Druid build help

[Legildur]

After a total party kill I have decided to try a Druid (much to my fellow players' and DM's shock/disgust). Typically our parties consist of 3 warriors (Bbr, Ftr, & Pal), Wiz/Sor, Clr and Rog.

But I have never played a Druid and don't know how to build a good one to contribute reliably in combat (we'll be short on fighters and only one cleric).

I guess I'm looking at suggestions for Animal Companions and Wildshaping in particular. Like which ones at what levels?

I don't really understand Wildshaping (see Druid entry, Polymorph, Alter Self and DMG) and so would appreciate a run down on what you get/lose and don't get/lose.

We use the 3.5E PHB, MM, and DMG, and the Masters of the Wild (and other WotC) splatbooks.

Raw stats are 17, 16, 15, 15, 13, 10 (yeah, looks high, but you ought to see the campaigns I play in - total party kills aren’t unknown).

Initial thoughts are to rely on archery a little, maybe take the feats to augment the summoned animals (+4 Str/Con), and take a Wolf companion and advance it.

Any suggestions or advice welcome (on race, ability scores, skills, spells, equipment, etc). Starting at 1st level (but won't mind seeing up to a 12th level build with progression).

 

[youspoonybard]

Wis and Con are your important scores.

If you want to go archery, go elf...but I still enjoy the extra feat from being a human. In all honesty, I would do things like Produce Flame instead...touch attacks for decent damage at low level. Later on, use Call Lightning, Call Lighting Storm, and Fire Seeds for ranged attacks...each of these can be used multiple times per casting to rack up lots of damage from afar.

I'm going to stick by 3.5 Core materials only for this build. There is good stuff in the MotW book, but personally, I have hesitation using stuff in splats so quickly. My rule is anything from a splat should be brought up to the DM, or could very well be shot down.

That being said:

1) SF: Conj, Augment Summoning - the feat is really good. If you need tanks, summon em up. Take advantage. I'd even go so far as to say dropping for SNA > dropping for Cure X Wounds...
3) I like Combat Reflexes here. Wildshape + Animal Growth + Mounted on your Animal Companion (who is also Animal Growthed) = lotsa reach, for a long time. Combat Reflexes lets you take advantage of that reach. You could also take a Spell Focus (you'll probably get the best use out of Evoc), Weapon Proficiency (preferably a reach weapon), or Metamagic Feat. I hear people get good use out of Extend Spell, but I tend not to use metamagics when I'm not playing a sorceror.
6) Natural Spell. You'd have to have a REALLY good reason not to take this.
9) Another feat from 3, or Leadership, if your DM allows it. I think awakened animals are cool cohorts. Silent Spell/Still Spell can keep you hidden forever as an animal. Brutal, to say the least.

Wolves are good animal companions, indeed. Trip! TRIP!!!

Also, feats like Blindsight (I think it's cheap, but that's just me) or Fast Wild Shape are useful.

Although the Druid gets 4x SP/lvl, she needs more. Another reason for human. Spot, Listen, K: Nature, Spellcraft, Concentration are almost essential. I also take ride and diplomacy when possible.

Good luck, and show 'em where it hurts!

 

[Jhyrryl]

Think of the Druid as a melee-tolerant Wizard, and you'll be fine. The key is that he's melee-tolerant, not melee dominant. Knowing when it's best to use his melee abilities versus his direct damage spells is an art that you'll have to master. But when you do, you'll be as much of a butt-kicker as anyone else in the party, if not more so.

Edit: And oh yeah, summoning stuff rocks too.

 

[Speaks With Stone]

If you fight out in the wilderness often, the Druid will rock. Using entangles, spike growths and the like allow the druid to create a battlefield to suit your group. Entangles placed to form a chanel that the 2 fighters can hold against large numbers as they approach 1 or 2 at a time makes the most of what you have.

Natural spell is a must - drop spells from above.

Augment summoning in 3.5 looks good - especially with the new SNA ability for the druids.

The animal companion and your shapeshifting will only help in combat some unless you pump up with buffs. I've lost way more animal companions then I like to admit. They are quite fragile in 3.0, but appear a little tougher in 3.5.

I'm curious - why is the druid choice to the "shock/disgust" of your entire group? I find that a curious statement.

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Depending on what level your group is, I'm not sure if this will help-but I just statted this druid today for a PBP game I'm in:

Carrie, female human Druid 5/Elemental Savant (Fire) 2: CR 7; ECL 7; Medium-size Humanoid (human); HD 5d8+2d4+21; hp 48; Init +0; Spd 30 ft; AC 14 (+2 Leather, +2 Shield); Melee Scimitar +4 (1d6-1, 18-20/x2), Ranged Longbow +5 (not including Arrow bonus) (1d8/x3); SA spells; SQ animal companion, nature sense, resist nature's lure, trackless step, wild shape, woodland stride; AL CN (With Good tendancies); SV Fort +8, Ref +2, Will +11; Str 8, Dex 10, Con 14 (16), Int 12, Wis 17 (19), Cha 14.
Languages Spoken: Common, Druid, Ignan
Skills and Feats: Animal Empathy +10 [8], Concentration +13 [10], Diplomacy +10 [8], Knowledge (Arcana) +10 [9], Knowledge (Nature) +11 [10], Knowledge (The Planes) +10 [9], Spellcraft +11 [10]; Education (FRCS, All Knowledge skills as class skills), Elemental Substitution-Fire (T&B), Spell Focus (Evocation), Spell Penetration.
SQ-Wild Shape (Sp): 1/day, Carrie may assume the form of a natural animal, from Small to Medium-size.
Elemental Transition (Ex): Carrie is immune to magical sleep effects.
Resistance (Ex): Carrie has an innate fire resistance 5.
Elemental Focus (Ex) +1
Druid Spells Prepared (6/5/4/3/2):
0-Detect Magic (x3), Flare, Light (x2)
1-Entangle, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast (x3) (MotW)
2-Flame Blade, Flaming Sphere, Produce Flame, Treeshape
3-Cure Moderate Wounds, Regeneration Ring (MotW) (x2)
4-Flame Strike (x2)
Spell DCs: 14+Spell level, 15+Spell level for Fire spells, 16+Spell level for Evocations, 17+Spell level for Fire Evocations
Equipment: Amulet of Wisdom +2 (4,000), Belt of Health +2 (4,000), Hat of Disguise (2,000), MW Composite Longbow (400), MW Arrows x30 (30), MW Leather Armor (160), MW Large Wooden Shield (157), MW Scimitar (315), Scrolls (Call Lightning) (375), Quaal's Feather Token (Tree) x10 (1,000), Sleep Arrow x10 (1,320), Wand of Cure Light Wounds (750), Wand of Cure Moderate Wounds (4,500), 263 gold remaining.


Mainly a pyromaniac druid, based on offensive spells with healing power to back things up. Sandblast is nice as it can stun multiple people-I suggest at 9th level you memorize at least 1 Tree Stride, since you can use Quaal's Feather Token then Tree Stride through that if you wanted to Anyways, that's just my build, meant more for fun than pure power-but it get's the job done there ok I think.

A Shifter (MotW) might also be also something to consider.

 

[Pielorinho]

Consider: dwarves have as a major advantage their +2 con; as a major disadvantage, they have their slow movement.

When you wildshape, you keep the first and lose the second. W00t!

Gnomes are even more so: +2 con (at least for the purposes of HP), and the -2 str goes away, as does the low movement.

I'd rank stats in the following order:
Wis
Con
Int (for skill points)
Cha (for handling animals)
Dex (for AC and reflex saves)
Str

Once you reach 5th level, you'll never need to fight in your normal form: you'll always be replacing your str with your wildshaped form's str.

If you want to do more combat, switch Int and Dex, and rely on Produce Flame, a rocking spell.

If you really want to mix it up in melee at low levels, switch Cha and Str, and cast shillelagh. It's still probably not your best bet, though.

You'll get some good buffing spells quickly: cast magic fang on your wolf's mouth for that fun extra damage. For levels 2-6, goodberry is a great spell: plan on casting 1-2 of them each day, and distribute the berries amongst your party members as minipotions. (At first level, it's not so great: the berries don't last for very long, and you're probably better off casting CLW).

Whatever other feats you take, be aware you're going to be taking Natural Spell at 6th level. It's a required feat for druids. But spell focus: conjuration isn't a bad choice for first level: not only does it up the saves on many of your spells, it also grants you access to augment summoning.

I might go for the following feats:
First: SF Conjuration. Alternate: Scribe Scroll (lets you write down those obscure but occasionally fantastic spells that pepper the druid's spell list)
Third: Augment Summoning. Alternate: another item creation feat, or SF transmutation or evocation (in which many of your best spells appear)
Sixth: Natural Spell. Alternate: whaddya mean, alternate? Natural spell, buddy!
Ninth: Weapon Focus (claw). Alternate: item creation or spell focus
Twelfth: greater spell focus. Alternate: Combat Reflexes (especially good for those huge forms you've started getting access to).

Druids can be great fun to play

Daniel

 

[KnowTheToe]

Just remember when fighting in wildshape you usually have piss pore AC.

 

[Pielorinho]

Just remember when fighting in wildshape you usually have piss pore AC.

...good point, which is why the following buffs are extremely important to you:

* Mage Armor -- buy a wand of this for your party sorcerer ASAP. Have her bop you and your companion with it before battle -- you won't regret it!
* Barkskin -- it now increases your natural armor rating. Use it!

With these two buffs, your wildshaped AC goes up by 7 or more. Not bad. If you're still worried, slap on a cat's grace (now on your spell list) and/or a protection from evil (courtesy of the party cleric) to get your scores into a really respectable range.

But the wand of mage armor is pretty indispensable for a druid.

Daniel

 

[Brekki]

Once you can wildshape and can afford a wild armor, you AC will go along with the rest of the group ... getting a "free" natural armor bonus to AC is very nice.

Once you can become large animals you will also be one of the main melee damage machines in the party.

 

[sithramir]

Barkskin doesn't stack with the natural armor gained from wildshaping into an animal. Ie a bear has 15 dex and +3 natural ac. So you wildshape and have 15 ac. Barkskin won't help wildshape unless its giving more than that.