I've got a choice to make with a druid I'll be playing. It's a druid for a small game (2-3 players) set in the middle of nowhere (Mwangi Expanse [sp]) and so I want an AC as an extra party member [cat early, maybe mantis later for flavor].
The ACs main jobs are added perception rolls for the group, bodyguarding me so the tank doesn't have to, guarenteeing a flanking budy for the tank if needed, or if we're jumped by multiple lower CR creatures soloing some of them.
However as I'll be playing a caster druid and the game will be higher level (3/4 of the game will be at Level 11+) I can see the advantages to going animal/fur/feather domain and getting some extra spells [esp Antilife shell and SMVIII(even w/ the restrict)].
Sadly boon companion is not allowed (not in the books the GM is allowing), so I can't use a feat to get the best of both worlds.
Basically...
What's more valuable
3 extra levels on my animal companion
Or
Having the weaker AC, but an extra antilife shell and SMVIII and some other semiuseful spells, and some mild domain powers
The other PCs are a Barbarian all the time, and a Rogue who will only rarely be at game.
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I'd go with the domain. The companion is great at low levels, but domains give you more offensive powers such as spells. And you still get the companion, just 3 levels weaker. You probably want to give it barding and an AoMF before it rushes into melee, but still, more party members can help.
Side question: I have a decent charisma on the character (14), if I grabbed the eldritch heritage feat to get some milage out of it, how useful could beast shape be on an otherwise wand-buddy improved familiar? Anyone play around with that before?
I'd go with the domain. The companion is great at low levels, but domains give you more offensive powers such as spells. And you still get the companion, just 3 levels weaker. You probably want to give it barding and an AoMF before it rushes into melee, but still, more party members can help.
Cool. I was slightly leaning domain (antilife shell is a favorite druid spell of mine, I like freeing up the spell slot), and focus any items I use on my AC to be armor/save/con items (so he'd be weak but survivable). I can't get the PRD open right now, what's a decent AoMF gold wise compared to a Level 11-15's WBL? Pretty affordable for the companion?
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Those extra spells and abilities from the domain are pretty important for a caster druid. Remember that you can take the feat Boon Companion to get your AC up to full strength.
At level 11 you should have about 82K gold kicking around; AOMF go for Price 4,000 gp (+1), 16,000 gp (+2), 36,000 gp (+3), 64,000 gp (+4), 100,000 gp (+5). So you could probably manage a +3. (If you want to be awesome, cast Greater Magic Fang on your AC to make its attacks magical, and make it a Flaming Shocking Icy AoMF. +3d6 on each attack!)
I would always go with the Domain, myself, but that's because I have a deep loathing of animal sidekicks of all stripes (familiars, mounts, whatever).
I had a chance to glance at the chart, and the extra 3 levels on the animal companion one isn't bad... IIRC it was +2 HD, +2 bab, +2 nat armor, +1 feat, +1 on all saves, +1 x3 attributes... It was noteworthy, just not sure worth no domain spells.
Plus Animal domain would give me beast shapes and shape changes I could put on my AC to make up for some of that, or familiar too, and that extra antilife shell once a day plus 2 summons for giggles that won't make me need to convert another spell...
I think I'm leaning the spells (prob Fur or Feather subdomain). For what I want, I think the -3 levels won't be the end of the world, and freeing up some spell slots at spell levels 6 and 8 alone (because I'll use the domain slot for spells ones I would have had to mem/convert to otherwise) I'm sure I could find some creative uses for.
@Reynard: Thought I mentioned it above, but boon companion not allowed in this game. Core + UM + UC + APG + UE + UC only. Believe it's from a player companion, thus disallowed. I wish I could have taken it, if it weren't disallowed it would definitely be so good it wasn't even a choice.
Now I could look into a diff Druid domain but given I'll have mainly a partner not a group to play with I think I need at the least the weaker AC (the extra d20 on perception rolls alone seems too nice to pass up) of Fur/Feather/Animal.