I have a PFS Druid that just hit level 7. She is a Saurian Shaman Druid who typically melees in wildshape. I am committed to going Druid through level 8 so that I can get the Strongjaw spell.
I would get level 5 spells at level 9 but other than Animal Growth For my companion I don't see a lot on the spell list that excites me. I tend not to use summoning spells as between my character and an animal companion both with multiple natural attacks I feel I get more than enough spotlight time at the table.
I was considering a dip into Barbarian to get rage and rage powers. Any advice would be appreciated.
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I have just created a character along similar lines to yours - melee-focussed wildshaped druid with some scary beserking thrown in.
Mad Dog Barbarian/Druid Concept. Note that the original Mad Dog Barbarian idea got turned into the True Primitive to get Favoured Terrain (and thus Nature Warden).
No idea if this helps, but it seems to be along the lines you were looking for.
There is always the tactic of turning into a behemoth hippo, rage cycling and dealing full damage on a vital strike with furious finish. In which case a dip would work, but you would need to get immunity to fatigue somehow.
There is always the tactic of turning into a behemoth hippo, rage cycling and dealing full damage on a vital strike with furious finish. In which case a dip would work, but you would need to get immunity to fatigue somehow.
I have never understood the point of furious finish. The average damage of 2d6 on a vital strike is 7. The damage for a maxed 1d6 with furious finish is obviously 6. 7>6. I guess if you don't like the chances of rolling poorly?
If you get the rage powers for mounted barbarian, and conisder your AC your mount, you can give it rage too, depending on how far into Barb you wish to go.
There is always the tactic of turning into a behemoth hippo, rage cycling and dealing full damage on a vital strike with furious finish. In which case a dip would work, but you would need to get immunity to fatigue somehow.I have never understood the point of furious finish. The average damage of 2d6 on a vital strike is 7. The damage for a maxed 1d6 with furious finish is obviously 6. 7>6. I guess if you don't like the chances of rolling poorly?
In your example, the maxed furious finish would be 2d6 (or 12) vs the normal vital strike 2d6 (avg 7)
Where it really comes into play is when through various spells and abilities, said druid/barb is rolling 24d6 (or greater) on a vital strike.. 144 maxed damage vs 84 avg damage is quite a big difference.
Finding a way to avoid the fatigue afterward helps a ton.
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There is always the tactic of turning into a behemoth hippo, rage cycling and dealing full damage on a vital strike with furious finish. In which case a dip would work, but you would need to get immunity to fatigue somehow.I have never understood the point of furious finish. The average damage of 2d6 on a vital strike is 7. The damage for a maxed 1d6 with furious finish is obviously 6. 7>6. I guess if you don't like the chances of rolling poorly?
Because a Behemoth Hippo has a bite of 4d8. If you cast strong Jaw that becomes 8d8, or 16d8 with vital strike. 128 damage plus bonuses is better than 70 plus bonuses.
Edit: Ninja Hippo'd
This is ths attack progression I found under natural attaks (and the one I've used with the strong jaw spell):
1 1d2 1d3 1d4 1d6 1d8 2d6 2d8 4d6
I would put the progression at 4d8 8d6 8d8 etc.
So how does 4d8 become 8d8?
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From Improved Natural Attack:
Damage dice increase as follows: 1d2, 1d3, 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 2d6, 3d6, 4d6, 6d6, 8d6, 12d6.
A weapon or attack that deals 1d10 points of damage increases as follows: 1d10, 2d8, 3d8, 4d8, 6d8, 8d8, 12d8.
since the base attack does 4d8, it is using the d10 progression, not the standard progression.
OK, I see.
It was a jump to 6d8 from improved natural attack, then a second jump from strong jaw to 8d8.
I missed that there were two effects increasing the size of the attack.
Is there a need for a FAQ as to whether the two effects stack?
I would think they did, since each was from a different source.
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No, actually is was a two size increase from Strong Jaw. If there were two increases they wouldn't stack, but Strong Jaw is a two size boost on it's own.
There is always the tactic of turning into a behemoth hippo, rage cycling and dealing full damage on a vital strike with furious finish. In which case a dip would work, but you would need to get immunity to fatigue somehow.I have never understood the point of furious finish. The average damage of 2d6 on a vital strike is 7. The damage for a maxed 1d6 with furious finish is obviously 6. 7>6. I guess if you don't like the chances of rolling poorly?In your example, the maxed furious finish would be 2d6 (or 12) vs the normal vital strike 2d6 (avg 7)
Where it really comes into play is when through various spells and abilities, said druid/barb is rolling 24d6 (or greater) on a vital strike.. 144 maxed damage vs 84 avg damage is quite a big difference.
Finding a way to avoid the fatigue afterward helps a ton.
I thought furious eliminated the extra dice of vital strike and just gave the regular dice max damage.
You should never multiclass if you're a 0-9 caster. EVER.
You should never multiclass if you're a 0-9 caster. EVER.
Only a gith deals in absolutes.
For a wildshape-focused druid, multiclassing (or at least prestige classing) can add a great deal over staying in druid.
Try the Wild Rager archetype. Your will save will be massive from being a druid, and the save will be easy because it is based on your Barbarian level. It will let you full attack harder and resist mind controlling effects.
I thought furious eliminated the extra dice of vital strike and just gave the regular dice max damage.
Prerequisite: Rage class feature, Vital Strike, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: While raging, when you use the Vital Strike feat, you can choose not to roll your damage dice and instead deal damage equal to the maximum roll possible on those damage dice. If you do, your rage immediately ends, and you are fatigued (even if you would not normally be).
Let's say you're using a Greatsword, raging, and use Vital Strike. The damage dice you roll is 4d6. With Furious Focus, you maximize the damage being dealt, for a total of 24 damage.
It is probably kind of late for focusing in Furious Finish IMO, and you do not have the right archetype either.
If you do not care about spells, I suggest muticlassing with a monk, for feral combat training (claws), coupled with dragon ferocity and monastic legacy for unarmed damage on claw attacks. Boar style can add a free 2d6 bleed damage too. Qinggong Master of many styles monk of the sacred mountain should work like a charm.
Saurian Shaman works quite well, actually. A T-rex's bite is almost as good as a behemoth hippos, and you get to be a T-rex instead of a hippo.
Too bad you never get to become a T-Rex, as it is a gargantuan animal.Saurian Shaman works quite well, actually. A T-rex's bite is almost as good as a behemoth hippos, and you get to be a T-rex instead of a hippo.It is probably kind of late for focusing in Furious Finish IMO, and you do not have the right archetype either.
If you do not care about spells, I suggest muticlassing with a monk, for feral combat training (claws), coupled with dragon ferocity and monastic legacy for unarmed damage on claw attacks. Boar style can add a free 2d6 bleed damage too. Qinggong Master of many styles monk of the sacred mountain should work like a charm.
Well, poo. Allosaurus isn't bad, though.
Stegosaurus and it's tail are nasty with Furious Finish.