Building a Naga Aspirant

[Sean FitzSimon]

Ok, so the class looks mighty cool and I'm interested in building one for an upcoming campaign. The problem I'm facing is that a lot of material has been released in the last year and I've gotten a bit rusty.

Anyways, here's what I'm currently looking at.

The Deets
Stats: Will be rolled. Probably 4d6 seven times.
The Party: A soulknife (Psionics Unleashed), a rogue, and a ranger (though this might end up being some other martial class)
The campaign: Serpent's Skull
What's available: Anything from the core line of books, plus most of the accessory stuff and third party material on DM approval. There's a lot of flexibility here. I could also probably get away with 3.5 material, but I'd prefer to avoid that.

I tend to play wizards so I'd like to make this druid more martially inclined. My goal is to be both a wild shaping fury and have the ability to fall back on my spellcasting when the situation deems it more useful.

I think the rolled stats will offer a bit more flexibility in my array. Currently my priority is STR>WIS>CHA>CON // DEX=INT. I definitely want to pick up the charm person gaze attack at 9th level since I've been informed that the game will feature less combat than our DM usually pursues.

I'm sort of at a loss for how to go about building the character though. I'm not familiar with the third party feats so I don't really know what I'm missing. Of course I'll take Natural Spell, Power Attack, and Improved Initiative, but after that? Quick Wild Shape and Powerful Shape both look nice, and Extend Spell is useful for nearly all types of druid.

As for animal companions I'm unsure. Should I build the companion to be a damage-monster, a combat maneuver specialist, a demoralizer (dazzling display), or something else?

Thoughts? Advice? Thanks in advance for anything you can offer.

edit: Forgot to add something.

[Son of the Veterinarian]

You might want to check out this thread from the Pathfinder Chronicle forums. It's one of their Character Creation Labs using the Snake Shaman archetype as the base, with a dip in Monk to create a grappling Druid.

http://www.d20radio.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=128&t=6708

You should be able to get some good ideas from it.

[Rycaut]

A few things to consider:

The Naga Aspirant and Nagaji in general gets a bunch of spells not usually on the Druid list (making them a bit more wizard like). Personally I'd probably consider taking a Domain with the Naga Aspirant
Perhaps Serpent domain if your DM approves it - technically it might not by RAW stack with the Naga Aspirant since it also replaces venom immunity but the synergies and flavor seem really good) see http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/druid/archetypes/paizo---druid -archetypes/animal-and-terrain-domains/serpent-domain.

That would get you a viper familiar which also seems in flavor. The other option I would strongly consider would be a snake animal companion to take full advantage of your Serpents Sense Nagaji racial ability (+2 to handle animals for reptiles as well as +2 on perception)

I would also personally look at other Nagaji options before Charming Gaze at 9th level but that's just me (I think the additional natural attacts building towards poison attacks might be more useful). I'd also suggest avoiding Quick Wild Shape as I'm unclear if that would allow you to change into your Naga form (if it does that would be better).

[Sean FitzSimon]

@Son of Veterinarian: Oh! Good link. I'll read that over.

@Rycaut: Yeah, I'm faltering on domain vs. companion here. Domain seems like a very strong option for a group with this much melee presence. I like the feel of the serpent domain but the venom immunity is going to be an issue and the spells kinda suck.

As for the Naga form I see it as a very utility-based form. You've already got access to a lot of forms with poison and more natural attacks. In fact, the wild shape form poison attacks are actually kinda vague. If they use the polymorph rules the DC is equal to the spell + caster stat of the polymorph spells, so that's usually your highest spell level + wisdom. If it's based on the normal poison rules it's half your HD + constitution. Either way, they end up being about the same as the Naga poisons. Though that sleep effect is super nice...

Also, Quick Wild Shape allows you to take a "lesser" form more quickly. You can access all the forms of a druid 2 levels lower as a move action or 4 levels lower as a swift action. So at level 10 you can assume Naga form as a swift action and still be fully powered up. That seems pretty useful to me.

[Rycaut]

Yeah the spells for the Serpent domain kinda suck - but the slither power is quite flavorful for a Nagaji. Some of the other terrain or animal domains are quite nice (Plains for example boosts summons and at 6th level grants Pounce - but not very in keeping with the Naga Aspirant flavor and has pretty decent spells - haste for example but even 1st level mount is not horrible) other notable animal/terrain domains might be Caves (Darkvision for others or yourself then tremorsense at 6th level - only okay spells however), Jungle (climb speed as free action for a few rounds each day, pretty decent spells after level 1), Frog (toad familiar, really interesting sticky reach attack/pull, later swim and climb speeds plus some okay spells) and actually many others. I play a Eagle domain druid myself which is quite fun - though best if you are an archer)

Some of the other Druid domains aren't half-bad for a Nagaji.

Plant might be decent since you will be a melee type (free action wooden fists) or perhaps better still the Growth subdomain for swift action Enlarge. Earth and specifically Caves gets some nifty abilities plus some fun spells (the create pits line of spells)

As a DM I would probably let a Nagaji Naga Aspirant have the option of taking the Scalykind domain (from the Inner Sea Guide) since the flavor is so in keeping with a Naga Aspirant (Venomous Stare at first level that does non-lethal damage and fascinates, serpent animal companion at level 4 at a -2 to level for effective druid level, plus in-flavor spells though nothing too special for a druid). Not the most broken of domains but seems flavorful.