I need advice for a new Sentinel Druid.

[Minifig]

I'm currently re-rolling my Wilden Warden into a Sentinel Druid.

My quandary here is I don't know what the best daily encounter power I should take is.

My choices:

Vexing Overgrowth (HotFK): A weapon-based burst attack that deals impressive damage for this level, 1/2 damage on a miss, and an encounter long effect that causes adjacent enemies to grant CA.

OR:

Shillelagh (HotFK): It's an encounter long buff that causes the target weapon to deal a little extra force damage, and more importantly knock things prone on a hit!

----
Before anyone asks; I'm a Summer Druid, which means that I've got a bear.

Here's my character so far:

---
Wilden, Sentinel
Season: Druid of Summer
Druid Wilderness Knacks Option: Herb Lore (Druid)
Druid Wilderness Knacks Option: Beast Empathy (Druid)
Hardy Form Option: Hardy Form Reflex
Arcane Tracker (+2 to Nature)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 10, CON 17, DEX 11, INT 10, WIS 21, CHA 8

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 10, CON 14, DEX 11, INT 10, WIS 18, CHA 8


AC: 21 Fort: 20 Ref: 18 Will: 20
HP: 64 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 17

TRAINED SKILLS
Heal +13, Insight +13, Nature +19, Perception +15

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +2, Arcana +3, Athletics +4, Bluff +2, Diplomacy +2, Dungeoneering +8, Endurance +5, History +3, Intimidate +2, Religion +3, Stealth +4, Streetwise +2, Thievery +2

POWERS
Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack
Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack
Wilden Racial Power: Voyage of the Ancients
Wilden Racial Power: Wrath of the Destroyer
Wilden Racial Power: Pursuit of the Hunter
Druid Attack: Combined Attack
Cleric Utility: Healing Word
Druid Attack 1: Tending Strike
Druid Attack 1: ?
Druid Utility 2: Elk's Fortitude
Druid Attack 5: Hunger of the Land
Multiple Class Utility 6: Leaf Wall

FEATS
Level 1: Wasteland Wanderer
Level 2: Master at Arms
Level 4: Toughness
Level 6: Lightning Reflexes

ITEMS
Frost Quarterstaff +1 x1
Hide Armor of Exploits +2 x1
Adventurer's Kit
Cloak of the Walking Wounded +2 x1
Potion of Healing (heroic tier)
Belt of Vigor (heroic tier) x1
====== End ======


Any thoughts?

Thanks gang!

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Don´t worry.

Both are good. Depending on party composition one may be better than the other. The sentinel druid is well equipped for battle even without using any daily at all.
(In fact, our sentinel druid has taken vexing overgroth but until now never used it)

 

[Unwise]

Knocking someone prone is generally fairly ho-hum unless it also pushes them back or you can do so while not standing next to them. The knocking prone power is amazing combined with a quarterstaff and the paragon ability from the bear shaman that gives you +1reach with a quarterstaff. This allows you to knock someone prone when attacking them from a distance. They can then stand up, but can't hit you without charging. That is all sorts of awesome against many monsters.

In short, I would go for the granting CA one until you can get reach with a weapon, then go for the knock prone one. I would choose the CA one earlier, as I find that Mr Bearstein needs a bit of help to hit regularly, that could just be me though.

P.S. Isn't Quarterstaff mastery pretty unreal? What was the attraction for Master at Arms over that out of interest?

 

[Nullzone]

I'd take Shilleagh since you already have reach 2 with your quarterstaff which makes the Vexing Overgrowth less useful. (You can get reach 3 if you take Staff Expertise instead of Master at Arms too!)

 

[Obryn]

Remember that as a Sentinel of Summer you're uniquely equipped to use both Implement and Weapon powers. So don't be afraid to do something crazy and snag something like Summon Giant Toad if you wanted.

Otherwise, Shillelagh is best if your Fighter or Warden uses a Hammer. It won't be all that useful on you, yourself.

-O

 

[Klaus]

I'd go with Vexing Overgrowth, if only for the fact that you can claim it (and other plant-based powers like Leaf Wall) is an extension of your wilden abilities.

 

[mneme]

Apropos of nothing, I was playing around with a Sentinel and realized I could now go Half-Elf with Staff Fighting for Twin Strike d12/d12 at will (based on wisdom) in paragon with perfect stats for same.

There's just one problem: Combined Fighting outdamages Twin Strike! So there's really no point to spending resources on that!

Oh--except that Combined Fighting is an encounter power. Missed that somehow. So that looks pretty nasty; you get to play striker, leader, and controller at nearly the same time.

 

[Minifig]

Oh--except that Combined Fighting is an encounter power. Missed that somehow. So that looks pretty nasty; you get to play striker, leader, and controller at nearly the same time.

Yeah, I love it. Since I can do all the roles I enjoy at the same time.

I'd take Shilleagh since you already have reach 2 with your quarterstaff which makes the Vexing Overgrowth less useful. (You can get reach 3 if you take Staff Expertise instead of Master at Arms too!)

Thanks for catching that .. I changed to Staff Expertise instead of Master at Arms.

----

My big problem right now is that the wizard of the group is complaining and saying that when things are knocked prone it won't benefit him or the rogue we've got in the group. So I don't know which to take. I'm tempted to take the Toad, but when I do, it doesn't come up in the character builder with it's stats, and not to mention, I have to take one of my turns to move not only my bear, but my toad as well. Which sucks... it'd take me 3 turns just to get ready for combat.

----

I think in the end I'm going to tell the Wizard to stuff it, because he complains a lot anyway and grab Shilleagh..



So here's my character:
====

Wilden, Sentinel
Season: Druid of Summer
Druid Wilderness Knacks Option: Herb Lore (Druid)
Druid Wilderness Knacks Option: Beast Empathy (Druid)
Hardy Form Option: Hardy Form Reflex
Arcane Tracker (+2 to Nature)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 10, CON 17, DEX 11, INT 10, WIS 21, CHA 8

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 10, CON 14, DEX 11, INT 10, WIS 18, CHA 8


AC: 21 Fort: 20 Ref: 18 Will: 20
HP: 64 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 17

TRAINED SKILLS
Heal +13, Insight +13, Nature +19, Perception +15

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +2, Arcana +3, Athletics +4, Bluff +2, Diplomacy +2, Dungeoneering +8, Endurance +5, History +3, Intimidate +2, Religion +3, Stealth +4, Streetwise +2, Thievery +2

POWERS
Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack
Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack
Wilden Racial Power: Voyage of the Ancients
Wilden Racial Power: Wrath of the Destroyer
Wilden Racial Power: Pursuit of the Hunter
Druid Attack: Combined Attack
Cleric Utility: Healing Word
Druid Attack 1: Tending Strike
Druid Attack 1: Shillelagh
Druid Utility 2: Elk's Fortitude
Druid Attack 5: Hunger of the Land
Multiple Class Utility 6: Leaf Wall

FEATS
Level 1: Wasteland Wanderer
Level 2: Staff Expertise
Level 4: Toughness
Level 6: Lightning Reflexes

ITEMS
Frost Quarterstaff +1 x1
Hide Armor of Exploits +2 x1
Adventurer's Kit
Cloak of the Walking Wounded +2 x1
Potion of Healing (heroic tier)
Belt of Vigor (heroic tier) x1
----

Can you guys see anything I should change?

 

[Minifig]

I'd go with Vexing Overgrowth, if only for the fact that you can claim it (and other plant-based powers like Leaf Wall) is an extension of your wilden abilities.

I like that idea, but I think I might save Vexing for level 3 if nothing is useful at level 3.

 

[Herschel]

P.S. Isn't Quarterstaff mastery pretty unreal? What was the attraction for Master at Arms over that out of interest?

If you're golf bagging or need to switch between melee and ranged weapons Master At Arms is golden.