My D&D group is toying with the idea of switching from Pathfinder to 4e, and I've been tasked with trying to put together 4e builds for each of the characters in the party. Ironically, the one I've had the most trouble with is my own. I'm playing a Summoner from the Pathfinder Advanced Player's Guide play test document, and getting the same feel from a 4e build has been elusive to say the least. I think I've got a decent build put together, but I was wondering if anybody had any ideas for improvement.
My summoner is a kid who has his destiny entwined with that of an infernal wolf pack. All of his summons are members of the pack, and his eidolon is the pack member who befriended him as a youngster. The big trick is keeping the eidolon 'feel' for a summon that sticks around, and keeping his various powers and effects at least skinnable as other pack members being summoned, even if only momentarily.
I haven't cleared it with my DM yet, but I'm thinking that sacrificing the Wild Shape ability of the Druid to combine it with Call Spirit Companion from his Shaman multi-class feat and allowing his spirit companion to use his 'Beast Form' druid powers at their normal action cost could be a good way to mimic the eidolon. I'd appreciate some feedback on that idea in particular. I think it's still balanced, but I haven't had much 4e experience, so I'm not sure.
Here's the text-form summary of the build I've got so far, and I've attached the character builder file in case someone is interested.
Code:
William the Shepherd, level 5
Human, Druid
Build: Predator Druid
Primal Aspect: Primal Predator
Background: Born Under a Bad Sign, Geography - Mountains, Society - Poor, Early Life - Kidnapped, Early Life - Social Outcast (Born Under a Bad Sign Benefit)
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 13, Dex 14, Int 10, Wis 19, Cha 14.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 13, Dex 13, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 14.
AC: 15 Fort: 15 Reflex: 17 Will: 19
HP: 51 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 12
TRAINED SKILLS
Insight +11, Nature +11, Perception +11, Endurance +8, Arcana +7
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +4, Bluff +4, Diplomacy +4, Dungeoneering +6, Heal +6, History +2, Intimidate +4, Religion +2, Stealth +4, Streetwise +4, Thievery +4, Athletics +2
FEATS
Druid: Ritual Caster
Human: Wild Sage
Level 1: Spirit Talker
Level 2: Clever Control
Level 4: Hafted Defense
POWERS
Bonus At-Will Power: Call of the Beast
Druid at-will 1: Spirit Briar
Druid at-will 1: Thorn Whip
Druid at-will 1: Savage Rend
Spirit Talker: World Speaker's Command
Druid encounter 1: Call Forth the Spirit Pack
Druid daily 1: Summon Pack Wolf
Druid utility 2: Nature Sense
Druid encounter 3: Feral Harrier
Druid daily 5: Roar of Terror
ITEMS
Ritual Book, Adventurer's Kit, Sling, Standard Identification Papers, Sling Bullets (20), Cloak of Distortion +1, The Fang of the Blood Pack*, Magic Staff +2, Elusive Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing) +1, Eberron Shard of Bleeding Wounds (heroic tier)
RITUALS
Animal Messenger, Make Whole, Traveler's Camouflage
* "The Fang of the Blood Pack" is a weapon of prophecy. In Pathfinder, being a 3.5 based system, it's a legacy weapon, similar in build to the orc spear from the Weapons of Legacy book. For 4e, I've mapped it out as being a totemic spear +2 with the added ability to be used as a staff implement. I'm thinking that keeping the legacy weapon status could be as simple as periodically 'upgrading' the spear to keep its power level in sync with his level. The +2 Magic Staff is a placeholder so the character builder spits out his power info at the right level to account for the bonus to his druid powers.
