D&D 5E Any Land (Mountain) Druid players/DM’s of players out there?

[rgoodbb]

Any Land (Mountain) Druid players/DM’s of players out there?

Hey folks.

I’m looking for actual play experience primarily with the Mountain Druid. Either from yourself or someone in a game you are running/playing with.

What are people’s thoughts, stories and experiences? Are there any worries. Did the spells and features work with/add to your experience? Anything I should know about? I have read all the guides which are always a great help.

So, thoughts, concerns or stories, even daft shenanigans would be appreciated. (I love a good story.)

Ps. Going Water Genasi for race and refluffing most of the spells to come from the deep.


Cheers in advance for any replies.

 

[cmad1977]

Don’t know about Mountain. The Forest Druid that played in our group was awesome. Crazy flexibility.


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[Dan Chernozub]

I've run a group with one.
Spell selection is ok, I think terrain selection effects nothing else? Land druids are often underrated IMO due to the early power surge by Moon.

The usefulness depends on party composition - meaning the value of access to some things depends greatly on whether other casters in group have those spells or not.

 

[rgoodbb]

Thanks for those replies.

Re Forest Druid: Awesome and crazy flexible? I'm liking the sound of that! I think I have access to most of their spells as well.

Re party composition: I would be the main caster. Others: Champion, Gunsmith and Paladin. So likely very little spell overlap.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

Personally, I think land druids should draw their power from the terrain they currently inhabit rather than a specialization. I allow Land Druids to attune to the land they are in over a long rest, giving them the benefits of where ever they happen to be. Druids draw power from the land. Shouldn't that change based on where they find themselves? I don't see a desert druid drawing their power from a desert half way around the world if they happen to be in the arctic.

 

[rgoodbb]

Personally, I think land druids should draw their power from the terrain they currently inhabit rather than a specialization. I allow Land Druids to attune to the land they are in over a long rest, giving them the benefits of where ever they happen to be. Druids draw power from the land. Shouldn't that change based on where they find themselves? I don't see a desert druid drawing their power from a desert half way around the world if they happen to be in the arctic.

I like the idea a lot, but I think that should maybe be a feature at a higher level. (6, 10, or 14?) Choosing from their original land or their current land each time. The sheer versatility might go a long way to help balance the subclass with moon.

 

[Dan Chernozub]

Somewhat offtopic - what is a Gunsmith?

IMO Forest lends very little to the flexibility. Modt of the spells from the list are Druid spells and situational ones, too. I believe Divination to be a good spell, but nothing groundbreaking. Most of the flexibility comes from being a Land Druid. Land type is just a slight bonus.

The ones that stands out for me is Coast with Misty Step, though I haven't seen them all. Or maybe it is just me being a fan of the spell.

Some people I know like Underdsrk for a wide selection of non-druid spells, too.

 

[Nevvur]

Any land druid is fine. The only mechanical difference among them is their Circle Spells. I would personally go with a coastal druid for a water genasi for thematic synergy, but refluffing the mountain druid's spells is fine, too. I have to admit I'm curious how you would refluff lightning bolt as being "from the deep."

Sorry I can't relate any direct experience with mountain druids, but my experience as a player and DM of other land druids has proven them valuable party members. The druid spell list is very diverse in the types of available effects (buffs, debuffs, crowd control, healing, damage). Pay attention to what's on the horizon when completing a long rest and selecting your prepared spells, and take into consideration other PCs' spells and features to cover down on weak spots or fulfill a specific tactic.

edit: I posted before I read your post about the other party members. Land druid is a good archetype as the lone full caster in the group, and mountain's lightning bolt is a decent add-on to the broader package. The other spells they get I haven't seen getting much play even by other classes.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

I like the idea a lot, but I think that should maybe be a feature at a higher level. (6, 10, or 14?) Choosing from their original land or their current land each time. The sheer versatility might go a long way to help balance the subclass with moon.

I could see that, but I don't know that it's necessary. Unless you are playing a game where travel happens so often and travel is over such distances that a Land Druid is going to have many opportunities to attune to the local land. For example, if you start Mountain but find yourself in a forest and attune to it, you can't return back to mountain until you spend at least a long rest in the mountains. A druid could hold their attunement to their preferred land of choice, remaining mountain even in desert or coastal, but once the choice to attune is made it is likely going to be a rather long term one.

EDIT: Oh wait, I see what you're saying. So a Druid would have a primary choice of origin, and choose between that or their current location.

I'd say given what a level 6 Land Druid gets, I could see the ability going there. Maybe remove the advantage gained from magical difficult terrain effects, since they are likely to come up so seldomly.

 

[Brendan Conway]

We have one in our campaign. He is a Hill Dwarf Pirate captain who was pushed off his ship by his Half-Orc first mate during a storm to take his ship from him. While he was drowning he saw a glimpse of a beautiful woman and then passed out. He woke up on the beach as a Land Druid (Coastal) and believes the sea is essentially in love with him and is helping him get his ship back.

I know Moon is generally considered stronger but the narrative fits better this way and he likes getting spell slots back while short resting. I also think it lets the DM grant magic items that grant bonuses or can cast spells more often since he won't really be in his wild shapes as often.