The Wild Reaper Skill List

Gaming groups in which I participate are pretty serious about following rules. Players do, in fact, make Handle Animal skill checks to handle and push animal companions, and the skill Spellcraft is used all the time to determine a school of magic using the spell detect magic [div] (PH 219) and to identify a spell already in place, for example. This means the importance I place on some skills will be different from the importance others place on some skills.

Anyway, amusingly, the variant druid wild reaper (Dragon #311 55-7) adds 1 class skill to the druid list (the Intimidate skill) then halves the class's skill points per level. How rude. I assume you're not planning for the character to be a mounted druid, nor are you planning to have the character win via the Intimidate skill. Here, then is an evaluation of the wild reaper's class skills.

• Concentration (Con): This gets 4 ranks at level 1 and 1 rank per level. Note: It's possible to skip ranks when the character's bonus to Concentration skill check reaches the highest spell level he can cast + 14, allowing him to cast defensively consistently and fearlessly. This can be as early as level 2.

  • The torso slot item tunic of steady concentration (CAd 133, 136) (2,500 gp; 0 lbs.) grants the wearer a +5 competence bonus to Concentration skill checks. The face slot item third eye concentrate (MIC 141) (10,000 gp; 0 lbs.) grants the wearer a +10 competence bonus to Concentration skill checks.
  • The feat Steady Concentration (RS 144) grants the creature the ability to take 10 on Concentration skill checks always. Note: It's possible that, as a druid, you'll soon dwarf the other party members in raw power. So they don't get jealous, taking a feat that doesn't make you better all the time is sometimes the decent thing to do.
• Craft (Int): No ranks. Usable untrained. Note: Although the druid variant wild reaper loses the Player's Handbook druid's venom immunity, if you're sandbagging, Craft (poisonmaking) (CAd 97-8) remains a possibility with the feat Master of Poisons (DrU 51). Really, though, let another character have this role.
• Diplomacy (Cha): No ranks. Usable untrained. Note: Let another character have this role.

• Handle Animal (Cha): This gets 4 ranks at level 1 and 1 rank per level until the character can consistently and fearlessly make DC 25 Handle Animal skill checks. Note: I disagree with others' assessments of the skill Handle Animal. The character will need to push his animal companion because there are way too many tricks. The druid's animal companion also dies all the time. Whatever tricks the character trains his animal companion to perform (short of the obvious ones) will be the wrong ones, and when the animal companion inevitably dies that time and effort is wasted anyway. Push the animal. A lot.

  • "A druid... gains a +4 circumstance bonus on Handle Animal checks involving [his] animal companion" (PH 75).
  • The feat Hardened Criminal (City of Stormreach 95) grants the character the ability to take 10 with a skill picked when this feat is picked, even if taking 10's "normally impossible." Further, when another attempts to use the skill Intimidation versus the character, the attempt fails. Note: See the note for the feat Steady Concentration, above.
  • The 0th-level Drd spell animal trick [trans] (MW 82) causes the caster's animal companion within close range to perform 1 trick. Alternatively, the 2nd-level Drd spell train animal [ench] (SpC 221) for 1 hour/level grants a touched animal additional tricks equal to half the caster's level (maximum 5).
  • The throat slot item collar of obedience (CAd 132, 133) (1,500 gp; 0 lbs.), in addition to other effects, reduces by 5 the DC of Handle Animal skill checks to push an animal or magical beast who wears the collar. Alternatively, the collar of cleverness (MW 29) (700, 1,400, or 2,100 gp; 1 lb.) grants the creature that wears it 1, 2, or 3 tricks, respectively, with tricks chosen when the item's created.
  • The feet slot item cavalry spurs (Dragon #334 71) (7,000 gp; 0 lbs.), in addition to other effects, grant a +5 bonus to Handle Animal skill checks.
  • The throat slot item amulet of aberrant empathy (CAd 132, 133) (1,400 gp; 0 lbs.) and pendant of draconic empathy (CAd 133, 134) (3,300 gp; 0 lbs.) grant the wearer the ability to use the skill Handle Animal instead of the skill Diplomacy to Influence NPC Attitudes (PH 72) either of aberrations with Intelligence scores of 9 or less or of dragons with Intelligence scores of 11 or less, respectively. Note: In case you want your character to get more use from his Handle Animal skill.
• Heal (Wis): No ranks. Usable untrained. Note: Failing to make Heal skill checks to perform first aid (DC 15) makes the character a pariah. A wand of cure minor wounds [conj] (PH 216) is 7 gp 5 sp per charge, but anyone can use blessed bandages (MIC 152-3) (10 gp; 0 lbs.) in case the character himself is downed.
• Intimidate (Cha): No ranks. Usable untrained. Note: When he can wild shape into Large and bigger creatures don't forget your character's size bonus to Intimidate skill checks (PH 76).
• Knowledge (nature) (Int): This gets at least 1 rank at level 1 and as many as can be spared thereafter. While the animal, fey, and vermin types don't have many high-level creatures, the giant, monstrous humanoid, and plant types remain viable threats long into the character's career.
• Listen (Wis) and Spot (Wis): No ranks. Usable untrained. Note: Druid spells can grant crazy bonuses to the skills Listen and Spot, and there's the 2nd-level Drd spell embrace the wild [trans] (SpC 79), the 3rd-level Drd spell blindsight [trans] (SpC 32), and the 4th-level Drd spell essence of the raptor [trans] (SpC 84) and more if the party doesn't think your character's pulling his weight, detection-wise. Further, the character's animal companion will probably have better bonuses to Listen and Spot skill checks than the rest of the party when play begins; put the animal on guard duty.
• Profession (Wis): If the campaign's near water, 1 rank in Profession (sailor) (Sto 87-8). If in Eberron, 1 rank in Profession (miner) (MoE 17-18). If the DM's using those rules, 1 rank in Profession (taxidermy) (UA 151) so that your character can aid another who will eventually put enough skill points into Profession (taxidermy) so he can consistently and fearlessly make Profession (taxidermy) checks (DC 20).
• Ride (Dex): No ranks. Usable untrained. Note: Don't forget the +2 bonus via 5+ ranks in the skill Handle Animal.
• Spellcraft (Int): This gets at least 1 rank at level 1 and as many as can be spared thereafter. Note: The skill Spellcraft is essential to high-level characters' survival. The skill Spellcraft gets the ranks when the character's finished spending ranks on the skills Concentration and the skill Handle Animal.
• Survival (Wis): No ranks. Usable untrained. Note: The character's animal companion may have the special ability scent and the feat Track (PH 101); if the animal companion's not trained for it, use the skill Handle Animal to push the animal to use the trick track--or just let the ranger do it. Also, remember the 1st-level Drd spells endure elements [trans] (PH 226) and goodberry [trans] (PH 237); druids survive just fine without the skill Survival.
• Swim (Str): No ranks. Usable untrained. Note: Your character only need put ranks in the skill Swim if all the other characters have put ranks in the skill Swim. Otherwise, y'know, find a bridge.
• Cross-class: Use Magic Device (Cha): Eventually at least 1 rank but enough ranks to overcome any Charisma penalty the character might have. Note: Without the skill Use Magic Device the character's relying on others to supply the 3rd-level Sor/Wiz spell anticipate teleportation [abjur] (SpC 13) and the 4th-level Sor/Wiz spell detect scrying [div] (PH 219-20). Teleport ambushes work versus druids until they can cast the 5th-level Drd spell hallow [evoc] (PH 238) et. al., and by then it might be too late.

Skilled City Dweller
If the DM allows the alternative class feature skilled city dweller (Cityscape Web enhancement "Cityscape, Part 1: Urban Class Features" here), your character won't trade away the skill Handle Animal for the skill Gather Information nor the skill Knowledge (nature) for the skill Knowledge (local) but can make the following trades:

• Lose Survival (Wis) and gain Sense Motive (Wis): The character doesn't have enough skill points to make such a trade worthwhile in the short term, but once the skills Concentration, Handle Animal, and Spellcraft are at the point where success is assured, the skill Sense Motive is good place for those excess ranks to go.
• Lose Ride (Dex) and gain Tumble (Dex): This trade should be made. 1 rank goes in the Tumble skill to start. Alternatively, don't put ranks into the skill Knowledge (nature); put those ranks into the skill Tumble instead. At low levels the Tumble skill is more likely to save your character's life than the Knowledge (nature) skill.

Masterwork Tools
Buy them! They're among the best ways to spend 50 gp. A masterwork tool (PH 129, 130-1) (50 gp; 1 lb.) is skill-specific (i.e. buy one for each skill) and grants the user a +2 circumstance bonus that skill's checks.

Sample Skills

Here's a well-rounded, I-m-going-to-contribute-to-the-game list. If you're playing a lighter game, just put the 4 ranks in the Tumble skill instead.

• Concentration (Con) [4 ranks]
• Handle Animal (Cha) [4 ranks]
• Knowledge (nature) (Int) [1 rank]
• Profession (sailor) (Wis) [1 rank]
• Spellcraft (Int) [1 rank]
• Tumble (Dex) [1 rank]