13 Druid/ 6 Ftr/ 1 Wiz

[Godslayersinc]

I'm looking for feedback and ideas to help round out my druid. I've been gone for over a year so still have to relearn a lot. What am I looking to achieve? Strong DPS, Good Survial, and group utility in a pinch. All without a bunch of super rare drops.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.16.01
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 25 Chaotic Neutral Half-Orc Male
(6 Fighter \ 1 Wizard \ 13 Druid \ 5 Epic) 
Hit Points: 400
Spell Points: 806 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 18
Reflex: 10
Will: 17

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 25)
Strength             18                    28
Dexterity            14                    14
Constitution         16                    16
Intelligence          6                     6
Wisdom               14                    16
Charisma              6                     6

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 25)
Balance               2                     7
Bluff                -2                     3
Concentration         7                    24
Diplomacy            -2                     3
Disable Device       n/a                    n/a
Haggle               -2                     3
Heal                  2                     8
Hide                  2                     7
Intimidate            2                    29
Jump                  4                    14
Listen                2                     8
Move Silently         2                     7
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                    n/a
Repair               -2                     3
Search               -2                     3
Spot                  2                     8
Swim                  4                    14
Tumble                n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device     n/a                    3

Level 1 (Druid)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack
Enhancement: Druid Shifting Rake I


Level 2 (Druid)
Feat: (Druid Wild Shape) Wild Shape: Wolf


Level 3 (Druid)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave


Level 4 (Druid)


Level 5 (Druid)
Feat: (Druid Wild Shape) Wild Shape: Bear


Level 6 (Druid)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 7 (Druid)


Level 8 (Druid)
Feat: (Druid Wild Shape) Wild Shape: Winter Wolf


Level 9 (Druid)
Feat: (Selected) Natural Fighting


Level 10 (Druid)


Level 11 (Druid)
Feat: (Druid Wild Shape) Wild Shape: Dire Bear


Level 12 (Druid)
Feat: (Selected) Natural Fighting


Level 13 (Druid)
Feat: (Druid Wild Shape) Wild Shape: Fire Elemental


Level 14 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Shield Mastery
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Class Boost I
Enhancement: Druid Beastial Nature I
Enhancement: Druid Beastial Nature II
Enhancement: Druid Essence of the Shrike I
Enhancement: Druid Essence of the Shrike II
Enhancement: Druid Fatal Harrier
Enhancement: Druid Hide of the Crocodile I
Enhancement: Druid Hide of the Crocodile II
Enhancement: Druid Nature's Warrior I
Enhancement: Druid Shifting Rake II
Enhancement: Druid Vengeful Hunter I
Enhancement: Druid Vengeful Hunter II
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy I
Enhancement: Orcish Strength I
Enhancement: Orcish Strength II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Improved Intimidate I
Enhancement: Druid Strength I
Enhancement: Druid Strength II
Enhancement: Druid Wisdom I
Enhancement: Druid Wisdom II
Enhancement: Druid Toughness I
Enhancement: Druid Toughness II
Enhancement: Druid Toughness III


Level 15 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Great Cleave
Feat: (Selected) Natural Fighting
Enhancement: Druid Nature's Warrior II


Level 16 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Druid Celerity
Enhancement: Druid Toughness IV


Level 17 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy II
Enhancement: Improved Intimidate II


Level 18 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Empower Healing Spell


Level 19 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Shield Mastery
Enhancement: Fighter Stalwart Defender I
Enhancement: Orcish Brute Fighting I
Enhancement: Orcish Brute Fighting II
Enhancement: Orcish Extra Action Boost I
Enhancement: Orcish Extra Action Boost II


Level 20 (Wizard)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Quicken Spell


Level 21 
Feat: (Selected) Overwhelming Critical


Level 22


Level 23 


Level 24 
Feat: (Selected) Bulwark of Defense


Level 25 

Damage
40 Str = 28 Base+ 6 Item+ 4 Animal Growth+ 2 Stalwart Stance
16-20 X3 Crit Damage (Plus Overwhelming Crit in epic levels)
2d6 SA Damage (Several of my ideas had much Higher SA Damage but much lower Str)
24% Double Attack (+50% Celerity)
I also have Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave and the option to boost PA with enhancements but using S&B I didnt think it would be worth the points.

Survial
28 Con (32 with Dire Bear but I've heard Dire Bear is aweful)
Toughness Feat and 6 ranks of improved toughness VIA enhancements
+10% HP
10% AC (+25% If Dire Bear used)
50 PRR (60 In DireBear)
Empowered Healing with Regenerate or Vigor
Several good defensive spells Fire Shield being at the top of the list.

Utility
+25% Threat if needed
Access to decent healing if needed

This is without in unique items. I know of some things I'd like to get already but items have changed a lot. Gems slots have been added to some older items and new item have been introduced. Help on gear suggestions would be nice aswell as build feed back.
As to why 1 Level of Wizard. Im not sold on it either but it got me 1 meta feat and SP which seems better than any of my other options. Reflex is too low to bank on Evasion. Monk can't be centered with Shield. Int is too low for traps and Rogue splash. Fighter gives a few HP but nothing else.

[gysot89]

My MASSIVE recommendation is to drop 2 strength and get 2 more con while leveling to be able to get epic toughness instead of the bulwark because it honestly gives you very little. . .

besides that looks pretty solid, you lose out on how hard your heals will hit by going 6 fighter instead of just doing an 18/2 split but gain some dps, HP should end up pretty good especially if you swap out for epic toughness.

[elgranmago13]

I have one very similar, and have had a blast with it. He is not a dps machine, but does ok, and his survivability is great. Gear-wise, I highly recommend a wall of wood and the parasitic breastplate. One of the other great things about it is you can buy less-desired weapon types that have the effects you want, because it doesn't matter if you are wielding a dagger or a khopesh. As a heads up, many of the Fury of the Wild epic destiny abilities do not play well with defensive stance (prevents rage) and wolf form (you lose weapon effects when abilities "go off").

[unbongwah]

There are a number of challenges for a build like this:

First off, the two biggest drawbacks to wolf builds is the spell cooldown penalty and the lack of +[W] modifiers compared to other melee builds (in part b/c some of the nicest ED abilities don't work w/unarmed/animal atks). The former can only be "cured" by staying pure and taking the capstone (but of course that costs you all your extra feats from ftr & wiz); not much can be done about the latter, I'm afraid. <see below for one option>

Also, defensive stances don't work in animal forms, I'm afraid; and as pointed out, they don't play nice with FotW, which is the obvious ED choice. I was pretty cheesed off when I found that out, as I planned something similar at one point. This also means there's no point in taking Bulwark of Defense.

Finally, I should mention that in the Enhancement alpha, it looked like shifters were getting nerfed (Reaving Roar & Fatal Harrier were weaker while they got a so-so AoE atk which used Wild Empathy charges, of all things); while caster druids got DPS SLAs (finally!). I won't say it's the final nail in shapeshifters' coffin...but I didn't see a lot to look forward to on my wolf druids, either. I can only hope we're getting more goodies in the closed beta...

One of the other great things about it is you can buy less-desired weapon types that have the effects you want, because it doesn't matter if you are wielding a dagger or a khopesh.

Bear in mind the +[W] from Shillelagh carries over into animal form if you've got a wooden weapon equipped; so ironically clubs & scepters can be your best choices for a shapeshifter.

[unbongwah]

There are a number of challenges for a build like this:

First off, the two biggest drawbacks to wolf builds is the spell cooldown penalty and the lack of +[W] modifiers compared to other melee builds (in part b/c some of the nicest ED abilities don't work w/unarmed/animal atks). The former can only be "cured" by staying pure and taking the capstone (but of course that costs you all your extra feats from ftr & wiz); not much can be done about the latter, I'm afraid. <see below for one option>

Also, defensive stances don't work in animal forms, I'm afraid; and as pointed out, they don't play nice with FotW, which is the obvious ED choice. I was pretty cheesed off when I found that out, as I planned something similar at one point. This also means there's no point in taking Bulwark of Defense.

Finally, I should mention that in the Enhancement alpha, it looked like shifters were getting nerfed (Reaving Roar & Fatal Harrier were weaker while they got a so-so AoE atk which used Wild Empathy charges, of all things); while caster druids got DPS SLAs (finally!). I won't say it's the final nail in shapeshifters' coffin...but I didn't see a lot to look forward to on my wolf druids, either. I can only hope we're getting more goodies in the closed beta...

One of the other great things about it is you can buy less-desired weapon types that have the effects you want, because it doesn't matter if you are wielding a dagger or a khopesh.

Bear in mind the +[W] from Shillelagh carries over into animal form if you've got a wooden weapon equipped; so ironically clubs & scepters can be your best choices for a shapeshifter.

[whomhead]

Bear in mind the +[W] from Shillelagh carries over into animal form

Pun intended? Either way I lol'ed. Had to sign in just to say that. :-P

[Godslayersinc]

The "Bear in mind" Remark made me smile as well.

So stalwart Stance does not work with wolf forms. I had searched before I started this build and Had found post saying it was fine (Specifically with Bear). If that is not the case then I might need to rethink my options.

Thank you everyone for the feed back. I have a much better idea of what gear im looking for now. I would appreciate confirmation that Stalwarts does not work in shapeshift other than that I think im pretty set.