I am looking at joining a new home-brew campaign and I am looking for a for a very versatile character that can fill just about any party roll in a pinch. I know next to nothing about the campaign world or my fellow party members, with the exception that murder-hobos are frowned upon as is over specialization.
The class/archetype combination that caught my eye is the Nature Fang Druid. Full druid casting, full animal companion with slayer talents every even level except 2nd which equate to Ranger Weapon styles. The character will be pretty darn MAD as I wish to have trap finding and disarming, standard druid skills, respectable melee, good AC, ability to cast all my spells, specifically healing, and adequate HP.
My plan is to make this partially work by focusing on Strength, Con and Wis without truly dumping Dex or Int. I will focus on using sword and board ranger style to get Shield Slam and Shield mastery by 6th and pick up the Trap finding slayer talent at either 4th or 5th. This should give me a fully functional character by level 6 which just gets stronger from there.
Human (15 point buy)
Str 15(16 at 4th) dex 10 Con 14 Int 12 Wis 14(16) Char 7
Skills maxed Perc, DD, heal, survival, Kn Na, Spell craft
Feats:
Human: TBD
1st: Imp Shield Bash
3rd: TBD
4th: Shield Slam or Trap Finding
5th: Extra Slayer Talent: Shield Slam or Trap Finding
6th: Shield Mastery
What I am unsure on is:
1). As a druid do I need to take Martial Weapon proficiency Heavy Spiked Shield to shield bash?
2). Can the spike on a spiked shield be metal or would that trigger druid shenanigans? Metal Weapons are ok but armor is not and the spike is a martial weapon.
3). Can I cleave with a shield bash?
4). What suggestions do you all have for the Human and 3rd level feats.
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Alternately you can take the shield trained trait which makes them simple weapons and helps by making a heavy shield considered a light weapon which helps your twf penalties.
Druids are not proficient in all simple weapons, so that trait doesn't help them. Also, the thought of a druid worshiping Gorum is... off-putting.
I tend to agree that would be outside of the feel I was going for unless I was going for a "hunter becomes the hunted" vibe which I was not.
So to recap then:
Human (15 point buy)
Str 15(16 at 4th) dex 10 Con 14 Int 12 Wis 14(16) Char 7
Skills maxed Perc, DD, heal, survival, Kn Na, Spell craft
Feats:
Human: Weapon Prof: Heavy Spiked Shield
1st: Imp Shield Bash
3rd: TBD
4th: Shield Slam or Trap Finding
5th: Extra Slayer Talent: Shield Slam or Trap Finding
6th: Shield Mastery
New build questions:
If shield slam works off of the attack roll of the shield bash with no other modifiers what feats can I take to boost the usefulness of the free bull rush?
---I am thinking that WF: Heavy spiked Shield has merit for both to-hit and to land the bull rush
--- Power attack is actually counter productive for the Free Bull Rush
--- My intent is to actually be empty handed off hand for spell casting
--- Is there anything I should be doing animal companion wise
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Well, a Heavy shield can be wielded with two hands for more damage, so I would be doing that when not casting.
Since you are human, I would be Ulfen for the Shield Bearer Trait. +1 to damage with shield bashes is great.
Weapon focus is worthwhile, especially since you are a 3/4 BAB class.
It will take more work for you than a hunter, but if you and your AC took outflank and pack flanking it would help your bashes and bull rushes significantly. That will also help your sneak attacks land more often.
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Gorum Druid have special spell rules, and other Druid rules.
Rage can be prepared as a 3rd-level spell.
Iron Body can be prepared as a 8th-level spell.
Followers are forbidden from casting the rusting grasp spell. Druids are permitted to wear metal armor, though they do not automatically gain proficiency in any other categories of armor. They cannot cast spells while wearing metal armor, nor does it meld with them when they use wild shape; druids interested in metal armor acquire a set for a specific beast form and have allies or slaves put it on them when it is time to fight.
It will take more work for you than a hunter, but if you and your AC took outflank and pack flanking it would help your bashes and bull rushes significantly. That will also help your sneak attacks land more often.
Pack flanking would be great but the CE requirement is a show stoper for all ACs that I am aware of.
I do wish there was a talent that gave a single martial weapon prof but what can you do. I had considered going for a Madu if I needed to use a feat anyway but I would take a damage die hit.
For my AC I was thinking about taking the Spirit link feat, fast healing 1 at level 1 or 3 is so very powerful in terms of starting every fight full HP.
If you worship irori you can take the wisdom in the flesh trait to use wis for disable device for example.
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Followers are forbidden from casting the rusting grasp spell. Druids are permitted to wear metal armor, though they do not automatically gain proficiency in any other categories of armor. They cannot cast spells while wearing metal armor, nor does it meld with them when they use wild shape; druids interested in metal armor acquire a set for a specific beast form and have allies or slaves put it on them when it is time to fight.
Those rules only appear in Kingmaker, and there is a good chance they won't be available. Also, it's not much use to wear metal armor if you can't cast spells or wild shape while doing so. Although wild shape doesn't matter for a Nature Fang.