Hi All,
I'll soon join a Rise of Runelored game, starting at lv7 and was thinking to play a Goliath Druid, that a friend of mine recommended me as an interesting build.
The idea is to wildshape in a Giant and use Natual Attacks along with my dino.
Well, so far my Druid looks as below:
Lv 7th
Half-Orc Sacred Tattoo Shamanic Enhancement (+2 Str) AFB +1/3 Wildshape Natural AC
Stats: 26/12/14/8/15/7 including Wildshape (Two-Headed Troll) and Str belt/Wis headband +2
Feather subdomain for bonus to perception, fly and animal companion
Feats: Heavy Armor Proficiency, Boon Companion, Improved Spell Sharing, Power Attack (in doubt with Craft Wondrous Items)
Traits: Fate's Favored, any siggestion for two additional traits?
Man-eating Allosaurus Animal Companion
Stats: 27/16/18/4/19/14
Feats: Light Armor Proficiency, Improved Critical Bite (Bonus), Improved Natural Attack Bite (Bonus), Improved Spell Sharing, Power Attack
In addition to belt and headband I have +1 stoneplate, cloak of res +1 and +1 barding chain shirt per il dino. Still having about 4k and I was thinking to an extended rod lesser. If taking Craft Wondrous Item I could save money and craft in game, so I was thinking to +1 Amulet of Mighty Fist for the additional bonus, as Flaming.
Spells: long buffs (Longstrider, Barskin, Greater MAgic Fang), then Strong Jaw, Bristle, maybe Aspect of the Bear for the free grab of the Allosaurus. What other spells should complete my daily list?
Do you have any suggestion for the actual build and the next level?
Thank you!
take exotic weapon prof in Butchers Axe
At 7th level you can cast air walk and will probably want to have it prepared. Some other sometimes-useful spells are ashen path + obscuring mist or similar, cheetah's sprint, resist energy (possibly communal), lesser restoration, delay poison, toxic blood...don't over-focus on spells which enhance your combat stats directly.
Improved spell sharing is for hunters or others who can share teamwork feats without requiring those shared with to meet prereqs. An allosaurus can't on its own meet the prereq 'Ability to acquire an animal companion, eidolon, familiar, or special mount.' and so can't take this feat. Improved share spells is the version useful to druids and you can't take it until level 11.
Animal companions can't generally take templates like man-eating animal. If it could and did you might have problems like getting run out of town.
If you're getting big then combat reflexes is a useful feat for you or for your companion. Outflank is another to look at if you both take it.
For traits, you might consider armor expert to reduce the horrid penalties of stoneplate. Giant slayer is an entirely appropriate campaign trait.
Improved share spells is a terrible feat: it totally invalidates the idea to buff myself and the dino in the first round and have then the dino charging, grabbing and pouncing any enemy in sight.
I really cannot understand how that feat can be useful... I mean, even flanking the dino is more than 5ft. away.
I'll add the template using the Blood of Baphomet.
I have resist energy and lesser restorarion in my prepared spells list, I like ashen path + obscuring mist.
Outflank was one possible future feat, Combat Reflexes not really, 'cause I imagine my dex bonus will be very low, +1 at max.
I don't know the rules inside and out but Blood of Baphomet seems like the kind of thing that would make your animal companion, not an animal companion as it's no longer an animal. Turn it into an npc.
Feather subdomains also not a legal option for Goliath, it specifically mentions what subdomains can be taken
1 extra attack per round with combat reflexes is all you're likely to get anyway. The occasions where you get 3+ chances at an AoO in 1 round are few and far between.
Improved share spells works if you move together, ideally when you're riding the companion. Which last isn't easy when you're a goliath druid tho' it is at least possible with undersized mount.
Cursing your animal companion with a madness for blood (Baphomet is a demon lord BTW) may or may not break the bond, but it seriously is going to end with dead peasants.
Getting extra attacks with combat reflexes is nice, but in my opinion the bigger benefit of that feat is being able to take attacks of opportunity when flat-footed. Being big, your initiative probably isn't going to be the best, and if the enemy gets to go first in a fight, then they will close with you before you get the chance to make an attack of opportunity on them.
And yeah, unless you have some sort of gimmick to generate lots of attacks of opportunity, then you will rarely need more than 2 in a round. Needing more than 1 is even somewhat rare.
As per this FAQ is not the Feather subdomain a legal option once that the Animal domain is a legal option for the Goliath Druis?
Agreed that Improved Spell Sharing is not working with the AC, I'm thinking to take Craft Wondrous Items in place, and then Combat Reflexes as 9th level feat.
Any recommedation for the next feats?
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Huh. I had thought the feather domain required a feathered companion, but it looks like any animal can do, so it should be compatible with Goliath.
Re the feather subdomain, the goliath druid lists the actual subdomains which this archetype allows: 'When a goliath druid forms a nature bond, if she selects a cleric domain, she must selected from the Animal, Destruction, or Strength domains, or the Ferocity, Growth, or Rage subdomainsAPG.' Note that rage is a subdomain of destruction and listing it would be redundant if they could just choose rage or catastrophe or whatever.
A vanilla druid can select any subdomain of the domains they're allowed, but the goliath is a bit more restricted.
On further feats you might find lunge useful for incredible reach at level 11, or outflank might be useful then if your companion takes it at level 10. Or that might be time for quicken spell; at level 11 you can use it on 1st-2nd level spells. That last would be my favourite.
avr wrote: Re the feather subdomain, the goliath druid lists the actual subdomains which this archetype allows: 'When a goliath druid forms a nature bond, if she selects a cleric domain, she must selected from the Animal, Destruction, or Strength domains, or the Ferocity, Growth, or Rage subdomainsAPG.' Note that rage is a subdomain of destruction and listing it would be redundant if they could just choose rage or catastrophe or whatever.
A vanilla druid can select any subdomain of the domains they're allowed, but the goliath is a bit more restricted.
Second this. Although WERE DINOSAURS (megafauna) FEATHERED? Palaeo-arguments influencing an r.p.g. - sweet.
So, no Improved Spell Sharing, no Feather domain, I'm thinking to give up on the AC and instead do an Intimidate build using natural attack and the Rage subdomain.
So, any suggestions on feats? so far I tought about Intimidating Prowess, Power Attack, Combat Reflexes, Cornugon Smash, Hurtful, any suggestion on how to continue?
Also, what rage powers would you suggest at 12th and 16th level?
I could go Human or Half-Elf instead of Half-Orc for the free Skill Focus on Intimidate (and eventually Perception and a 3rd if Human).
I can take a Training enhancement on the Amulet of Mighty Fists for Combat Reflexes and so free another fear.
Wildshape forms: what do you suggest a at 6th, 12th and 14th level?
Quicken spell is useful for any druid at the right level.
On other intimidate feats; dazzling display into shatter defenses is notable.
The moment of clarity rage power and given that perfect clarity might be useful to you all things considered.
For wildshape forms look up the Polymorphamory guide.
Very similar to you I entered the Rise of the Runelords with a Dwarf Goliath Druid build rage subdomain. But I came in at level nine and had enough gold to Buy a impact ax and dragon skin full plate. I started off with heavy armor proficiency, cornugon smash, lunge, power attack and vital strike. I’m sure I read the same guide that you did, if I would change anything I would maybe not do cornugon smash because ultimately it was more of a flavor thing than helpful and I would be careful with rage early on because you don’t get a lot of it and it can get you killed if somebody crits on you. If it wasn’t for destructive smite I may even suggest looking at other domains.
I chose a dwarf female because I like the idea of a smaller humanoid turning into a giant to fight big things it ended up having proficiency with the battle ax working out very well. I have used vital strike very often and now at 15th level I have improved final strike which I now get 12d6 +30 damage without rage. This is really been the perfect character for our party in this game, I hope you have as much fun with it as I have.
b8620271 wrote:
Wildshape forms: what do you suggest a at 6th, 12th and 14th level?
I’m at 15th level and to me this build makes you more of a barbarian than a normal Druid. There are no animal forms that could do the damage you can do with a weapon. Once you hit 12 level with giant form 1 you can choose a troll and are very hard to kill at that point. At 14th level with giant form 2 you just become stronger and better doing what you do.
;;;edit::: I just saw noticed you said that you want to go with natural attack so maybe disregard the above info
Thanks for sharing!
Yeah, as 3/4 BAB seems better to me to have more attacks at max BAB instead that with reduced BAB after the first.
Rather than going for maximizing full attack, you may also consider using reach weapons and getting an attack of opportunity most rounds. An attack of opportunity with a claw isn't as impressive as a two handed weapon. An extra haste attack with a claw isn't as impressive as a two handed weapon. Not saying that a natural attack build can't pull ahead, but I think it's way closer than is often advertised.
I see you point, surely the two-handed weapon hits harder.
I like the fact that with the natural attacks immediately after reaching level 6 I can have a full attack routine of 4 attacks wildshaping in a two-headed troll.
Also, compared to a reach weapon, I don't have areas that I cannot hit within my reach so I imagine that I will have less need to move in order to keep the enemies in an area where I can hit them.
There are ways around a dead zone. Funny enough, you'll have access to easy ones with bite, which most trolls have. But there are other options like a dwarven boulder helmet or just taking improved unarmed strike.
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