Which One Spell (Spirit Shaman): PbP

[InnaBinder]

I've never rolled up a Spirit Shaman before, but Kuro's game beckoned and the concept of a Spirit Shaman/SotMI/WitW was compelling.  We're starting at 7th level, which means - because WitW drops a caster level at 1st - I have ONE 3rd level spell to tide me over until next level.  As you know, "until next level" in a PbP game can be a very long wait indeed, potentially.  Which spell would you recommend?

Feats are: Skill Focus (Conjuration), Augment Summoning, Spontaneous Summoner, Heat Endurance, Ashbound, and Improved Heat Endurance.  I took Reckless and Noncombatant to go with an 8 STR, so if you're recommending a spell reliant on melee or touch, I'd appreciate keeping those factors in mind.

[Garryl]

Don't Spirit Shamans get to reselect their retrieved spells every day or something like that?

[InnaBinder]

Don't Spirit Shamans get to reselect their retrieved spells every day or something like that?

So, I should put zero forethought into the process whatsoever?

[Garryl]

Don't Spirit Shamans get to reselect their retrieved spells every day or something like that?

So, I should put zero forethought into the process whatsoever?

No, but the considerations are rather different. With a spell selection forever known, you need something that's good in a wide variety of situations. With spells that can be changed every day, you need to be aware of your options but you can pick narrower choices that are better tuned to what you want to do that day.

Spirit Shamans pick from the full Druid spell list, right?

[Jackinthegreen]

Yes, Spirit Shamans do pick from the Druid list.

The question would probably be best redone as "What is one of the best spells for general everyday use?"  And perhaps after that would be "Which spell(s) should I look at for niche situations?"

[Empirate]

IMO your build makes it rather obvious that you're thinking about Summon Nature's Ally III a lot. Why not just run with it? It provides a certain degree of versatility, and with your feat selection, will be helpful in every fight. There's your everyday choice. When you know exactly what you're up against, you want to consider more niche selections like the following:

Neutralize Poison (good spell at lower levels actually, where poison is common and dangerous),
Mass Resist Energy (obvious uses),
Heart of Water or Water Breathing (again, obvious, and depending on whether you or the whole party needs to swim around),
Meld Into Stone (ambush scenarios, be-safe option),
Stone Shape (can be very handy in underground locations, or when dealing with stone architecture),
Quench (heavily circumstantial, but when that circumstance comes up, this little spell delivers),
Sleet Storm (best BC available at this level, but maybe also consider Haboob),
Wind Wall (shuts down archers and a variety of breath weapons).

[Kasz]

IMO your build makes it rather obvious that you're thinking about Summon Nature's Ally III a lot.

He's got Spontaneous Summoning, meaning he never needs to prepare Summon Nature's Ally... he can always convert a different spell into it.

On a Druid I'd tend to have Crumble and/or Sleet Storm prepped every day in a 3rd level slot... Those spells are hardly ever useless... and the fact you can convert them to summoning means they'll probably always be solid choices... at least, that's my experience.

[Arz]

Actually that's a point. He does not need the Spont Summon feat for Ashbound as long as he keeps one SNA in his known list. So you can free up a slot there.

Okay, this is what I had from my Xmas Tree build:     Protection from Energy [phb 266]     Vigor, mass lesser [spc 229]

Keep in mind this was from a 9th level caster, so YMMV

Or, Spirit Shaman Handbook

[InnaBinder]

The handbook appears to think Spontaneous Summoner is, in fact, a good choice (and was a contributing factor to its inclusion).

[Empirate]

Oh crap, read over Spontaneous Summoner. Well, my other suggestions still apply. Anyone else care to make any?

[Arz]

My opinion has always been thus: # of spell choices > # feats. So don't go wasting a feat there unless you are burning it to the ground. In this case utilizing all nine spells in near every session. Also the great thing about SS is casting spontaneously with metamagic added, which spont summons doesn't allow. So I kinda think it an average not a wow feat.

narrowed down that spell choice yet?

[InnaBinder]

My opinion has always been thus: # of spell choices > # feats. So don't go wasting a feat there unless you are burning it to the ground. In this case utilizing all nine spells in near every session. Also the great thing about SS is casting spontaneously with metamagic added, which spont summons doesn't allow. So I kinda think it an average not a wow feat.

narrowed down that spell choice yet?

Probably Wind Wall at this point.  Other spells chosen include Faerie Fire, Crabwalk, Sandblast, Barkskin, and Briar Web.  My thinking on them is that I cover a variety of bases, and have tools available for several situations while maintaining an ability to boost my summons in (at least somewhat) meaningful ways.  Lesser Vigor will quite likely be on a wand.

[Arz]

That's a good list for most games, except crabwalk. I'd cut crabwalk then pick one of remainders. If it doesn't get a sour lemon face out of your DM try again tomorow. Its not like you are stuck with it, poor sorceror.

[Halinn]

Spike Growth is also a decent option to have for large-scale crowd control. I wouldn't have it as a go-to spell, but something to keep in mind if you know that you are going against a large number of fairly weak opponents.

[wotmaniac]

3rd-level?  Let's see <flips through current druid character spell list>
According to my eraser marks, I seem to like the following quite a bit (depending on the roll I'm filling at the time):
Call Lighting, Sleet Storm, Spike Growth, Stone Shape, Spikes (especially when paired with Bite of the WereX), Plant Growth, Primal Instinct (+ Primal Hunter for the uncanny dodge ... of course, I also have Shape Soulmeld, which combined seems to give me IMP. uncanny dodge -- but it's also a weird build, so you might not want to pay that any attention).

It's been 6 months since I've been restricted to 3rd-level spells, so my memory is failing me (which is why I'm just pulling off of my character sheet).