Why is a Druid so friggin' awesome?

[radmod]

Here's how you break a Druid:

1/ Feats. Take the feats Scribe Scroll (perhaps at 1st level) and Natural Spell (always at 6th level).

Alright, I'll ask the stupid question: why Scribe Scroll? I'm trying to see the advantage but it's probably so obvious I'm missing it.

 

[Dandu]

You have access to every druid spell ever printed, ever. I'm sure being able to scribe obscure spells for use later is useful.

Dandu, in regards to Andal Durrak:
What am I missing here (it's bugging me)? Shouldn't his attack with the qstaff be 3d6+8 one handed, or 3d6+11 two-handed?

It is when you cast Shillelagh, but since you can't have that on all day, I have neglected to include that in the description.

I can see the advantage of the character if I were to say to you "create an ECL 8 Druid" but I confess that the character seems somewhat weak at low levels (an animal companion can only do so much). This is probably why I don't see many druids. The druids I did didn't survive the early levels (one died, two retired - I forgot another druid). The only one I've seen even at 8 (under 3.5) is one I didn't count: a current druid who is only there for socialization (I didn't know until today that she didn't even have feats selected! She was killed in four/five rounds by a winter wolf.)

At low levels, Entangle pretty much traps anyone who doesn't have good reflex saves in place, which allows the party to pick them off from a distance.

Animal companion wise, wolves make great trippers. Useful for keeping people down and away from you.

 

[Summer-Knight925]

spells are like jellybeans

cept the blow stuff up sometimes


but you only get SO many jellybeans per day...scrolls are like...special jellybeans that dont count against you

 

[radmod]

You have access to every druid spell ever printed, ever. I'm sure being able to scribe obscure spells for use later is useful.

Yeah, that I've got, but still there's got to be more. I just don't see wasting a feat on it.

At low levels, Entangle pretty much traps anyone who doesn't have good reflex saves in place, which allows the party to pick them off from a distance.

Ah, but that is all dependent on the altruism of the DM. I tend to be a fair but realistic (ouch, evil, evil word) DM. For example, a druid became annoyed when his entangle field didn't stop the guards chasing them because they were essentially on a golf-course green (I actually had one guard trip and become held). So entangle doesn't work very well in the typical dungeon, urban environs, rocky terrain or in cold climes. Now, of course, in forests and jungles you're GOD.

spells are like jellybeans
cept the blow stuff up sometimes
but you only get SO many jellybeans per day...scrolls are like...special jellybeans that dont count against you

Yes, if you don't mind shooting money and xp at monsters. As an arcane, I often have several scrolls: 1) utility spells that I don't want to take daily and 2) some boom spells for the rare occasion I run out of spells.

 

[Dandu]

Yeah, that I've got, but still there's got to be more. I just don't see wasting a feat on it.

In my personal opinion, Scribe Scroll is simply good on a Druid, not broken. I can't really answer why someone else would find it broken.

Ah, but that is all dependent on the altruism of the DM.

Everything does.

I tend to be a fair but realistic (ouch, evil, evil word) DM. For example, a druid became annoyed when his entangle field didn't stop the guards chasing them because they were essentially on a golf-course green (I actually had one guard trip and become held).

It is your perogative to rule that way, but the spell says that "Grasses, weeds, bushes, and even trees wrap, twist, and entwine about creatures in the area or those that enter the area, holding them fast and causing them to become entangled. "

So entangle doesn't work very well in the typical dungeon, urban environs, rocky terrain or in cold climes. Now, of course, in forests and jungles you're GOD.

Of course, in those situations, you'd prepare different spells. Produce Flame, for instance, or something to buff your animal companion with. Or just focus on summoning things; an Augment Summoning Dire Badger can be had at level 3, and it does a decent job of making people miserable. Bat swarms last longer than summoned monsters and have rather interesting applications.

You're decidedly less powerful pre-wildshape, but you're by no means useless.

 

[Nifft]

Alright, I'll ask the stupid question: why Scribe Scroll? I'm trying to see the advantage but it's probably so obvious I'm missing it.

Druids have a VERY situational spell list. I mean seriously, quench? It's great when you need it, and utterly useless the other 97.4% of the time. So what do you do? You put it on a scroll and then -- that one time when you finally need it -- you whip out the scroll and ta-dah, you are the goddamn Batman.

Same deal with hide from animals. Make two scrolls at level 6 and never prepare that spell ever again.

Go through their whole spell list and decide what merits casting at full caster level and what you can usefully cast at some lower caster level. For example, stone shape is great at full caster level, but still darn useful at a lower level. No save + no SR = perfect for a scroll.

Same deal for water breathing, diminish plants, ... the list goes on.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Jhaelen]

I guess the key is Wildshape - which is why you should use the PHB2 variant.

Wildshape, like all open-ended abilities gets better with every new published book. It's the same reason why the polymorph spell was removed from the game.

 

[jefgorbach]

the druids potential depends greatly upon the controlling player and how well his teams works together.

while much of his Natural effects are rendered moot in urban/underground settings where much of most campaigns occur, selecting applicable feats like Natural Spell casting and Improved Natural Weapons coupled with a friendly Mage to Enlarge him before Wildshaping can quickly transform the "harmless looking weakling" druid into a very viable and unexpected melee fighter. Toss in a couple of SNA associates to draw fire/further damage and you've got a valuable asset.

 

[Nifft]

the druids potential depends greatly upon the controlling player and how well his teams works together.

It depends on the controlling player. A Druid is a team. He is at least two combatants (Druid + Animal Companion), plus whatever he summons, plus whatever he animates, plus whatever he Awakened last month and has Diplomacy'd into temporary (or permanent) service.

while much of his Natural effects are rendered moot in urban/underground settings where much of most campaigns occur

In 3.5e, even call lightning works underground. It works better outside during a storm, of course.

a friendly Mage to Enlarge him before Wildshaping can quickly transform the "harmless looking weakling" druid into a very viable and unexpected melee fighter.

The size of the Druid doesn't determine the size of the Wild Shape choices available, only his level does that. Casting enlarge person on the humanoid before he uses Wild Shape is not going to do anything.

The mage could cast mage armor, though. Animals tend to have low ACs. Protection from evil would be nice, too.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Summer-Knight925]

a druid is unlike all other spellcasters

a bard can sing and inspire and know things
a cleric can turn, heal whenever and they has domains!!!!
a wizard can do whatever, theyre like fighters, custimizable

now the druid....

they can summon whenever
heal at times
turn into animals and eventually elementals
they can reach a point where they can change into ANY humanoid shape at will
same with aging, they can stop that

they can....well sure, theyre all about nature, but some spells are just awsome

all cure spells
all summon spells
all buff spells
theyre few attack spells are deadly deadly deadly

im not sure if this makes any sense, probably not, and I apologize for making everyone dumb