Playable from level 1 - 40 ..PvM

Well I haven't yoyed with the shifter ina while (especially since I've been playing a lot with PRC builds), so I figuredI would mix a class with druid shifter that I haven't seen done on these forums. SO I mixed in an assassin class. It had some very interesting results. First thing was a decent sized sneak attack. Ever see a sneak attacking minitaur or a death sladd lord? It's not pretty for the victim. It is easily some of the highest damage I've seen without using smite.Also all the assassin spells can be cast while in shifted form. This build really allows you to pick the optimal shapes to take advantage of your opponents weakness. It also has enough UMD to abuse a few other items out there. Without further ado, here is the shaper of death.

Race - Elf (I wanted the race bonuses, and the extra skills and feat don't really hurt)
Alignment - Neutral Evil

Starting Stats
Str 10
Dex 10
Con 12
Int 16
Wis 16
Cha 10

Character Progression
1- Druid - Concentration 4, Dicipline 2, Hide 2, Move Silently 2, Spellcraft 4, Tumble 2 - Alertness
2- Druid - Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1
3- Druid - Concentration 1, Dicipline 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 1, Tumble 1 - Toughness
4- Druid - Concentration 1 - Wis
5- Druid - Concentration 1, Dicipline 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 1, Tumble 1
6- Shifter - Concentration 1, Hide 5 - Blind Fight
7- Shifter - Concentration 1, Dicipline 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 1, Tumble 1
8- Shifter - Concentration 1, Hide 1 - Wis
9- Shifter - Concentration 1, Dicipline 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 1 - Knockdown
10- Shifter - Concentration 1, Hide 1
11- Shifter - Concentration 1, Dicipline 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 1
12- Shifter - Concentration 1, Hide 1 - Improved Knockdown - Wis
13- Shifter - Concentration 1, Dicipline 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 1
14- Assassin - Disable Trap 5, Hide 1, Move Silently 2, Open Locks 5, Tumble 10, Use Magic Device 13
15- Assassin - Disable Trap 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 2, Open Locks 1, Use Magic Device 2 - Improved Initiative
16- Assassin - Disable Trap 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 2, Open Locks 1 - Wis
17- Assassin - Disable Trap 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 2, Open Locks 1
18- Assassin - Disable Trap 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 2, Open Locks 1, Tumble 5 - Disarm
19- Shifter - Concentration 4, Discipline 2
20- Shifter - Hide 2 - Wis
21- Shifter - Hide 1 - Undead Shape
22- Shifter - Hide 1
23- Shifter - Hide 1 - Great Wisdom I
24- Assassin - Disable Trap 6, Discipline 3, Hide 1, Move Silently 1, Open Lock 6, Tumble 5, Use Magic Device 5 - Improved Disarm - Wis
25- Assassin - Disable Trap 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 1, Open Locks 1, Spot 2, Tumble 1
26- Assassin - Disable Trap 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 1, Open Locks 1, Spot 2, Tumble 1
27- Assassin - Disable Trap 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 1, Open Locks 1, Spot 2, Tumble 1 - Armor Skin
28- Assassin - Disable Trap 1, Move Silently 1, Open Locks 2, Spot 2, Tumble 1 - Wis
29- Shifter - Discipline 3
30- Shifter - Great Wisdom II
31- Shifter - Discipline 1 - Outsider Shape
32- Shifter - Wis
33- Shifter - Discipline 1 - Epic Prowess
34- Assassin - Disable Trap 1, Move Silently 6, Open Locks 1, Spot 16, Tumble 8
35- Assassin - Disable Trap 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 1, Open Locks 1, Spot 2, Tumble 1
36- Assassin - Disable Trap 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 1, Open Locks 1, Spot 2, Tumble 1 - Epic Toughness I - Wis
37- Assassin - Discipline 2, Spot2, Tumble 1 - Superior Initiative
38- Assassin - Disable Trap 1, Hide 1, Move Silently 1, Open Locks 1, Spot 3
39- Shifter - Discipline 1 - Construct Shape, Epic Skill Focus-Discipline
40- Assassin - Disable Trap 2, Hide 2, Move Silently 2, Open Locks 2, Spot 4 - Wis


Level Distribution
Druid 5
Shifter 19
Assassin 16

Final Skills
Concentration 20
Disable Trap 25
Discipline 21
Hide 35
Move Silently 35
Open Lock 25
Spellcraft 5
Spot 37
Tumble 40
Use Magic Device 25

Final Stats
Str 10
Dex 10
Con 12
Int 16
Wis 28
Cha 10

Most of my feat selections are based on getting the optimal abilities out of any form and using certain shapes to get specific abilities. Feats like knockdown, disarm, epic prowess and armor skin all give their bonus no matter what form you are using. This shifter build doesn't go after dragon shape. It could manage it with some removal of other feats, but the dragon idea doesn't work well with manueverability. It would be neat to be a sneak attacking dragon, but I definately can live without it. I also took construct shape only because I really didn't have a better choice. If I were using PRc I would of taken intuitive attack and a few others in place of some I took here for those who want to try this build with the PRC. I also wouldn't take the 5 spellcraft ina rebuild. I took four to start with and then was like WHY? I just took the 5th point for the save bonus and stopped. With Epic skill focus in discipline I have a fairly decent total of 31. Using various shapes I can get feats like improved evasion and HIPS (kobold) to spell resistance to spell immunity to damage resistance. I basically just tailor to the encounter.

The build does well with normal items, but some key things to look at getting are boots of the sun soul. The dodge ac and dex booost carries over into shifted forms. I like scimitar of speed as the haste carries over as does the energy damage. Gauntlets are fairly useless, so get some that only affect your normal form. No shifter form takes gauntlet powers with it. Most shield, helmet and armor abilities merge into forms, AC bonuses and weapon enhancement bonuses do not merge though.

I am planning on tweaking it a bit, but I think I have most things where I want.

Enjoy it, and critique please.

Edited By griphook on 08/03/05 20:50

whats the base attack? and naked AC? I'll dig that up when I get home tonight. In normal form the base attack isn't all that high, and AC is only in the low 20s. In most shifted forms the AC shoots up into the mid 40s to low 50s. In most shifted forms, the AB is in high 30s to low 40s. I think his BAB is +25 with three attacks. All pre epic levels are using the 3/4 advancement rate with no stat adjustment, and the +10 from the epic levels. I normal form my AC is 20 and my AB is +24 with three attacks. In shifter form naked it jumps around between low 33-40 with AB and AC.

With some items from the OC on this character in drow form I can get AC in high 40s low 50s and AB the same.