Hi! I'm planning on playing a dwarven goliath druid for Giantslayer and I could use a little advice regarding my build. The plan is to take a level of ranger at lvl 2 and then the "shapeshifting hunter" feat at level 5 for all kinds of Favored Enemy goodness. By level 7 or so I envision fighting wildshaped as a large giant.
The question I have is primarily in regards to the "Favored Enemy Spellcasting" feat from the Advanced Class Guide. I was planning on taking it at level 1, but I'm beginning to wonder how much bang for my buck I'll get out of it.
Here's the concept:
Dwarf Druid (Goliath) 19 / Ranger 1
STR 18 DEX 12 CON 15 INT 10 WIS 16 CHA 6
(We use the heroic array and then add 10 more points on top of that)
1 - Drd 1 - Favored Enemy Spellcasting (giants)
2 - Rgr 1 - Favored Enemy Orc +2
3 - Drd 2 - Power Attack
4 - Drd 3
5 - Drd 4 - Shapeshifting Hunter / Favored Enemies Orc +2 & Giant +4
6 - Drd 5
7 - Drd 6 - Giant-bane caster (and gain Wild Shape: Giant)
8 - Drd 7
9 - Drd 8 - ?
And so on. I'll be using an Animal Companion spinosaurus, by the way. And I'll probably be using a nodachi.
Does Favored Enemy Spellcasting seem worthwhile?
Thanks a bunch,
Xykal
Nice build!
I took a different approach with my half-orc goliath druid, more melee oriented. Also have shapshifting hunter, but I took Big Game Hunter (+1 to hit and +2 to damage vs large creature, which include giants, but also several other enemies), and heavy armor (you can get a dragon hide armor for cheap, and it stays with you in wildshaped form, unlike beast form, giving you a good AC to stay in the frontline). I'd get Heavy Armor instead of Power attack at lvl 3. But I'll take a look to your feats, maybe I get favored enemy spellcasting and giant bane. My starting wisdom isn't very high, but with those 2 feats, you can get a really good DC, it's a nice idea that I didn't really thought about (I ussually memorize spells that don't need save, like summon swarm, sleet storm, buffs like barkskin, etc)
Also, Craft woundreous item is wonderful for classes like druid, because it covers also your weapon (amulet of mighty fist). I suggest to take a look at it.
One really good feat for dwarves is Steel Soul, which you can get only at lvl 1, another good feat to think about.
What's your stat line?
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I am thinking about this class as well. I am pondering:
Unchained Monk 1 / Golaith Druid X with the domain and not the animal companion.
Feats
1 Power Attack
3 Steel Soul
5 Rime Spell
7 Natural Spell
9 Raging Vitality
11 Planar Wild Shape
The monk level gives an extra attack in giant form (probably with a temple sword) and wisdom to AC. Or, I can heavily focus on an amulet of mighty fists and use either natural weapons or unarmed strike. Between Mage armor or bracers and the monk AC bonus I can have a solid AC.
Two quick questions:
1) I spent a long time looking for ways to flurry with a war hammer, battleaxe, or pick and came up short. Best I saw was getting channel and taking crusader flurry. That would require I give up another level or lose a ton of feats to get the cleric variant multi classing. I would love to flurry with a traditional dwarf weapon, but can't see a good way to make that happen.
2) where does it say you have to take Steel Soul at lvl 1?
Steel soul isn´t a lvl 1 feat only, I was recalling it wrong, sorry. That's the danger of answering without checking :)
EDIT: probably my mistake comes from Glory of Old, which is a trait and thus commonly taken at lvl 1
The problem with Steel Soul is that I believe you lose the Hardy racial ability while wild shaped. You lose anything that is based on your physical body like darkvision and I believe Hardy qualifies. Unfortunately.
I am thinking about this class as well. I am pondering:
Unchained Monk 1 / Golaith Druid X with the domain and not the animal companion.
Feats
1 Power Attack
3 Steel Soul
5 Rime Spell
7 Natural Spell
9 Raging Vitality
11 Planar Wild ShapeThe monk level gives an extra attack in giant form (probably with a temple sword) and wisdom to AC. Or, I can heavily focus on an amulet of mighty fists and use either natural weapons or unarmed strike. Between Mage armor or bracers and the monk AC bonus I can have a solid AC.
Two quick questions:
1) I spent a long time looking for ways to flurry with a war hammer, battleaxe, or pick and came up short. Best I saw was getting channel and taking crusader flurry. That would require I give up another level or lose a ton of feats to get the cleric variant multi classing. I would love to flurry with a traditional dwarf weapon, but can't see a good way to make that happen.
2) where does it say you have to take Steel Soul at lvl 1?
Raging Vitality? Do you qualify for that based on the domain you chose? Even so, is it really worthwhile?
Planar Wild Shape? Are you going to spend much time in animal form? Personally I plan on having my Goliath Druid spend most of his time in Giant form. It's the reason I took the archetype after all.
And you may want to check with your GM about Steel Soul. You'll be wildshaped most combats, and I believe you lose the Hardy racial ability whilst wildshaped.
Nice build!
I took a different approach with my half-orc goliath druid, more melee oriented. Also have shapshifting hunter, but I took Big Game Hunter (+1 to hit and +2 to damage vs large creature, which include giants, but also several other enemies), and heavy armor (you can get a dragon hide armor for cheap, and it stays with you in wildshaped form, unlike beast form, giving you a good AC to stay in the frontline). I'd get Heavy Armor instead of Power attack at lvl 3. But I'll take a look to your feats, maybe I get favored enemy spellcasting and giant bane. My starting wisdom isn't very high, but with those 2 feats, you can get a really good DC, it's a nice idea that I didn't really thought about (I ussually memorize spells that don't need save, like summon swarm, sleet storm, buffs like barkskin, etc)Also, Craft woundreous item is wonderful for classes like druid, because it covers also your weapon (amulet of mighty fist). I suggest to take a look at it.
One really good feat for dwarves is Steel Soul, which you can get only at lvl 1, another good feat to think about.
What's your stat line?
Craft Wondrous is something I was considering. I may drop Favored Enemy Spellcasting altogether, but I'm going to stick with Giant-Bane Hunter. Even a mediocre Wisdom will have decent DCs with that feat.
I was considering heavy armor as well. You mention a dragonhide breastplate, but you do know that it's medium armor, right? I actually took the Rich Parents trait so that I could start with a dragonhide breastplate. Seemed important enough to use a trait on it...
And my stat line is in the original post. Thanks for the response.
The problem with Steel Soul is that I believe you lose the Hardy racial ability while wild shaped. You lose anything that is based on your physical body like darkvision and I believe Hardy qualifies. Unfortunately.
Not like it matters, as you get Steel Soul and it replaces Hardy. I'd argue (strongly) that Steel soul bonus isn't based on your physical body. It could have a lot of table variation, though.
I meant Dragonhide Full Plate, sorry. I spent my first 8000gp or so in a +2 dragonhide full plate (I think it was lvl 4 or 5?) in this campaign, and I'm really happy with my decision.