Are Druids regarded as the most powerful class in 3.5?

[krunchyfrogg]

If so, why?

I've never actually played 3.5, and I'm kinda curious as to the thinking behind this.

The last time I played, it was 3.0, and Clerics were thought of as the "best class" for power.

 

[WhatGravitas]

If so, why?

I've never actually played 3.5, and I'm kinda curious as to the thinking behind this.

The last time I played, it was 3.0, and Clerics were thought of as the "best class" for power.

Hmm... depends on your view, but it's basically this rundown: Druids don't have that much weaknesses:

They have a decent HD and BAB, get a bunch of skills, and some spells are on-par with the Sor/Wiz list. And they mainly rely on Wisdom.

Because, from 6th level onwards, you can use Natural Spell to cast in Wildshape. Which lasts 1 hour/level and can be used 2/day on sixth, meaning the druid is 12h per day a brutal, spellcasting beast, with boosted physical abilities (due to the Wildshape), assisted by a rabid animal (his companion). Plus they can spam summoned allies.

And on lower levels, the companion is already very tough, almost competing with a Fighter.

That's the basic run down.

 

[wayne62682]

Basically, a lot of the "Druids are the most powerful" arguments come about due to people using Wildshape (at high level of course, every optimization discussion involves 20th level characters with the most optimum equipment :\ ) to change into a Dire Bear (or Dire T-Rex) and get like a 60 Strength or some such nonsense.

The Druid is a very good class, and as stated above don't have a real weakness, but it's only the "most powerful" when people abuse Wildshape.

 

[Nifft]

At high level, Druids have some fantastic "kill an army" spells. At mid-to-high level, Druids are the toughest melee opponents, thanks to Wild Shape and self-buffs. At low-to-mid levels, Druids have the best battlefield control spells -- from entangle[/u] to wall of fire, nothing can compete until Wizards get wall of force.

Druids can summon elementals earlier than Wizards or Clerics, and those are often thought to be the best things for even a Wizard or Cleric to summon. And Druids do it spontaneously.

In terms of raw power, Druids are the top.

They lack several things:
1/ Strategic and tactical teleportation;
2/ Plane shift capability;
3/ Funky save-or-suffer spells ("debuffs"); and
4/ Cool outsiders for long service (like planar ally or planar binding)... of course, Druids can make these kinds of friends via awaken, so whatever.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Fishbone]

In a core game the only two classes that approach them are Wizard and Cleric. I'm not sure with all the supplements that WOTC puts out in "2.5" nowadays, but yeah, they can hold their own against everything.
Healing? Check. Great Buffs? Check. Offensive Firepower? Some of the best direct damage spells in the game and good debuffs.
Good HP? D8 is nothing to be ashamed of, nice die. Good BAB, good saves, great casting stats, nice skill list, special abilities ROCK.
They are so good.

 

[Crothian]

Some people do, some people do not. I don't regard it as the most powerful though it is a very good class.

 

[el-remmen]

The Druid is a very good class, and as stated above don't have a real weakness, but it's only the "most powerful" when people abuse Wildshape.

Wildshape abuse is easily countered by ruling that they can only adopt of the form of creatures they are familiar with. . . Never seen a dire bear? well, you can't turn into one.

 

[WhatGravitas]

Some people do, some people do not. I don't regard it as the most powerful though it is a very good class.

Name a "more powerful one"

No, honestly, in something like an RPG, a class is rarely "the most powerful", because it's almost never seen in a vacuum - for the druid it is just the low number of actual weaknesses.

And for the optimizers: Most of it runs down to the "Natural Spell" feat - it is basically a no-brainer for an optimizing player...

 

[Crothian]

Name a "more powerful one"

Bard

Everyone focuses on powerful in terms of combat and in my experience combat is just one part of the game. The ability to destroy an army pales in comparison with the ability to command one.

 

[Deset Gled]

The power of a Druid can also vary depending on what version of Wildshape you use (Does it change HP? Are items usable?), and what supplements you have. Supplements add on a number of spells (at no cost to the Druid, no less) that give the Druid caster power much closer to an arcane caster, and add in more powerful options for Wildshaping.