What do you buy?!
Specifically at levels 1-10 ish (Lower levels particularly appreciated). It is PFS but I had this problem in a home game as well. You just have almost no items you WANT to buy.
Besides the + stat belt, headband, and cloak of resistance there just seem to be no druid items. For melee you can buy an amulet of mighty fists but those seem wildly over costed at double the cost of a weapon. Wild armor is a fortune and Pearls/rods are terrible value wise. (Pearl 1 doesn't get anything back, Pearl 2 is barkskin so it's alright but not great, and Pearl 3 is GMW, Pearl 4 is just too expensive). Metamagic rods also (Except extend) seem WILDLY over costed (35k for quicken is almost half the gold)
So I guess the question isn't so much what (Although that is part of it) as the question is what is worth the absurd price tags of the druid items?
Also as a side note is there a freeking +5 diplomacy item for 2,500 ala eyes of the eagle.
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You're a caster.
Scrolls of all those Druid spells that are great, sometimes. (Water breathing, etc.)
2 PA for wands, especially faerie fire, produce flame, entangle, pass w/o trace, CLW.
Pearls of power
Mw gear
Handy Haversack
Wayfinder
Weapons to overcome Dr/special materials
And the stuff everyone needs, like a potion of cure blindness (not a scroll)
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Druid's Vestments get you an additional Wild Shape per day. Definitely a must have item from level 4 to level 8.
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It depends on what kind of druid you're playing. If you're playing a caster, you indeed do not need many items. Metamagic rods are much better than you are giving them credit for though. Rime and elemental are worthwhile if you like blasting. Quicken has to be expensive, because it's incredibly powerful. Dazing is also incredibly good, and a bit cheaper than quicken. Beyond that, it's just the usual stat and save boosters. Maybe a handy haversack full of things like tanglefoot bags and alchemists fires.
If you're a wildshaping melee druid, you really need the amulet of mighty fists (and it isn't wildly overcosted, it's just the price of two weapons). Wild armor is nice at some point, but until then some wands of mage armor work pretty well.
Where you're seeing absurd pricetags, I'm seeing items that would totally break your game if you were able to afford them at low-mid levels, so it's a good thing you cannot afford them anytime soon.
soupturtle wrote: It depends on what kind of druid you're playing. If you're playing a caster, you indeed do not need many items. Metamagic rods are much better than you are giving them credit for though. Rime and elemental are worthwhile if you like blasting. Quicken has to be expensive, because it's incredibly powerful. Dazing is also incredibly good, and a bit cheaper than quicken. Beyond that, it's just the usual stat and save boosters. Maybe a handy haversack full of things like tanglefoot bags and alchemists fires.
If you're a wildshaping melee druid, you really need the amulet of mighty fists (and it isn't wildly overcosted, it's just the price of two weapons). Wild armor is nice at some point, but until then some wands of mage armor work pretty well.
Where you're seeing absurd pricetags, I'm seeing items that would totally break your game if you were able to afford them at low-mid levels, so it's a good thing you cannot afford them anytime soon.
I was under the impression haversack didn't work while wild shaped since it melds with your body. Ditto on metamagic rods. Although for extend (Which is the only rod that seems correctly costed for it's effect) that rod I entirely plan to get 1 or 2 of (1 lesser 1 regular) for resinous skin, bark skin, Resist energy communal, Freedom of movement, and Stone skin.
As for the amulet I probably feel it's overcosted because of the fame limiters forcing it multiple levels past what could be used to buy a holy AoMF which is really the most important thing to buy if I want to wade into melee at all. If you had to classify my druid I took a 16 wis 16 str and 14 con after racial because I want to be reasonable most of the time at both.(I want to be able to switch if the group has little to no melee, I can always stick an AoMF on my lion too. Casting just takes a reasonable wisdom and 3 feats.) Extending summons at level 5+ is pointless, the only spells worth extending are 10 min/level buffs and the top 10 min/level buffs are things like bark skin and freedom of movement but there are plenty of those.
Quote: Druid's Vestments get you an additional Wild Shape per day. Definitely a must have item from level 4 to level 8. This is a great item and works well with planar wildshape later. I didn't know it existed thanks. I wish planar wild shape allowed me to bypass DR so I wouldn't need a holy AoMF to do damage vs DR 10. Again as an aside I'm guessing there isn't a +5 diplomacy item for 2,500.
I'm not sure I get what you're problem is, actually. You're saying that you cannot think of any items you want, but the few items that you do want are really expensive. Isn't the solution simple? You save your money for a while, and buy a few expensive items.
I still think you're undervaluing some of the metamagic rods. A dazing call lightning pretty much ends encounters on its own. Dazing ball lightning is flat out insane. Rime ice storm is also pretty excellent. You're right that you cannot use them while wild shaped though (although in elemental form you could, if you drop it before changing shape, and then pick it up). That's why it's mostly recommended for caster druids.
If you're trying to be both a caster and a melee fighter, my advice would be to focus your items on your melee capabilities: that's where you'll need them most. A holy amulet of mighty fists would indeed be very good, but it's probably a good thing it's so expensive in terms of game balance. That bonus damage really makes a huge difference when you're adding it to 5 attacks a round. Before you can afford that, boots of speed are very good for any melee character. If you're any good at use magic device, a wand of heroism could also be a very worthwhile purchase (together with a bunch of other wands). Then there's ioun stones, lots of interesting options there.
Remember guys, wands don't work too well for wildshaped druids, nor do any magic items requiring an activation.
Instead of a Handy Haversack, perhaps you'd like a Polymorphic Pouch? It doesn't hold as much, but it also doesn't meld into you while you're wildshaped.
Oh, and if you're having trouble with DR, you're probably best off picking a wildshape form with one big attack instead of a bunch of smaller ones, and using Greater Magic Fang to boost it up.
Reynard_the_fox wrote: Remember guys, wands don't work too well for wildshaped druids, nor do any magic items requiring an activation.
Instead of a Handy Haversack, perhaps you'd like a Polymorphic Pouch? It doesn't hold as much, but it also doesn't meld into you while you're wildshaped.
Oh, and if you're having trouble with DR, you're probably best off picking a wildshape form with one big attack instead of a bunch of smaller ones, and using Greater Magic Fang to boost it up.
Thank you for that! it's exactly what I've been looking for (A way to use magic items in wild shape) That let's different items be useful. Is there a rule about nesting extradimentional spaces (IE a handy haversack inside of a polymorphic pouch.).
I kept being frustrated at the loss of pearls while in form (Being limited to buffs) and rods (being largely useless). Amulet of mighty fists might just feel overcosted because I've not received high end gold tiers at lower levels. The lack of use items must have just been what was eating me up as I'm used to buying expensive caster items but being unable to use command word items seemed to limit the options extremely.
Generally nesting extra dimensional spaces within each other cause all but the outermost one to become inaccessible. The exception being when a portable hole interacts with a bag of holding (and potentially anything that is described as working like a bag of holding, such as a handy haversack).
What if a Druid puts on a dragon scale breast-plate and shield? Could it be possible that when he wildshape, he keeps the AC as it melt under his fur, but still able to cast spells without failure because of Nature casting? Animal can't make Vocal and Somatic components at the first place anyway. Right?
SiuoL wrote: What if a Druid puts on a dragon scale breast-plate and shield? A Goliath Druid can and looks good doing it too
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Nobody has mentioned a Beast Talisman or at least I don't think so. It is expensive but in many ways better than an amulet of Mighty Fists. Deserves to be better known.
Does the character spend all his time in wildshape? You don’t get Wildshape until 4th level and only gain 1 additional use on every even level. Until you are 8th level you cannot spend all your time in Wildshape. At 6th & 7th level you can probably spend most of your adventuring day in Wildshape. This also assumes you don’t need to change forms often. Above 10th level this it is you have enough duration and uses that spending the majority of the time in Wildshape is much easier.
The original post specified levels 1-10. Well for the first 3 levels you still need weapons and armor like any other character. Even up to 5th level you will probably need that gear unless your campaign only has a 4-hour workday. Once you hit 6th level you might be able to Wildshape for most of the working day, but still cannot stay in animal for all the time.
Even if you are high enough to spend all your time in Wildshape does not mean you have to. By the time you can spend all your time in Wildshape you have enough uses to assume your normal form fairly often. If you need to use a magic item that you cannot do in Wildshape simply change to your normal form and use it. This is what really makes Wildshape powerful. It is almost like you have two characters. One is the Wildshape and the other is a Utility character. Picking up consumables to use when not in Wildshape is actually a good investment at this point. Save your actual spells for combat and use consumables for utility.
So, basically early level you use the same magic items that other characters are. Once you get to the point Wildshape can be used all the time spend some gold on an Amulet of Might First and Wild armor and load up on consumables.
Mysterious Stranger wrote: The original post ...is 11 years old. Just pointing that out since the person who requested help is unlikely to still need it.
Still, if you want to just share useful knowledge for someone else who comes along, great!
Polymorphic Pouch with the evergreen seed pouch pricey but can be used in wildshape. One of the most powerful Druid builds I've done is a Caster with a big cat companion and after trying to pay for the basics for both you and your companion there isn't much left I'm 15th level and still only have +2 leaf armor.
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the original poster is just grousing(complaining). The restriction is only on metal armors and shields.
Scimitar has a metal blade and is in the weapon proficiency list. So a druid can wield a greatsword, horsechopper, or scythe and not suffer any class penalties (though he may get non-proficiency penalties).
Time added additional equipment and magic items from the OP.
Armors:
Lgt: Dancing Scarves
Lgt: Padded
Lgt: Quilted Cloth
Lgt: Reinforced Tunic
Lgt: Lamellar Cuirass
Lgt: Leather
Lgt: Rosewood Armor
Lgt: Hide Shirt
Lgt: Leaf Armor
Lgt: Parade Armor
Lgt: Spider-silk Bodysuit
Lgt: Wooden
Lgt: Lamellar (leather)
Med: Hide
Med: Ice Coat
Med: Do-Maru
Med: Lamellar (horn)
Shields:
Lgt: Klar(wooden)
Lgt: Madu, leather
Lgt: Shield, wooden
Lgt: Shield, wooden quickdraw
Hvy: Shield, wooden
Special Materials adds to the above. Bone(steel in wpns & armr), Dragonhide(banded mail, breastplate, half-plate, full plate, lgt & hvy shield), voidglass(any metal armor).
Home GMs can be flexible and provide wooden analogs. There could be a darkwood or ironwood buckler... PFS does not have that option.
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The Beast Talisman looks great but the 5 minute duration make it a tough call vs. AoMF. My experince with wanting to stay in wildshape all day as is where is allways a time I want to use a scroll, wand ,staff, or potion. The Druid's vestment gives you an extra wild shape and that can help alot especially if you are doing Planar Wildshape. The shifter's headband is cool when you get enough for a +4 Headband of wisdom as you get a extra switching from one form to another. Later game with my Golath Druid build I was able to buy fun stuff like a "Swirling Smoke tattoo", Four Leaf Clover, Lucky Horseshoe, Boots of speed, Tallasman of freedom, and Talasman of Life. My caster based Druid I've found it helpful to buy a ton of scrolls and potions for situational things that may come up.
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I would think that a Ring of Eloquence would be a benefit for any wildshaping Druid as it allows you to speak normally while wildshaped.
Magic Item Body Slots(MIBS & MIBS for PFS) for non-humanoids kinda set what does and does not meld in a polymorph.
The Ring of Eloquence [ring] $3500 is key to polymorphing and casting without Beastspeak:D2 or ability/feat.
There are so many magic items it'd be a long list of what different folks think is good...
Azothath wrote: Magic Item Body Slots(MIBS & MIBS for PFS) for non-humanoids kinda set what does and does not meld in a polymorph.
The Ring of Eloquence [ring] $3500 is key to polymorphing and casting without Beastspeak:D2 or ability/feat.
There are so many magic items it'd be a long list of what different folks think is good...
It always amuses me that under the magic item slots rules a plesiosaurus doesn't get a neck slot ...
Ring of eloquence only allows you to speak the language. This can allow you to cast spells with a verbal component while in a different from but does not do anything about the other components. The spell Beastspeak also only allows you to use spells with verbal components. Neither of them allows the use of somatic divine focus/ material components.
There are very few Druid spells that have only verbal components. So, the druid using the ring of eloquence or beastspeak is not going to be casting a lot ospells in animal form unless the form can already use those components. If you change into a humanoid element or maybe an ape, you might be able to cast spells with a (V) and (S) using those. If the spell has a (DF)/(M) component, you will need to set that down and pick it up in the new form.
Natural spell on the other hand specifies that you can use spells with verbal and somatic components. It also specifies that you can use any material components or focuses you are carrying. So, a spell casting druid is still going to want Natural Spell even if they have a ring of eloquence. Beastspeak specifies you can cast itself using animal appropriate somatic components but does not mention being able to cast other spells with animal appropriate somatic components. That may have been an oversite, but RAW it does not allow casting other spells with somatic components.
Joynt Jezebel wrote: Nobody has mentioned a Beast Talisman or at least I don't think so. It is expensive but in many ways better than an amulet of Mighty Fists. Deserves to be better known.
Beast Talisman doesn't allow you to bypass material-based DR (e.g. cold iron or adamantine). It says so in the last line of the item description:
Quote: The bonus does not allow the wielder’s natural weapons to bypass damage reduction, except for DR/magic. ... although I will agree that just front-loading damage is a way to get past DR...
"You have DR 5? Take 6d8+14 damage... you felt that, right?"
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