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I have started to play a Wolf Shaman Druid in PFS. I want to build him to be primarily a striker type with spells that can buff him and his, his animal Companion, and his summons. I am definitely taking Spell Focus (Conj) and Augment summoning to buff the summons. I was told that getting Dragonhide Armor is really hard in PFS so what should I go for then as far as gear is concerned. And what feats are a must for Wolf Shamans?
http://www.dndsheets.net/view.php?id=20808
Thats his Character sheet.

RedPorcupine |

With Striker i assume you mean a melee-capable char, but rather a flanker, not front-line ?
I´d recommend a quiver with a couple of javelins/shortspears, maybe with spearthrower( Adventurers Armory/APG) for doubled range and feats like point-blank and precise shot, then move into melee when your wolf has tripped someone.
Or you go more directly with Dodge and Mobility.
A Barbarian Lvl for added punch would fit the char nicely, or a Ranger Lvl with an appropriate Fav. enemy.
For armor i recommend a HideShirt (Kingmaker- like Hide, but light) maybe with an armored Kilt when you know big troubles coming.
Ask your DM about special custom armor,when you kill something with a high natural armor bonus.

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I was told that getting Dragonhide Armor is really hard in PFS
According to this, dragonhide is available when your Fame (formerly PA) permits it. Since it's mundane, it shouldn't take very long at all.
If you take a single level of Cavalier, you'll get a number of useful benefits for a melee-oriented druid:
* proficiency with all martial weapons and armors (*cough* dragonhide full-plate *cough*)
* no armor check penalties to Ride skill (in your *cough* dragonhide full-plate *cough*)
* mount (stacks with druid's animal companion) is automatically trained for combat and possesses Light Armor Proficiency.
* a Teamwork feat to share with your allies (including your companion)
* a +1 to attack for your flank-buddy (if you pick Order of the Dragon)
Note: a cavalier's mount has to be capable of bearing him (size large for you); this will suck for awhile, but eventually your wolf will be large and the cavalier benefits will "kick in".

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1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |

Nevermind Mike. Ran all this by the Coordinator and he completely shot it down. Page 19 of the new PFS Guide First Bullet under the "Always Available Items" Section "This does not include equipment made from Dragonhide." Also, I would not be able to use my Wolf Animal Companion as the mount as well, I would get a separate animal Companion for this and I can only take one Animal Companion into Battle. Sooo.....the whole 1 Cavalier dip is a no go.

james maissen |
Nevermind Mike. Ran all this by the Coordinator and he completely shot it down. Page 19 of the new PFS Guide First Bullet under the "Always Available Items" Section "This does not include equipment made from Dragonhide."
It's not always available, but Fame should enable you to get it.
That said I think your coordinator is right in regards to the animal companion, but there is a feat that would bring it back should it be worth it.
-James

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He said it doesn't matter what anyone says. Even if Mark Moreland were to make a post on it, the book says its not always available so I can't buy it at all.
So for now, I will just go with Masterwork Wood Armor and hope I don't get swung at. I'm thinking now I should go for IUS, Aspect of the Beast (claws) and Razortusk....

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I realize I may have been a bit disillusioned towards my hopeful build. I don't think it will work and now that this is a PFS Legal Character and already been played it's going to take some resources to change him. Can I change the variant of the class at all at this point? I may just go with a classic spell flinging druid.

Tangaroa |

Your coordinator is incorrect, and perhaps your local VC should be encouraged to contact him to straighten him out (unless he is the local VC :) ). Although somewhat poorly worded in the new guide, fame allows you access to any item less then or equal to a value dictated by the fame amount.
See this thread
I believe your gm is also incorrect about the animal companions for cavalier, although the issue is confusing and I could be wrong. I believe the levels stack, and you only get one (which also fits the PFS precept of only bringing one combat animal to the table)
From the animal companion ability:
"If a character receives an animal companion from more than one source, her effective druid levels stack for the purposes of determining the statistics and abilities of the companion. "
Here is a discussion.
If the levels do stack, you could only use your horse OR your wolf in a PFS scenario, at least until the wolf is big enough to ride.
You can make your character work. Don't give up hope.

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Your coordinator is incorrect, and perhaps your local VC should be encouraged to contact him to straighten him out (unless he is the local VC :) ). Although somewhat poorly worded in the new guide, fame allows you access to any item less then or equal to a value dictated by the fame amount.Here's the chart from p21 of the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play. It will take you until 3rd level to accumulate enough fame for dragonhide (assuming you're able to complete your faction missions).
I believe your gm is also incorrect about the animal companions for cavalier, although the issue is confusing and I could be wrong. I believe the levels stack, and you only get one (which also fits the PFS precept of only bringing one combat animal to the table)
The levels in his case stack because he has druid levels.
(If he were a paladin/cavalier, then they would not stack -- it seems retarded, but that's the way it is.)
-- Now what he CAN'T do, at least at low level, is ride a medium-sized wolf (druid's animal companion) as a cavalier's mount because it's too small. So he has to wait (riding a normal heavy horse per druid -- or relegating it to pack-mule while riding a war-trained 300gp warhorse) until such time as he has leveled up to the point that he is entitled to a large wolf animal companion (which is then also serviceable as a cavalier's mount).

erian_7 |

Ok, Everything you guys have pointed out he is not allowing. So I am just going to build a normal Shapeshifting druid.
Note that if this is an actual, PFS-legal game then the GM can't tell you that PFS-legal options are not allowed. The GM simply doesn't have that authority. He might disagree with an approach, and he can raise a concern to the campaign staff for adjudication. But he can't control character creation beyond what is in the PFS guide.
If, on the other hand, this is an online game that happens to be using the PFS rules as guidelines but it not actually PFS-legal then the GM can set such restrictions.

erian_7 |

erian_7 wrote:The GM simply doesn't have that authority.In before "Rule 0". ;)
I'm not sure what you mean? Rule 0 applies in a GM's own game. If this is an actual PFS game, using the PFS guide is Rule 0. As I noted, if the GM is simply using the PFS guide as a starter for his own game then sure, he can do what he wants. If he thinks he can run a PFS-legal game with PFS-legal characters, however, and restrict players beyond what is in the guide then that's incorrect. Rule 0 cannot override PFS campaign documentation/staff in the latter case.

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Jiggy wrote:I'm not sure what you mean? Rule 0 applies in a GM's own game. If this is an actual PFS game, using the PFS guide is Rule 0. As I noted, if the GM is simply using the PFS guide as a starter for his own game then sure, he can do what he wants. If he thinks he can run a PFS-legal game with PFS-legal characters, however, and restrict players beyond what is in the guide then that's incorrect. Rule 0 cannot override PFS campaign documentation/staff in the latter case.erian_7 wrote:The GM simply doesn't have that authority.In before "Rule 0". ;)
Haha, I was just joking. Are you familiar with "In before X"-style jokes? If so, mine was a reference to the small contingent of GMs on these boards (thankfully a minority) who believe nothing to be outside their authority as GM, even in OrgPlay.

erian_7 |

Haha, I was just joking. Are you familiar with "In before X"-style jokes? If so, mine was a reference to the small contingent of GMs on these boards (thankfully a minority) who believe nothing to be outside their authority as GM, even in OrgPlay.
Ah, not specifically. I'm a codger when it comes to Internet speak--I refuse to use acronyms, for instance, whether it be on forums, email, or text messages. I'm sure I've seen the reference before (usually to threads getting locked).

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Jiggy wrote:Haha, I was just joking. Are you familiar with "In before X"-style jokes? If so, mine was a reference to the small contingent of GMs on these boards (thankfully a minority) who believe nothing to be outside their authority as GM, even in OrgPlay.Ah, not specifically. I'm a codger when it comes to Internet speak--I refuse to use acronyms, for instance, whether it be on forums, email, or text messages. I'm sure I've seen the reference before (usually to threads getting locked).
Alright: me saying "In before 'Rule 0'" is a sarcastic comment in which - while implying my agreement with your statement about GM authority - I suggest that others on the boards will be in such uproar due to disagreeing with your statement that it is an accomplishment for me to be able to make a post before that maelstrom begins.
Typically, this type of joke references a position believed (at least by the person making the joke) to be laughably absurd - in this case, for example, it references the (in my opinion, absurd) stance held by some forum members that a GM can do whatever they want, including openly violating OP rules.
Get it? :)

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It is an Official PFS game. The only difference I can think of is that we use Maptools so that we can play with people from all over.
Then your GM has absolutely ZERO say in what you play. If it's legal, it's legal. If he doesn't like it (even if for a very good reason), then he needs to either deal with it or quit GMing PFS games. But he can't forbid you from using legal options. Similarly (though it sounds less likely to come up), he can't choose to allow illegal options either.
You need to have a serious talk with him. And if you can locate an area Venture Captain, bring your GM to the VC's attention.

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1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |

Check out this Picture. This is what he showed me to say that I could not have Dragonhide.

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Check out this Picture. This is what he showed me to say that I could not have Dragonhide.
Are you Talking about Ausp becuase that dies seem...correct, luckily its not available now but it will soon so maybe we can find proof somewhere else?

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Check out this Picture. This is what he showed me to say that I could not have Dragonhide.
Yes, he has successfully shown that the "Always Available" list does not include dragonhide - but that does not mean that dragonhide is illegal for use, just that it's not on the "Always Available" list.
The AA list is things that any character with any amount of Fame (including zero) and with any number of chronicle sheets can buy as long as they have the gold. It is NOT the total list of what's legal for play in PFS at all.
Have him read the section on Fame, where it says that your Fame lets you buy any legal item under a GP cap set by your current Fame total. Also point out to him that the table showing the GP limits associated with various Fame scores goes waaaaay past the most expensive item on the AA list - so what exactly does your GM think a maxed-out Fame score would let you buy?

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He's just, plain wrong -- and the issue is only going to snowball down the road as all of his PCs level onward and upward and starting buying stuff. Eventually it'll dawn on him that he's had the whole mess bassackwards from the beginning, and sigh wearily and be conciliatory and finally let them get their stuff.
-- Which won't help you if you altered your character build in a less optimal direction which is calcified by the time the DM wises up.
So: play it loose with an eye toward quickly backfilling. You won't have enough Fame for dragonhide anyway until 3rd or even 4th; and wolves won't become large until 7th (for purposes of a cavalier's mount).
Druids get the crappiest armor in the game; don't settle for your AC being -4 or -5 versus other characters when it should be more like -2 (compared with their mithral). (Between 3.0, 3.5 and Pathfinder, spells durations of defense buffs have steadily diminished while druids have received no compensation for their crappy armor which they used to be able to offset by hour/level Barkskin but which is now only 10m/lvl.)

Tangaroa |

Quote:I believe your gm is also incorrect about the animal companions for cavalier, although the issue is confusing and I could be wrong. I believe the levels stack, and you only get one (which also fits the PFS precept of only bringing one combat animal to the table)The levels in his case stack because he has druid levels.
(If he were a paladin/cavalier, then they would not stack -- it seems retarded, but that's the way it is.)
-- Now what he CAN'T do, at least at low level, is ride a medium-sized wolf (druid's animal companion) as a cavalier's mount because it's too small. So he has to wait (riding a normal heavy horse per druid -- or relegating it to pack-mule while riding a war-trained 300gp warhorse) until such time as he has leveled up to the point that he is entitled to a large wolf animal companion (which is then also serviceable as a cavalier's mount).
Yeah, I see what you are getting at. The wording of the druid is very inclusive, whereas other classes are not. I wish they would clarify one way consistently for all animal-ally classes whether they stack or not (and if druids are perhaps an exception).

dunelord3001 |

Quote:Yeah, I see what you are getting at. The wording of the druid is very inclusive, whereas other classes are not. I wish they would clarify one way consistently for all animal-ally classes whether they stack or not (and if druids are perhaps an exception).Quote:I believe your gm is also incorrect about the animal companions for cavalier, although the issue is confusing and I could be wrong. I believe the levels stack, and you only get one (which also fits the PFS precept of only bringing one combat animal to the table)The levels in his case stack because he has druid levels.
(If he were a paladin/cavalier, then they would not stack -- it seems retarded, but that's the way it is.)
-- Now what he CAN'T do, at least at low level, is ride a medium-sized wolf (druid's animal companion) as a cavalier's mount because it's too small. So he has to wait (riding a normal heavy horse per druid -- or relegating it to pack-mule while riding a war-trained 300gp warhorse) until such time as he has leveled up to the point that he is entitled to a large wolf animal companion (which is then also serviceable as a cavalier's mount).
I was under the impression that the FAQ already said that pretty much none of them stack, or is it different in PFS?