Help me!

[kk14]

This is a D&D campaign problem.

I have decided to make an evil druid one of the recurring villains in my campaign. Is it just me or do they suck? I read through the spell list almost nothing seems very useful. Worse, I think of any decent builds. This character needs to start at 3rd and go way further, but the only decent feat I can find is 'scribe scroll'. Is there any way to build a strong druid both at lower levels and and middle levels so he can return. (saying middle is around 10ish)

 

[ViciousPenguin]

There's a feat (in Complete Divine?) that allows a druid to cast spells while Wild Shaped. Totally broken. Use it.

There are some very strong creatures on the Summon Natures Ally list. Use liberally. And buff (Bulls Strength, etc.)

Druids come with a meat shield. Use their animal companion to full effect.

Remember that druids form circles. Your BBEG ought to have friends. Can you cay cannon fodder? Or better yet, have the BBEG and all his friends cast Summon Natures Ally. You'll need lots of minis.

Druids are a strong class. Almost broken IMHO. Your BBEG is going to be fine.

...

 

[Quartz]

Aren't you forgetting Brew Potion?

Bard / Druid Mystic Theurges can be incredibly nasty. SNA + buff spells x2 + bardic music = big trouble. And, of course, since he'll take time to reach serious nastiness, you can portray him as the snivelling sidekick or the party's inside man - each time they bump off his boss and he survives he progresses up the tree. D3 / Bd4 / MT 10 / D+1 / Bd+2 if you don't want wildshape or D5 / Bd4 / MT 10 / D +1 if you do.

But druids generally don't need any boosting.

 

[Aries_Omega]

Remember that druids form circles. Your BBEG ought to have friends. Can you cay cannon fodder? Or better yet, have the BBEG and all his friends cast Summon Natures Ally. You'll need lots of minis.

I did a BBEG Druid too and it worked great. There were lesser BBEG druids, one was big into shapeshifting and the other was a summoner. The BBEG was big into animal companions. There were also scouts and rangers that were "grove guardsmen" that guarded areas too. Druids can be totally bad ass if done right.

 

[calebw]

druids are ok, but you might want to consider having more than one druid, possibly even a ranger that accompanies the druid. the ranger could provide physical combat, and the druid could buff him and the other animals fighting. the ranger you could nasty, cause he would get an animal companion too. and he gets feats and the like. as npcs, they also give massive xp if they are equivalent level to your players.

 

[LonePaladin]

I strongly recommend taking Spell Focus (conjuration) and Augment Summoning, make everything he calls in with his summon nature's ally spells stronger and harder to kill. If you have Complete Divine, give him the Natural Spell feat by the time he's 6th level, so that he can continue to cast spells while in wild shape.

If you don't have it already, get the Spell Compendium. It has a large number of spells for druids that simply make them nasty to deal with. Nothing like casting slime wave in a closed-off area to make all the players flinch, and at least two players should turn green the first time your druid casts infestation of maggots.

Player's Handbook II also has an interesting variation for druids, in which they lose the standard wild shape ability to get combat-oriented shapeshifting at first level. While they can't use the Natural Spell feat with this option, it would make going toe-to-toe with the druid far riskier, and when he's higher level they may not even be able to get into melee with him.

Basically, stock this druid up with buff spells (especially magic fang) for his animal companion. Throw in some spells to turn the environment against the party (even entangle is still useful at mid-level play). When he reaches 6th level, consider giving him Leadership and making his cohort and followers various animals or low-level help (such as fighters, rangers, rogues, or low-level druids). Assume this druid will use whatever means he can to keep tabs on the group (spells such as animal messenger from an allied ranger help, as well as speak with plants). When he's able to wild shape, have him change into something the PCs won't expect to be the villain (such as an eagle or donkey, or a squid or porpoise if they're near water). As long as he has a general idea of where they're going, he can keep watch on them without having to be obviously following them.

With judicious use of charm animal, speak with animals, dominate animal, and summon nature's ally spells, he can basically have them worried about stepping outside the city. Even then, they'll be worried about all the cats, rats, dogs, and whatever else tends to be in town.

 

[Slapzilla]

BBEG Druid means minions (SumNatAll), manipulating the environment (area effects) and never even being seen by the PCs unless (s)he wants to be seen. Go through the spell list again and wipe out the ones involving physical combat. See what is left to torture your players with. Add back in the physical buff spells and take all the previous advice. You just might chase the party out of the woods for good.