Shifter Druid/Moonspeaker Help plz

[Angerland]

Starting an Ebberon campaign (at 1st level) thursday and I am going to play a shifter Druid. Posted these questions on the WOTC boards with mediocre results.

All Races books, Complete series, Core, PHBII, Spell Compendium, Ebberon books open for use.

Male Shifter Druid1 (Razorclaw traits). This is were I placed my stats, does this look ok? Any suggestions?

Str 13
Dex 17 (15)
Con 16
Int 12 (14)
Wis 16
Cha 10 (12)

Are the Shifter Druid substitution levels better than a standard Druid? I know it seems you get a lot of benefits at the cost of an animal companion at 1st level but at 5th you give up Wild shaping. I kind of think that Wildshape is better than Shifting but plz, you tell me. The 4th Level of the substitution levels seems decent. If going as Standard druid I have a War trained riding dog in spiked leather as a companion.

At 9th level this character will be heading in to Moonspeaker Prestige Class. I need help now with feats for this character as well. At Moonsinger1 he would get Augment Summoning as a bonus feat, later gets improved natural attack as well. Here is what I was thinking so far:
1.Razorclaw Elite
3.Natural Spell (If standard Druid progression into wildshaping)
6. Extend Spell
9.?
12.?
15.?
18.?

Any tips/help would be great! Game starts Thursday!

 

[blargney the second]

What roles do you want him to fill?
-blarg

 

[Angerland]

we have a Warforged Duskblade, Shifter Warblade, Changeling rogue/wizard, and human monk/sorceror as the other members of the party. I see the druid using summon and animal companion to add some fighters/flankers to the group. Obviously I will have to do the healing but I will not be the walking first aid kit. In keeping with the shifters theme from the book descriptions they always tend or want to be self sufficient. I realise this doesn't help from an optimization stand point.

Here are the feats I have marked, but I need help placing them in a good order

Ashbound
Warden Initiate
Shifter Instincts
Natural Spell
Extend Spell
Razorclaw Elite
Great Rend

9th leve I will be a Moonspeaker which gives Augment summoning as a bonus feat right away.

Is the shifter druids replacement of the animal companion class ability worht taking at 1st level? What about replacing 5th level wildshape with more shifter abilities?

 

[Crothian]

I like Shifter Druid substitution levels. It is more shifter power and saves you the hassle of messing with Wildshape. If you really like summoning things at ninth tale Augment Elemental from Magic of Eberron I believe. That with Augment summoning makes for some really powerful elementals.

 

[NilesB]

Are the Shifter Druid substitution levels better than a standard Druid? I know it seems you get a lot of benefits at the cost of an animal companion at 1st level but at 5th you give up Wild shaping. I kind of think that Wildshape is better than Shifting but plz, you tell me. The 4th Level of the substitution levels seems decent. If going as Standard druid I have a War trained riding dog in spiked leather as a companion.

The first level substitution has a fairly high cost for a large benefit, Given that you are planning on taking levels in Moonspeaker (which doesn't advance either ability) I'd definitely take it, an underleveled beast spirit is a bigger help than an underleveled animal companion. Also with the summoning bonuses you'll be getting you should be able to put as many allies into battle as you and the DM can keep track of without an animal companion.

The fifth level ability is simpler than wildshape but vastly less powerful, I wouldn't take it unless you want to build your whole character around the shifting ability. I think you'll get more use out of wildshape even if you just use it to fly, climb, swim and burrow as needed.

 

[NilesB]

You can only be a member of one Druidic order, no ashbound and Warden initiate in the same character. It's also bad form to create a member of an organization (the Ashbound) who veiws Arcane magic as a Vile and unnatural act when three of your party members are arcane spellcasters.

Given your parties lack of healing I'd seriously consider the Spontaneous healer feat from Complete Divine.

 

[Angerland]

I have Ashbound and Warden because of a story hook. The chracter was brought in to the Ashbound tradition and then realised that this was not the right ideal for him and so becomes a Warden of the Wood instead. Can't find anything in the EbCS or RoE that says you can't leave a tradition for another. Of course this means Regualr Ashbound Druids will think of me as a Traitor and what not but that makes things fun right?

 

[nonamazing]

Given your party's makeup and the relative scarcity of healing magic, it seems to me that your best tactical option in combat is to take your opponents down before they have a chance to deal damage to you. As such, I'd suggest Improved Initiative (which is actually pretty helpful if you plan on doing a lot of summoning later on--you want to try and get your creatures out there as quickly as possible).

The Shifter substitution levels should work well for this character. As I recall, it gives you a bonus to Spot and Listen, right? (The Spirit grants the Awareness feat, I think--forgive me if I'm way off). That can be quite a boon to a party like this, because you want to avoid getting ambushed at all costs.

Are you going to be doing a lot of frontline fighting? Then pick up the Shifter feats to increase your damage. Are you going to be more of a spellcaster? Then go for more spellcasting feats. I'd stick with the Wild Shape, if I were you, but consider the Druid Wild Shape variant. Shifting doesn't normally stack with Wild Shape (I think) but it can and will stack with that particular variant.

Oh, and consider Weapon Finesse if you're going to be doing a lot of melee.

 

[Angerland]

spontaneous healer is a very good call as well, have to maybe add that to the list. I am , loath to be the party band ais though. Yes I know we need healing and it will fall mostly on me. I will keep folks alive who need it during a fight but most of my healing will come after fights I think. (wands, scrolls, potions, etc...)

 

[NilesB]

You are going to be the parties' healer like it or not. The only questions are how good at it will you be at it and how much will it interfere with your other tasks.

On these points Spontaneous Healer helps.