Theorycrafting: Shifter

[Steve]

My build has Fighter 4 so I get that extra dmg (plus I have that Monk’s Ring for Specialization). Expose Weakness dmg, which bypasses all DR, is 2x modified DEX 1/round.

[Kalgain]

Can any of the forms outrun the Balor? How much +% movement speed would it take? In that case, one could just shift to a fast form and regenerate while running away.

[Steve]

Can any of the forms outrun the Balor? How much +% movement speed would it take? In that case, one could just shift to a fast form and regenerate while running away.

Pixie has 50% movement!

[YYA]

Why choose one over the other? Get both!

You need six epic feats to get Fast Healing III and Epic Damage Reduction 9/-, Fighter and Divine Champion bonus feats if taken in the epics can be used to grab those Epic Damage Reduction feats.

Yea, so that's a weird thing to put in a reply. What powerbuild are you talking about? The one that will be able to solo the server with store items if powerbuilt correctly?

&

You can still achieve higher or the same DR as a dragon druid, you have a better AC as a dragon druid (when you cast tortoise shell) and you regen more HP as a dragon druid (if you use the regeneration spell)

Shifter builds will be strong, and unlike Shapechanging Arcanists or Wildshaping Druids, a Shifter does not necessarily have to fear dispels or disjunctions even though their very low caster levels mean that their few spells will be dispelled. They have a certain baseline, and even if you build your Shifter to take advantage of a particular form, whether for mechanical or role-playing reasons -- a Shifter can just choose to use a different form on a moment's notice. Nothing would stop a Werewolf Beast of Malar from using the Ogre Magi form to spam those Orbs of Force simply because it might work better in some areas, or if you have a party of Zergs and you decide not to create additional path finding issues for the lot of you, which would also help save your Turn Undead uses for later. Druids are strong, but the get the most out of a Druid you need to know your spells, you need to know the areas on the server, and if you want to change your approach you will have to redo your entire spell book and rest -- A shifter simply tries out a different form. Thus, a Shifter will be far more player friendly than what a druid would ever be, you just need some items the same as any other non-magical character on this server would. Thus if you look at a Druid and Shifter at character level of 30, the numbers are not that different, and Shifter will be far easier to use and understand. Thus there will be people who will get better results with a Shifter than what they would with a Druid.

But with all that said, Shifter is not without some flaws, and one of the bigger ones is that the moment you multi-class, you will also delay your Shifter progression. You will have less DR, Regenration, AB, Damage, AC, and you might temporarily fall behind in stats when compared with that Wildshaping Druid. But if you RCR a level 30 character into a level 30 character, you will not notice that.

Finally, there is always a point where additional points of AC will no longer offer further advantages. If your AC beats your enemy's "highest AB + 22" -- ( d20 and +2 flanking bonus ) -- the extra points of AC beyond that will do nothing and offer very little beyond bragging rights.

Ah, never mind.

[Mirage]

My build has Fighter 4 so I get that extra dmg (plus I have that Monk’s Ring for Specialization). Expose Weakness dmg, which bypasses all DR, is 2x modified DEX 1/round.

Hey Steve. I don't get it. Why would you take fighter 4 if you already have Weapon Specialization from the ring? What could fighter 4 possible give you beyond weapon specialization?

[Steve]

My build has Fighter 4 so I get that extra dmg (plus I have that Monk’s Ring for Specialization). Expose Weakness dmg, which bypasses all DR, is 2x modified DEX 1/round.

Hey Steve. I don't get it. Why would you take fighter 4 if you already have Weapon Specialization from the ring? What could fighter 4 possible give you beyond weapon specialization?

Weapon Mastery: Unarmed (+2 AB/DMG). Requires Fighter lvl 4.

[matelener]

I'm pretty sure it requires Weapon Specialization: Unarmed first

[mrm3ntalist]

I'm pretty sure it requires Weapon Specialization: Unarmed first

It does. It works differently than MAstery Slashing/piercing/bludgeoning where you can take the mastery without taking the spec first

[Mirage]

Do you think Northlander Hewing will be useful for shifter?

[DaloLorn]

Do you think Northlander Hewing will be useful for shifter?

Ought to be a decent pick. Your best melee forms have ridiculous STR scores at Shifter 20, and I think it stays active when you polymorph.

[Anchor]

Do you think Northlander Hewing will be useful for shifter?

Ought to be a decent pick. Your best melee forms have ridiculous STR scores at Shifter 20, and I think it stays active when you polymorph.

It should. It stays activated with shapechange, just have to turn it
On before you shift

[YYA]

Do you think Northlander Hewing will be useful for shifter?

Ought to be a decent pick. Your best melee forms have ridiculous STR scores at Shifter 20, and I think it stays active when you polymorph.

It should. It stays activated with shapechange, just have to turn it
On before you shift

And with your HIgh BAB progression, you can easily reach 26 BAB even if you go Wizard, which means you get four attacks per round. So yeah, it would be a feat you would take, even on a build that has Power Attack for Epic Divine Might. Years ago it used to lower AB by -2, but now it lowers AC by that -2, and since you got innate regeneration, and damage reduction in most forms, you can easily afford little lower damage output.

So, if I look at the potential damage numbers for a Beast of Malar:
(Claw, Bite, etc, with Multiattack)
+ 11 (Strength Modifier, with +4 Strength items since item modifiers seem to stick when Polymorphing)
+ 5 (Shifter Weapon Enchantment Bonus)
+ 1d8 (Flame/Frost Weapon)
+ 11 (Northlander Hewing)
+ 8 (Epic Divine Might, halved, from 26 Charisma with +4 item)
+ 3 (Power Attack, because why not?)
= 42,5~

And did I mention it has Multiattack, so if we first look at the AB:
27 (BAB)
+ 11 (Strength modifier)
+ 5 (Shifter Weapon Enchantment Bonus)
- 3 (Power Attack)
= 40

Thus you would be attacking at AB sequence of: 40, 38, 36, and 34 -- and if you turn off Northlander Hewing and reduce damage per hit by 11 points -- 40, 38, 36, 34, 32, and 30. If all attacks land with Northlander Hewing you would deal something like 170+ damage, and with Northlander Hewing turned off: 189+ damage. It may look like there is no need for Northlander Hewing, but DR still exists in game.

[Kalgain]

I might be too drunk, but did you forget to include the base weapon dmg in your calculation? Further, northlander hewing triggers a random ability every 5? rounds.

[DaloLorn]

He didn't forget, because they haven't been specified yet.

[YYA]

What I did forget was the Lacerate bleeding damage.