The Druid makes me chew the furniture

[Hussar]

Yeah, I'm anxious. The Druid and the Sorcerer were my favourite classes in 3.5, I'm hoping the Ampersand will spoil the Sorc a little too. I'm eagerly awaiting PH2 in general.

The Druid, however, I'm also nervous about. It is such a versatile and powerful class in 3.5 that I'm certain the 4e version will seem like a nerf. While I understand the reasons to give it a specific role, I feel the Druid is a legitimate Hybrid Class.

Well, we can pretty much guess that the Druid is going to get whacked hard with the nerf bat. Beaten about the head and shoulders at the very least.

And, to be honest, he needs it.

My predictions:

• Lose animal companion (duh)
• Lose summoning
• Lose a lot of spell casting
• Gain most abilities through shape change
• Gain effects that summon natural spirits that cause effects a la clerical effects

To me, the shapechanger is the quintessential druid. If you go too much caster, then he's going to be a wizard with "green" spells. The whole shapechanging schtick is just too unique to pass up.

 

[WalterKovacs]

In terms of shapeshifting ... I think all the primal classes are going to have some sort of "shapeshifting" as part of their daily powers, similar to the rages of the barbarian. That could be the defining characteristic of the power source, kind of like how divine characters have their channel divinity powers. So I could see "shapeshifting" being a daily power that results in a sort of stance like the barbarian rages.

 

[Phaezen]

My guesses:

4e Druid and Warden killed the 3.x druid and took his stuff -

Druid, controller. I am hoping for more of a force of nature and less of a servant of nature feel to his abilities. Looking for entangles, storm type spells, manipulating the ground and plants, that style of thing.

Warden, defender, is going to get the shapechanging, walk through plants love.

This would make me happy.

Phaezen

 

[Cadfan]

Well, lets think about what we know about the Primal power source and the Druid.

"Primal" is a power source with a theme of transformation.

There are four primal classes. Barbarian, Druid, Shaman, and Warden. We've already seen the Barbarian. He manifests "transformation" by hulking up and smashing things.

The druid, in 3e, covers several roles or shticks. It shapechanges and fights in melee (generally this made it a defender at the time), it casts spells with energy damage (controller), and it healed and buffed itself and its party (leader).

I think its fair to guess that it will NOT do all of these things in 4e. And either the Shaman or the Warden will probably steal some of these things for their own.

In 3e, the Shaman, if I recall, was a spellcaster with druidic style spells and a penchant for communing with spirits. The name lends itself to an image of a spellcaster, and maybe a healer. So if I had to guess, I'd say that the Shaman will take over the Leader role.

Warden sounds like someone tough and militant. But beyond that I don't have much.

 

[doctorhook]

I've only been chewing the furniture metaphorically.

Actually, I'm not sure which I'm more excited about: the Druid, the Invoker, or finding out what the heck "Mercykillers" are in 4E.

 

[Ethalias]

I'm just chomping at the bit for the Druid release. Anyone else in that "can't wait" category?

I'm most definitely in that category. I missed the druid from the PH (only in a passive sense, I'm yet to get a game going ) but not in a "THEY'VE RUINED THE GAME!" way. All this talk of it being a hybrid class has only served to increase my anticipation and guess work..

Looking at Primal classes as a whole, I agree that Shaman strikes me as a leader class, and Warden surely has to be primarily a defender, especially with the Barbarian being primarily a Striker with with only Defender-ish leanings..

My (very tentative) guess for the Druid is for a controller/striker hybrid controller type spells supplemented with striker (possibly Daily-based) shapeshifting. Is that too out there? I'm basing that more on primal role filling than anything else.

But yes, I'm keen

 

[doctorhook]

I'm most definitely in that category. I missed the druid from the PH (only in a passive sense, I'm yet to get a game going ) but not in a "THEY'VE RUINED THE GAME!" way. All this talk of it being a hybrid class has only served to increase my anticipation and guess work..

Looking at Primal classes as a whole, I agree that Shaman strikes me as a leader class, and Warden surely has to be primarily a defender, especially with the Barbarian being primarily a Striker with with only Defender-ish leanings..

My (very tentative) guess for the Druid is for a controller/striker hybrid controller type spells supplemented with striker (possibly Daily-based) shapeshifting. Is that too out there? I'm basing that more on primal role filling than anything else.

But yes, I'm keen

Gah!! Reading your post made me realize that I can't believe it's still six days before we get to find out exactly what the Druid is.

I'm gonna go crazy!!!

 

[Gothmog]

What I'm thinking (and hoping) for is this:

Druid- nature-based spellcaster (controller) with control over the elements, terrain, and maybe transformation of enemies into animals. Very little shapechanging for the druid though

Warden- defender with the ability to change into animal forms

Shaman- leader that communes with spirits, and allows the spirits to infuse party members with certain abilities. He also might do short-term summons of animal spirits, somewhat like the cleric does with servents of his god.


And in the worst case scenario- if the druid is primarily a shapechanger- then we still have the Nature Priest from Ari in the Advanced Players Guide.

 

[Rechan]

Can see stuff like entangle and other plant based attacks being used to shape the environment, and create zones etc.

As long as they don't necessitate being outside in a proper environment. Low level druids in a dungeon were a huge headache for the player in 3e.

 

[Rechan]

As far as shapeshifting is concerned, I have a feeling shapeshifting is going to look like the Rat Form Armor from AV:

Standard action. You and your gear assume the form of a common sewer rat. While in this form:
*You can't attack.
*Your gear is merged into your form and unusable.
*You gain a +5 bonus to stealth checks.
*All your defenses remain the same.
You can sustain this power as a standard action on your turn and end the power to return to your normal form as a free action. You resume normal form if knocked unconscious or dropped to 0 or fewer HP.

Naturally,t he "You can't attack" will likely change depending on form. Your defenses might also get a boost (maybe).

But the same idea is there: your "form" consists of just a small array of changes, namely the damage you do, possibly a skill or some other misc bonus, and you can sustain it.

So it might look like:

Lion Form: You and your gear assume the form of a lion. While in this form:
You gain the basic claw attack: Proficiency +2, 1d8+Str.
+5 to Stealth checks (you're a big cat, after all).
Charge 8 squares instead of 6.