for a d8 HD, medium BAB class.Although the rage ability opens up some interesting feat options... I think there's a multiclass feat in Complete Adventurer that allows your Barbarian and Ranger levels to stack for rage duration and animal companion strength, and allows your animal to go into a rage when you do. I'd allow the feat to be taken in this case as the secondary benefit (shared rage).
Both sound pretty good. The swift hunter I think may fit her concept better, especially since she won't be using a shield due to weilding a two-handed weapon. We avoided the Shapeshift from PHB II because you loose your animal companion if I remember correctly. I remember the shared rage feat but hadn't put much thought to it for this character. I'll have to ask her what she would like best. The no armor can be rough even once she gets Barkskin. Although there may be someone in the party to give her Mage Armor.
There's this variant from the d20srd:
Druid
The druid might choose to give up her wild shape ability in exchange for becoming a swift and deadly hunter.Gain
Bonus to Armor Class when unarmored (as monk, including Wisdom bonus to AC), fast movement (as monk), favored enemy (as ranger), swift tracker (as ranger), Track feat (as ranger).Lose
Armor and shield proficiency, wild shape (all versions).
Do you have a link to this option?
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Do you have a link to this option?There's this variant from the d20srd:
Druid
The druid might choose to give up her wild shape ability in exchange for becoming a swift and deadly hunter.Gain
Bonus to Armor Class when unarmored (as monk, including Wisdom bonus to AC), fast movement (as monk), favored enemy (as ranger), swift tracker (as ranger), Track feat (as ranger).Lose
Armor and shield proficiency, wild shape (all versions).
The Druidic Avenger option is here
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Both sound pretty good. The swift hunter I think may fit her concept better, especially since she won't be using a shield due to weilding a two-handed weapon. We avoided the Shapeshift from PHB II because you loose your animal companion if I remember correctly.
The Druidic Avenger option posted by Paul Watson gives you rage at the expense of your Animal Companion.
IIRC, the Shapeshift variant replaces your Wildshape ability with 'forms' that give stat boosts and occasionally extra (natural) attacks or movement types. For instance, a predatory form would give you two claw attacks and +2 to Str and Dex, while a defensive form would give +2 to natural armor, and +4 to Con. (or something)
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IIRC, the Shapeshift variant replaces your Wildshape ability with 'forms' that give stat boosts and occasionally extra (natural) attacks or movement types. For instance, a predatory form would give you two claw attacks and +2 to Str and Dex, while a defensive form would give +2 to natural armor, and +4 to Con. (or something)
Cracked open my PHB II, and found that I am waaaaay off.
First off, you are correct in that it strips your Animal Companion.Secondly, its still wild shape. The character actually takes the form of an animal.
My recommendation is to create your own Alternate Druid Power. Have you ever seen the old (80s) cartoon 'Bravestarr'? He was a native american-esque wild west sheriff in space, with a robot horse. When he needed an extra boost, he would 'call upon the power of the [insert animal here]'. If he needed more strength and toughness, he would call on the Bear, speed and stamina, the Wolf, etc.
You could create different bonuses each animal spirit would give her, kinda like a blend between the Barbarian rage and Druid wildshape.
I doubt that would be considered overpowered, as it would require decent physical ability scores to use properly, unlike Wild Shape druid, who can pump Wisdom and Constitution and dump everything else.
Going with the swift hunter option, it fits the character concept. Thanks for everyone's help.