# Good prestige Classes for Druids?



## Virtue (Nov 15, 2007)

Im going to be starting ROTRL and my brother wants to play a druid, we were looking for prestige classes for Druids. We have found very few that increase and of the regular druids powers as it levels up Arcane Herofant being one of the only ones. 
The other reason this discussion started is that my brother wanted a Druid of winter and took two prestige classes from Frostburn and the other players told him that the class was cherry picking and BS. I will post it later when i get a chance.
Im not looking for an Uber powerful class im just looking for a class that doesnt punish a Druid for going into the class like The Radiant Servent of Pelor ups clerics class abilities and give them other abilities 
(somthing that keeps casting and wild shape going)


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## Vague Jayhawk (Nov 15, 2007)

I have a druid in my current game that took a level or two of scout and became a pretty good daggerspell shaper.  She is having a lot of fun with that class.  You will miss out on a couple of spell levels for the level of scout and the 1st level of the prestige class.  The wild shape abilities are pretty cool however and spell advancement is only slightly hindered.


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## Mistwell (Nov 15, 2007)

The answer is Druid.

Druid remains the most powerful base class in the game.  While there are prestige classes, for the most part they lose something rather than gain something by taking those classes.

Just play a druid, and be happy with the massive amount of stuff you already get.


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## Zurai (Nov 15, 2007)

I really like Nature's Warrior, personally (Complete Warrior) although you lose spellcasting progression with it. Whatever you do, don't take Planar Shepherd. It's the only Druid PrC that is _more_ powerful than straight Druid - which is saying something - and the DM will have a whole herd of cows when he realizes what it lets you do.


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## Pinotage (Nov 15, 2007)

Mistwell said:
			
		

> The answer is Druid.
> 
> Druid remains the most powerful base class in the game.  While there are prestige classes, for the most part they lose something rather than gain something by taking those classes.
> 
> Just play a druid, and be happy with the massive amount of stuff you already get.




Absolutely. Stay with druid. There isn't a prestige class out there that can match the pure druid for versatility and ability. Sure, Nature's Warrior is better at wild shape fighting, but there's always a trade off with one of the druid's other characteristics. To get the best druid at wild shape, spellcasting and animal companion, just stick with plain druid.

Pinotage


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## Voadam (Nov 15, 2007)

Virtue said:
			
		

> Im going to be starting ROTRL and my brother wants to play a druid, we were looking for prestige classes for Druids. We have found very few that increase and of the regular druids powers as it levels up Arcane Herofant being one of the only ones.
> The other reason this discussion started is that my brother wanted a Druid of winter and took two prestige classes from Frostburn and the other players told him that the class was cherry picking and BS. I will post it later when i get a chance.
> Im not looking for an Uber powerful class im just looking for a class that doesnt punish a Druid for going into the class like The Radiant Servent of Pelor ups clerics class abilities and give them other abilities
> (somthing that keeps casting and wild shape going)




Besides reduced spellcasting or wildshape there is not much for a druid class to lose to balance against gaining additional abilities. I guess they could have worse HD, saves, and BAB for increased spellcasting or powers, but I can't think of any. 

I seem to recall a druid fireform one in Out for Blood but I don't remember the specifics about their spellcasting. I remember thinking most of the ones from Bastion's druids and druidism being quite weak and giving up a lot of spellcasting for very minor benefits.


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## nittanytbone (Nov 15, 2007)

Planar Shephard is ridicolously, totally broken.

Other than that, I'd second the above poster who advises sticking in Druid -- Druid 20 IS like a prestige class.  It is so chock full of awesome goodies that you can't beat it.  Two strong saves, the second best BAB, a solid D8 HD, little to no MAD, decent SP, full spellcasting progression, a free cohort, and wildshape?

What's not to like?

There are PrCs that let you focus on one aspect or another (Companion - Beast Master, Wild Plains Outrider, etc;  Shapeshifting - Master of Many Forms) but often at the expense of the other stuff that makes a druid awesome.


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## Nifft (Nov 15, 2007)

Wildshape and Elemental Wildshape are better than most PrC abilities. So is full casting progression.

Druids are one of the few classes that don't benefit from PrC shenanigans.

Cheers, -- N


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## Vague Jayhawk (Nov 16, 2007)

Ignore what I said earlier.  Everyone else is right.  

Daggerspell shaper is kinda cool in its own way - but it is not nearly as powerful as just plain druid.


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## drdevoid (Nov 16, 2007)

Perhaps a probing question? What aspect of druidic abilities are you seeking to expan upon? What are you willing to give up?


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## DeathOfRats (Nov 16, 2007)

To be fair, I think if I were to play a druid I would be looking at getting rid of the animal companion for something more self orientated. Thats about the only thing.....and even then, I know how powerful animal companions can be so it would have to be something good!


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## QuaziquestGM (Nov 16, 2007)

Refresh my memory...was Master of Radiance in Ghostwalk or Liberus Mortus?


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## Kat' (Nov 16, 2007)

Master of Many Forms offers more schapechanging options at the cost of spellcasting... it's another style of playing. 

In any case, while Druid gets along very well on its own without any PrC, I'd always suggest a 1-level dip into Warshaper to grab the immunity to critical hits and sneak attacks while Wildshaping.


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## Vysirez (Nov 16, 2007)

I have to agree with nittanytbone, the only PRC i'm aware of that is better then basic druid is Planar Shepard. It's powerful if you don't abuse it's abilities, it's retardedly broken if you do abuse them.

Otherwise, for pure power and flexiblity you want druid 20. If you want to focus on one specific aspect of a druid, and are willing to give up some power, then there are a few OK PRCs.

If you want to focus on wildshape and are willing to give up caster levels and animal companion, Natures Warrior and Warshaper are ok.

Or you can drop wildshape and/or AC and get any interesting divine casting PRC that doesnt require turning.

But ultimately, I think that any PRC you go for as a druid gives up more then you get. So not worth it IMO, but depends on the player and character really.

See the problem is that base druid is so good, that unless the PRC gives up a fair amount, it can't get much in the way of benefits without becoming overpowered. Since you said you wanted to avoid overpowered PRCs, you either have to give up some stuff, which is usually some combination of caster levels, wildshape and animal companion, or just stay basic druid.


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## Darklone (Nov 16, 2007)

Vague Jayhawk said:
			
		

> I have a druid in my current game that took a level or two of scout and became a pretty good daggerspell shaper.  She is having a lot of fun with that class.  You will miss out on a couple of spell levels for the level of scout and the 1st level of the prestige class.  The wild shape abilities are pretty cool however and spell advancement is only slightly hindered.



Get Swift Avenger (from Dragon), it's similar to Swift Hunter... e.g. levels added together count for skirmish damage.


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## nittanytbone (Nov 16, 2007)

There are some druid variants out there that might fit what you're looking for.

Shapeshifter from PHB2 - Lose companion & wildshape, gain weaker but unlimited uses/day shapeshifting

Swift Hunter from UA - Lose wildshape, gain ranger/monk abilities.

Druidic Avenger - Lose companion, gain Rage like barbarian


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## Drowbane (Nov 18, 2007)

QuaziquestGM said:
			
		

> Refresh my memory...was Master of Radiance in Ghostwalk or Liberus Mortus?




Libris Mortis


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## Elemmakil (Nov 18, 2007)

I've heard that the Moonwalker (RoE, I think) is very good, although you must be a shifter.  You lose four levels of wildshaping (but maintain full spellcasting and, I think, animal companion progression), but get a lot of useful abilities while shifting, along with several spells: invisibility, planar ally (all versions), gate, and probably some more that I'm forgetting.

It may not be as good as a straight druid, but it's still very viable, and is definitely a better summoner.

You can find an old, but only somewhat outdated, optimized druid guide here.  I believe that the wildshape nerf errata was never fully incorporated into this.  I'm also not sure how up-to-date the list of monsters is, either.


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## eamon (Nov 21, 2007)

Shapeshift does have one advantage over wildshape, namely that it's a swift action.  Further, the power of shapeshift isn't really very low - if you have a high Str anyhow.  It's seriously underpowered (relative to wild shape) if a DM allows Wilding clasps and Wild Armor only for wild shape (and not shapeshift), though.

The biggest disadvantage you'll have is that natural spell doesn't work (which isn't as bad as it looks due to the swift action shifting time), and you lose flexibility (no aquatic form, for instance).  In any case, I've banned wild shape, (allowing a shapeshift-derived wild-shape for those who want to use an animal companion), and people still pick druids happily and certainly aren't underpowered relative to the other players.


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