Talk:Shapeshifter/@comment-5134521-20181129002647

Very usefull info: Originally posted by Eisenfell: Well after people are done bashing on the Shapeshifter druid thinking of super late game content that makes like 10% of the whole saga lets give some facts.

- The only real downside is that you cant use a normal armor in human form. given that there are numerous ways to work around that the point is rather mute so you are basically a Normal druid with special extra form. (Mage Spirit Armor, amulet of shielding , later on Barkskin all those are better than the Armors a normal druid can use minus the possible resistances on the armor)

here is what you can actually do with a Werewolf and what not.

Can in Werewolf...

-Use a Buckler and gain bonus AC. -Use Single Weapon combat Style and gain +1AC/+1Crit range -Use Sword/Shield Style and benefit from -2AC to Missiles. -Use Rings/Necklaces with Bonus AC. -Use Usable Gear like shield amulet and all other gear with a "use" function while shapeshifted. - Benefit from Elemental Resistance on Gear (Fire/Cold/Electricity) -Drink Potions and use Wands/Scrolls usable by druids. -Benefit From Speed Boots (double movement rate) -Pick up loot and manipulate his Inventory (you can not switch your weapon though !) -Suffer from cursed items like the constitution hit of claw from kazgaroth. -Use Gloves with +hit/dmg and Gauntlets of Crushing (+4hit/dmg with fists) for its 4 Damage Bonus -Benefit from items who raise values like Str/Dex/Con by 1/2/3 etc

Can't in Werewolf...

-Benefit from Extra magic Resistance, its set to 20 and stays on this. (BG2 Greater werewolf gets extra MR worn after the transformation, but has to requeip it every time) -Change his base AC1 (-1 with fixed dex) with AC bracers. -Swap his Weapon or use any Weapon. -Cast his Druid Spells. -Change his paws to strike anything Higher as a +2 Weapon. (maybe a problem with some enemy's but you can count those at one "paw".) -Benefit from gear that sets Values fixed like 18 Dex Bracers. (werewolf still has 16 dex) -Get Bonus Attacks from Gear.

Note the Greater Werewolf in BG2 gets 40 MR and 80 Fire/Cold/Electricity resistance out the box, so dragon helm or gift of peace make you actually immune to elemental dmg.

With all that in Mind my Tactic for a Shapeshifter is the Following. Wisdom/Dex/Con 18 is a must have, you could skimp on Strength but you generally want 18 there to (DEX and STR get overwriten by Werewolf but CON is your actuall characters value. Start out with 1 Point in Daggers/Sword-Shield style, load up with a Buckler and throwing daggers then get going.

You can now be either in second line and support with spells/chug daggers or go front line as Wolf and tank (load up on all AC items!), during BG1 you are equal if not better than a pure Fighter.

beginning with BG2 you will lag behind Fighters, their Gear is getting better , they load up on APR and they have the better THAC0 progression (druids still have second best in game yay!) you will however catch up once you get Greater Werewolf, and then surpass them in matters of tankyness (better AC tons of resistances, Iron Skin etc) but never again in matters of dmg output, this is about the moment then you can gear your druid towards total Magic/Elemental immunity ...just letting him walk into bossmobs/liches and soak up all the magic , but don't ever hope to hit those Bossmonsters since most of them need a +4 weapons and your claws will be capped as +3 piercing.

Note around this time your Barkskin spell will also be good enough to be a replacement for any armor your normal counterpart druids could use so combat in Human form is also possible to make use of high magic items for said bosses, and fling spells freely.

In a Nutshell, Shapeshifter is Valid and Fun, you just have to play him right.