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Anything Specific I Should Get For My Shapeshifter?

I'm having a blast with this class. I never really played as a druid much in general in past plays (years ago) and was partly too ignorant at the time to leverage them properly.

However after getting back in with BG2EE I'm loving that class. He is both an effective fighter and spell caster. The only challenges I've had is with the no armor and shitt AC in human form when we get ambushed by range. I'll have issues changing into form due to hits.

So far all is good especially with buff spells there haven't been a lot of issues on this play through. (I'm also running with the standard evil bunch and finding out they are pretty solid support)

My question to you more experienced players is are there any specific items or spells I should acquire or use when using the form to make it even more tanky in ability.

I use ironskins for sure along with some of the basic buffs in the 1-3 spellslots. He has the very first helmet you find with bonus hit points and armor class. I have ring of protection and a charisma bonus as well (not sure what charisma really does for me). I have a belt but cant recall its ability at the moment. I bought the cloak that makes me a blurry and increases saves (I bought the belt at the same spot I think) and a +3 staff that rarely gets used.

Wisdom and const are 18s. If you need any other relevant information just ask. Only issues I've noticed is he doesnt actually connect a hit as often as I'd like.

Comments

  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 5,975
    well if your shapeshifter is kicking butt, then there really isnt anything else necessary to make them better

    just note that while in shapeshift they won't get AC bonuses from armor or shields and im pretty sure you don't get their special abilities either if the have some ( which you have no doubt noticed )

    although one thing i did notice is that while in shapeshift is that you seem to be attacking with a single weapon, so if you don't have single weapon style, that could be a good proficiency to get, increases critical hit range, with a nifty +1 AC bonus
  • SilentDirectorSilentDirector Member Posts: 4
    Unless we are talking about two different things, he does get special ability uses. I'll sometimes cast whatever the quick casting buff one is while he's in werewolf form if I need him to just finish something off. I haven't considered the single weapon but definitely will.

    I think he has two handed right now because with ironskins I'll actually have him fight without armor sometimes if I anticipate a quick battle.

    Really was just looking to see if anyone knows of any items that have benefits that would carry over into werewolf form. I recently connected the dots on another play through where I got minsc the boots of speed and am headed there now with wolfman.
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 5,975
    gauntlets of weapon skill/specialization/extraordinary weapon specialization benefit a shapeshifter in werewolf form

    but realistically there is really no specific item that works better in werewolf form than any other class would benefit from

    now if you were playing vanilla bg2, the staff of the woodlands was uncontested the best weapon for shapeshifters because you could "dispel" the garbage werewolf attack and use that staff instead, and then for the extra kick in the pants you could dual class over to fighter, while still being in your werewolf form and put extra proficiencies into two handed weapon style and quarterstaff and really mop the floor with enemies

    but the EEs fixed all these awesome exploits, so whatever items you give your werewolf chap will benefit no more or less than giving it to someone else

    although belt wise, there is no point in giving your werewolf the STR belts since their STR is already set, so you could give it the belt of interior barrier ( which personally i would do ) or perhaps the girdle of bluntness ( since lots of strong enemies use crushing attacks )
    gorgonzola
  • MichelleMichelle Member Posts: 549
    I don’t think that there are many. Shield Amulet maybe for fighting out of form, Barkskin gets better but the amulet lasts long and casts quick. :) It is a shame that they got rid of the dispell WW weapon exploit. I don’t think that EE has changed on round effects increasing while hasted though so anything that gives improved haste will be great. Since you already regenerate in wolf form you might want to give the Ring of Gaxx to someone else in the party. In ToB the improved cloak of protection works wonderfully, six attacks per round and regenerate faster.
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 5,975
    I don’t think that there are many. Shield Amulet maybe for fighting out of form, Barkskin gets better but the amulet lasts long and casts quick. :) It is a shame that they got rid of the dispell WW weapon exploit. I don’t think that EE has changed on round effects increasing while hasted though so anything that gives improved haste will be great. Since you already regenerate in wolf form you might want to give the Ring of Gaxx to someone else in the party. In ToB the improved cloak of protection works wonderfully, six attacks per round and regenerate faster.

    are you sure regeneration still exists for the werewolf form? last time i used it in the EEs they got rid of the CON stat, so now you don't get the CON boost ( unless in a recent patch they gave it back ) or unless it has regeneration outside of having a higher CON stat, because as far as i know the werewolf form does not regenerate on its on in the EEs ( kind of defeating the purpose of becoming a werewolf )
    Michellegorgonzola
  • MichelleMichelle Member Posts: 549
    Wow, I didn't know that, I haven't played one in a long long time. :D Since I found out the dispell exploit doesn't work anymore! That doesn't make sense, the greater ones in the game do, my sorcerer doesn't have shapeshift picked yet so I don't know about that form. You are right, what would be the point of running one then? Why remove the regeneration, it was not in anyway gamebreaking?

    I guess that you still get 6 attacks per round with Improved Haste so items with it should still be good. Good reason to use the Ring of Gaxx then.
    sarevok57
  • SeorrSeorr Member Posts: 7
    Does Shapeshifter get access to HLA elemental transformations?
  • NeverusedNeverused Member Posts: 803
    People keep talking about the shapeshifter as a bad kit just because his shapeshifts aren’t identical to the monsters... They’re still a fully leveled druid that can actually use any type of form after level 13. Avengers’ forms fall off before then, and of course animal shapeshifts are lol-worthy past early SoA. It’s also the only druid kit that can operate as a true tank if it wants, getting to ACs well below anything you’ll see until like late ToB. Totemic druid can kinda do the same, but its animals can’t absorb heavy melee pressure the same way a shapeshifter can.

    As for items: Bracers AC3 are good for when he’s spellcasting, and the various defensive items (boots of avoidance, golden girdle) are always useful. Offensively, wand of the heavens or ring of the ram give a shapeshifter uses for his aura when shifted.

    So anyways. Yeah, you’ll start connecting less in SoA without buffs due to priest thac0, which leads to a rather interesting playstyle: the shapeshifter switches between a squishy, dangerous spellcasting terror, or a melee tank nearly impervious to damage (iron skins GWW form) but unable to really hurt his opponents consistently. Saying there’s no reason to play a shapeshifter is kinda silly, IMO.
    Michelle[Deleted User]
  • MichelleMichelle Member Posts: 549
    I stand corrected. :) I don’t think about playing in a party because I rarely do it anymore, it can be used in a party as a tank. It may work okay solo but I don’t have any desire to play it. In ToB I can never find a reason to shapeshift, maybe use the helm simmy shapeshifted occasionally. Even then it is better in the back, Druids have such wonderful tank summons.

    Sorry, all types of characters can be fun to play. I love Druids though my favorite is Kensai>Druid. Still struggling through ToB with a Shaman, lacking elemental princes and Devas is kicking my butt. The two characters I have played the most are barbarians that only ever use axes and short swords, and Cleric-Thief. I never get tired of those two. I don’t understand taking away regeneration for GWW, it was not overpowered or part of a class that was overused. That is all that I am saying. I do like bracers AC3 for the class but end up switching them out a lot, and I am a huge fan of RotR. I have no idea how many times I sent Kangaxx to sleep permanently with that thing plus all manner of trap fun. :)
    Cabusha
  • DanacmDanacm Member Posts: 951
    I used to play shapeshifter in vanilla form and after i modified its claws ot the greater form to be +5 enchantment( like how pnp natural weapons work. In this case the character hd determinates the enchantment level, as i remember it reach +5 at level 12, as pnp wizard slayers weapon enchantment level)
    After that it were a better class and useful troughout the game.
    DreadKhanilduderino
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 5,975
    I stand corrected. :) I don’t think about playing in a party because I rarely do it anymore, it can be used in a party as a tank. It may work okay solo but I don’t have any desire to play it. In ToB I can never find a reason to shapeshift, maybe use the helm simmy shapeshifted occasionally. Even then it is better in the back, Druids have such wonderful tank summons.

    Sorry, all types of characters can be fun to play. I love Druids though my favorite is Kensai>Druid. Still struggling through ToB with a Shaman, lacking elemental princes and Devas is kicking my butt. The two characters I have played the most are barbarians that only ever use axes and short swords, and Cleric-Thief. I never get tired of those two. I don’t understand taking away regeneration for GWW, it was not overpowered or part of a class that was overused. That is all that I am saying. I do like bracers AC3 for the class but end up switching them out a lot, and I am a huge fan of RotR. I have no idea how many times I sent Kangaxx to sleep permanently with that thing plus all manner of trap fun. :)

    are you playing ToB with mods? because i play on insane difficulty with no mods, and the only time i ever use summons is during the last battle in watcher's keep, and i use mordenkainen's sword
  • MichelleMichelle Member Posts: 549
    I am not sure I understand. I don’t use any mods, I would not even know how on my Android, and I play on core difficulty. Maybe I am just horrible at the game but I use summons a lot in ToB when I play Druids, which is why I am struggling so much with my solo Shaman now, it is slow going. :) I guess that I rely on summons too much. Is that a bad way to play the game? I mean, I guess that it is a bad way to play because of how difficult it is for me with the Shaman right now. I keep getting frustrated and go to another character for a while. I will get there though! :) Hopefully. :(
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 5,975
    I am not sure I understand. I don’t use any mods, I would not even know how on my Android, and I play on core difficulty. Maybe I am just horrible at the game but I use summons a lot in ToB when I play Druids, which is why I am struggling so much with my solo Shaman now, it is slow going. :) I guess that I rely on summons too much. Is that a bad way to play the game? I mean, I guess that it is a bad way to play because of how difficult it is for me with the Shaman right now. I keep getting frustrated and go to another character for a while. I will get there though! :) Hopefully. :(

    ah, you are playing a solo run, I wasn't aware, i virtually never play solo runs, so my bad
    Michelle
  • MichelleMichelle Member Posts: 549
    No problemo. I almost never run with a party. :)
    Actually I love the interactions of a party but the pathing drives me bananas. :s I have been working on a five character poverty run but that’s about it. I have to figure out Enchanted Weapon now that it has changed, before I work on that again.
    sarevok57
  • DreadKhanDreadKhan Member Posts: 3,857
    You know, I wonder if the Cloak in the sewers would be helpful at all? If you run out of shapeshifts, those ones are also quite good actually, and if you're build is based around shapeshifting already, there should be synergy, right? Anything that worked for your WW form would work for Troll too I would think, and trolls get pretty good regeneration, while the other forms also offer perks. That cloak also gives 1 AC, which is not nothing I suppose, though I think I might want to use the cloak of prot +2 improved over this cloak eventually. Is there still a RoP +3?
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 5,975
    DreadKhan wrote: »
    You know, I wonder if the Cloak in the sewers would be helpful at all? If you run out of shapeshifts, those ones are also quite good actually, and if you're build is based around shapeshifting already, there should be synergy, right? Anything that worked for your WW form would work for Troll too I would think, and trolls get pretty good regeneration, while the other forms also offer perks. That cloak also gives 1 AC, which is not nothing I suppose, though I think I might want to use the cloak of prot +2 improved over this cloak eventually. Is there still a RoP +3?

    for the ring of protection +3, that is a yes, you find it in ToB
    from the deck of many things, has a chance of getting summoned on the 2nd draw if the first draw was a "bad" result
  • gorgonzolagorgonzola Member Posts: 3,864
    armor of faith gives damage reduction and if cast before shapeshifting carries the effect also in the wolf form.
    equipping a str belt after the druid is shapeshifted overrides the str, the werewolf form has natural str of 19, with a good belt he can have more. also the reverse is true, the greater werewolf has natural str of 21, but if after shapeshifting the belt sold by ribald is equipped the str gets reduced to 19.
    having a cleric in the party that casts champion's strength on the shapeshifted druid sets his str to 18/00, so less than the hoe he has, and this is not overridden by the trick to unequip and equip again the belt, but gives the druid a good thac0 bonus that can be really useful against enemies with good ac, better hit for little less damage than miss for more damage...
    as the cleric looses the ability to cast is better to have him buff himself for physical combat then cast champion's str on the werewolf, after the protections like chaotic command, protection from fear and elemental protection are cast.
    Grond0StummvonBordwehr
  • ReticentReticent Member Posts: 122
    Bit of a thread necromancy, but:

    Anything that improves THAC0 (Helm of Balduran, etc) so you can keep pace with your fighters, who don't really have THAC0 problems even without items.

    Items with stackable AC bonus (your default AC is great, but like THAC0 eventually needs help scaling at higher levels). Aforementioned Cloak of the Sewers for example.

    Weapons with activatable abilities (Staff of Thunder and Lightning for example, nothing like chucking lighting bolts while you're in barely assailable tank mode.)

    A weapon pip in single weapon style is a big buff to Werewolf/GWW, as mentioned. Eventual honorary mention to two weapon style with Belm off-hand (changed in EE?).

    Eventually you'll want the Earth Elemental HLA, basically serves as an upgrade to GWW, if only because its "weapon" is better.

    Bhaalapawn power DUHM gives you some ridiculous stats if you have it (25, 24, 25 str dex con on GWW in vanilla, before EE nerfed Shapeshifter con).

    Most important thing though is to remember that your real strength is caster form. WW/GWW is mostly a method of keeping yourself useful while you're trying to conserve your resources.
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,367
    Don't forget your Scooby-Snacks!
    Reticent
  • WerewolfMichaelWerewolfMichael Member Posts: 2
    Hey guys, I was looking at this discussion and a few others online here and else where. BG2 was and is my favorite game always and I played always as a shapshifter. My boloved shapeshifter has been ruined. Apart from the 0.1% of people who want to do a solo run in insane mode and want a "challange" I think the nerfs are to harsh on the shapeshifter. Do you guys know who would be good to talk to on the developer side of things that might either bring back dispell magic..or something to allow the PC to hit things in late throne of bhaal. ??

    Nothing broken just something that doesnt miss all the time. I am a demi-god werewolf that cant hit shit..commmonn commmoonn :)
    Grond0
  • iosfrustrationiosfrustration Member Posts: 153
    No-one knows what insane troll logic the Beamdog devs apply when deciding what to nerf. My personal opinion is that they come back from the pub on a Friday afternoon and do it for the lulz

    What we do know is that you can’t reason with an insane troll :-)

    So have a look at some of the mods instead. There is a mod for pretty much everything, including fixing werewolves

    https://gibberlings3.github.io/Documentation/readmes/readme-cdtweaks.html
  • Ludwig_IILudwig_II Member Posts: 369
    Being able to dispel yourself to use weapons while as a werewolf was a bug. Using this bug to gain advantage was an exploit. Fixing it is a bug fix, not a nerf. And I'm grateful to Beamdog for every bug fix they make, including this one.
    Moomintroll
  • DanacmDanacm Member Posts: 951
    There were a thread about shapeshifter 18 dualled to fighter. I never build such a character, i found it really boring to dual but maybe if you have time try it.
    https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/63341/shapeshifter-dualled-to-fighter-at-level-18-thoughts

    About items:
    Vhailor's Helm to have a werewolf and a druid in solo is huge.
    Gauntlet of crushing maybe for the more dmg.
    Ac 3 bracers if you not use barkskin in druid form.
  • KhyronKhyron Member Posts: 626
    Two-Weapon Style is a must for Shapeshifter.
    Just toss on two Scimitars and you'll get an additional attack in WW shape and another with Belm.
    Clearly it's not meant to work like this, but it does.

    Instead of dual at 18, i'd dual at 13.. or not at all. 18 is much too late unless it's a solo run.
  • Grond0Grond0 Member Posts: 7,305
    Khyron wrote: »
    Two-Weapon Style is a must for Shapeshifter.
    Just toss on two Scimitars and you'll get an additional attack in WW shape and another with Belm.
    Clearly it's not meant to work like this, but it does.

    Are you sure that's the case in BG2EE? It's a while since I played a shapeshifter, but I seem to remember you get an extra attack for dual wielding in BG1EE, but not BG2EE.
  • KhyronKhyron Member Posts: 626
    That could be the case, i tried my builds in bg1ee
  • jsavingjsaving Member Posts: 1,083
    edited June 2020
    Yeah, that's a fun exploit in BG1.
  • ReticentReticent Member Posts: 122
    I haven't tried it in EE, but in vanilla ToB you can use the Shakti Statue to overwrite the default Werewolf/GWW attacks with a +4 weapon for 4 rounds, and then use whatever is in your equipped weapon slots normally afterwards.

    Less of a nonsense bug than using Dispel is, even if the result is the same.
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