Smarter than the average bear ~ A Wisdom Bear Build

[Strimtom]

Hello all, Strimtom again.

I have recently been playing some wisdom based bear on stream so I am posting my build for all to see. If you want a quick video instead of reading, click this link. For reference, this build played through R3 from 1-20 and did so really well. I would reocmmend bear to anyone.

Bear observations:

Is bear fun to play?
Yes! I really really enjoyed it. The experience was great being a large tanky beast. Having the power to lock down whole rooms full of enemies with my attacks was absolutely awesome. Getting roar to start going at level 5 makes you feel nearly invincible. You have a lot of good knockdowns are other abilities that really let you take control of the game.

Is Wisdom better than Strength?
Nope! Just go strength, you get 12 from the bear tree anyway. If you go strength you can spend 31 points in the wolf tree or racials or any better place really.

Is bear better than wolf?
Much tankier but the DPS is maybe 1/4th of a wolf build. Still fun to play, but if you love big numbers and fast hits then you need to keep with wolf.

Yogi Bear
Druid 20
True Neutral Elf


Stats
. . . . . . . .28pt . . 32pt. . .34pt . . 36pt. . .Tome. . .Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .---- . . ----. . .---- . . --------
Strength. . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . +6 . . . 4: WIS
Dexterity . . . 10. . . .10 . . . 10. . . .10 . . . +6 . . . 8: WIS
Constitution. . 14. . . .16 . . . 16. . . .16 . . . +6 . . .12: WIS
Intelligence. . 10. . . . 8 . . . 10. . . .12 . . . +6 . . .16: WIS
Wisdom. . . . . 18. . . .18 . . . 18. . . .18 . . . +6 . . .20: WIS
Charisma. . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . +6 . . .


Skills
. . . . . 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Concent . 4. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Heal. . . 4. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Spot. . . 4. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Listen. . . .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .2 .2 .2 .2 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .23
Intim . . 4. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Swim. . . 4. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ½. ½. ½. ½. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. .8
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . .20. 6. 6. 6. 6. 6. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 8. 8. 8. 8. 8. 8


Feats

.1. . . . : Least Dragonmark: Shadow
.3. . . . : Exotic Weapon: Khopesh
.6. . . . : Completionist
.9. . . . : Natural Fighting
12. . . . : Improved Critical: Slashing
15. . . . : Natural Fighting
18. . . . : Natural Fighting

.2 Druid. : Wild Shape 1: Bear
.5 Druid. : Wild Shape 1: Wolf
.8 Druid. : Wild Shape 2: Dire Bear
11 Druid. : Wild Shape 2: Winter Wolf
13 Druid. : Wild Shape 3: Fire Elemental
17 Druid. : Wild Shape 3: Water Elemental


Spells

1. Ram's Might (1), Maul (1), Merfolk's Blessing (2), Magic Fang (4), Jump (7)
2. Roar (3), Gust of Wind (3), Resist Energy (4), Lesser Restoration (6), Align Fang (9)
3. Remove Disease (5), Neutralize Poison (5), Shred (6), Quench (8), Water Breathing (11)
4. Rising Fury (7), Freedom of Movement (7), Flame Strike (8), Mass Longstrider (10), Dispel Magic (13)
5. Death Ward (9), Animal Growth (9), Panacea (10), Reincarnate (12), Stoneskin (15)
6. Tremor (11), Mass Vigor (11), Fire Shield (12), Greater Dispel Magic (14), Greater Creeping Cold (17)
7. Relentless Onslaught (13), Regenerate (13), Mass Greater Vigor (14), True Seeing (16), Sunbeam (19)
8. Earthquake (15), Heal (15), Finger of Death (16), Sunburst (18), Unstoppable (20)
9. Snowslide (17), Mass Regenerate (17), Anger of the Noonday Sun (18), Mantle of the Icy Soul (19), Storm of Vengeance (20)

Enhancements (80+7 AP)

Nature's Protector (43 AP)

• Nature's Protector, Nature's Defense, Magical Beast, Big Claws, Big Bear, The Great Bear
  1. Rage of the Beast II, Bloody Claws III, Enchanted Defense III, Fey's Blessing III
  2. Primal Beast II, Bloody Claws, Grizzled Defense II
  3. Enduring Beast II, Savage Roar, Ursa's Heart III
  4. Undying Beast, Beast Awakened, Ursa's Spirit III
  5. Beast Unleashed, Bear Charge, Lightning Strikes the Mountain, Ursa's Will III, Force of Nature III

Falconry (31 AP)

• Falcon, Wisdom, Well Rounded, Wisdom, Well Rounded II
  1. Practiced Accuracy II, Out in Nature III
  2. Killer Instinct I, Watch the Center III, Diving Strike I
  3. Killer Instinct II, Strike for the Eyes: Strike I, Conditioning
  4. Deadly Instinct III, No Mercy III, Coordinated Strike, Expose Weakness

Elf (12 AP)

• Elven Accuracy
  1. Phiarlan Dragonmark Focus III, Keen Senses I
  2. Lesser Dragonmark of Shadow, Enchantment Lore III
  3. Greater Dragonmark of Shadow

Nature's Warrior (1 AP)

• Natural Adept

[Memnir]

[Hobgoblin]

why kopesh? just cause you had the weapons already? why not two handers?

[kain741]

why kopesh? just cause you had the weapons already? why not two handers?

He said he was going tanky so would assume S/B.

[Hobgoblin]

He said he was going tanky so would assume S/B.

wouldnt bastard swords be better in that case though?

[GoldyGopher]

I have played a similar build (Elf - Strength - With Scimitar) and am currently seeing if I can get a TYWA Dwarf Druid Bear to work. The Elf build I played was enjoyable to play in groups that allowed me to "tank", solo and groups that run around helter skelter is a totally different story.

As an entry level Tank I think your build works well for players, as the character with little gear and without previous commitment of past lives and tomes was able to start truly and effectively tanking Elite and Low Skull Reaper by the time I got to four or fifth level. Players of all ilk spoke of how well I was able to grab and hold agro as I leveled that character up.

Until you have a couple of past lives and some tomes under your belt I would not suggest trying to step up to even reaper 3/4 or trying to use the character as an "end-game" Tank. My 32 point build didn't have enough HP and took it to the knees if you got "hit" twice in a row. Even though I did not have the Epic Defensive Fighting Feat when I played that build you stuck with the 50% or very little is still very little problem. It is one of the reasons I switched over to try dwarf.

[kain741]

wouldnt bastard swords be better in that case though?

Maybe, maybe not. We'd have to look at his TR cache. It is very possible his GS is Khopeshes. Hard to say but if you're not talking about a TR 1-20 like he did it then it is possible there may be a better weapon depending on his need. The bear should be getting glancing blows either way so bastard sword would not add that key benefit.

[AlcoArgo]

If this was truly a "Smarter than the average bear" build then it would be INT based, not WIS based.

[unbongwah]

wouldnt bastard swords be better in that case though?

Bastard swords and dwarven axes don't get extra glancing blows in bear form, so that's not a factor.

Although I would consider taking Knight's Training feat instead since it buffs several weapon types into viability. Elves are natively proficient with longswords and it's not like UMD+Master's Touch scrolls is hard to squeeze in.

[Zretch]

Bastard swords and dwarven axes don't get extra glancing blows in bear form, so that's not a factor.

Although I would consider taking Knight's Training feat instead since it buffs several weapon types into viability. Elves are natively proficient with longswords and it's not like UMD+Master's Touch scrolls is hard to squeeze in.

Or you can just go scimitar. Vulkoor's Edge is a very good weapon and at cap, Nightshard's Identity Crisis procs should add to your CC. Saves a feat and gives a strong crit profile.