Tengu Storm+Animal Druid build

[Nik Gervae]

I've asked some questions about some specific topics but I figured since this is for my actual first character I'd make a thread covering the whole build. I've got the theme worked out pretty well—a Tengu storm-caller with a pet vulture—but there are still some feat choices I'm unsure about. I am joining a group that has a few sessions done already, in Age of Ashes. It's one of those weird parties, with a cleric focused more on damage, and no thiefy type, so I might have to fill those gaps a bit. :-P

Anyhow here's the deets:

Ancestry, Heritage Background: Tengu, Skyborn (no falling damage), Nomad

Abilities: STR 10, DEX 14, CON 14, INT 10, WIS 18, CHA 12

This should be pretty straightforward. I could shuffle 2 points for DEX 16, CON 12 (or vice versa), depending on how I want to balance AC & skills vs. hit points & Fortitude saves. I might be able to grow into something of a party face with ability boosts.

Ancestry Feats
Level 1 is the tough choice, since I need to make it now and there are a couple so-so options.

Storm's Lash would be an extra, thematic cantrip, but based on Charisma, which isn't my high stat (to start). Still might be useful against low-Reflex foes, and if needed I could always prepare electric arc as a druid cantrip.

Tengu Lore would get me Society, Tengu Lore, and a skill of my choice, since my background in Nomad gives me Survival. This is my inclination, as skills are hard to come by.

Tengu Weapon Familiarity would get me a khakkara, which is kinda cool and does more damage than a plain old staff, although I have no strength bonus so, as with Storm's Lash, I'm not sure it's worth the bother. As a Tengu I have an unarmed finesse beak attack anyhow, for when I get stuck in melee.

Squawk! sounds fun, but doesn't seem worth it unless I have good CHA skills.

Level 5 would be Eat Fortune, pretty clearly, and level 9 definitely Soaring Flight. But then at 13th level, the only choice is Tengu Weapon Expertise, for which I would need Tengu Weapon Familiarity from level 1. I'd probably take Long-Nosed Form instead just to qualify for Great Tengu Form at 17 (assuming my group levels that high).

About Those Skills: Current plan is

• Nomad background - Survival (Assured), Forest Lore
• Tengu Lore feat - Society, Tengu Lore, Thievery (since I already have Survival)
• Druid class - Nature, Acrobatics (Storm Order); Medicine, Stealth (free choices)

Thievery & Stealth are thematic for a corvid and I hope to have some fun with them. With ability boosts as I level up, I would probably get more CHA skills.

Druid Class Feats
My group is playing Age of Ashes, I don't know how far in level that will take us. Storm has the fewest feats of the four orders, and from what I read, Animal needs to take particular feats to keep the companion viable, but that still leaves a few open choices.

1: Shield Block (free) - not sure how much I'll actually use it, as a caster, but it's there
1: Storm Born
2: Order Explorer (Animal - Vulture companion) - Vulture's support benefit doesn't rely on Strikes and seems useful, and its advanced move is a self-heal. Plus, a fellow scavenger bird seems a great thematic companion! (Corvids hate birds of prey.) Wolf would be a second thematic choice.
4: Mature Animal Companion
6: Nothing at 6- appeals, so I was gonna just take Order Explorer (Leaf) to get a leshy familiar for some flexibility. Storm Retribution is pretty narrow, and I could prepare spells to get a foe out of my face if that comes up often.
8: Incredible Companion (Nimble) - forum consensus is clear on this. Wind Caller is also available (see below), so I might put this off till 10. Depends on how my pet's doing I guess.
10: Wind Caller - from level 9 I'll be flying 1/day, and for longer, as a Tengu. Given that, I might even be able to skip this for a different feat. But it does get me that 3rd focus point.
12: Overwhelming Energy, or Primal Focus. If I have a familiar I can regain 1 extra focus, 1/day, so I'm learning toward Overwhelming Energy.
14: Specialized Companion (Ambusher) - get that AC up to keep the pet alive.
16: Several strong feats compete at 10-16. Specialized Companion (Daredevil)? Effortless Concentration? Something lower level?
18: With my companion potentially taking up my 3rd action, I figured I'd skip Invoke Disaster (fun as it sounds) and go for Primal Aegis.
20: Hierophant's Power would seem the obvious choice here, unless I find I'm burning through low-level spells all the time.

I won't go fully into general & skill feats, but if you've got any particular recommendations I'm happy to hear them. I'll probably take Battle Medicine and Continual Recovery to shore up our healing, beyond that, nothing's decided. Spells are going to prioriize air, lightning, and other weather stuff, with healing as needed.

[Deriven Firelion]

Reach Spell isn't too bad at 6th. Or some kind of archetype feat can be good too like Archer or a MC archetype.

Overwhelming Energy looks good on paper, but the Primal list has so many different types of energy you don't need it. And electrical is one of the least resisted energy types.

Invoke Disaster is fun. You could save a lot of spell slots just using Invoke Disaster, your animal companion, and a weapon or moving around.

I was thinking of avoiding Invoke Disaster, but it seems like such fun.

You should be ok doing almost any direction. You have the base necessary druid feats to do well.

[Gortle]

Blessed One at any level past 2 will get you your third focus point, Which Order Magic Leaf won't
As a Tengu Druid with polymorph options, I don't think you have to have Wind Caller.
Lots of ways to build this.

[Nik Gervae]

Gortle wrote:

Blessed One at any level past 2 will get you your third focus point, Which Order Magic Leaf won't

As a Tengu Druid with polymorph options, I don't think you have to have Wind Caller.
Lots of ways to build this.

Heh. It's a bit weird to take Storm Order and then not bother with any of its higher level feats, but that initial focus spell is key to my character concept!

Blessed One is intriguing, gonna give that some thought. The leshy familiar was mostly for the famililar/master abilities, adding more primal cantrips doesn't seem too critical. But another focus point and an ability to use it with, that's good stuff.

Thanks Gortle!

[Nik Gervae]

Deriven Firelion wrote:

Reach Spell isn't too bad at 6th. Or some kind of archetype feat can be good too like Archer or a MC archetype.

I've had a quick look at cleric, some divine cantrips might be nice. Hadn't even thought of an archer! With DEX 14 I could probably pull that off.

Deriven Firelion wrote:

Overwhelming Energy looks good on paper, but the Primal list has so many different types of energy you don't need it. And electrical is one of the least resisted energy types.

This is good to know, thanks much.

Deriven Firelion wrote:

Invoke Disaster is fun. You could save a lot of spell slots just using Invoke Disaster, your animal companion, and a weapon or moving around.

I was thinking of avoiding Invoke Disaster, but it seems like such fun.

Well now I'm back to needing Wind Caller. :-D

Deriven Firelion wrote:

You should be ok doing almost any direction. You have the base necessary druid feats to do well.

That's good to hear. I know some classes have real traps, so it looks like I made a good pick for a first character.

[Deriven Firelion]

Damn. I didn't think you needed Wind Caller for Invoke Disaster. Flight is so easy for a druid to get that I don't see the point. I guess I'll stick with Storm of Vengeance.

[Nik Gervae]

Deriven Firelion wrote:

Damn. I didn't think you needed Wind Caller for Invoke Disaster. Flight is so easy for a druid to get that I don't see the point. I guess I'll stick with Storm of Vengeance.

That's pretty clearly better, even if you can't cast it as often.

[Nik Gervae]

Looking into this whole focus point thing...holy moly, I just realized that if you go Wild Order only, you never get more than one focus point. Yep, you really want to start in Leaf or Storm. I guess they expect you'll wild shape at the beginning of the fight, and stay shapeshifted till the end, then get back your one focus point.

Getting that third point is definitely a matter of tradeoffs. Being a Tengu and having polymorph spells, I really don't need Wind Caller. How often during the day would I need to fly, after all? I'll have 5 minutes per day with my ancestry feat, and then can use spell slots for the rest, saving focus points for invoking storms. Really the only reason to take it would be to get Invoke Disaster later, and I don't know that the campaign will even go that far.

And then, having Battle Medicine and heal spells/wands, I don't particularly need Lay On Hands—although that is a very nice clutch option and more useful than Wind Caller. The bonus to AC is extra icing on the cake!

[Nik Gervae]

Oh and now I've found the Familiar Master dedication and Familiar Conduit. The shenanigans that could enable just might be worth missing out on a 3rd focus point.... :-D

I'm pretty confident the familiar could hitch a ride on me or another player, but I wonder if it could ride on my animal companion too. If so, definitely shenanigans.