Question about my shapeshifting druid-

[Redchigh]

Starting as level 1, and my Str is 19.
We had to use 22pt buy, so (if I remember right), my con is 16, wis and dex are 14, and int and cha are horrible.

I was thinking about going half-orc, Toothy racial trait, and Aspect of the Beast (claws of the beast)as my feat.

I plan on letting everyone in the party think I'm a cleric or paladin, at least until level 4 when I shift for the first time.

Anyway, my main questions are 1, is this build viable?
and 2, since Bite (from toothy) and 2x Claws (from aspect) are all primaries, can I attack with all three with full str bonus (in one round)? Would my 'to hit' modifiers change?

(I can't use the ability from Orcs of Golarion unfortunately.)

[Gauss]

All primary natural attacks get full BAB+str and full strength bonus.
Bite and claws are primary UNLESS you make an attack with a weapon in which case they become secondary for that round. Note: you cannot use a claw that is wielding a weapon.

22point buy? That is odd. Normally it is 15, 20, or 25.

- Gauss

[Redchigh]

I thought it was odd too.

So, I can attack with all three in one round?
3 1D4 +4 attacks per round is insane at level 1.

[Gignere]

Redchigh wrote:

I thought it was odd too.

So, I can attack with all three in one round?
3 1D4 +4 attacks per round is insane at level 1.

Yes but only when you can take the full attack action. Compare that to a 2 hand fighter or barbarian with power attack, they can do 2d6 + 9, or 11 in the barbarian's case.

They can do this with only a standard action so what you are able to do isn't that insane.

You might be better off just two handing a falchion (2d4 +6) + the bite to start and spend the feat on something else.

[Redchigh]

Strictly for RP purposes, I want to never use physical weapons... My level 3 feat will probably be weapon focus claw... Not sure.

The group is mostly magic users, plus me (druid) and a monk, so I'll have to be the tank and one of the main damage dealers.. Any advice for the build? Should I abandon the claws?

[Gignere]

If you have two d8's as tanks you may want to consider toughness, unless you have a ton of healing in the group.

Will you be getting the animal companion?

I think you should abandon the claws because once you get wild shape it will basically be a wasted feat. You will almost never fight outside of wildshape as a frontline druid.

[Gauss]

With a +4str mod:
3 natural attacks = 1d4+4str = 6.5avg/attack = 19.5avg if all 3 hit.
Attack bonus: +0BAB+4str.

2-handed fighter:
2d6+6str+3PA = 16avg
Attack bonus: +1BAB+4str-1PA = +4

So you start off with a 3.5average (not counting crits) and the fighter still has 1 feat remaining.

- Gauss

[Gauss]

Regarding the Point Buy: you might want to check with your GM on where he got the point buy numbers from. 22 points is the 'challenging' rating (equivalent to 15points in pathfinder).

Then again, perhaps you wont want to inform him. Heheheh

- Gauss

[LazarX]

A bit of flexibility would go a long way with your concept.

Instead of never ever using weapons in your life, consider using them for the first few levels until wildshaping becomes a working option for you.

[hoshi]

Quote:

Any advice for the build? Should I abandon the claws?

For the claws, the will only really be usefull for the first 3 levels of you character, but i do like the flavour of it. As for other advice, try and get wild, wooden fullplate and amulet of mighty fists asap. I usually take craft wonderous items, but with your low intellagence that may not be the best idea. Also get power attack and vital strike too, as vital strike compined with some of the 4d6 bite creatures can be devistating.

[Redchigh]

hoshi wrote:

For the claws, they will only really be usefull for the first 3 levels of you character, but i do like the flavour of it. As for other advice, try and get wild, wooden fullplate and amulet of mighty fists asap. I usually take craft wonderous items, but with your low intellagence that may not be the best idea. Also get power attack and vital strike too, as vital strike compined with some of the 4d6 bite creatures can be devistating.

I was already planning on Vital Strike , but is power attack really that great? I was leaning more towards weapon focus- claw

Is there any easy way to get my BAB up to 6 so I can get vital strike?

[Gauss]

Redchigh: level.

My personal take on wild shape builds: Go to the minimum level-4 required for the creature you want to wild shape into for the rest of your days. Then: multiclass into fighter or other full BAB class. Take the feat Shaping Focus that increases your wild shape level by +4.

Example1: I want to wild shape into a Huge dinosaur forever. That normally requires druid level 8. Thus: I go to level 4 druid. Level 5 I take my first level of fighter and take the feat Shaping Focus. When I hit druid4/fighter4 I am able to wild shape into a huge dinosaur.

Example2: I want to wild shape into a huge elemental. That normally requires druid level 12. Thus: I go to level 8 druid. Level 9 I take my first level of Fighter and take the feat Shaping Focus. When I hit druid8/fighter4 I am able to wild shape into a huge elemental.

Now, many people will not be happy with the loss of spell power. But to me wild shape builds are usually about melee combat rather than spellpower.

- Gauss