[PFS] Help Build my Druid's Successor

[Deacon, the Storm Lord]

Hello Paizo people,

I retired my PFS Storm Lord druid awhile ago. I've been looking to create a thematically-linked successor for awhile, and just discovered the Leshy Warden archetype from Familiar Folio. It's like the Treesinger, only good! I'd like some advice on building a Leshy Warden (or similar character build suggestions) up to retirement at level 12.

Right now I am considering a CN aasimar druid of the Liberty's Edge faction. My storm druid was an Aasimar, and I have an Aasimar reserve character that I could make into a Leshy Warden. This opens up a cool feat option I'll mention in the build stuff I have so far. Statistics etc. listed below:

Current Build:

CN Archon-Blooded Leshy Warden 11

Stats: 20 (+2) / 13 / 16 / 7 / 20 (+2) / 7

CL: 11
BAB: 8
INIT: +3
HP: 102 (selected 7 times for FCB)
Saves: +13 / +7 / +15 (+3)
Attacks: Unarmed Strike +13 / +8 (Holy)

God:
Angazan

Domain:
Plant (Wooden Fist, Bramble Armor)

Traits:
Adopted [Human]: Bred for War (+1 CMB/CMD)
Reactionary (+2 initiative)

Feats:
1) Mauler's Endurance OR Improved Share Spells
3) Celestial Servant (Aasimar)
5) Kraken Style [STYLE]
7) Improved Grapple
9) Final Embrace
11) Kraken Wrack [STYLE]
Item) Improved Unarmed Strike [Perfectionist Shavtoosh]

Familiar:
Celestial Fungus Leshy, Mauler OR Valet

Sample Items:
+2 WIS Headband, +2 Belt of STR, Amulet of Mighty Fists (Holy), Cloak of Resistance +3. Perfectionist Shavtoosh

Sample Form:
Viper Vine (Plant Shape III); Large; 1 Bite (primary), 4 Tentacles (20 ft. reach, secondary, grab/constrict); +4 size STR, +2 size CON, +4 natural armor
Giant Flytrap (Plant Shape III); Huge; 4 Bites (15 ft. reach); +8 size STR, -2 size DEX, +4 size CON, +6 natural armor

General Tactics:

At low levels, Tshamek will start with the Growth subdomain. He will wield a Large shillelagh and attempt to flank with his leshy (he will Improved Share Spell Enlarge Person to his leshy if he doesn't select Mauler, and take the Scion of Humanity racial trait).

At 8th level, he'll retrain to the base Plant domain to gain a damage bonus to unarmed strikes. He'll upgrade his leshy, and focus on combining unarmed strikes with the secondary attacks of the Viper Vine (with grab and constrict).

At 11th level, he can summon a treant companion with a 6th level druid spell slot if he chooses. He also picked up the ability to turn into a Huge plant (to Grab and Constrict larger foes) and Kraken Wrack for a big damage increase and free sunder attempts.

Detailed Backstory:

"Tshamek" Thunderfist is a very surly student of the original Storm Druid character, "rescued" from the cult of Angazan in the Mwangi Expanse. He was originally a member of the Wind Clan of Shoanti, but felt chafed by his clan's isolation in the mountains and left to travel the world. He flaunts Shoanti tradition in petty fashion by insisting he be referred to as "Tshamek" (a derogatory word for foreigner).

Tshamek'd fallen in with cultists of Angazan in his travels of the Mwangi Expanse, liking the deity's emphasis on brute strength. His induction ceremony was interrupted by a party of Pathfinders, there to retrieve some mystical artifact or another typical Pathfinder goal. He was dazed by a crack of lightning before he knew what was going on, and came to afterward to find himself "rescued" by a pair of Silver Crusaders.

While not unduly intelligent, Tshamek was canny enough to play along, and found himself corralled back to Absalom and ushered to join the Pathfinder Society (and surprised at how simple the entrance requirements were). He was then placed under the mentorship of the druidic Venture Captain.

While Tshamek claims to have denounced Angazan, he still secretly venerates the deity and draws upon the strength of the untamed jungle to combat the Society's foes. He joined the Liberty's Edge faction, ostensibly to prove his reformed status in furthering Liberty Edge's noble goals. In actuality, he joined simply to revel in acts of sabotage, especially nasty ends for slavers, and all of the side "perks" of the faction.

I'm torn between the Mauler archetype for the scaling STR bonuses, circumstantial to-hit/damage boost and HP boost; or the Valet archetype in order to take advantage of Improved Share Spells immediately.

I'm also unsure as to whether or not wild shape (with the ability to transform into a creature with constrict) qualifies for Final Embrace, or if I need to spend 18K on the Anaconda's Coils.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[Taenia]

Wild shape will work to qualify you, but you will only benefit from the feat when you have the constrict ability in your wild shape form.

You can't use the constrict from Final Embrace to qualify for itself. (you probably weren't doing this, just wanted to remind people it doesn't work)

One form I would suggest is Sargassum Fiend, at large size it can grab huge foes (gargantuan with powerful shape) and has a +8 bonus to grab rather than +4.

Saguaroi is also a great form for use at 10th level, it grants you a medium plant form (combine with hat of disguise for looking human while running around as a plant) and regeneration fire.

[Exguardi]

That's what I figured re: Final Embrace qualification, I have no qualms about being wildshaped into a terrifying plant monster at all times (although a medium plant form and some kind of illusory disguise isn't a bad idea for rare social moments).

I didn't notice the special +8 grab on the Sargassum Fiend. Do you get that from Plant Shape III? I guess you would, since it is "grab" attached to a natural attack, just a stronger version.

I think the mi-go is the best medium plant form in general, since it grants flight and 4 claws with grab (although not constrict sadly).

Does anyone have any thoughts on Mauler vs. Valet? I realized that in order to do damage as a Valet, I'd need to get my leshy Agile on its attacks. Not sure how to do this since they don't have Weapon Finesse and aren't actually an animal companion.

[RelicBlackOUT]

Hey I was wondering if I could see your build for the storm druid you retired. I am currently going to be playing a Storm Lord Druid and was wondering what you focused on with your feats. Thanks!

[Taenia]

Actually Mi-go doesn't get you fly. Plant Shape does not give you access to fly at any level.