nature classes

[Ryll]

Ok, I've got my scan of MotW up on screen now...and looked at the Verdent Lord.
For starters, looks like the progression is nice, full attack bonus advance, strong Fort and Will save advancement, and your spellcraft gets beefy.
You also get some nice bonuses, like being able to spontaneously cast some healing spells, and abilities to rebuke and animate plants. Overall great if you're going to be outdoors a lot. If you're going to see lots of caves and dungeons, steer clear.

I've got another idea for you though. Shifters (imo) are badass. Basically you'll get no further spells, but you can become a huge variety of animals, eventually an elemental or dire animal, and be able to shift your form a ton of times a day. Great for versitility, able to go from tiny to huge, so you can sneak around or be a beast in combat. A better option if you're going to see a lot of dungeoncrawl.

*Edit* I double-checked....as a shifter you'll basically be able to become almost anything in the Monster Manual.... eek ....including undead, constructs, outsiders, abberations, dragons....and at 10th level you can go all the way from Fine to Gargantuan.

[elindred]

horizon walker is also a pretty cool prestige class out of the DMG

verdant lord and deepwood sniper are both fairly powerful classes that haven't been reprinted, and i think that's with good reason.

straight up ranger is quite badass as well. don't knock it without giving it a second thought.

[FFVII_Fanatic]

Quote:

And there are druids and rangers.

How did you forget the Barbarian? Masters of the Wild even talks about the Barbarian

[Peddy]

The Verdant Lord was basically a plant-focused druid PrC that eventually has the character change type to Plant at 10th. It's .. so-so. Better for NPCs that are particular to a given environment, in my oppinion.

As for the Exotic Weapon Master, they just changed the PrCs focus *shrug*. In MotW it was a PrC that focused on being able to use all manner of weapons no matter how outlandish they may be, in CompWar it became a mini-weaponmaster PrC. The idea became you're badass with your one type of Exotic Weapon. I still have -no- idea why the MotW version of the class required rage, however. Just made no sense. I liked the eventual ability to use improvised weapons well, however (same with the similar class feature of the Drunken Master).


Anyway, naturey PrCs? Hmm. Well, for starters, if you're playing a druid, don't pick up PrCs - just stick with straight Druid. What you lose will rarely be worth what you gain, unless you have a particular character concept in mind, such as a Shifter/Master of Many Forms. That being said, let's crack open the books and take a look-see...

Dungeon Master's Guide: Horizon Walker
Savage Species: Master of Flies.
Book of Exalted Deeds: Beloved of Valarian, Lion of Talisid, Swanmay.
Book of Vile Darkness: Vermin Lord.
Complete Warrior: Bear Warrior, Nature's Warrior, Stonelord, Warshaper (kinda~).
Complete Divine: Blighter, Geomancer, Stormlord.
Complete Arcane: Elemental Savant.
Complete Adventurer: Animal Lord, Beastmaster, Fochlucan Lyrist, Highland Stalker, Master of Many Forms, Wild Plains Outrider.
Races of Stone: Cragtop Archer, Earthdreamer, Peregrine Runner.
Races of the Wild: Arcane Hierophant(<~broken as ********), Skypledged, Wildrunner.

...plus some things from the 3.0 class books that I don't have access too at the moment, such as Verdant Lord, and King/Queen of the Wild.

[starsrift]

Horizon Walker is a great PrC, really. And Arcane Archer is nice.
If your DM will allow, there's also some really great 'Woodland' type PrC's made by others on the WotC bulletin boards. (At their site.)

[OrphanGrinder]

Just remember to use the 3.5 stuff since not all of 3.5 is backwards compatible to 3.0 classes

[Arc Vembris]

Peddy just said everything I could possibly have said. Go Peddy.

Personally I like the Beastmaster since it can add Animal Companion abilities to someone who doesn't normally get that class feature. And if you do get it, hot damn does it rock that feature out.