EDITS
Well after going through with character creation and talking to the rest of the crew. I am still going to go with the Druid/Barbarian build but with some changes for flavor.
My character is now a one armed shifter, named Beck. Rather than the bear, I will now lean into the one-armed nature or the character and wild shape into primates/apes. I made a CR1 Gorilla (upgraded CR1/2 Ape) based off off the BlackBear -> Brown Bear upgrades. This is so that for a time at least he can feel "normal" and have two arms and hands.
I asked Chat GPT to expaned on:
Druid with rage issues, he tries to suppress his rage but it doesn't always work. He didn't really fit in with the others at the druid enclave that he grew up in.
A large part of the general anger at the world is that he is a Shifter and has lost his left arm, Shifters are generally looked down on and the fact that he is missing the lower part of his left arm leaves him feeling that others think he is broken is some ineffible way.
ChatGPT response:
Background Beck was born within the tranquil confines of a druidic enclave nestled deep in the heart of the ancient forest. Surrounded by the soothing whispers of nature, he grew up under the careful guidance of the enclave's wise druids. However, from an early age, it was clear that Beck was different. His Shifter heritage marked him as distinct from the others, and as he came of age, his physical loss only furthered his sense of isolation.
Personality Beck's heart is a tempest of conflicting emotions. He carries a deep connection to nature, feeling most at peace when he communes with the spirits of the forest and takes on the forms of animals. He tries to embody the teachings of the druids, seeking harmony and balance. Yet, beneath the surface, a simmering anger lies, triggered by the pervasive prejudices he's faced due to his Shifter heritage and his missing arm.
Rage and Transformation When his emotions reach a boiling point, Beck's attempt to suppress his rage can fail spectacularly. In those moments, his connection to his Shifter ancestry becomes undeniable, and he transforms into a raging force of nature. His remaining arm gains a primal strength, and his eyes blaze with fury. He becomes a whirlwind of ferocity, tearing through adversaries with the raw power of his emotions.
Journey and Quest Beck's path leads him beyond the safety of his druidic enclave. Driven by a yearning to prove his worth and overcome the limitations society has imposed on him, he embarks on a quest to uncover ancient secrets hidden within the depths of the world. Along the way, he forms unlikely bonds with fellow adventurers who see past his differences and appreciate the strength within him.
ChatGPT end
So the goal over the adventure is to have him realize that the limitations that he thinks society has placed on him are actually his projections. Once he accepts that his differences don't make him weaker or less in any way, he can be happy in his own skin. If he doesn't accept this; the wild shape could become an addiction and he will blame it on only having one arm.
Note He didn't lose the arm in some accident or anything, he was born with it the way it is. The druids in the enclave couldn't heal it as there was nothing to heal.
ORIG
I am starting a new game, for once I am going with a front line kinda build. Plan is to go from L1 - 15.
So I have chosen the Shifter - Wildhunt - specifically for the ability “no creature within 30 feet of you can make an attack roll with advantage against you”
L1,2 - Druid - Circle of the moon.
L3,4,5 - Barbarian - Path of the Totem Warrior
L6 - 15 continue with Druid (probably)
Pros and cons L1 - 5
Pro - Level 2 Bear with me here…I can be a bear that can not be ganged up on
Con - 1 round to wind up, shift and wildshape
Pro - Level 3 Barb gives me Unarmored defense, this is crazy good with wildshape
Pro - Level 4 my raging bear will be able to attack recklessly and never have the down sides.
Con - a long wind up to get to Shifted/Raging/Bear 1.5 rounds.
Pro - Level 5 - resistance to everything except psychic attacks…usually Wiz save - so my high wiz druid helps a lot there.
The cons are mostly negated if the party isn’t surprised. Unarmored defense makes this crazy…I have ~~high Wiz~~ reasonable Con ~~because of druid~~ and reasonable Dex…
Edit: too many times playing monk.
Also reading through, I need to get to at least L6 druid, gives CR2 beasts and primal strike.
True.
I haven't looked at one since I was a kid.
I know they do, tallest/fastest/biggest etc... But they are all things that always exist.
E.g. the biggest pizza in the world, well before that there was also a biggest pizza it was just smaller than the current one, and before that etc....
I guess anything with a single record, not just the latest in a long string should count.