In response to Zelle's shifter build, which is optimised for level 40 play, I decided to post a rough template of a Shifter that's actually easy to level on a PW. My current PW is low-magic, the kind of place Shifters thrive, and builds like these are very popular.
Unlike most builds posted here, this one is made first and foremost to be as easy to level up as possible. It's not as effective at level 40 as Zelle's build, but on most PWs you'd never be able to get Zelle's build to level 40 without some serious twinking.
Pros - Great AC - for party play, this is a fantastic tank - Gets all Shifter shapes - Decent HP - Decent saves
Cons - Low AB, especially with Expertise / Improved Expertise - Doesn't get decent Druid spells until right near the end of its levelling life - Won't do as well in high magic environments
Here's the levelling guide. I haven't included skill points, since the build gets an absolute ton of them, enough to max out the important skills (tumble, discipline) on each of the Monk levels.
I went for Druid 8 / Shifter 8 / Monk 4 pre-epic since that gives the best AB and saves. Unfortunately it does mean waiting until level 24 to get the all important Risen Lord shape, but getting it on level 21 would mean dropping the AB and saves. The build already has quite a poor AB compared to pure melee builds, so I didn't want to drop it any further.
21 - shifter 9 - great wis 1 (23) 22 - shifter 10 23 - shifter 11 24 - shifter 12 - wis 24, undead shape 25 - shifter 13 - great wis 2 (25) 26 - shifter 14 27 - shifter 15 - outsider shape 28 - shifter 16 - wis 26, great wis 3 (27) 29 - monk 5 30 - shifter 17 - construct shape 31 - druid 9 32 - druid 10 - wis 28 33 - druid 11 - great wis 4 (29) 34 - druid 12 35 - druid 13 36 - druid 14 - wis 30, dragon shape 37 - druid 15 38 - druid 16 39 - druid 17 - great wis 5 (31) 40 - monk 6 - wis 32
Final Stats Str 12 Dex 10 Con 14 Int 13 Wis 32 Cha 8
In epic levels I went for the shifter shapes rather than the druid spells first, since it'll be easier to survive with Risen Lord and Rakshasa shapes being obtained as soon as possible. I wasn't too bothered about Druid spells until later on, when Creeping Doom became more and more important. The DC on the druid spells is OK, due to the high Wisdom, but with no spell focus feats and a lack of caster levels, the build will always be a better shifter than a caster.
I would post the AB and AC but my NWN doesn't want to work at the moment, so I can't load the build up. But it does provide a decent template for anyone wanting to level up a Shifter on a PW, who wants to have powerful abilities all the way through the levelling life, rather than just level 40.
Edited By griphook on 11/04/05 22:49
Why would you take KD & IKD if you get them for free at monk level 6?
Knockdown is good for playabilities sake but IKD is a tad over the top since most of your shapes are big and fat
Why would you take KD & IKD if you get them for free at monk level 6?
I would hazard it's because this build is specifically for a normal-leveling environment where you have to WORK to get to level 40.
Quote: by Herbie Shimmer ...this one is made first and foremost to be as easy to level up as possible.
If you wait until level 40 to get KD & IKD, well, they aren't much help as your character matures. But by taking them pre-epic, they are there to help you in the long stretch to level 40 (when you take Monk 6 and max out Discipline and Tumble).
If you feel you could do without them for the life of the build, then you could easily drop them for Blind Fighting, Weapon Focus, Improved Initiative, Metamagic feats, anything you like. Note there is an unassigned feat at level 18 so there is plenty of room for individual taste pre-epic with this build.
Kaliban. _________________ "It's a damned shame when people be throwing away a perfectly good white boy like that!"
Or you could go Druid 15/ Monk 8/ Shifter 17 and get it early in epic but lose 9th level Druid spells and free those feats. I know Xylo likes Elemental Swarm but overall, the 9th level Druid spells aren't that good and you get them very very late. I wouldn't want to lose Premonition which you get at 8th level spells, though. BTW, what does Shifter 17 actually give you? _________________ .:\_/:. Only those who have known darkness in (OvO) their hearts will see the shadows in life... (|__|) ..".."..
I hate to be a nag, but what's that at level 4? What calss and level is this?
Druid? _________________ .:\_/:. Only those who have known darkness in (OvO) their hearts will see the shadows in life... (|__|) ..".."..
Quote: Posted 11/04/05 00:59:36 (GMT) -- Jennalee
BTW, what does Shifter 17 actually give you?
I looked at shifters awhile ago, and built a few myself, in a leveler environment. Yep, never actually played a shifter thru to 40 (well, i did my dru/shf/cot.. got him to 24 or so, but that was on a slow lvling medium magic world where the itms outstriped any shifter benefits, so i got bored). But to answer the question, shifter 17 gives you Epic humanoid form, unlimited times per day. Basically, on a low magic world, it gives you access to +6 weapons which on a low magic world is the cat's meow.
And to answer the question above, its druid (no question mark). In order to get access to shifter you need 5 druid lvls. Peace
