[3.5]Wildmeld Druid - Design/questions

[SylvanPrincess]

Hey all. So one of the 3 classes ive been developing is a druid variant 20 level progression. The main ability change Im doing is something called "Wildmeld". I'm still working out the kinks of Wildmeld, but it would replace Wild Shape.

Wildmeld: A 5th level wildmeld druidgets the ability to become one with her animal companion and fight as one once a day. She has to be touching her companion to do so. Once melded, she adds her physical ability modifiers to her companion's ability scoresto determine their melded ability scores. She retains her mental ability scores (the companion takes on her mental scores).
--For example, Ashen has an animal companion with 20 str, 18 dex, and 15 con. Ashen's has modifiers of +2 str (15), +5 dex (20), and +1 con (13). Once melded, their abilities jump to 22 str, 23 dex, and 16 con.
--A druid loses her ability to speak while melded because she is limited to the sounds her companion can make.
--A druid gains additional melds per day at 6th, 7th, 10th, 14th, and 18th levels. In addition, she gains the ability to grow once melded into a large version of her companion at level 9, a tiny version at level 11, and a huge version at level 15.


a couple of notes, the animal companion of the wildmeld druid starts with the 'magebred' template (Eb 295). Also it has the familiars INT increase progression. here is a gander at the magebred template.

magebred template (eb 295)



Now for my question :)
first off, is any of this too strong? too weak? while melded you are losing the service of your companion to fight by your side, but the melded you becomes more powerful (moreso with the magebred template).

secondly,i want to grant the animal companion the "monster of legend" template at a higher level. i want your opinions on what level i should grant it at (im thinking 20). heres a gander at the template.


(MM2 p213)

[SylvanPrincess]

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[Kuma Kode]

Wildmeld seems rather weak compared to Wildshape, primarily because you and your animal companion can attack separately, making two attacks per round between you. With Wildmeld you give up your own actions to give your companion... what, an average +1 or +2 to damage and AC? When if you remained separate, you could be doing 1d6+1 damage per round on top of your animal companion's 1d6+2 or something. Perhaps make it half of your scores add to theirs? That's about a +3 to damage at first level; might be worthwhile.

I like the idea.

Monster of Legend is a pretty ridiculous template, and if you're going to apply both the Magebred (I like that, is it homebrew?) and Monster of Legend, you might want to keep Wildmeld as it is, and just have the class focus primarily on the animal companion. It can be like the Everquest necromancer; the pet attacks while the master just sits back, casts a few buffs or heals now and again, and does her nails.

If you're going full-on pet class, I might offer it at 15. Maybe. It's a pretty ludicrous template... I'll have to think on that, maybe run it through some calculations.

[SylvanPrincess]

the thing about the wildmeld druid is that phsyical scores ARE important- much like the shapeshift druid. its going to be important to build your character to resemble your companion in terms of stats, because it will increase much more. if i have a bear companion with 22 str, and i have a 20 str, then melded me/bear will have a 27 str. but if i have a 13 str, and my bear has 22, well then it doesnt make much sense. there will be a lot of optimizing room.

also, due to the magebred template, and just being an animal companion, its str/dex will be much higher than average anyway. and it will have multiattack as its special ability. so by the time you hit 20 and get beast of legend, your companion will be quite formidable indeed. remember, that you dont have to meld too, you can let him do his animal thang :)

this will also be a full caster psionic caster. i think that will give it a pretty cool flavor.

anyway, thanks for responding, i will be posting it all up when i get the chance, but its hot, and i am going to the river :)

[Venardhi]

If you're doing it as a Psionic class, perhaps you could have it be that all their physical ability modifiers are raised by the modifier of whatever your main manifesting stat is. So if this is a Wisdom-based Psion, the melded form would gain your wisdom mod to Str, Dex and Con. This would allow you to focus more on casting and support when in your unmelded form and allow a much greater difference in the sort of physical damage you are doing in the melded form than if you were already brawling side by side next to your pet. Otherwise I would think you would be pretty unlikely to ever break it out except for big single-target fights.

For flavor, may I suggest the melded form be semi-crystalline? A giant crystalline bear/wolf/badger/lion/whatever just seems a little too awesome a visual to pass up.

[SylvanPrincess]

Monster of Legend is a pretty ridiculous template, and if you're going to apply both the Magebred (I like that, is it homebrew?)

nope, its in mm2. i dont know about making it full on pet class, but it IS a 3/4 full on pet class, mainly when you go into combat. and if you dont meld, you can still sit back and cast- i mean psionicise things-with your mind! BAM!
then you meld, and wreck stuff

i didnt realize the templates i posted earlier were copyrighted material! sorry GitP! i have posted the page numbers, hopefully that'll be enough. i personally found an online pdf with ALL the templates on it, thats where i got all my info.


For flavor, may I suggest the melded form be semi-crystalline? A giant crystalline bear/wolf/badger/lion/whatever just seems a little too awesome a visual to pass up.

lol awesome visual! i like your idea too, about adding wis to the 3 scores. the only problem that i have with it, is that im trying to avoid the typical weakling druid. i think for flavor, building your character to resemble the animals youll be befriending is cool. youll almost be able to tell what the druids companion is, based on what the druid looks like :)

im giving serious thought to the wis idea though. (im just tired of not being about to carry anything! or get down with melee combat because i have a -2 str bonus not-bonus)