Totem Druid Build?

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Lawlzard
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Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 3:07 pm

Totem Druid Build?

Post by Lawlzard » Wed Jun 27, 2018 6:32 am

So, I'm very much new to the server and have been toying around with the idea of a NE druidess of Talona. I was wondering if anyone might have any decent totem druid builds to offer? Or could I just use the EDR druid build listed in the cookie cutter builds topic?

Also, I'm partial to both the spider and snake totem and was wondering which one I might have a better time leveling with, if there's even that big of a distinction. And what should I pick for my animal companion?

I'm pretty clueless, obviously, so any help would be appreciated!

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Jagel
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Re: Totem Druid Build?

Post by Jagel » Wed Jun 27, 2018 11:05 am

I love the totems but as it is a druids real power lies in summons, spellcasting and the elemental shapes (especially the monolithic versions at lvl 28).

I’ve played around with a Talona druid myself numerous times but never really gotten around to actually making one.

The differences between the totem shapes are very minor in terms of power. If you take spider shape early, you will gain an additional skill point per lvl from the +2 int and the paralysis immunity means you can stand around inside your own stonehold spell for instance, so I’d say the spider is slightly more mechanically appealing than the snake. But as I said: the mechanical difference is very minor, take whatever seems cooler. Of the disease/poison-themed totem shapes rat is probably better as it gives a whopping +4 to int which means +2 skill points. Unless you plan on multiclassing you probably won’t be needing all these skill points anyways.

The most powerful druid atm is probably the cookie cutter EDR version. This doesn’t fit very well with your totem, however, as you’d have to postpone your totem bond until you got all EDR feats as the -4 to str., con. and dex would make it hard to live up to the 21 con prereq. For EDR.

To make the most of totem shape you’ll want a few combat focused feats like improved knockdown, possibly stunning fist, weapon focus/imp. crit. unarmed strike and such. This will weaken your ability to take spell feats which really are the superior choice mechanically. Multiclassing as a druid is the weaker choice at the moment as monoliths are just so powerful. If you want to focus on the totem shape you’d probably want to multiclass as the totem shape is inherently very tanky but lacks damage, discipline and has only average ab. Possible combinations:

- Druid 25/ranger 5 (pre epic: 16/4): gains discipline, hide/ms, spot or listen, four attacks per round, can use the bonus feat at lvl 5 to gain a feat from epic rangers list
- Druid 25/blackguard 5: discipline, taunt, use posion (only for novelty since you cannot add poison to your unarmed strikes), four apr. Don’t use the summoning feats!
- Druid 27/rogue: hide/ms, a few sneak attack die, tumble ac, umd
- Druid25/fighter5: discipline, weapon spec and epic weapon spec, 4 apr
- Druid/bard 3: discipline, umd possible hide/ms and detection skill
- Druid 23/knight 7 (or knight 5): 4 apr, knightly powers to buff summons, animal companion and dominated animal


All of the class combinations above will do wonderfully in PVE, though so if you want to break the mold go for it.
But really your best bet is to go for a lvl 30 druid with, say spell focus conjuration and transmutation (or necromancy for thematic reasons, druids have a lot of “save or die” spells and a few other useful necromancy spells) and take a totem that fits thematically for rp reasons. You’ll get the best druid has to offer and a useful totem shape.

Ad for animal companions I’d say either panther for the sneak attacks and to help you out in the damage department as the totem really doesn’t do a lot of damage or bear/dire wolf simply because they are the best over all.

The “Elemental Swarm” spell lets you summon four elementals in the skin of your totem animal, so elemental swarm + animal companion + yourself in totem shape means six totem animals fluttering around. A colony of spiders, a swarm of rats or a veritable snakepit, hehe. If you can dominate a fitting animal via animal empathy you’ve got seven totem animals going for your enemies’ throat :twisted:

Lawlzard
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Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 3:07 pm

Re: Totem Druid Build?

Post by Lawlzard » Thu Jun 28, 2018 2:25 am

I appreciate the reply!

So, what would the attribute spread look like then for a pure 30 totem druid? Just pump Wis, Con and Int?

Tourmaline
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Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2017 7:51 am

Re: Totem Druid Build?

Post by Tourmaline » Thu Jun 28, 2018 3:12 am

You basically need to decide EDR or not.

If EDR then get 19 Wis and 21 Con ASAP (the latter is really tough to do as a totem by the way, and remember EDR eats up 3 feats).

If not EDR then strive for decent Con (14 is about right), 14 int for skills and possible expertise/improved expertise, then max out wisdom for your spells and potentially dragon shape (which needs 25 wis.)

EDR is good but not mandatory and not taking EDR opens up more epic spell focuses and epic feats. Hellball and greater ruin are good to take even if you don't have epic spell focus evocation.

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