Warshaper 3-4 or Deepwarden 2?

[phaedrusxy]

I'm working on a level 8 gestalt dwarven dire werebadger, and am debating whether to continue with warshaper levels 3&4, or take 2 levels of Deepwarden? Often I don't spend class levels on optimizing AC, but this would result in a +14 boost to his AC in hybrid/animal form due to his massive Con score. The tradeoff is reach and fast healing 2 (which I'll probably eventually pick up as well).

[Nanshork]

First off, have you checked out my dwarven were-dire badger build?

I chose Deepwarden (and also Fist of the Forest).

[phaedrusxy]

First off, have you checked out my dwarven were-dire badger build?

I chose Deepwarden (and also Fist of the Forest).

Got a link for the build? I considered FotF, but thought the prereqs were a bit too tough to be worth it, at least for now. In a PbP, I don't know how far into the future it's worth looking.

[Nanshork]

It is listed as the Werebadger Lord.  (The werewolf lord is a were-dire wolf.)

Looking through those builds I kind of want to redo some of them.  I really don't know why I threw Battlerager in there and the fighter level is just to meet pre-reqs for that.

Also, reckless rager is a good feat for double raging when you get Con to AC.

[phaedrusxy]

Another tempting option with this is goliath for the base race, for Mountain Rage, assuming it would trigger when you enter the dire badger's racial Rage ability... That combined with Reckless Rager would be +8 Str/+6 Con and Large size when raging, which is pretty awesome. You'd be forced to use Fist of the Forest over Deep Warden for Con to AC, though (and I've never really liked goliaths as far as fluff...).

And Madfoam Rager is a crazy awesome feat. I can't believe I've never noticed it before.

[Nanshork]

Mad Foam Rager can be pretty good if you can find a feat slot for it.  I never can...

[phaedrusxy]

Mad Foam Rager can be pretty good if you can find a feat slot for it.  I never can...

That's because you're eating all of those Fist of the Forest prereqs instead of going with Deepwarden. I have most of the feats I need/want by 6th level (gestalt).

[Nanshork]

Mad Foam Rager can be pretty good if you can find a feat slot for it.  I never can...

That's because you're eating all of those Fist of the Forest prereqs instead of going with Deepwarden. I have most of the feats I need/want by 6th level (gestalt).

Excuses excuses. 

Anyways, I went Fist of the Forest AND Deepwarden, not one or the other.   

[Jackinthegreen]

Is Dragon Mag available?  Ranger can get either Power Attack or Improved Unarmed Strike from alternate combat styles in Dragon 326 at level 2.

[wotmaniac]

Another tempting option with this is goliath for the base race,

You're starting to slip, guy -- lycanthropy is restricted humanoids and giants only.  Just sayin'.   
(but if Powerful Build is something you want, there's always half-giants).

If forced to choose, I say go with deepwarden -- higher AC means not having to heal damage ... especially with the kind of #s you're throwing around.

[phaedrusxy]

Is Dragon Mag available?  Ranger can get either Power Attack or Improved Unarmed Strike from alternate combat styles in Dragon 326 at level 2.

Yeah, in general it's not, but I asked about that and got it approved. Now I need to decide what to do with the feat it freed up.

Edit: I'll probably just pick up Extra Granted Maneuver.

[phaedrusxy]

You know... after looking this over a bit more, if you're not allowed to advance the dire badger by 1 HD for the size boost, werebear is actually a lot better... Yeah, it's 3 more HD, but it has a lot better stat mods and large size and the Rage from the badger is only available when in animal form (Ex special attack), anyway.

If I were redoing this from scratch, I'd probably go with that. The only real drawback I see is the alignment requirement basically precludes you from taking barbarian for pounce. However, if you'd started out as a barbarian before being afflicted with lycanthropy, you'd lose Rage but still keep Pounce. You basically gain +12 to Str and large size for those 3 more HD (or +8 Str and -4 Con for the bear, if you count the badger's rage bonuses).