Section 1: Building the Character
A Review of the Druid's Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armour Proficiency
Your have a limited number of weapons that you are proficient in, but you are automatically proficient in any natural attacks of a wild shape that you choose. Unless you a particular character concept in mind your weapons proficiencies are sufficient to your needs.
Armour is a big issue for Druids. You are proficient in light and medium armour but you can only wear armour that has no metal in it, which initially limits you to padded, leather or hide armour. Not great choices. You can also have wooden armour altered by the ironwood spell so that it works like steel, not an option that is going to be available for a lot of levels.
You do have some other armour options, without the need for additional feats:
Under the description of the dragonhide Special material an option is given to make a dragonhide Breastplate. This is the apex medium armour, and as dragonhide armour costs twice as much as normal masterwork armour, would cost you 700gp, but is ready for enchantment immediately, and the benefits of this armour over hide armour make it worth the price.
In the Advanced Players Guide we get two new options, Quilted Cloth and Wooden Armour.
In Unlimited Combat, the Lamellar Cuirass, Lamellar (leather) and Lamellar (horn) armour types give us different options for both light and medium armours.
If you do decide to wear an armour that is not allowed you lose your spells and supernatural abilities for 24 hours.
Spells/Orisons and Spontaneous Casting
You are a full spell caster with spells up to level 9 available to you as well as a small selection of weak orisons. You can spontaneously switch out a memorised spell for a Summon Natures Ally spell of the same level or lower.
We'll be looking in greater detail at your spells later on in the guide.
Bonus Language
You get a few different language choices available to you. You also get the Druidic language as free bonus.
Nature Bond
This is the key choice that you make when playing a Druid and will effect your style of play for the rest of your characters career. If you choose a Domain you are more likely to focus on being a Caster Druid, if you choose an Animal Companion your focus is more likely to be on combat. We'll look at both options in detail later.
Nature Sense
Gives you a free +2 bonus on Knowledge (Nature) and Survival, two useful skills.
Wild Empathy
In theory this is great, allowing you to change an animals attitude towards you with what is a modified diplomacy roll. Unfortunately as it requires a minute to do this, and a lot of the animals you meet are already attacking, this is a situational benefit at best.
Woodland Stride
This is a useful option in the outdoors, allowing you to ignore natural (not magic) plant obstacles to movement.
Trackless Step
You can't be tracked, unless you want to be. By anyone. Under any circumstances from level 3. A situational benefit at best, as you are likely to be with a party of people who do not have this ability.
Resist Nature's Lure
You get a +4 bonus on saving throws against supernatural or spell like abilities of fey, and perhaps more importantly, plant based spells.
Wild Shape
A key benefit of your class, you can change your form and gain extra abilities when you do so. We'll be going into detail on how we can use this in detail later on in the guide.
Venom Immunity.
A great ability, everyone hates ability damage so being poisoned can really spoil your day, and this stops it from happening.
A Thousand Faces.
Alter self at will, and gain some abilities when you do so. A fun ability, but by this stage of the game you've maxed out your wild shape ability and probably don't spend much quality adventuring time as a humanoid any more.
Timeless Body
In a long running campaign this is a nice option, but this is situational at best.
First Choice: Race
With a Druid, race choice is in some ways less important than with other character classes.
First thing to note is that the choice between being a small character and being medium character is less important for a Druid, than most other classes. A lot of your time is going to be spent in wild shape, where your size is defined by the ability and not by your race. At Level 13, with Thousand Faces, it becomes even less relevant because you can switch between small and medium humanoid shapes as required. You never lose the basic racial stat modifiers though, so if you go for a small character, you are more likely to be focused on casting than combat.
****Dwarf: A good choice for a Druid, we lose the benefit of a feat, but get a bonus to both Wis, our prime stat for casting and con, which is nice if we want to engage in combat. We lose some Chr in return. The 20ft movement rate is not as important because when in wildshape. The slow and steady benefit, where our speed is not reduced for armour or encumbrance, is very nice if we want to make barding for our more common forms, or turn ourselves into a pack animal for transporting large quantities of goods. None of the alternative racial traits in the APG jump out as being particularly useful for a Dwarf.
**Elf: An intelligence bonus is not as useful as a wisdom bonus to a Druid, the +2 Dex bonus is balanced out by -2 con. The weapon familiarity is useful, but Druids are more focussed on either casting or natural attacks than on weapon use. If you have the APG, you may want to swap the Elven Magic Trait for Woodcraft, as this plays more to your strengths.
***Gnome: The Chr bonus is useful to Druid, but hardly essential. The Con bonus is more than balanced by the loss of strength if you want to get into combat, but does mean that you will be a more robust caster. Consider switching out the obsessive Racial Trait for Academician, to take an extra +2 in Knowledge Nature, one of your key skills. The Favoured class option of a point of a point of resistance in either acid, cold, electricity or fire is nice but too restrictive to have more than a situational benefit.
***Half Elf: You get to choose your stat bonus, so it will either go on wisdom or strength depending on how much you expect to get into melee. The adaptability trait can be used to up any of your skills. If you decide to dump Charisma, then you may want to consider putting this on Animal Handling, as skill that is very useful to you, if not then Knowledge nature is probably the best choice. The rating is boosted by the Favoured class option for Druids who take a suitable Domain rather than an animal companion, if your taking an animal companion or do not choose a domain effected by this benefit, drop the rating to orange.
**Half Orc. Again, you get to choose your stat bonus, which is useful. You'll probably want to switch orc ferocity for Beastmaster, you don't get the martial weapons, but the +2 handle animal is useful. There are no Half Orc favoured class options for the Druid.
**Halfling. A bonus to Charisma, which is not your most useful stat, with the Dex bonus being balanced by the reduction in Str. You should consider switching sure footed for outrider, as this more suits your skill set. There are no favoured class options.
****Human. Probably the best option, you get to place your stat bonus, get an extra skill point per level, and most importantly get an extra feat at first level. Druid is a feat hungry class and this is valuable. The Favoured class option is not so good, effectively a +1 to your wild empathy every two levels, you'll probably want to take the hit points instead.
Second Choice: Animal Companion or Domain Class Feature?
If you want to play a melee combat orientated Druid, then you are almost certainly going to want to have an animal companion. For someone who wants to be more caster based, the choice is more subtle. Even if you want to focus on spells it is nice to have an animal companion between you and the enemy. The extra Domain spell, you get at each spell level is certainly useful, but you have to ask yourself, which would you prefer at level 7, one extra 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th level spell per day, with a fixed choice of spell and some relatively minor additional powers, or an animal companion that can full attack every round (and often get a combat manoeuvre follow on attack on a successful hit)? My feeling is that even for a caster druid, the animal companion is probably the best option, but as a caster Druid you still have the option from Level 9 of awakening an animal and getting some of the benefits of a companion animal.
Which Domain?
If you choose to take a Domain you have consider several factors.
One: Your choosing a Domain because you want to be a caster Druid right? Then the selection of extra spells is going to be the most important thing to look. I'll downgrade my rating if the Domain offers extra spells that are already on the Druid spell list.
Two: The powers that you get as a benefit from the Domain.
Three: If you worship a god, you “cannot select an animal or Terrain Domain that contradicts or is outside of the portfolio of her deity” (UM)
Core + APG
Note that APG errata updates the sub-domains description on page 86 to allow Druids to have appropriate sub-domains, with the exception of metal.
**Air domain. A lot of the Domain spells are already on your Druid list, so you don't get much extra flexibility from this option. As a standard action you get a ranged touch attack that does 1d6+1/2levels a number of times per day equal to your wisdom bonus plus three. This is OK at lower levels but loses its sparkle at higher levels. The electricity resistance at level 6, is nice to have, but remember that from level 8, a lot of the plant forms that you can choose also have resistance to electricity.
*** Cloud sub-domain. This replaces the redundant electricity resistance option, with a much more useful fog cloud attack that also damages and deafens.
****Wind sub-domain. This replaces the fairly weak ranged touch attack with a bull rush manoeuvre that attacks every creature in a 30ft line, with your caster level as the base attack and your wisdom as the modifier instead of strength. As this scales, and fits in with a lot of other combat manoeuvres that we do, this is great.
*Animal Domain. This is a decent choice for a cleric, but it's difficult to find anything good to say about it as a choice for Druids. The spells are pretty much covered on the Druid list, and are some of the more situational ones anyway, so you don't really gain anything. Being able to talk to animals for 1 round/lvl per day, just does not cut it as a useful first level ability, whilst being able to have an animal companion three levels lower than your base companion is too great a sacrifice.
**Feather, the boost to your perception is really nice, but this still does not balance the loss of three levels to an animal companion. Still a lot more useful than the base domain, and the boost to fly skills is nice.
**Fur. Instead of being able to speak with animals you can give yourself a temporary boost to speed and vision.
**Earth. Again this gets downgraded because a lot of the spells are already on the Druid list. With this one, yet an acid attack which is similar in effect to the Electrical attack you get with the Air Domain. You get acid resistance, but this can be matched by some plants you can wildshape into.
****Cave. This is really nice. You keep the acid attack, but instead of the not very useful and easy duplicate if needed resistance, you get some cool movement, vision and stealth bonuses for a minute per level underground. However, the best part, is that your spell list includes the fun spells, Create Pit, Spiked Pit and Hungry Pit.
***Fire. Some of the spells on this list are useful blasting spells that you would not otherwise have access to. You could almost pass yourself off as a blaster with this domain (and who doesn't enjoy casting a fireball eh?). The fire bolt option again starts of reasonably good, but again loses it's value as you increase in level. The resistance is not so good, at level 6, you get fire resistance 10, when at level 6 you also get the option to wildshape into a fire elemental and get fire resistance 20. The big downside is that fire is one of the most common things that creatures have resistance to, so with this option your likely to find the benefits reduce significantly as increase in level.
****Ash. Instead of the redundant resistance, you get a very useful wall effect.
*Smoke. You lose the firebolt, but gain a obscuring effect. The main reason for the Red rating is that you'll no longer be able to cast fireball.
*Plant. Downgraded because all the spells are already on the Druid list, so you gain no flexibility. The Wooden Fist option is not very useful when you can wildshape into a form that gives you many more natural attack options. The Bramble armour facility is useful if your in combat and being hit, but does not last long, and anyway, your a caster, so you would want to avoid situations where it was necessary to use this.
*Decay, you lose the almost useful Bramble Armour, and gain Aura Decay, which causes damage to all living creatures around you except you. If your in a situation where you a) need to cast this and b) won't also be attacking your fellow party members...........you should be running/flying/earthgliding away as fast as possible. Not sticking around to do this.
***Growth, You lose your virtually useless (for a Druid) wooden fist attack, and gain an enlarge person effect (as well as enlarge person on your spell list)
Note that you cannot apply growth effects such as enlarge person to your wildshape forms.
***Water. you get some decent spells with this, some of which are not already on the Druid list. You get the standard ranged touch attack with minor damage, and Cold resistance, which is something that you can't easily pick up with a wild shape, so with this domain you can get resistances to both cold with the domain and fire with the fire elemental form, covering two of the most common forms of attack.
***Ice. Replace the always on cold resistance with an activated ability which gives you immunity to cold and a DR of 5/- for a number of rounds equal to your level.
****Oceans. Replace the ranged touch attack with an option which creates a wave which either Bull Rushes or Pulls another creature (your choice), using your cleric level and wisdom as modifiers. Has value all the way through the game.
***Weather. All the spells are already on the druid spell list, so no flexibility gained in your spell selection. The 1st level granted power is twist on the normal 30ft ranged touch attack with 1d6 dam plus 1 per 2 lvls, in that the damage is non-lethal but a -2 penalty is placed on attack rolls for the next round. Use it on the guy with the full attack. Lighting Lord a t level 8, is not a bad option, giving you an opportunity to either cast over several rounds or bring down one big blast effect.
*Seasons, replace you first level attack and give a penalty option with the chance to give someone Endure Elements for one hour............
*Storms, You replace you Lightning Lord Option with a wind effect. The problem is that, as it is centred on you, you only get the benefit if you are on your own. Use this and you end up hindering the rest of your party as much as the enemy.
Unlimited Magic
*Aquatic. Your spell list includes a lot of spells you already have. The channel ability only works on creatures with the aquatic or water subtype, which is not going to effect many creatures in a normal campaign. The ability is based on charisma which is not a stat which you would normally have very high as a Druid, note that if you are a half elf, your favoured class bonus would not give you a benefit with this domain. Seastrike sounds OK if you are going to spend a lot of time underwater, but otherwise it's something that you can easily live without.
*Arctic. You get a decent selection of spells, some of which you would not normally have access to. The problem with this domain is that your other abilities, Cold Call and Banish Flame are both based on channelling. But the limited range of creatures effected by your channelling, and the limited number of channels that you get per day without putting large numbers of points into your chr, seriously reduces any benefit you could hope to get from this domain.
****Cave. You get a decent selection of spells, but the big benefit from this option are the sensory benefits, limited darkvision at level 1 and then you get tremorsense at level 6. Something that you would have difficulty getting access to otherwise.
****Desert, the spells are not particularly impressive, duplicates that mostly only have a situational value. The first level granted power is pretty good, giving you a blur effect, and dazzling anyone that does hit you. The big prize for this is Servant of the Sands, a version of Lesser Planar Ally. This is the only way that a single class Druid can call on Planar allies, and for a class that is so focused on summoning, gives your Caster Druid some real options. And you get a reduced cost if you cast it in the desert, bonus. I can't recommend this one enough.
***Eagle Domain, You get some useful spells, that are not normally included in Druid list, Eagles Splendour being a useful base for many magic items that are useful to you. The first level granted power is useful to a Druid who wants to use ranged weapons (in Golarion, Druids of Erastil get a free weapon proficiencies with bows, which saves you a couple of feats if you want to go down that route(Gods and Magic pg 15). You get a familiar, which is useful for casters.
****Frog Domain, You get some nice spells, including shout, which you would not normally get. The first level granted power is a pull attack. As Druids we love Combat Manoeuvres, and because the Summon Natures ally and Beast/Plant/Elemental spells have not been updated since the Core rulebook, whilst the game has moved on, Pull is an option that we don't have much access to. The sixth level granted power Webfoot, is nice, giving you options to play a dual aquatic/land based character, but for most normal purposes your aquatic and water elemental wildshape forms are the better option for underwater action. And you get a familiar. Not a great familiar... but still...
****Jungle Domain, The spell selection is uninspiring but adequate. The first level granted power, brachiation, which give you a climb speed, does not seem particularly useful, when they only work for rounds per day, when at level 4 you can choose an animal wildshape which can give you climb, or fly for that matter. The reason for the high rating is the Trap Sense ability. In a rogue we would combine this with the disable device to defeat the trap, with a Jungle Domain Druid, you would use a Dire Badger to bypass it, see the section below on Trap Management for further details.
**Monkey Domain. The spell list is disappointing with lots of duplicates, and with the duplicates being overly restricted on what you can do with them. As a first level granted power gives you a bonus on skills that you probably won't get much benefit from, for rounds per day, whilst the 6th level granted power, lets you do disable device and sleight of hand from a distance, with a big negative. The only thing that stops this being red carded is that you get one of the nicer familiars. Monkeys have hands that can hold and manipulate stuff.
***Mountain Domain. The spell selection is adequate, but not great. Foothold is a nice option. You are going to be doing a lot of combat manoeuvres, so a effect that gives a negative to you opponents CMD is a good thing. Thin air, the eighth level would be a great ability, but you need to use it on creatures that are adjacent to you. As a caster, you probably won't want this to happen very often, unless you are very sure of your combat casting capability.
****Plains domain. Love the spell list. It's almost worth taking this just for Haste. The 1st Level Granted power, gives you a faster longer option for trampling your opponents. The 6th Level ability gives you pounce once per day. You can get pounce at sixth level for appropriate animal forms, the big bonus here is that you are able to pounce whilst in wildshape with creatures that would not normally be able to do so.
**Serpent Domain. The spell selection is disappointing with many duplicates and restrictions on how they can be used. The familiar is only adequate. You can see how slither may be useful if you want to get out of a tight squeeze, but this a situational benefit at best. The Venom Immunity 6th Level granted power, takes your 9th Level Venom Immunity, make it a lot worse, and then doesn't give it back until 12th Level. No thank you.
***Swamp Domain. The spell list is not great. Natural Healing is the most beneficial of the Channelling abilities on offer, if only because you are going to be spending so much time around animals. The 6th Level Reed Hunter power, which gives you blindsense, and then blindsight, is very tempting.
***Wolf Domain. Again the spell selection is not great, with a number of spells that are duplicated in there. Having the Improved Trip feat as a bonus is a big plus at first level. Pack Tactics, is OK but without having a sneak attack, being able to guarantee a flank is not a great as it could be.
Spell Activation Devices
Once you've picked your Domain, the spells on that list become part of your spell list which means that you can cast them from wands and staves without having to use UMD. If you find that there is a particular spell that you like casting, such as fireball, rather than only being able to cast this spell once per day, you should consider investing in a spell activation device to allow you cast it multiple times.
Which Animal Companion?
One of the big benefits of Animal Companions is that you can dismiss one and choose a different type if you need to. If your like me you'll try to role play one animal companion throughout the Druid's career, but you have to accept that the optimal way of doing things is to switch throughout your career and particularly at level 4 and level 7, because some animal companions get a boost at level 4, whilst other companions get a bigger boost at level 7. Of course you find that the switch is forced on you by the animal companion being killed.
As a Druid you can have any available Animal Companion.
I will give three ratings.
1-3
4-6
7-20
When rating I have given higher ratings to creatures that have a multiple full attacks, gain combat manoeuvres, can act as a mount, grows to large size and any special movement options it gets. I have rated all pure aquatic creatures as red, but still made notes to assist assessing them for that environment. There are some amphibious creatures which make better options than many aquatic creatures, even for a purely aquatic campaign.
Core
Ape 1-3 ***4-6 ***7-20 **
You get a full attack from level one. At level 4 it becomes a large creature, but it really can't be used as mount and it does not get any special combat manoeuvres. From level 7 the rating drops because of the number of better alternatives.
Badger 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7-20 *
It gets a full attack, and rage is a nice ability. The creature starts small, but from level 4, becomes medium (so it could act as a mount for a small character). Disappointingly, whilst you do gain a burrow speed, you need a dire badger to burrow through rock, so the value of this is reduced. From level seven, larger more combat focused creatures make this a poor choice.
Bear 1-3 ** 4-6** 7-20 *
This is a very disappointing option. There are lots of fantasy and other fiction where Bear companions are an important part of the plot, and the Bears in the Bestiary are dangerous in nasty. As an animal companion it does not work very well, OK, you get a full attack, but because you never reach large size, this is not very impressive. You don't get a grab attack, so you don't get to give the classic Bear Hug. I wish I could say nice things about this option, I really do, but I can't.
Bird (Eagle/Hawk/Owl) 1-3 * 4-6 * 7-20*
Starts small and stays that way, with the 4th level advancement barely improving the creature. You a get a full attack, but not a strong one and no special attacks. Flight is nice, but the creature remains small, so not even a small character can ride it. If you want a bird, then hold out for the Roc.
Boar 1-3* 4-6 ** 7-20*
A single attack is the first thing to note. The 4th level advancement makes the creature big enough for a small character to ride, and ferocity is nice, meaning that this creature is going to stay alive a bit longer, and given the weakness of this choice that is something that is likely to come up quite often, but there are better options out there, and from level 7 they make a Boar look weak)
Camel 1-3*** 4-6** 7-20*
This starts off pretty good, you don't get a full attack but the spit option is nice (sickened gives the target a -2 on pretty much every roll that they make), and the creature is one of the classic mounts, particularly in a desert campaign. Unfortunately the 4th level advancement is weak, and by Level 7 there are much more powerful options available.
Cat 1-3*** 4-6*** 7****
A full attack, with a rake, on a medium creature is useful right from the start, although there are better alternatives between lvls 4 & 6. From level 7, when you finally gain grab, pounce and a large size this becomes one of the best companions available. A small creature can use this as a mount from the beginning, a medium creature needs to wait for level 7.
Crocodile 1-3** 4-6*** 7**
A single attack and that is only ever reaches medium size reduces this creatures rating. The 4th level advancement where it gains Death Roll, Grab and Sprint, make an interesting choice up to level 7, where creatures which advance later come into there own.
Dinosaur 1-3** 4-6** 7***
The creature remains small until level 7, and up to then you have an comparatively weak full attack, From level 7 you when you become medium, get pounce and a full attack which increases the number of attacks from three to five, this starts to become interesting.
Dog 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 *
Starts a small animal with one attack and no special abilities, becomes a medium animal with one attack and no special abilities. If you want a canine, then the wolf is the much better option.
Horse 1-3 *** 4-6** 7*
The classic mount, you get a decent number of attacks if you choose multiattack as your first feat (your probably going to dismiss this companion and choose a different one before you get multi-attack for free), War training at level 4, does not really help, because as a Druid you can get the same benefits with additional tricks. By level 7 you have a much better range of animal companions available, many of which even a medium character can use as a mount.
Pony 1-3* 4-6 * 7 *
Just like a horse, but not as good, at any level. If you want an equine, then choose the horse.
Shark 1-3 * 4-6* 7 *
It can't breathe or move out of water. In an aquatic campaign it's not so bad, but even so, one attack, no special abilities, and a maximum size of medium is never going to make this into Jaws.
Snake Constrictor 1-3 *** 4-6*** 7-20 ***
This is a nice companion that keeps its value throughout the life of the game. It's never going to be fast, but with a land, climb and swim speed, it can pretty much go anywhere (which can be a problem in certain circumstances for other companions). You only get one attack, but this is balanced by the grab ability and backed up with constrict at level 4, when you become large sized.
Snake Viper 1-3 *** 4-6 ** 7-20 *
As with the constrictor, you can take this snake anywhere. The downside is that you get a much smaller creature with a lower attack. The poison ability is useful at low level, but you have much better poisons available to you later on in the game. If you have an alchemist or other poison user in the game then let them milk your snake for poison to improve the parties effectiveness as a whole.
Wolf 1-3*** 4-6*** 7-20***
You don't get a full attack, but this is balanced by the trip attack (one of the better combat manoeuvres) from level 1. Can be used as a mount from level 1 by a small character and level 7 by a medium. Gives good utility throughout the life of the character.
Bestiary 1
Ankylosaurus 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 ****
Up until the level 7 advancement this is a mediocre choice, 30ft speed, medium build, one attack for 1d6, the only plus point is the +9 Natural armour bonus. At level 7, all is forgiven, because we get the stun ability. If you are hit by this creature you have to make a save or be Dazed for 1 round. Daze means that you don't get to make any actions for a round. If you critical its 1d4 rounds. You don't need to land many of these to change the course of a battle, and a good roll on a critical hit will probably finish it. From level 7 the high natural armour and the stun ability make this creature into a solid tank replacement, with the potential to win a fight with a single blow.
Aurochs/Bison 1-3** 4-6** 7-20 **
Not the strongest choice in the book. One attack, slightly better than medium pace. You get trample and stampede at level 7. The trample is nice, but good luck getting a stampede going.
Brachiosaurus 1-3 ** 4-6** 7-20**
This is not significantly better than the Bison Aurochs, it's slower, which reduces the effectiveness of a trample, but the damage from the single attack is a bit higher.
Dire Bat 1-3 *** 4-6 *** 7**
If your a small character, you can get airborne at level one with this creature, level 7 when your medium, although by then you'll have been flying for several levels anyway. The blind sense is a nice bonus, but you only get one attack and you don't get a special attack ability, so from level 7 there are better options to pick from.
Dire Rat 1-3 *** 4-6 ** 7 **
The creature starts small and stays that way, you get one attack that is not very impressive, and the 4th level advancement is barely and improvement. The disease ability might be an unpleasant role playing experience for PC's, but it's not going to give you and edge in combat. I'd give this red throughout, but the land,climb and swim speeds, means that the creature can probably follow you anywhere, so it does have some value.
Dolphin 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 *
Not much use on the land. If you're playing an aquatic campaign, this is a medium creature, that stays medium, and has an unimpressive attack. The blindsight on the level 4 advancement catches the attention, but other aquatic creatures are better than this.
Elasmosaurus 1-3 ** 4-6** 7 **
You grow from medium to large at level 4, you only get one attack, although this does a fair amount of damage and you get no special attack. This is saved from red by having both a land speed and a fast swim speed, so it does make for an interesting option in coastal, swamp or river campaigns.
Electric Eel 1-3 * 4-6* 7*
Whilst this creature can get out of the water, it only has a speed of 5ft when it does. It starts small and stays that way. Electricity resistance is useful, but only in certain situations. The electrical touch attack is good, but does not give you the stun that the parent creature owns. This might make an interesting aquatic companion. But there are better ones out there.
Elephant/Mastadon 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 ***
Start medium and gain large, which seems a bit mean for a animal that is traditionally used as a mount in many parts of the world, and means that the horse companion is larger than the elephant companion for the first six levels. At level 7, you get a nice trample ability. But otherwise you only get one attack. The natural armour bonus's are quite good though.
Giant Frog 1-3**** 4-6*** 7 ***
An interesting companion which is a great initial choice and retains most of it's value throughout it's career. The animal starts medium and stays that way. It has both a land speed and a swim speed so it can go lots of places. The attacks give you a choice of a distinctly average bite, or a tongue pull which is a 15ft reach touch grab attack with a pull thrown in for free, with the added benefit that if it hits, the frog does not gain the grappled condition. You get swallow whole at the level 4 enhancement, but as a medium creature this has limited use. In many ways, this a better aquatic option than some of the pure aquatic forms that we've looked at.
Giant Moray Eel 1-3* 4-6* 7*
Once again you are restricted to water. The creature grows from Medium to Large at level 7. It only gets one attack but this does good damage, you also get grab, and the gnaw ability at level 7 makes that grab very effective. A good choice for an aquatic character, but not something you would look at for a normal campaign.
Goblin Dog 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 *
Not a very likeable creature. The goblin dog starts small and grows to medium at level 4, is not very fast, has only one (weak) attack, whilst the Allergic Reaction special ability is simultaneously not very effective as an attack and very effective as a way of stopping this animal from being used as a mount by even small characters.
Hyena 1-3 ** 4-6** 7**
Starts small and grows to medium. Has a good speed. The attack damage is low, but you do get a trip attack. The rating is low because if you want a creature that does pretty much the same thing, but better, take another look at the wolf.
Monitor Lizard 1-3 *** 4-6 *** 7 ***
Starts small and grows to medium. You get one attack, but this has a grab option. Having both a land and a swim speed means that the creature can go lots of places. The poison attack is nothing to get excited about because it has an onset of 1 minute and then a frequency of 1 per hour, so the fight will probably be over before you see the benefit, but let the alchemist milk it and he might be able to find a way to make it work for the party as a whole.
Octopus 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 *
The creature is aquatic, but we get a land speed with this creature. The creature starts small and stays that way. You get two attacks, one of which has a grab. The 4th level advancement gives it a weak poison, which is probably of more value to alchemist than it is to you.
Orca 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 *
A pure aquatic creature. You get a fast speed through the water of 80ft and grow to large at level 7 advancement. One attack with no special ability weakens the effectiveness of the creature, although the blind sight feature is useful. Not a bad choice compared to other aquatic options.
Pteranoddon 1-3 *** 4-6 *** 7 **
A medium creature that grows to large at level 7, makes this another option to get airborne for a small character at level 1. Beyond that you only get one attack with no special ability, although the attack does do a decent amount of damage. From level 7, despite the larger size, you have better options for flight than this.
Rhinoceros 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 **
Grows from medium to large at level 7, you only get one attack, which does a good amount of damage, you get powerful charge at level 7, but as this is a lot weaker than the pounce ability of the Cat so if you want something to charge into battle you are probably better of looking elsewhere.
Roc 1-3 **** 4-6 **** 7 ****
Probably the best of the options that can be used as an aerial mount, this creature is fast through the air, and has three attacks. It lets your small character get into the air early, but for medium characters the wait till level 7 means that you have better options available. Note the high natural armour bonus as well. You also get grab at level 7, which can only be good.
Squid 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 *
Starts medium and stays that way. The two attacks with a grab on the tentacles, together with the high manoeuvrability and the ink cloud as a defensive option make this an interesting option for an aquatic companion.
Stegosaurus 1-3 **** 4-6**** 7 ****
Grows from medium to large at level 7, you get one attack with a trip attached. The animal gets a higher rating than a wolf because of the higher natural armour and the greater damage on the attack, the downside is that it only moves at 30ft compared to the wolf's 50ft. This is a solid choice for anyone wanting a trip based attack character.
Triceratops 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 **
Starts medium and grows to large at level 7. You get one attack, which does good damage, and the powerful charge ability at level 7. You get good bonus's to natural armour. There are better options if you are looking for a charge based companion.
Tyrannosaurus 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 **
Starts medium grows to large. A relatively slow companion which it's difficult to see being used as a mount. You get one, powerful, bite, which gets the grab ability at level 7 and extra damage from the powerful bite ability. If you want a dinosaur, then the Ankylosaurus is a much better option.
Bestiary 2
Allosaurus 1-3**** 4-6 *** 7***
This animal is an good choice, you go from medium to large at level 7. You get a nice full attack, grab and pounce. The stats for this creature compare well with the Cat. The difference is that the cat gets Rake you get more Natural Armour bonus. If you want a pounce creature, then this gives you a slightly more defensive option at the expense of damage.
Arsinotherium 1-3 ** 4-6** 7***
Starts medium and grows to large at lvl 7. You only get one attack, but this is quite powerful, the animal becomes one of the better Trample options at the lvl 7 advancement with the addition of both the Trample and Powerful Charge special attacks.
Baboon 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 *
One of the least interesting options in the game. Starts small and stays that way. One very weak attack. No special attacks. No special movement. Barely improves with the lvl 4 advancement. If you want a primate, choose the Ape.
Glyptodon 1-3 ** 4-6** 7**
Starts medium becomes large at 7th level. Has a two, strong attacks, but no special attacks. Has decent armour, but only moves at 20ft.
Hippopotamus 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 **
Starts medium and grows to large at lvl 7. You get one quite powerful attack and you pick up the trample ability at lvl 7. Surprisingly, the Hippo does not have a swim speed. The sweat ability might be worth an increased rating at levels 1-3 if your GM lets you harvest it for your own use.
Manta Ray 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 *
Starts medium and grows to large at lvl 4. The creature has one weak attack and no special abilities. It has quite a good swim speed. This is not a great option even for an aquatic campaign.
Megaloceros 1-3 ** 4-6** 7 ***
Starts a medium and grows to large at lvl 7. Only gets one, strong, attack before the advancement, but becomes a much better option afterwards, with 2 extra, weak, attacks and the Powerful Charge special ability.
Megatherium 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 ***
Starts Medium grows to large at lvl 7. Has two, average attacks, but gets a strong rend special attack at the lvl 7 advancement. The addition of a climb speed means that this creature can go more places with you.
Parasaurolophus 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 **
Starts medium and grows to large at lvl 7. Has one average attack, but gets a weak trample attack at lvl 7. Is not very fast, does not have and any special movements, and the natural armour is pretty average. There are much better options out there.
Snapping Turtle 1-3 *** 4-6*** 7 ***
Starts at medium and grows to large at lvl 7. As you'd expect with a shelled creature the Natural armour is very strong. You get slow land and swim speeds, so it can go places. You get one medium attack which gets the grab ability at lvl 7.
Stingray 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 *
Starts small and grows to medium at lvl 4. You get one, weak, attack, but this is backed up by a decent poison right from the start, for the alchemist to play with.
Tylosaurus 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 **
Starts medium and grows to large at lvl 7. You get one average attack, with the addition of the grab option at lvl 7. The combination of fast swim and an slow land speed make this an option for a coastal, swamp or river campaign, but not much else.
Bestiary 3
Note that there is change in format in Bestiary 3. Up till now the animal companion statistics have been on the same page as the creature. With Bestiary 3 they are moved to appendix 7, starting on pg 311.
Antelope 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 *
Starts small and stays that way. The creature has one weak attack with no special attacks. It is one of the faster land creatures available. Which should mean that it will be able to stay alive by avoiding any combat.
Archelon 1-3 *** 4-6*** 7 **
Starts medium grows to large at lvl 7. One medium strength attack with no special abilities. Having both a swim and a land speed as well as a +10 Natural armour just about carry it through the first few levels, but from lvl 7 there are much better options out there.
Axe Beak 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 *
A medium animal which grows to large at lvl 4. Has one fairly strong attack, and gains sudden charge at lvl 4, which gives you a trip attempt but only a charge. There are much better trip options out there. This creature has very low Natural Armour bonus, so charging into battle is probably not a good idea either.
Baluchitherium 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 ***
Starts medium grows to large at lvl 7. Has two, medium, attacks and gains the trample ability at lvl 7. Two attacks and a Trample make this one of the more effective trample options.
Basilosaurus 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 *
Starts medium grows to large at lvl 7. The creature has two average attacks, with no special abilities. Not a very good option, even for an aquatic character.
Dimetrodon 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 **
Starts medium growing to large at lvl 7. The creature gets one strong attack, made more attractive by Tearing Bite which doubles the threat range. Overall though this is a slow creature which is lightly armoured, so there are better options to consider.
Elk 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 **
Starts medium grows to large at lvl 7. Has one medium and two weak attacks, but no special attacks. The creature is quite fast but has poor armour.
Giant Chameleon 1-3 *** 4-6 **** 7 ****
Starts medium and grows to large at lvl 4. The creature has one medium attack and from level 4, the option of using it's tongue instead, which gives a combined grab and pull effect, with a 15ft reach, without the Chameleon gaining the grappled condition. The parent creature is also large and has a reach of 10ft, so it's not unreasonable to give the companion reach as well. From lvl 4 has both a 40ft land and 40ft Climb speed so it can go lots of places. A +10 stealth when still, is OK, and you can see the situational opportunities. Overall, one of the better options.
Giant Gecko 1-3 ** 4-6** 7 **
Starts small grows to medium at lvl 7. The creature has one medium attack, with no special attacks. This creature would be red, but it does have the Expert Climber ability, which is an always on Spider Climb, which could give some useful tactical options. But overall, not good.
Giant Vulture 1-3 ** 4-6** 7 **
Starts Small grows to large at lvl 7. You get one medium attack, but no special attack abilities. Again this creature is an option for a small character to get airborne at level 1, despite this the creature is downgraded because the Dire Bat is a better option for it's nocturnal options, whilst the Roc is a better all round choice.
Iguanodon 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 **
Medium creature growing to large at lvl 7. You get one medium strength attack which is made slightly more effective at lvl 7 with the Thumb Spikes ability. Overall there are many better options.
Kangaroo 1-3 ** 4-6** 7 **
Medium creatures growing to large at lvl 7. One medium attack with no special abilities. Not a bad speed, but not great. Again there are better options available.
Megalania 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 ****
Starts medium and grows to large at lvl 7. One medium attack with a grab ability up to level 7, at which point you get one of the best animal based poisons in the game. This requires a fort save, which we can reasonably assume should be Con based for the companion rather a flat 19 DC Fort save suggested in the book. frequency: 1/rd Effect: 1d4 Dex Cure: 2 consecutive saves. You'll get full value from this in combat and if you let the alchemist milk it then they'll be able pull some tricks as well.
Pachycelphalosaurus 1-3 ** 4-6 ** 7 ***
Starts medium grows to large at level 7. Has one, strong attack. At lvl 7, you get clobbering charge, which gives you a bull rush and a chance at staggering the target on a successful charge, so this is an interesting option.
Spinosaurus: 1-3 *** 4-6 *** 7 ***
Starts medium and grows to large at lvl 7. Has three medium attacks, but no special attack options. You get both a land and a swim speed, so it can go more places.
Thylacine 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 *
Starts small and grows to medium at lvl 4. Has one weak attack which is only marginally improved by the Powerful Jaws ability which doubles the threat range. The creature does have novelty value in that it is the only animal companion that grows to a greater size than it's parent creature.
Ultimate Magic
In this book we gain the option to have vermin companions. To get the best out of these you have to give them a point of intelligence, the first opportunity for which is level 4. Until then they do not get feats or skill points. I have therefore automatically rated all vermin companions as Red (*) for lvls 1-3.
Ant, Giant 1-3* 4-6 *** 7 **
Starts small but grows to medium at level 4. We get one weak attack at level 1, with grab which has limited value for a small creature. At lvl 4, we gain a second attack with sting as well as a weak poison. By the time you reach lvl 7 much better options become available. Has both a land speed and a climb speed, so it can go places.
Beetle, Giant 1-3 * 4-6 *** 7 **
Starts small and grows to medium at lvl 4. You get one medium attack, but a decent natural armour. At lvl 4 you get the trample ability, which is not very impressive for medium creature. The creature has both a fly speed and darkvision which creates some interesting tactical options, but again there are much better options available from lvl 7.
Centipede, Giant 1-3 * 4-6 ** 7 *
Starts small but grows to medium at lvl 4. You get one weak attack with a weak poison. Having both land and climb speeds means it can go places. But overall, not a good option.
Crab, Giant 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 *
Starts small and grows to medium at lvl 4. For a shelled creature you get a disappointing natural armour bonus. The creature does have a land speed but can only stay out of water for a limited period of time. It has two weak attacks, with the grab ability. An interesting option for an aquatic creature.
Leech, Giant 1-3 * 4-6 * 7 *
Starts small and grows to medium at lvl 7. Whilst this creature is technically amphibious, as land speed of 5ft, makes it difficult to see much value for it on the land. It has one attack, but it's a good one, with the attach ability and blood drain. As an aquatic option this is not at all bad.
Mantis Giant 1-3 * 4-6 *** 7****
Starts medium and grows to large at lvl 7. You get two medium strength attacks, with grab, and a secondary attack at level 7 if the grab holds. Sudden Strike is useful when surprised. Lunge gives you a useful reach option. The main reason for the high rating though is that it has a land speed, a climb speed and a fly speed. So it can go lots of places, and coupled with the darkvision, gives you some good tactical options.
Scorpion, Giant 1-3 * 4-6 **** 7 ****
Starts medium and grows to large at lvl 7. You get three attacks, and both the grab special attack and the poison special ability. The poison is one of the better ones. You also get Tremorsense and Darkvision.
Slug Giant 1-3 * 4-6 *** 7 **
Starts medium and grows large at lvl 7. The animal only moves at speed 20ft and, surprisingly, does not have a climb speed. The creature does have decent attack options, with this creature being the only one with a ranged attack, but by level 7 you have much better options available to you.
Spider Giant 1-3 * 4-6 ** 7 *
Starts small and grows to medium at level 4. The animal has both a land and a climb speed so can go places, only a +1 natural armour adjustment (and you only get that after the lvl advancement). You get one weak attack, which is backed by a weak poison. If you want to use a Verminous poison user, look at either Scorpion or Wasp.
Wasp Giant 1-3 * 4-6 ** 7 **
Starts medium and grows to large at lvl 7. You get a moderate attack with a weak poison, plus a weak trample option at lvl 7 (made weaker by the 20ft land speed). You do get a decent fly speed though, as well as dark vision. If you want a flying creature then the Roc is still better.
Animal Companion Feats
You get the option to give your animal companion feats as they level. I'll rate the ones that are explicitly allowed in the description on page 53 of the core rulebook, anything else is subject to the GM's approval.
Acrobatic. **
Of situational benefit only.
Agile Manoeuvres *
This looks good for some of the more agile companions, the problem being that at the level 7 advancement the more powerful options get a big boost to strength, and small cut in Dex, putting the Strength score above the dex and making this feat redundant.
Armour Proficiency Light ****
This is very useful for all animal companions. You start play with a dex bonus to armour class and a natural armour bonus. Both of these options are difficult to increase without spending large amounts of cash. Armour gives you an instant improvement in overall AC, and is relatively cheap to get magically enhanced. On the roleplaying level it is easier to justify hanging other magic items of barding that it is off the naked animal. And you WILL want to have extra magic items for your animal companion.
Armour Proficiency Medium/Heavy **
This is situational. If you have a creature that you want to turn into a second line tank, e.g. Snapping Turtle, then this is well worth it. If you are looking for a creature that can use pounce these feats are counter productive.
Athletic *
If the animal has a climb or swim speed, then this is not necessary. If it does not, then this not going to help much.
Blind Fight **
Always nice to have. Remember that a lot of creatures have other senses such as darkvision, blind sight or Tremor sense that make this redundant.
Combat Reflexes ***
Animal companions generally have good dexterity so can get the most out of this.
Dodge ***
We aren't going to complain about extra AC.
…..Mobility ***
Useful for animal companions that move around the battlefield a lot, like the ones with pounce, or trample
…........Spring Attack **
It would be nice if we could combine this pounce, but we can't. Even so, you can get a lot of value out this in certain situations.
Endurance/Diehard **
These are nice to have not must haves, although useful if you are trying to create a tank.
Great Fortitude **
It's nice to have the better fortitude save, but if your worried about your saves then Iron Will is probably the better option.
Improved Initiative ***
Useful for everyone, but particularly useful to fast attack companions. Before you take this check with your GM about how they want to run combats. A lot of GM's will insist on you and your animal companion and additional summoned/trained creatures that you may be using, go on your initiative. This saves time and prevents you from hogging the table to much with your multiple actions. But if your animal initiative is the same as your initiative then this feat is worthless.
Improved Natural Armour **
Your better off getting armour proficiencies and wearing barding in most circumstances.
Improved Natural Attack ****
You want this as soon as possible. Unfortunately the pre-requisite is a +4 base attack bonus, so you are going to have to wait until lvl 8.
Intimidating Prowess **
If your animal invests its skill points in Intimidate and is one of the larger creatures then this could be very effective in some circumstances.
Iron Will ***
Will power saves are the weakness of animal companions. This is a good way of reducing that vulnerability.
Lightening Reflexes **
Again, if your worried about your saves, then Iron Will is the best option to spend a feat on.
Power Attack **
A useful option, if your main intent is to do damage rather get the follow up combat manoeuvre in place. Most of the time the combat manoeuvre is more potent that the damage, even with a power attack, so you won't use this, but it does give a couple of follow on options.
….......Improved Bull Rush. *** A great option for creatures with powerful charge or movement based special attacks like Trample.
…......Improved Overrun. *** A very useful feat for creatures using Trample.
Run *
Extra speed is always nice, but a lot of the available creatures are already fast.
Skill Focus *
This is not going to add a great deal to the animal, unless you have a special concept for the character.
Stealthy *
You've probably chosen either a large creature or one that is going to grow to large. You are not going to be very stealthy and this is not going to make a great deal of difference.
Toughness ***
We always like extra HP.
Weapon Finesse **
Whilst Natural Weapons are considered to be light weapons, we have probably chosen an animal that is going to end up as large size, and with it a higher strength than dex, making the feat redundant.
Weapon Focus ***
This helps us get in the attack that triggers the Special attack combat manoeuvre. As a large part of a Druids strategy is based on combat manoeuvres, this is of great benefit.
Third Choice: Which Archetype?
Rather than write several dozen separate guides for each of the different Druid Archetypes, I am going to compare each of them against the basic Cookie Cutter class in the Core Rulebook. After this I will write the guide with the assumption that you have chose the base class, and allow you to work out how any different archetype that you have chosen effects the advice that I have given.
Animal Shaman's
Animal shaman's are a fun option, you give up some versatility in order to specialise in a particular type of creature. Which effectively means specialising in an attack form. You get a nice boost to your summoning ability, as you are able to summon creatures of your shaman type as a standard action. You get to wild shape into your totem animal at lower levels, at the cost of having to wait longer for everything else. Animal Shaman's are good for combat Druids, who want to focus on a particular style of combat. The benefits to melee combat are probably lost on caster Druids, whilst getting the more defensive caster friendly wildshape forms later, more than balances the limited option to summon as a standard action.
Remember, that even though you can summon creatures with templates, you are unable to wild shape into creatures with templates.
Ape Shaman *
You have to choose an ape as animal companion, which does not give you any great options. You get to choose from some interesting Domains if you don't want an animal companion.
The totemic transformation options are nice giving you some movement and attack options, but to get full benefit from this you'll need improved grapple, which you do not get for free.
The totemic summons benefit is restricted by there only being two apes on the Summon Natures Ally lists, at lvl III and IV. This means you'll be left without options at the higher levels.
The wildshape options for primates are not great either, so the +2 bonus to these forms does not really balance against the -2 you get on all other forms.
Bat Shaman*
If you want to choose an animal companion, you have to choose a bat, If you choose a Domain you get some interesting options, including Trickery.
Totemic Transformation gives some nice movement and sensory bonuses.
Totemic Summons is not very useful, as the only bat is the Dire Bat at Summon Natures Ally III, leaving you with no options later on.
With wildshape, getting a +2 caster level on being able to change into a dire bat, in no way balances out the -2 on everything else.
Bear Shaman *
If your going to be a shaman you probably want to have the totem animal as a companion. The problem is that the Bear animal companion is one of the weakest of the available companions, it does not even have a grab attack.
The Bear is focused on grappling, so to get the full benefit from this you need to have the Improved Grappling feat, and you don't get this for free, or even as an option for a bonus feat at level 9, so you have to buy it yourself, which means that you also have to get unarmed strike, and have a Dex of at least 13. Once you have this the totem transformation options are quite useful.
The totemic summons option is useful, there are two Bear's on the lists, giving you options to summon single creature bears as a standard action between Summon Monster III and Summon Monster VIII.
You don't get a great deal on the Wild shape restriction, because there are only two Bears in the Bestiaries, and the largest of these is large. You max out at level 4, and then get no further benefit. The cost just feels to high to make this useful.
Boar Shaman *
If you want an animal companion, then you have to have a Boar, which is not one of the better options. The domains are not particularly interesting.
The totemic transformation is OK, but weak compared to other archetypes, having to choose between either an increased speed OR a bonus to your CMB for Overrun is just rubbing it in. To get full benefit from this option you'll need to take the improved Overrun feat (which is a free option at level 9)
You don't get a great deal of benefit from the Totemic Summons option because there are only two boars on the Summon Natures Ally lists one at lvl III and one at lvl IV, so you don't get any standard action summons options at higher levels.
The benefits of a +2 wildshape ability on boars, does not balance with the -2 on everything else.
Dragon Shaman *
You get to choose between either Crocodile or the Monitor Lizard as your animal companion, of which the Monitor Lizard is great. (A kind GM would not be unreasonable in house ruling that you can also choose the Giant Chameleon from Bestiary 3). If you choose a Domain nothing springs out as being particularly great.
The totem transformation is OK, but you need to learn improved grapple to get the full benefit.
There are three lizards on the Summon Natures ally list, two at lvl III and one at lvl VII, leaving you a gap in the middle where you won't get the full benefit of the option.
You get Dragon Bite at level 8, which is a nice ability, however by this time you should be able to afford an amulet of mighty fists, which will give you a bonus on all your natural attacks, and not just the bite, although you won't be able to pick and choose the energy.
To get these benefits, you lose your lvl 8 wildshape, don't get a bonus to wildshaping to Lizards, and are four levels behind on all your other wildshape forms.
It's difficult to see any reason to pick this option, beyond a very strong role playing concept.
Eagle Shaman **
This is one of the few Animal Shaman options that is better for the Caster than for the Combat Focused character. The Eagle companion is weak. But you get the option to pick up the Nobility Domain, which rocks. You get plenty of spells which you don't already have. The first level granted power, inspiring word, is one of the best buffs in the book whilst the 8th level granted power is the Leadership feat free of charge, with a +2 on your leadership score.
The totem transformation gives you some nice options, and does not require you to take any feats to get the benefit.
Totemic summons gives you options throughout your career, as the Giant Eagle is added to the Summon Natures ally IV list.
Unfortunately, you are totally rolled over on the Wildshape Ability. The Eagle is a small animal, so you could wildshape into this at level 4 whether or not you take this option, whilst the Roc, being a Gargantuan animal, is never an option for you.
***Lion Shaman
You get to have a Cat/Lion as your animal companion, or if you want to be a caster Nobility is an option for the Domains.
The totem transformation is useful, although again to get full benefit you need to learn how to grapple.
There are five felines on the Summon Natures ally chart, giving you good options from Summon Natures Ally II to Summon Natures Ally VIII to summon good, single, animals.
You don't get any huge felines in game, so your wildshape benefit begins and ends at level 4 when you get to choose a large creature. Even for a Dire Tiger, I don't think that this is worth the price, of losing the other options for 2 levels.
Saurian Shaman ****
I would love to know how the developers balanced this super powered monster against the other Druid Options. If your GM allows you to play this, grab the opportunity with both hands and never let it go.
The huge benefit with this option is that you are not limited to just one Dinosaur, the ability effects any dinosaur, so whilst you are limited with the other Animal Shaman's to a particular niche, with the Saurian Shaman you have an entire ecosystem to play with.
You have to choose a Dinosaur as your animal companion. As this includes some great options for tanking, pounce attacking, tripping and trampling, as well as an OK option for flying, this restriction is not very restrictive. If you get bored with one style, then you can always dismiss the companion and choose a different style of play. Something that cannot be said for the other Shaman Archetypes. On the other hand the Domain choices are OK but not great.
You get a fairly standard totemic transformation ability, with a rake which is a nice plus, although again to get full benefit you need improved grapple.
This Totemic Summons option makes you the most powerful summoner in the game, outside of the Summoner class. The description states that this effects both “Reptiles and Dinosaurs”, so that includes Dinosaurs, Lizards, Crocodiles and snakes. This gives you a whopping thirteen options to choose from on the lists, all of which can have multiple templates applied to them. You end up with a total of 51 options for summoning an individual creature, and many more for summoning multiple creatures. Whilst other options can use their Totemic Summons to give them a boost to one style of attack, your options are spread over several different styles of attack, you can pick and choose what you want to do as you cast the spell. The sheer number and range of options that you have by the mid levels to cast a summons as a standard action, effectively removes the need for a full round summons in most circumstances. Remember to add the temporary hit point bonus as well.
We get the same wide range of options with Wildshape. You can choose any Dinosaur or Reptile and wildshape at a +2 to caster level. This does feel like it is worth taking a -2 on the other forms, particularly if you are a combat focuses character.
*Serpent Shaman
You have to choose a snake companion, which gives you two choices, of which the constrictor is the easier choice. If you choose a Domain, the option of Trickery comes in, which is useful.
The totem transformation is useful giving you some valuable movement options, but to get the full benefit of the combat options you need to learn improved grapple.
Your summoning options are limited to the viper at Summon Natures Ally 1, and the Constrictor at Summon Natures Ally III, leaving you without the benefit of fast summoning with the higher level spells.
With the wildshape, you don't get any huge snakes, but you do get the option to use some quite powerful poison options at level 6.
Shark *
You an see this option being useful to an aquatic druid, but not much use on land.
You have to choose a shark as your animal companion. But get some interesting domain choices.
The totemic transformation is OK, with a nice armour class boost being one the options.
Wild shape and Totemic summons are focused on aquatic creatures, so are not much use to a land based campaign.
Wolf**
This is an interesting option for someone wanting to base their character around Trip. You must choose a Wolf companion, which are pretty good throughout the game. If you choose a Domain then the both the Liberation and Travel Domains are available to choose from. Both of which are great.
With the totemic transformation you get full value, whilst the Bear, Lion and Serpent, do not get a Grab attack, with wolf you do get a Trip special attack, with a bonus to your CMB to land it, and the option of Improved Trip as a free feat at level 9.
Totemic Summons is of limited value, with your last option being the Dire Wolf on the Summon Natures Ally IV list, so you lose the benefits on the higher level spells.
The Wildshape is again limited by there being no huge canines.
Terrain Archetypes
With a Terrain archetype you gain benefits over one terrain, which are great in that terrain, but of limited use in others. I rate the Archetypes with abilities that have a more general value more highly that those that do not.
With all the terrain archetypes you lose out on your wildshape ability, which is a major loss, although in some cases this is balanced by you gaining a unique wildshape option.
Aquatic Druid *
It'll be no surprise by now that I've given an Aquatic option a low rating, but this is not a bad option if you are going to be playing underwater, and my even have benefits for a coastal or shipbourne campaign.
At 9th level you gain a useful the amphibious trait and good swim speed, and at 13th level you get some nice D/R.
Arctic ***
This is not a bad option. You aren't restricted on the choice of animal companion or domain. The weak abilities that you get at low level for a Druid are replaced by similar weak abilities. Venom Immunity gets replaced with a useful admixture effect allowing you to choose whether you want to prepare your fire spells with a cold descriptor instead, whilst the Flurry form (effectively an at will gaseous form ability) is a very interesting alternative to Thousand Faces.
Blight Druid *
This just feels like it's been put here for the GM to apply to evil NPC's. The miasma effect makes this option virtually unplayable in any normal party.
Cave Druid **
I'd have liked to have given this Archetype a higher score, because in a lot of campaigns, it doesn't matter where you start, you'll end up underground sooner or later.
You get some useful underground options in place of your lesser abilities. Tunnelrunner is a particularly nice option letting you ignore penalties for rubble or squeezing.
The problem with this build is the wildshape. You lose the valuable Plants option and get the option to turn into Oozes instead. The issue with this is that, whilst you gain the potential for some interesting immunities at lvl 12, the bulk of the special abilities, and particularly Acid, are not covered in Beast Shape IV, so you simply can't use a lot of what makes Oozes dangerous.
Desert Druid ****
This is awesome at higher levels. The loss of plants is more than made up for by gaining Vermin, up to huge in size, using Beast Shape IV as the basis of the transformation.
The rest of the archetype is just fluff, the Vermin wildshape option is just incredible.
Five reasons that I like Vermin shape so much?
Firstly there are lots of them, so plenty of choice.
Second, lots of movement options.
Third, Lots of attacks and special abilities.
Fourth, Lots of really nasty poisons.
Five, you finally get to web stuff.
Jungle Druid *
This option is very similar to the standard Druid, but with a lower ability to wildshape, and Verdant Sentinal which replaces the potentially useful Thousand Faces with the opportunity to Tree Shape at will....
Mountain Druid ***
This is another option that is transformed from fluff to interesting by the Wildshape ability. You can wildshape into a Giant. The downside of this is that you only get the ability quite late on in your career.
This Archetype gives you the ability to look like an outcrop of stone at level 13, instead of having Thousand Faces. Why you would want to do this when you can turn into an Earth Elemental at a much lower level, and which also can look like an outcrop of stone when still, is doubtful.
Plains Druid ***
This is quite a good a good option for a combat Druid. Run like the wind gives you a nice speed boost, whilst Canny Charger, which lets you move through allies spaces and turn on a charge is tactically useful, and everyone loves to have Evasion, the replacement for Thousand Faces.
Swamp Druid ****
This is an excellent choice for caster Druid, Pond Scum, which replaces Resist Natures Lore gives you Damager Resistance to swarms and the potential to ignore distraction or other effects. Spoiling a favourite way to disrupt your spells.
The real star of this option though is that you replace Thousand faces with continuous Freedom of Movement.
Urban Druid **
Losing the option to spontaneously cast Domain spells instead of Summon Natures Ally is painful. If you could choose the Fire Domain with its blasting spells, then this would make for a much differently balanced character, but the Domains that you “must” choose from have spells, which, though they have good utility value, lack punch in combat. Weather is probably the best option for this character.
It's nice to have Thousand Faces at Level 6, but having to wait till level 8 for Wildshape hurts.
Mental Strength at level 9, giving immunity to charm and compulsion effects is very useful.
Unique Archetypes
Menhir Savant ****
This is not a bad option for any Druid. You don't lose anything from your wildshape and can choose from any animal companion or Domain.
Instead of the situational benefits of nature sense and wild empathy you get an always on detect creature ability, that covers a range of creatures. Swapping Woodland Stride and Trackless Step for Place Magic, giving you a +1 on you caster level a number of times per day equal to your wisdom bonus plus three, is a very good exchange. Walk the Lines at lvl 9, free Transport Via Plants a number of times per day equal to your wisdom bonus is nice, especially as there is no mention of sacrificing Venom Immunity to pay for it. The round per level duration of Empty Body, probably makes it less useful than the Thousand Faces Ability that it replaces.
Mooncaller ***
We don't sacrifice any choices on this when it comes to Domains or Animal Companions. Night Sight is fair swap for Woodland Stride, Resist Call of the Wild is fair swap for the equally situational Resist Natures Lure, Purity of Body swaps venom immunity for immunity to diseases including supernatural and magical diseases, again a fair swap. The only downside is Wolfsbane, as you already get some good DR options from your Wildshape ability, losing Thousand Faces to a low DR is not a great choice. That said if the GM indicates that you are playing a horror campaign with lots of Lycanthropes then this the option to choose.
Pack Lord *
With this one you have to pick animal companions rather than a Domain so it is supposed to benefit combat Druids. The problem is that it is almost certainly better to have one medium strength companion than two weaker ones. To get the best out of a companion at the best of times you have to equip them, so you'd have to split your resources amongst several creatures, again a diluting and weakening effect. Whilst the improved empathic link is not worth the loss of a wild shape.
Reincarnated Druid **
Most of the abilities are fairly balanced if you are going to be playing a horror campaign and expect lots of death effects.
The problem with this option is the Many Lives ability at a cost of a -2 level penalty on wild shape ability. The restriction to being re-incarnated makes this a risky choice a combat Druid, where you have invested your ability bonus in physical stats, you get a re-roll on the table and might get something better (or worse). For a caster Druid, reincarnation just hurts. You will have put your racial bonus in wisdom, but when you re-incarnate you lose your previous racial bonus and gain new ones from the random table. All of which are physical stats. As a caster Druid this means that by getting a “free” re-incarnation, and losing the option of Raise Dead or Resurrection, you will have to pay for a wish or miracle spell to get your wisdom bonus back.
Storm Druid **
This is an interesting choice for a caster Druid, particularly once you get to lvl 9.
Windwalker and Stormvoice are not great. But Eyes of the Storm, where you can see through fog effects, is a nice tactical bonus.
The real benefit of this archetype comes from Windlord at level 9. In place of venom immunity you get a second Domain (with a second spell list) which when matched with this archetypes Spontaneous Domain casting which replaces spontaneous casting of Summon Nature's ally, gives you some real flexibility.
World Walker ***
You don't lose anything from your Wildshape or Domain Choices with this option.
Swapping Trackless Step and Resist Natures Lore for the Favoured Terrain class ability it a great deal. With Path of Trees you lose Venom Immunity and Timeless Body for a limited travel ability. Not great, but when you look at the overall benefit of Favoured Terrain, this option is nicely balanced.
Fourth Choice: Skill Selection
As a Druid you get four skill points per level plus your intelligence bonus.
Your class skills are:
Climb **
From level 4 you get to choose a lot of animals that have a climb speed, giving you a +8 racial bonus on your skill and the opportunity to take ten even where you would not normally do so. You should probably take one point to activate the class bonus, but with the class bonus, the correct form and that ability to take 10, you should find climbing a doddle under most circumstances. And when it isn't a doddle, you can turn into an Eagle or air elemental and fly up, or an earth elemental and earth glide.
Fly ****
If you want to use all those flying wildshape forms and spells that you have, then you will want to invest something in this skill.
Handle Animal ****
This is a key skill for a Druid. If you have an animal companion it assists with your handling of the creature. However, even if you are a caster and do not have an animal companion, a lot of your spells and abilities are still tied to the natural world and to animals. We'll be going into detail in a later section of the guide on the capture, training and usefulness of animals. At a cost of one skill point per level and zero feats, you can make full use of your natural abilities for both your own, and the parties, benefit.
Heal *
You are not the best of healers. And the Heal skill, whilst useful, is not a match to the magical alternatives after the first 2 or 3 levels. If you think that you might need to heal in an emergency, get a couple of scrolls of CLW, so that you can get the Cleric back up off the ground doing his job. One skill point to activate the class bonus is the most that should be put into this as a Druid.
Knowledge (Geography) **
Knowledge skills are most used in game to identify properties of creatures. This does not do that for us. But still it fits in with the general concept of a Druid, and at later levels, when we get some powerful travel spells, it may help us work out where we ended up if something goes wrong.
Knowledge (Nature) ****
One of the Druids base skills. You get a nice +2 bonus on this for your class. It tells you about natural hazards and about animals, so it has nice practical benefits.
Perception ****
The most useful skill in the game. Lets you see what's coming, avoid surprise, search etc etc.
Profession *
There aren't many professions detailed as having uses in the pathfinder book. Two of them, Profession Driver and Profession Sailor, which are detailed as letting you drive wagons/ships are alternative skills to Handle Animal and Knowledge (Nature). If Paizo bring out more books that detail different options for actually using professions in the real game, rather than as background role-playing fluff, then this rating may change.
Ride **
If you want to ride your mount or an animal you've trained then you are going to need this skill. Unless you have a character concept though, you probably won't need this. When you get to a decent level you'll just use a fast wildform.
Spellcraft ****
As a full spell caster this is to good an option to miss. Also a required skill for anyone who wants to be a serious magic item crafter.
Survival ***
Another of your key skills. Particularly useful as you need to be able to track things.
Swim **
As a Druid you don't really need a huge swim skill, as wildshape options are available. When in wildshape many of your options have a swim speed. If you wildshape into something that has a swim speed then you also gain the ability to breathe in that environment, so you won't drown. If you have a swim speed, you get a +8 on swim checks and can take 10 on the roll even in stressful situations. Take one point to activate the class bonus, but after that you don't really need to worry.
Fifth Choice: Traits and Feats
I'm not going to list and rate every single trait and feat. Many of them are clearly unsuitable to a Druid. I am going to go through options which are either clearly beneficial to a Druid, or which may seem at first sight to be good, but actually are not.
Traits
Combat Traits
Deft Dodger ***
You get a +1 trait bonus to reflex, your weakest save.
Dirty Fighter ****
Particularly useful to the combat Druid, many of your wildshapes have multiple attacks, so this has the potential for giving multiple benefits per round. You will always be looking for flanking positions, either with other party members or with summoned creatures. Play to your strengths and make your flanking attacks count.
Reactionary ****
A +2 bonus to initiative checks. What is there not to like? If you are a caster Druid, this is probably a better option than Dirty Fighter.
Faith Traits
Devotee of the Green *
You get a plus one bonus to skills that you are already good at.
Ease of Faith ***
You get Diplomacy as a class skill, and a +1 bonus to it as well, for a total bonus of +4 if you decide to put points into the base skill for interacting with NPC's.
Magic Traits
Gifted Adept ****
You get to choose one spell that you get to cast at +1 Caster level. Doesn't sound great at first glance. But one of your base spells, Call Animal, will give you disproportionate benefits from applying this trait to it throughout your career. See the section on Animals to see a detailed description of how we can make Call Animal work for us.
Hedge Magician ***
If you are going to be a crafter, then you are probably going to be the party crafter. And that 5% discount can really start to add up.
Mathematical Prodigy ***
You are a full spell caster. And you don't have Knowledge (Arcana)? One of the best skills in the book. Use this to change that.
Social Traits
Adopted ****
This is not so much a trait in itself but a way of opening up traits that would not otherwise be available to you from the Race Traits options.
Bully ***
You may or may not have found a way to speak whilst in animal form, but hackles raised, with teeth bared and snarling is universally understood as bad news. Especially when facing a huge predator. Get the best out of this with the Intimidate skill.
Natural Born Leader ***
If your planning on taking the leadership feat, then this is a great boost, it stacks with the bonus to the leadership feat that you can get with the Nobility domain available on some archetypes.
Rich Parents *
This sounds like a great option, and it probably is if your only planning on playing to 2nd or 3rd lvl. But after a few levels that 900gp will have been long spent, you'll have re-equipped yourself, and be regretting selling something worth half a feat for so little.
Suspicious ****
If you want to interact with NPC's then Sense Motive is a great skill to have for a Druid. It's wisdom based and you get a +1 with this.
Race Traits
Warrior of Old ****
Another way to get a +2 initiative bonus.
Animal Friend *
A situational benefit to get a +1 will save bonus, with the main benefit from this feat, adding Handle Animal to the class skill list is of no value as we have this already.
Elven Reflexes ****
Yet another way to get +2 initiative.
Brute ***
Another way to get intimidate as a class skill.
Well Informed ***
Choose either Diplomacy of Knowledge (local) as a class skill and get +1 on both.
World Traveler ***
Choose diplomacy, knowledge or sense motive as a class skill and get a +1 bonus to it.
Feats
Core
Acrobatic *
I think that you have better things to spend your feats on than increasing skills. This may change if we get a supplement that details more uses for skills. But until then they all get a red. I will not be looking at further feats that just give skill points. Just assume that they are all red.
Armour Proficiency Heavy **
There are a number of options for turning heavy armour types into things that you can wear. The problems with these is that it costs you this feat to be able to wear them, and the Wild enchancement to be able to use them when you are in wildshape, which is very expensive. You are probably just better off getting a Dragonhide Breastplate.
Augment Summoning **** (requires spell focus conjuration)
As a druid you have access to a lot of summoning spells, and in addition, any spell that you have memorised can be changed for a spontaneous casting of a Summon Natures Ally of the equivalent level.
The +4 bonus is useful, increasing the creatures fort save and adding 2hp's per hit die of the creature, which can really start to add up when you are casting the higher level spells.
The +4 bonus to strength is even better. This gives you a +2 bonus on any attack that you make, making it much more likely that you will his, as well as a +2 on your CMB so that when you do hit you have more chance of making a special attack stick.
Characters should always play to their strengths, one of the Druid's primary strengths is summoning, and this makes you summoning a lot more powerful. The only reason not to take this is if you have a very strong character concept that makes this too expensive.
Blind Fight *
Once you get wildshape, if you need to fight in the dark, a lot of your forms will give you this ability without you having to take the feat.
Combat Casting ****
Very useful to have as a caster druid.
Combat Expertise **, plus the line of associated feats *
Either you have been very lucky in your rolls, or sacrificed something to get an Int of 13.
The defensive options that you get are nice, but you are almost certainly better of using the combat manoeuvres that come with wildshapes, your animal companion (if you have one), your summoned creatures or any creatures that you have trained than taking the combat manoeuvre feats listed under Combat Expertise.
Combat Reflexes *
The problem with this is that whilst you often get a nice long reach in your wildshape forms, you also get a big penalty to you Dex on a lot of the larger more combat effective options. So you are unlikely to see the benefit very often.
Critical Focus **** Feats in the Critical Focus line ***
You get to make a lot of attacks in a round in some of the more powerful wildshape forms. More attacks, mean more critical opportunities. The problem with pursuing this line is that it is quite expensive to do so.
Dodge *** Mobility *** Other feats on this track **
Dodge bonus's stack, so you don't lose anything by getting this if someone buffs you with a dodge bonus later on.
Mobility is of great use a bit later in the game when you have access to huge animal forms that can trample. Trample is probably the most effective way for you to do area effect damage, but people in the way get the option to make an attack of opportunity at -4. With mobility this becomes -8, and you can trample with confidence.
Once you have Dodge and Mobility, you look at other feats on this track, which give nice movement based defensive options. Wind and Lightening stance are very nice for Trample's, but you are unlikely to have the Dex.
Eschew Materials *
You do not need Eschew Materials to cast spells in wild shape. The Natural Spell Feat takes care of using material components for you.
Fleet ***
If you intend to use a lot of trample attacks, then this increases the distance that you can trample and therefore the area of effect. Beyond that, faster movement always gives you nice extra tactical options.
Improved Initiative ***
Always nice to go first.
Improved Unarmed Strike *, plus associated line of feats *
When you get Wildshape you will have plenty of natural attacks available, with special attacks available as well. This just duplicates those opportunities.
Leadership ****
This is an excellent feat. You could almost write a mini-guide about this one feat all to itself.
Lightening Reflexes **
Really the only save worth considering when comes to upgrading with a feat.
Lunge *
You already get plenty of options to bring Reach into play, as you get to higher levels. No need to duplicate.
Mounted Combat ** and line of feats **
You are probably better off fighting in wildshape than on a mount. That way you get many of the same options without having to spend feats.
Natural Spell ****
A must have at level 5, the first available opportunity.
Natural spell lets you cast spells whilst in wildform, vital for both caster and combat druids.
As part of the effect it lets you use material components and focuses that have merged into your body (so you do not need eschew materials). That this means you are immune to sunder or steal attempts on your materials pouch and foci whilst in wildform is almost worthy of a feat on its own merits, and another reason why caster druids should always try to be in an appropriate wildform when casting.
Nimble Moves *
It's not very often that you only get five feet of difficult terrain. Much better to get fleet, which by giving you an extra 5ft speed, duplicates ignoring 5ft of difficult terrain, but is much more generally useful.
Point Blank Shot * and line *
Whilst playing an archer Druid is an interesting option which would be fun to roleplay, it does not play to the strengths of the Druid class, so it is difficult to recommend in a guide. If you want to go down this route then you should play either an elf which gets the bow proficiencies for free, or if another race, a worshipper of Erastil, which also get them for free, and also pick the Eagle Domain.
Power Attack **** Line of associated feats *
You can get some pretty hefty pluses to your strength with some of your wildshapes, and you are likely to be in many situations where trading your bonus to hit for bonus to damage is the best option. With the rest of this line of feats, you are better of relying on the combat manoeuvres available from natural attacks.
Shield Proficiency and line *
You are able to use a shield, but how often are you actually going to be doing so when you get to the mid level and start having some decent combat wildshapes? Not often. So don't bother with this.
Spell Focus (Conjuration) **** (others) *
You need spell focus conjuration to get Augmented Summoning. Don't bother with the others.
Spell Penetration ***
At higher levels a lot of creatures have spell resistance, this is a useful way of getting over it, a caster Druid should definitely consider getting this.
Toughness **
Extra hit points are great, particularly for the Combat Druid, unfortunately the Druid is so feat hungry that you will probably want to take other, more vital feats first, and then invest in a belt to boost your con.
Two Weapon Fighting * and line of feats *
Once you reach mid level, it's not often that you'll be fighting with one weapon, let alone two. Leave this to the fighters and the Rangers.
Weapon Focus ***
The feat description does not actually say that you can apply this to natural weapons, but it implies it. Not a bad option for a combat druid.
Item Creation Feats
Item creation feats are fun to have.
The main value of these is that if you loot a magic item that you or the party has no real use for, then you can sell it for half price and craft something of equal value with the proceeds. Giving you real versatility. As a combat Druid, where to get full value out of your animal companion you need to equip it as well, often with the same gear as yourself, this versatility is vital as there are unlikely to many occasions where you loot duplicate items for you and your companion. You aren't going to loot much barding suitable for animal companions other than a equine or canine types either. There is therefore a good argument for a combat Druid to take Craft Wondrous Item and Craft Arms and Armour. Caster Druids, who want to get the most out of their extra domain spells, can do a lot worse than picking Craft Staff.
Metamagic Feats
These are nice to have but given the number of feats that a Druid wants, they are probably nicer to have in the form of a rod.
Advanced Players Guide
Aspect of the Beast **
Really four feats described as one, as you have to choose one of the options available and then cannot change it.
When you reach mid-level as druid, the question that needs to be asked is, why have an aspect of the beast when you can be the beast?
Eldritch Claws **
By the time that you are able to get this, you almost certainly have an amulet of mighty fists that makes you natural attacks magic. Or you could cast Magic Fang/Greater Magic fang on yourself. This feat might be useful if you are going up against a lot of lycanthropes.
Furious Focus ***
If you have taken Power Attack, then this is a useful addition.
Improved Share Spells *
This could be a great feat, except for the line which states that if your companion moves more than five feet from you it loses the benefit.
Rending Claws ***
Does being able to wildshape into a form that gives you two claw attacks, count as a pre-requisite for this? If you GM agrees that it does, then this is well worth taking.
Vermin Heart **
Of situational benefit, but a powerful one. If Call Animal can also call vermin, then you call some really nasty creatures to you. If you can cast War Train Mount on a vermin, then you have some interesting temporary options. You can't train the thing permanently, as it has zero intelligence, but if you have a home base or stronghold, you could capture a vermin with powerful poison for the alchemist to harvest.
Ultimate Magic
Divine Interference ****
If you don't want your allies to die, then you can sacrifice a spell to make opponents make a re-roll. This is particularly effective against critical hits. If you get this feat, you'll benefit from having a bunch of Pearls of Power, so you can repeat the service over several fights.
Extra Cantrips or Orisons *
Not really worth the cost of a feat.
Fast Empathy **
Not a bad option, but most animals that we meet which we may want to use wild empathy on, we'll have the full minute to do it in.
Greater Wild Empathy **
Wild empathy is not one of our better class options. This does not make it a great deal stronger.
Moonlight Summons **
Situational at best, but of great value in a lycanthrope campaign.
Mystic Stride *
This is a nice idea, but costs two feats to give a situational bonus to woodland stride? Too expensive.
Powerful Form ****
This is key feat, and if you are a combat Druid, almost as important as Natural spell. We'll be going into detail in the combat section on how Druid's should try to maximise the number of special attack manoeuvres that they get off. This helps you to do that in spades. Firstly, you get some nice bonus's to your CMB for being counted as a larger size. Secondly, who you can grab and trample, is restricted to creatures who are the same size or smaller than you (grab) or smaller than you (trample). By having this feat you get to use these great attacks more. The feat also mentions swallow whole, but as this is not on the list of attacks available in the Beast Shape lists, it seems to have been added in error.
Quick Wild Shape **
You don't get many wild shapes and sacrificing a standard action to turn into one is not that great a hardship. Getting a weaker option than you are entitled to does not just mean losing size, but also special abilities. This is a significant sacrifice, for little return.
Shaping Focus ***
I'm writing this guide on the assumption that you will be single class druid, but who hasn't succumbed to the temptation to dip? Take this feat and you needn't suffer too much for it.
Spell Specialisation ***
What I like about this spell feat is that it gives both a nice bonus and the opportunity to change it as you go up as different spells come into play. The obvious advice is to have your specialised spell as the highest level Summon Natures Ally spell throughout your career, however, you may find that until lvl 8 you are better of sticking it on Call Animal if you want to specialise in training animals.
Starlight Summons **
This has situational benefits if you are fighting a demon/fey heavy campaign due to the cold iron effect, otherwise best to leave this one.
Sunlight Summons ***
A bit like Moonlight Summons and Starlight Summons this has situational benefits only, however, there are a lot more situations where having your summoned creatures count as magic will be beneficial, hence the higher rating.
Superior Summoning ****
You get a lot of summoning options, and on the whole it is often better to go for the most powerful creature, even if you only get one of them. This changes the maths somewhat by giving you an extra creature if you summon multiple creatures. Summoning one level below on the table on Summon Natures Ally has always been a bit of a gamble when you only get 1d3 creatures, 1d3+1 creatures with this feat makes it a much more reliable option.
Wild Speech ****
A lot of creatures that you can turn into can't talk. This means that you have difficulty communicating with the other players in wildshape, and that means that you are restricted in your interactions with the rest of the table. This solves that problem.
Ultimate Combat
Feral Combat Training ** plus style feats **
It costs three feats to get this point, and you still can't do anything with it, but it does open the door to style feats. This is so expensive that I would not normally rate it all, but the idea of, say, a boar shaman fighting in boar wildshape using boar style is just so cool it has be an option.
Hammer the Gap ***
This can be quite useful for a combat Druid who is going to be wildshaping into creatures which have lots of attacks. A lucky run of attacks whilst in, say, giant octopus form could be lethal.
Planar Wild Shape ****
This is a great option, improving your wildshape forms significantly as you increase in levels. Getting the smite evil option is particularly nice.
Shapeshifter Foil ***
Really useful against creatures with shapeshifting abilities as it forces them back into their normal form. Anyone with this feat is your new worst enemy, because they can use it on you. Lucky you've got a decent will save.