Need help with a druid build... there is a twist I guess

[Legacy_ColdasHoth]

                I am comfortable with my halfling character and would like to play her again... I am hoping to create a nice druid build- was considering adding a little rogue so I can take a bow as a weapon and then top it off with a shifter. If not shifter, throw in some wizard instead?
Or just focus on a druid/rogue mix...

look if this sounds ridiculous I'm new to building characters that work well together- (been playing for years but usually just pick what "sounds nice" but isn't exactly practicle or thought out)

There has to be a way to make a powerful- but tiny- character!
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_fetyr2004]

               I personally prefer a druid build i saw on the epic builds forums.  I can't find the link atm but will post when i can.  It's basically a lvl 40 pure druid that is an elemental caster.  Search it.  Worth a look.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_cds13]

               I had a look at that build guide too: basically it stated that the perfect druid must be mixed with at least one lvl as monk since all of the morphing leaves you unarmed in combat so it is pointless to specialize into other weapons (which for druids are very limited).
By morphing into a panther you get already a sneak attack but maybe you want them availablefor every morphing. The fact that you play a halfling is good since you gain the strenght (by morphing) in which the halfling usually lacks.
Druid/monk combo comes good since it shares mutual benefit from a higher wisdom.
CH, you are right by the shortbow, it will surely get you more hitting power from ranged attacks since druids can only rely on slings or darts.
If you like rogue halflings well, I would build them as rogues in first place and then as druids in order to minimize the penalties for multiclassing.
For the third class I would choose from Monk, Shifter or Arcane Archer. As monk you will maximize the damage dealt while morphed into a bear i.e.; as a shifter you would experience the various combinations which will come out; finally as an arcane archer you would focus all of your attacks into that shortbow if you love ranged ones.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_fetyr2004]

               He cant use arcane archer cause Druids use divine spells not arcane
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_ColdasHoth]

               I have been going over this and over this and over this-
I think I have circled around a druid/rogue mix as halfling. I won't have much HP's so as a rogue I want to be hard/impossible to hit, while still being able to deal damage with my bow and spells... Later I would like to take Shifter in order to be able to melee and because I just know how to RP that.
Of course Druid's shift anyways so maybe I will go monk with it.

Anyone know where I can find a run down of what feats are available to each class as you progress? I just lack the knowledge to build a formidable character.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_ColdasHoth]

               fetyr- I have been searching and looking at the builds- I did look for the pure druid. The issue Ihave with most "pre-builds" is everyone favors human or elf characters so I'm not sure how applying these builds to a halfling would affect the build and how to compensate for what is lost by going from human to half
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_avado]

               As an old friend pointed out in his ECB guild druid guide, Druids work best ALMOST pure.  Why?  SHAPES!  You want to go shifter, that is good for shapes.  Wisdom allows you to cast more spells with higher dc.  Cross class with rogue for skill dumps is OK (tumble, umd), but you need to go mostly druid.  Unfortunately, I seem to have lost the ECB link (which is a shame since I have been going there since 2004), but if you can find it, it will help you alot with a druid build.

Good luck
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_HipMaestro]

               

ColdasHoth wrote...

fetyr- I have been searching and looking at the builds- I did look for the pure druid. The issue Ihave with most "pre-builds" is everyone favors human or elf characters so I'm not sure how applying these builds to a halfling would affect the build and how to compensate for what is lost by going from human to half

A morphed druid is weak compared to a morphed shifter because few items merge with the shape.  The strongest druid forms are the elementals which require 20 levels of druid.  These work very good in low-magic environments since item enhancements are few and limited so the merge doesn't miss all that much.

As a halfling, you will have no problems with the XP penalty if going the druid/rogue/shifter route with rogue class ignored.  However, a halfling druid/rogue/monk would be subject to an XP penalty (20%) as soon as your monk level differs by more than 1 from the druid level, which would be often.  In that case, builds will simply dump to monk at the end where it has no effect on XP.

You need to settle on how you will be doing your main attack because there are so many options open until you do.

For both you and avado, here is the ECB Search Engine.  Maybe this is the pure build ya'll are referring to.  Dunno.

edit:  An ECB Druid Guide
               
               

               

                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 21 mars 2011 - 11:08 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_fetyr2004]

               

HipMaestro wrote...

ColdasHoth wrote...

fetyr- I have been searching and looking at the builds- I did look for the pure druid. The issue Ihave with most "pre-builds" is everyone favors human or elf characters so I'm not sure how applying these builds to a halfling would affect the build and how to compensate for what is lost by going from human to half

A morphed druid is weak compared to a morphed shifter because few items merge with the shape.  The strongest druid forms are the elementals which require 20 levels of druid.  These work very good in low-magic environments since item enhancements are few and limited so the merge doesn't miss all that much.

As a halfling, you will have no problems with the XP penalty if going the druid/rogue/shifter route with rogue class ignored.  However, a halfling druid/rogue/monk would be subject to an XP penalty (20%) as soon as your monk level differs by more than 1 from the druid level, which would be often.  In that case, builds will simply dump to monk at the end where it has no effect on XP.

You need to settle on how you will be doing your main attack because there are so many options open until you do.

For both you and avado, here is the ECB Search Engine.  Maybe this is the pure build ya'll are referring to.  Dunno.

That elementalist is the one I was refering to.  It's a great starter point IMO.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_ColdasHoth]

               Thank you thankyou and thank you again for the links! I think there are about three different builds I'm going to try to mold into one....

I'm going mild Rogue, heavy Druid (trying to take what i can from elemental)- I'm going to play that out and see how I feel later about adding some shifter or not.
Attacks- focus on bow and spellcasting- my companion can do the charging for me
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_avado]

               

HipMaestro wrote...
For both you and avado, here is the ECB Search Engine.  Maybe this is the pure build ya'll are referring to.  Dunno.

edit:  An ECB Druid Guide

LMAO  Thanks Hip.  I was just lazy and didnt do a google search.  Turns out that I was even still logged in on the old forums (unlike the present one, which seems to log me out at random intervals... even while changing pages). 
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Elhanan]

               Zen Archery plus WIS, and shield & sling might be a fun way to play a Halfling Druid.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_ColdasHoth]

               I think I messed up her stats
Str: 10
Dex: 14
Con: 12
Wis: 17
Int: 12
Cha: 10

I feel like I could have sacrificed INT and put more into Str to make up for the -2 class effect.
Would adding more to my strength make my physical attacks more powerful or does it not matter because I'm using a bow?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_HipMaestro]

               

ColdasHoth wrote...

I think I messed up her stats
Str: 10
Dex: 14
Con: 12
Wis: 17
Int: 12
Cha: 10

I feel like I could have sacrificed INT and put more into Str to make up for the -2 class effect.
Would adding more to my strength make my physical attacks more powerful or does it not matter because I'm using a bow?

Except for qualifying for feats, Dex does not need to be that high if you take Zen Archery (already pointed out above). Since you are building a caster druid, you will be focusing on Wis for slots so set it as high as practical during creation.  You want to max at least Conc, Tumble, Spellcraft &  UMD (Discipline only if you melee). Str will only factor into range attack if you use a bow with the mighty property on it.  It is likely, that between ability boost items and buffs you will be able to reach the Mighty cap even with base at 10 (eg. Mighty +3 = Str 16).

With all the skills worth maxing I am betting you will need Int at least 14 (assuming very few rogue levels) and it would allow you to take Expertise/Imp Expertise for casting, if you decide to go that route. I'd sacrifice Cha IMO.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 23 mars 2011 - 12:26 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_ColdasHoth]

               Feedback please? '>

Ok- so after some reading and deliberating and some input from HM- I came up with this.

(bow is no longer as important as melee when shifted and casting when not. Wisdom takes all the abilities)
Race: Hin or Elf
Str: 10
Dex: 10
Con: 12ish
Int: 14
Wis: 18
Cha: 8

Feats taken (not necessarily in this order) will be Toughness, Blind Fight, Spell focus (Conj or Evo not sure which one yet), Empower Spell, Zen Arch (Maybe- still needs to use either a sling or bow when not shifting), Greater Spell Focus: C or E...

I still May or May not want to introduce Shifter or Maybe Wizard- I mean Druid gets Dragon Shape so do I really need all the others?? Either way I will still be able to shift as a pure druid and if I go Wizard then I'll have access to more spells. (however if I do understand correctly, I may want hgher INT for that?)

I have it somewhat narrowed down. Leaning towards Hin- Small package delivers devastating results when underestimated... I did read and I understand taking Human for this makes more sense for druid but another race makes more sense for my RP style. I'm willing to take Elf however because I have a nice back story for an elf as well...

That may not be as narrowed as I think it is... and I appreciate everyone's help! I'm tired of making characters that are internally flawed and killed constantly because of my creation ignorance! '>

(PS this is for a PW that is both PvP and PvM)