Quoth the raven: Well, what now?

[Admiral Squish]

You may or may not be getting bored of me, but I'm here again, for more advice. Now, I'm making a spiritual leader among a murder of Kenku. Gestalt level three. On one half, I was thinking wildshape ranger with the shapeshifter variant, but I want something on the other half that would fit the flavor of a raven.

I'm looking at hexblade, and that would fit the bad omens part of it's legends and symbolism. But It's also supposed to good fortune, health, and intelligence connotations as well. I'm not sure what, if anything, would do that... Then there's the kenku's great ally ability which leads me to think a spiritual leader among them should be a group buffer. I've got shapeshifting so that means no spellcasting in any traditional sense, or at least none in a combat role. Full BaB from ranger and the shapeshifting means I'd like to be in a frontline sort of position. Anyone have any ideas?

[Greenish]

Crusader focusing on White Raven. Warlock (maybe glaivelock if you want to melee).

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

You could put Cloistered Cleric on the other side and take spells that fit your flavor (Omen of Peril and Bestow Curse come to mind).

[Admiral Squish]

You could put Cloistered Cleric on the other side and take spells that fit your flavor (Omen of Peril and Bestow Curse come to mind).

Well, like I said, shapeshifting, so traditional casting is, more or less, out. I can't cast shifted, and I'd rather not spend the first two rounds buffing and debuffing before going into the fray.

I need something either passive or doesn't require more than a thought. Maybe a psion of some sort would work?

As for white raven, thanks, but I don't think the DM would like ToB stuff.

[Yorrin]

I can't cast shifted

Natural Spell feat doesn't apply here why?

[Optimystik]

Natural Spell feat doesn't apply here why?

Needs level 6, I think.

How about Hengeyokai Warlock//Spellthief? Technically they turn into sparrows, but just say you're a raven instead.

[Admiral Squish]

Needs level 6, I think.

How about Hengeyokai Warlock//Spellthief? Technically they turn into sparrows, but just say you're a raven instead.

That, and shapeshifting has a specific clause about no natural spell. A stupid clause, but it's still there, so...

That might work, but there's still just bad luck there. What book are hegeyokai in again?

[Optimystik]

What book are hegeyokai in again?

Oriental Adventures

[Yorrin]

Ah, that makes sense.

Also- Hengeyokai received a 3.5 update. All it did was change its type to Humanoid (shapeshifter) and remove the +1LA

[Thurbane]

The vestige Malphas lets you summon a Raven at will and effectively scry through it's eyes. You can get this ability through levels in Binder, or with the Bind Vestige feat chain.

[Coidzor]

Does shapeshifting variant kick in at level 1? As otherwise he's not going to be shifting at all if it has the same level 6 requirement as normal wild shape.

Also, any casting is going to be left to go to waste if he shifts as anything other than a flee-mobility sort of thing or doesn't have time to do something like cleric-zilla up then shift.

[Admiral Squish]

Yes, shapeshifting applies at lv. 1.