Druid/Monk multiclass - is it worth it?

[Zaruthustran]

I'm considering a new character (starting at 1st). Self-reliance and adaptability are musts, as this will be a Living Greyhawk character. 28 point buy, core and some--not all--classes and feats from splat books.

I was considering Druid as I've never played one, but I'm intrigued by the not-original idea of taking a level of Monk for feats, saves, improved unarmed (read: wildshaped) damage, and Wis bonus to AC (read: when wildshaped).

In the opinion of The Board, is the loss of a spellcasting level and delayed wildshape abilities worth these abilities?

Consider the peculiarities of LG: extremely short encounter distances (usually 30 feet or less), very infrequent player ambushes/ability to prepare before encounters, very frequent monster ambushes/surprise attacks, abundance of templated creatures, little or no friendly NPC interaction other than information gathering, little or no reliance on PC travel spells, all foes fight to the death always. Also consider that this is a secondary character, and most likely will never reach higher than 8th or 9th character level.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Human
S 10 Dex 14 Con 14 Int 12 Wis 16 Cha 8

Druid 1: Extend Spell, Scribe Scroll
Monk 1: (Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, monk unarmed damage, Wis bonus to AC)
Druid 2: Deflect Arrows (purely for style points--deflecting an arrow while wildshaped is dang cool)
Druid 5: Natural Spell
Druid 8: ?
Unlikely to play past level 8, as this is a secondary character.


Variations include taking Druid 2 before the monk level (what for to get that +1 BAB at CL 2) but this might jeopardize the Deflect Arrows feat--Improved Unarmed is a pre-req, and I'm not sure if feats gained through character class are applied before or after feats gained by level up.

Thoughts, opinions, and experiences sought.

Thanks!

-z

 

[Rashak Mani]

I started playing a Monk1/DruidX character... and even though it was in 3.0 it was very good combination. Your Wisdom though at 16 isn't exceptional and high wisdom is what would make this combination very good. You keep Wis Bonus when wildshaping.

You can stun in animal form too... high wisdom helps. I would have to check the changes in 3.5 to be sure if its still a good thing.

3.5 has already boosted the Druid considerably though... and in fact the best use of a Druid now is being a Summoning master. Not so sure entering combat in wildshape is as worthwhile as before. If your campaign is money rich... its easier to get magical armor and put a wilding clasp on it... which means high AC is easier to keep in wildshape... so consider these points.

As for roleplaying its quite a crazy combo... LN by necessity... you certainly must have some kind of mission or ideology driving you. My character was fun to play and I was never sure if I should be kicking people or spellcasting....

 

[mikebr99]

I would say it isn't worth it... buy a monk's belt for the AC bonus.

3.5 Druids are way more combat heavy in wildshaped forms, now that their HP change WRT the new CON. Just be sure to track it well, and have some healing ready for before you change back to human.

The Wild enhancement on dragon scale armor is also a good choice...


YMMV


Mike

 

[Scion]

I did this in 3.0, and there it was worth it, but only barely. With the changes in 3.5 it is no longer worth it (mainly for the loss of evasion actually, but also with the change to the monks belt). I agree with the last poster, stick with straight druid, grab a monks belt. I would even say to drop your strength by 2 points and the same with your dex, stick the points somewhere else, like wisdom! Then at 4th you can grab another point in wis and have that 18, or even drop your dex a little farther to get the 18 now. With the monks belt you will be rocking Plus your spellcasting will be good, and you will get your wildshape slightly earlier, which is huge since you arent playing very high with this guy anyway.

 

[Zaruthustran]

As for roleplaying its quite a crazy combo... LN by necessity... you certainly must have some kind of mission or ideology driving you. My character was fun to play and I was never sure if I should be kicking people or spellcasting....

Yeah, I was going to have him be a gentleman naturalist/Great White Hunter character. Sort of a cross between Alan Quatermain (League of Extraordinary Gentlement) and Stephen Maturin (Master and Commander). Instead of being the grizzled wildman dressed in skins and feathers, this character would wear fashionable conservative clothes and advocate responsible land stewardship and the taming of nature for the betterment of mankind. He would view clerics as misguided simpletons who follishly worship anthropomorphised characteristics of Nature when they should be *harnessing* the base power of Nature through the application of science and formulae designed to alter Nature's laws (Druid spells and abilities).

Animal companion would be a riding dog (St. Bernard) or a heavy horse, as opposed to the more traditional wolf.

I think he'd be real fun to play.

So, I'm going for it. Thank you for the advice and tips; any more?

-z

 

[Nifft]

Interesting... with that character concept, you might want a higher Charisma (at the expense of Strength I'd think). Since you've got a big horse companion, you don't really need to heft much of your own equipment.

Here's a PrC that I made to expand on the concept, though it's tied to a specific LN goddess in my world:

http://klimt.cns.nyu.edu/~fishman/DnD/prc.shtml#devoteesilverpath

-- N

 

[Will]

I would sacrifice Str and Con when making a druid, unless you are planning on Power Attack feat at some point (which I wouldn't advise.)

Druids are pretty much able to replace all physical stats by an animal's. This is their considerable power.

Personally, while a druid is very powerful alone, I think a few levels of monk would probably do well, particularly if you can get the DM to waive monk advancement limitations (that is, can't raise monk if you take anything else later). Increase of speed, flurry, and other monky stuff combined with wild shape is rather effective.

Yes, druids can get a lot of armor with some creativity and cost (ironwood), but I think you'd be very viable with ring of protection, bracers of armor, and so on.

Ape form seems the best, if you plan on being 'handy.' Or dire ape.

Bear form isn't bad, neither.

If you are of sufficient level and underwater... squids can destroy a DM's plans in two rounds. I learned this from direct experience... bastards. (Super ultra grapple monsters. Man. My poor nightwalkers)

Now, in this venue you are sacrificing some spell power, but I think you make up for it significantly in personal power. Given what you said about encounters, particularly, it seems worth it to me.