Min/Max Forum: Storm Shelter

No face skills for me, got it!

He did say no flaws back on page 1, but I think people missed that a little.

I didn't miss it, I made my justification as requested. 

His response was that I should either use friendly fire attacks or hope that enemy touch AC is low enough that my -4 to hit won't matter, or that I should spend half of my character's soulmeld equivalent with healing always on.

Which means that I'm going to invest in PBS and Precise Shot (playing a human) and hope that someone else picks healing because I need reliable combat abilities. 

Edit: Turrents don't have precise shot so they won't cut it, and rezbits appeal to me about as much as familiars (which is not really at all).

I think Sirpercival is going for scaleshaper now instead of astronomer. Scaleshaper is basically all about turning into a dragon and summoning a dragon and dragon stuff.

Naturalist as druid-based warlock is the same impression I got. Most of the invocations are straight druid spells. The topiaries and natural essences are basically warlock blast shapes and blast essences.

Don't worry too much about trapfinding. There aren't many traps in this module. If I remember correctly, there's only one or two traps before you'll hit 2nd level anyways.

To quote the original post: "No flaws. If you really need them for your build, we can renegotiate." Fill me in on why you really need flaws for your build. Maybe we can work something out. Most of the time I've seen flaws get used, they're just a cheap way to give a character a pair of bonus feats for moar powarz! That's basically what I'm trying to avoid.
Edit: At the same time, I recognize that they can be really useful for filling out a concept that just can't be done with the limited feats at 1st level.

Sounds like the only mandatory module for me is a healing one.

I want Precise Shot which requires Point Blank Shot.  All of the combat modules for the Cyberneticist are ranged and that -4 is brutal.

Then I want Activate Module for Restoration Matrix if I'm the only healing we've got.  Then if I'm a race with a bonus feat I'll take Extra Energy.

This Activate Module feat says that I can activate the module chosen by the feat without it counting against my active module limitation, correct?

Hooray!

Items for the Budding Shapechanger
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Feats of Interest
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o   Quick Change (SS) - Makes it so that changing into your hybrid or animal form is only a move action.  It is a generally okay feat, but becomes great with the capstone of the Warshaper prestige class.
o   Silver Fang (CoV) - Prevents you from being able to infect others with lycanthropy as well as making your natural attacks count as silver.  Nice for flavor or if you have a habit of not killing things.
o   Mark of Twelve Moons (Dragonmarked, p142) - +1 inherent bonus to an ability score (meh), and a +10 bonus on all Control Shape checks for afflicted Lycanthropes (Very nice).  This is campaign setting specific (but not race specific as it requires a Siberys dragonmark) but it can make a huge difference.


Prestige Classes

Black Blood Hunter (PGtF)
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o   Greater Curse of Lycanthropy - You can infect others easier.  Whoopee.
o   Lycanthropic Spell - You can cast spells while shapechanged.  Would be nice except what spellcaster would want to be a lycanthrope?
o   Wild Items - I can wear all the same fancy gear the druid does while in my hybrid form?  Yes please!
o   Animal Aspect - Why not just change into your hybrid form?
o   Wild Empathy - Blah.
o   Improved Hybrid Form - THIS IS THE POINT OF TAKING THIS PRC!  You can use ALL of your base animal's special attacks now.  Rake, Pounce, Poison, you name it!
o   Improved Vile Damage - More damage isn't bad, but the fact that it's vile doesn't mean much.
o   Improved Damage Reduction - More DR is good, more requirements on bypassing your DR is better.
o   Faster Change - Not awesome, but good.
o   Quick Change - Free actions are free!

Moon Guardian (CD Web Enhancement)
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o   Natural Spell- Free Natural Spell as a bonus feat.  The thing is, Natural Spell technically doesn't work with lycanthropic alternate forms.
o   Voluntary Change - Useful.
o   Rapid Change - Not awesome, but good.
o   Instantaneous Change - Once again, free actions are free.  And it specifically says you can do it in response to another's actions.

The reason this class is Red is because you lose a minimum of 6 CASTER LEVELS.  Bare minumum: 1 Animal HD, 2 LA, and 3 from the PRC.

Warshaper (CW)
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Note that all class abilities are only usable when shape-changed, ergo in hybrid or animal form.  As you will spend most combats in hybrid form this is an acceptable restriction.
o   Morphic Immunities- You are now immune to stunning and critical hits.
o   Morphic Weapons- There is a lot of debate on this one.  Either it allows you to gain an arbitrarily large number of natural attacks or it doesn't.  At a minimum you can increase the damage of one of your attacks by a die size, which isn't bad at all.
o   Morphic Body- +4 Strength, +4 Constitution.  Extra stats are always nice.
o   Morphic Reach- You reach with ALL of your natural weapons increases by five feet.
o   Morphic Healing- Fast healing 2 is pretty much only good for out of combat healing, and since the earliest you would get this is level 11 (2LA, 1 Animal, 4 full BAB class, and four levels of Warshaper) out of combat healing shouldn't be a problem.  Spending a full round action to maybe gain 10 hit points is just plain stupid.
o   Flashmorph- You don't get multimorph, don't even bother looking at it.  You now change shape as a move action, woo.  Taking the Quick Change feat and changing shape as a free action is wonderful.


Notes on Base Classes
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o   Tome of Battle is your friend, half of your animal HD are calculated to determine your initiator level.
o   Also, due to the wording of the Ardent class, the Practiced Manifester feat will keep you from being too far behind.
o   You can wildshape and then use alternate form for additional bonuses.  Druid would be a bad idea (yes, even with the Moon Guardian prestige class) but Wilshape Ranger is a possibility.

The Animal Within

A list of all animals sorted by size category and HD.  Includes an aside about animal feats.

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Diminutive
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•   Less than 1 HD
o   Bat (MM1): Dex +4; Alertness; Blindsense

Tiny
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•   Less than 1 HD
o   Cat (MM1): Dex +4; Weapon Finesse (b), Stealthy
o   Lizard (MM1): Dex +4; Weapon Finesse (b), Stealthy
o   Otter (Sto): Dex +4, Con +2; Weapon Finesse
o   Pengiun (Frb): 1 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Alertness
o   Rat (MM1): Dex +4; Weapon Finesse (b), Stealthy
o   Raven (MM1): Dex +4; Weapon Finesse (b), Alertness
o   Snake, Tiny Viper (MM1): Dex +6; 2 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Imp Init; Poison
o   Weasel (MM1): Dex +4; Weapon Finesse (b), Agile; Attach

•   1 HD
o   Chordevoc (RoW): Dex +8, Con +2; 2 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Flyby Attack
o   Hawk (MM1): Dex +6; 2 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Alertness
o   Huitzil (DrM): Dex +4; 3 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Hover
o   Lizard, Horned (Snd): Dex +2, Con +2; 3 NA; Alertness
o   Monkey (MM1): Dex +4; Weapon Finesse (b), Agile
o   Owl (MM1): Dex +6; 2 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Alertness

•   4 HD
o   Swarm, Murder of Crows (ToM): Str -8, Dex +4; Alertness, Improved Initiative; Blinding, Distraction, half-damage from slashing and piercing, swarm traits

Small
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•   1 HD
o   Albatross (Sto): Dex +2, Con +4; 1 NA; Endurance (b), Weapon Finesse
o   Badger (MM1): Dex +6, Con +4; 1 NA; Track (b), Weapon Finesse (b), Agile; Rage
o   Carcass Eater (LM): Dex +6, Con +6; 1 NA; Track (b), Weapon Finesse; Frenzy
o   Dire Rat (MM1): Dex +6, Con +2; 1 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Alertness; Disease
o   Dog (MM1): Str +2, Dex +6, Con +4; 1 NA; Track (b), Alertness
o   Eagle (MM1): Dex +4, Con +2; 1 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Alertness
o   Fox, Arctic (Frb): Dex +6; 1 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Alertness
o   Serval (Snd): Str +2, Dex +6, Con +2; 1 NA; Weapon Finesse; Imp Grab, pounce, rake
o   Snake, Small Viper (MM1): Dex +6; 3 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Imp Init; Poison
o   Stingray (Sto): Dex +6; 1 NA; Weapon Finesse; Poison
o   Vulture (Snd): Dex +4, Con +6; 2 NA; Track

•   2 HD
o   Dinosaur, Swindlespitter (MM3): Dex +10, Con +2; 2 NA; Mobility (b), Weapon Finesse (b), Run; Poison spray
o   Octopus (MM1): Str +2, Dex +6; 2 NA; Weapon Finesse; Improved grab, ink cloud, jet
o   Turtle, Snapping (Sto): Str +2, Con +4; 5 NA; Improved Natural Armor (b), Weapon Focus (bite)

Medium
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•   1 HD
o   Baboon (MM1): Str +4, Dex +4, Con +2; 1 NA; Alertness
o   Phynxkin (DrM): Str +4, Dex +2, Con +4; 2 NA; Improved Initiative; Pounce

•   2 HD
o   Barracuda (Sto): Dex +6; 1 NA; Weapon Finesse
o   Dinosaur, Clawfoot (ECS): Str +6, Dex +6, Con +4; 3 NA; Run
o   Dog, Riding (MM1): Str +4, Dex +4, Con +4; 4 NA; Track (b), Alertness
o   Eel (Sto): Str +2, Dex +4, Con +2; 1 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Improved Initiative; Attach
o   Hyena (MM1): Str +2, Dex +4, Con +4; 2 NA; Alertness
o   Nifern (SK): Str +6, Dex +4, Con +4; +4 NA; Track (b), Multiattack; Poison, blindsight, hold breath
o   Otter, Sea (Frb): Str +2, Dex +4; 3 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Alertness
o   Porpoise (MM1): Dex +6, Con +2; 2 NA; Weapon Finesse; Blindsight, hold breath
o   Seal (Frb/Sto): Str +2, Dex +4, Con +4; 3 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Alertness
o   Snake, Medium Viper (MM1): Dex +6; 3 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Imp Init; Poison
o   Wolf (MM1): Str +2, Dex +4, Con +4; 2 NA; Track (b), Wpn Focus (Bite); Trip

•   3 HD
o   Bear, Black (MM1): Str +8, Dex +2, Con +4; 2 NA; Endurance, Run
o   Boar (MM1): Str +4, Con +6; 6 NA; Alertness, Toughness; Ferocity
o   Cheetah (MM1): Str +6, Dex +8, Con +4; 1 NA; Alertness, Weapon Finesse; Sprint, Trip
o   Crocodile (MM1): Str +8, Dex +2, Con +6; 4 NA; Alertness, Skill Focus (Hide); Improved Grab, hold breath
o   Dire Badger (MM1): Str +4, Dex +6, Con +8; 3 NA; Track (b), Alertness, Toughness; Rage
o   Dire Weasel (MM1): Str +4, Dex +8; 2 NA; Weapon Finesse (b), Alertness, Stealthy; Attach, blood drain
o   Leopard (MM1): Str +6, Dex +8, Con +4; 1 NA; Alertness, Weapon Finesse; Improved Grab, pounce, rake
o   Lizard, Monitor (MM1): Str +6, Dex +4, Con +6; 3 NA; Alertness, Great Fortitude
o   Sailsnake (MM4): Str +2, Dex +6, Con +4; 2 NA; Improved Natural Weapon (b), Weapon Finesse (b), Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative; Venom
o   Shark, Medium (MM1): Str +2, Dex +4, Con +2; 3 NA; Alertness, Weapon Finesse; Blindsense
o   Snake, Constrictor (MM1): Str +6, Dex +6, Con +2; 2 NA; Alertness, Toughness; Constrict, improved grab
o   Squid (MM1): Str +2, Dex +6; 3 NA; Alertness, Endurance; Improved grab, ink cloud, jet
o   Wolverine (MM1): Str +4, Dex +4, Con +8; 2 NA; Track (b), Alertness, Toughness; Rage

•   4 HD
o   Desmodu, Hunting Bat (MM2): Str +4, Dex +14, Con +2; 3 NA; Dodge, Weapon Finesse; Blindsense, trip
o   Dinosaur, Deinonychus (MM1): Str +8, Dex +4, Con +8; 5 NA; Run, Track; Pounce
o   Dinosaur, Fleshraker (MM3): Str +6, Dex +8, Con +4; 6 NA; INA (claw), Track; Leaping Pounce, Poison, Rake
o   Dire Toad (MM2): Dex +4, Con +4; 3 NA; Alertness, Weapon Finesse; Poison

•   5 HD
o   Dire Hawk (MM2/RoW): Str +2, Dex +12, Con +4; 3 NA; Alertness, Weapon Finesse

Large
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•   3 HD
o   Dinosaur, Cryptoclidus (MM2): Str +8, Dex +6, Con +6; 4 NA; Alertness, Dodge; Improved Grab, swallow whole
o   Dinosaur, Glidewing (ECS): Str +8, Dex +4, Con +6; 4 NA; Alertness, Flyby Attack
o   Sea Lion (Sto): Str +6, Dex +2, Con +2; 3 NA; Alertness, Weapon Focus (bite)
o   Snake, Large Viper (MM1): Dex +6; 3 NA; Weapon Finesse, Imp Init; Poison

•   4 HD
o   Ape (MM1): Str +10, Dex +4, Con +4; 3 NA; Alertness, Toughness
o   Desmodu, Guard Bat (MM2): Str +6, Dex +12, Con +6; 5 NA; Dodge (b), Mobility, Spring Attack; Blindsense, wounding bite
o   Dire Bat (MM1): Str +6, Dex +12, Con +6; 5 NA; Alertness, Stealthy; Blindsense
o   Dire Jackal (Snd): Str +10, Dex +4, Con +4; 2 NA; Alertness, Track; Trip
o   Drakkensteed (DrM): Str +12, Dex +4, Con +8; 4 NA; Alertness, Wingover; Trample
o   Lizard, Quicksilver (DotU): Str +8, Dex +4, Con +6; 3 NA; Alertness, Run; Sprint
o   Manta Ray (MM1): Str +4; 3 NA; Alertness, Endurance

•   5 HD
o   Dire Ape (MM1): Str +12, Dex +4, Con +4; 4 NA; Alertness, Toughness; Rend
o   Dire Wolverine (MM1): Str +12, Dex +6, Con +8; 4 NA; Track (b), Alertness, Toughness; Rage
o   Lion (MM1): Str +10, Dex +6, Con +4; 3 NA; Alertness, Run; Pounce, Improved Grab, Rake
o   Lizard, Footpad (DotU): Str +14, Dex +2, Con +10; 5 NA; Imp Init, INA (bite); Imp Grab
o   Walrus (Frb): Str +6, Con +2; 4 NA; Alertness, Endurance

•   6 HD
o   Bear, Brown (MM1): Str +16, Dex +2, Con +8; 5 NA; Endurance, Run, Track; Improved Grab
o   Dire Eel (Sto): Str +8, Dex +2, Con +4; 3 NA; Improved Initiative, Toughness, Wpn Focus (bite); Attach
o   Dire Phynxkin (DrM): Str +12, Dex +6, Con +8; 4 NA; Dodge, Imp Init, Mobility; Pounce
o   Dire Puma (Snd): Str +10, Dex +6, Con +8; 4 NA; Alertness, Track, Wpn Fcs (bite); Improved grab, pounce, rake
o   Dire Vulture (Snd): Str +6, Dex +2, Con +14; 7 NA; Alertness, Flyby Attack, Track; Stench
o   Dire Wolf (MM1): Str +14, Dex +4, Con +6; 3 NA; Track (b), Alertness, Run, Wpn Focus (bite); Trip
o   Tiger (MM1): Str +12, Dex +4, Con +6; 3 NA; Alertness, Imp Nat Wpn (bite/claw); Improved grab, pounce, rake

•   7 HD
o   Dire Boar (MM1): Str +16, Con +6; 6 NA; Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will; Ferocity
o   Shark, Large (MM1): Str +6, Dex +4, Con +2; 4 NA; Alertness, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative; Blindsense
o   Terror Bird (FF): Str +8, Dex +6, Con +4; 5 NA; Alertness, Imp Init, Skill Focus (Hide); Imp Grab

•   8 HD
o   Bear, Polar (MM1): Str +16, Dex +2, Con +8; 5 NA; Endurance, Run, Track; Improved Grab
o   Dinosaur, Megaraptor (MM1): Str +10, Dex +4, Con +10; 6 NA; Run, Toughness, Track; Pounce
o   Dire Barracuda (Sto): Str +8, Dex +4, Con +4; 6 NA; Alertness, Iron Will, Run; Sprint
o   Dire Lion (MM1): Str +14, Dex +4, Con +6; 4 NA; Alertness, Run, Wpn Focus (claw); Imp grab, pounce, rake
o   Octopus, Giant (MM1): Str +10, Dex +4, Con +2; 7 NA; Alertness, Skill Focus (Hide), Toughness; Improved grab, constrict, ink cloud, jet

•   9 HD
o   Smilodon (Frb): Str +14, Dex +4, Con +6; 4 NA; Alertness, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack; Augmented critical, imp grab, pounce, rake

•   10 HD
o   Dinosaur, Ichthyosaur (Sto): Str +10, Dex +6, Con +10; 6 NA; Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Swim-by Attack

•   12 HD
o   Dire Bear (MM1): Str +20, Dex +2, Con +8; 7 NA; Alertness, Endurance, Run, Toughness, Wpn Focus (claw); Imp grab
o   Fhorge (FF): Str +18, Con +10; 8 NA; Imp Crit (bite), Imp Init, Toughness, Track, Wpn Focus (bite); Imp Grab, Rage, Ferocity

Huge
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•   6 HD
o   Snake, Huge Viper (MM1): Str +6, Dex +4, Con +2; 5 NA; Imp Init, Run, Weapon Focus (bite); Poison

•   7 HD
o   Crocodile, Giant (MM1): Str +16, Dex +2; Con +7; 7 NA; Alertness, Endurance, Skill Focus (hide); Improved grab, hold breath
o   Dire Snake (MM2): Str +14, Dex +10, Con +6; 5 NA; Alertness, Endurance, Toughness; Constrict, improved grab, poison

•   8 HD
o   Whale, Orca (MM1): Str +16, Dex +4, Con +10; Alertness, Endurance, Run, Toughness; Blindsight, hold breath

•   10 HD
o   Desmodu, War Bat (MM2): Str +14, Dex +12, Con +10; 9 NA; Alertness, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Power Attack; Blindsense
o   Dinosaur, Allosaurus (MM2): Str +14, Dex +2, Con +6; 5 NA; Alertness, Run, Toughness, Track; Improved grab, rake, swallow whole, trample
o   Dinosaur, Elasmosaurus (MM1): Str +16, Dex +4, Con +12; 3 NA; Dodge, Great Fortitude, Toughness x2; None
o   Dinosaur, Quetzalcoatlus (MM2): Str +16, Dex +2, Con +10; 8 NA; Alertness, Flyby Attack, Snatch, Wingover; Swallow whole
o   Lizard, Giant Banded (Snd): Str +18, Con +12; 5 NA; Alertness, Cleave, Improved Overrun, Power Attack; Improved grab
o   Sea Tiger (MM3): Str +8, Dex +2, Con +6; 10 NA; Endurance, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Run; Blindsight, Hold Breath
o   Shark, Huge (MM1): Str +10, Dex +4, Con +4; 5 NA; Alertness, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will; Blindsense

•   11 HD
o   Snake, Giant Constrictor (MM1): Str +14, Dex +6, Con +2; 4 NA; Alertness, Endurance, Skill Focus (Hide), Toughness; Constrict, improved grab

•   12 HD
o   Dinosaur, Archelon (Sto): Str +18, Con +12; 15 NA; Great Fortitude, Toughness x4
o   Squid, Giant (MM1): Str +16, Dex +6, Con +2; 6 NA; Alertness, Diehard, Endurance, Toughness x2; Improved grab, ink cloud, jet

•   14 HD
o   Dire Tortoise (Snd): Str +16, Con +14; 19 NA; Alertness, Endurance, Toughness x3; Trample

•   15 HD
o   Dinosaur, Mosasaur (Sto): Str +18, Dex +2, Con +12; 10 NA; Alertness, Great Fortitude, Imp Nat Atk (bite), Toughness x3; Imp grab, swallow whole

Gargantuan
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•   12 HD
o   Whale, Baleen (MM1): Str +24, Dex +2, Con +12; 9 NA; Alertness, Diehard, Endurance, Toughness x2; Blindsight, hold breath
o   Whale, Cachalot (MM1): Str +24, Dex +2, Con +14; 9 NA; Alertness, Diehard, Endurance, Imp Nat Attack (bite), Toughness; Blindsight, hold breath

•   15 HD
o   Zeuglodon (Frb): Str +28, Dex +2, Con +18; 11 NA; Alterness, Diehard, Endurance, Imp Nat Atk (bite, tail slam), Iron Will

Garryl ported over the Modules, so I've picked a class.

I'm going to be a Cyberneticist.  Think of me as kind of like an Incarnate.  I can do skillmonkey, healbot-ish, ranged support, random junk.

Flamespeaker text.

Screw it, I know what I want to do.

Garryl, I'm sorry but I want to play a PoC character.  Will you be able to get it ported over?