Can druids be effective without Wildshape specialisation?

[Presto2112]

So, I was thinking about playing a druid and looking around at a few threads, and I got the distinct impression that you have to plan your feats and tactics around Wildshaping to be effective. In battle at the very least.

Am I missing something? Are there tactics that don't revolve around Wildshaping?

I have a nasty habit of always wanting to go against the flow (except with paladins, but thats another thread ), so any tips or observations anyone would like to offer would be welcome.

Cheers,

My current druid PC rarely wildshapes, actually. He's the party spellslinger (since the sorcerer's gone) and is too busy whipping Firestorms, Flame Strikes, and summoning bonesmashing Earth Elementals to go Wildshaping willy-nilly. I think he's wildshaped into a dire bat to fly up a tunnel instead of climbing the slippery slope, a raven to perch atop a building and sling spells, and a horse for an extra speed kick, but never for combat purposes.

 

[Klaus]

If you laready have a light weapon in hand when you cast flame blade and wield the flame blade as your primary weapon, I don't see why not.

Although using Twin Spell on a flame blade could be interesting...

And of course, Energy Substitution can turn your flame blade into an ice blade, spark blade, wave blade...

 

[Errant]

Rusting Grasp alone you can "disarm" traps, "open" doors, free yourself from handcuffs etc.

Ooh, I already had Faerie Fire earmarked, but hadn't thought of that use for Rusting Grasp, nice ideas.

My current druid PC rarely wildshapes, actually. He's the party spellslinger (since the sorcerer's gone) and is too busy whipping Firestorms, Flame Strikes, and summoning bonesmashing Earth Elementals to go Wildshaping willy-nilly. I think he's wildshaped into a dire bat to fly up a tunnel instead of climbing the slippery slope, a raven to perch atop a building and sling spells, and a horse for an extra speed kick, but never for combat purposes.

Thats the kind of use I was planning for Wildshape.

If you laready have a light weapon in hand when you cast flame blade and wield the flame blade as your primary weapon, I don't see why not.

Although using Twin Spell on a flame blade could be interesting...

The Oversize Two Weapon Fighting feat from Complete Adventurer eliminates the reliance on light weapons. Twin Spell would speed up getting into combat a lot, cool.

 

[The Druid Merlin]

Is that supposed to be encouraging somehow?

That actually happened in a Forgoten Realms campaign. Her other purpose was to act as the party healer.

 

[Pseudonym]

I have been pondering this question myself. I have a shifter druid in our Eberron game, and am seriously considering taking the 5th level racial substitution, which gives up wild shape all together. I am hoping that I won't sacrifice viability.

 

[Errant]

That actually happened in a Forgoten Realms campaign. Her other purpose was to act as the party healer.

So, apart from LOOKING ridiculous, was she effective (how?) or a waste of space? Not trying ride you, seriously looking for insight so I can run an effective druid myself.

I have been pondering this question myself. I have a shifter druid in our Eberron game, and am seriously considering taking the 5th level racial substitution, which gives up wild shape all together. I am hoping that I won't sacrifice viability.

From what I'm reading here I have hope you won't be.

 

[shadowlight]

The flame blade is making the touch attacks.

ZOING! Thanks! I never noticed that. I'm going to use that in my next gaming session!

 

[Brother MacLaren]

Druid spells come in six flavors as I see it:
Buffing, healing, blasting, summoning, battlefield control, and utility.
Lots of options besides wildshaping.

If you aren't spending feats on wildshape, then there are some great other options: Spell Focus Conjuration, Augment Summoning, and Rapid Spell is a good set for the summoning-oriented cleric, or Widen Spell for the blaster. Item crafting feats are often useful, especially Craft Wand (because you don't have spontaneous healing).

Most of the druid spells can be dispelled -- including all battlefield control spells and most damaging spells -- so boosting caster level with levels of hierophant is a good option.

My druid is the party's only single-classed spellcaster (and for a while the only one with any levels in a primary spellcaster class), so he hasn't focused on wildshaping. If he had, the feat chain would have been Improved Natural Attack, Improved Grapple, Natural Spell, Fast Wild Shape, and Improved Toughness (by level 12).

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

You do not need to be a specialized shaper.

Once you get past 10th level, wildshaping and wading into combat is not really a big benefit unless (1) your DM has allowed some funky armor into the game that boosts your wildshaped AC significantly, or (2) you cast Animal Growth on yourself, or (3) both. None of these are a given in any campaign I have played in. You could theorectically always wander around wildshaped and ready to cast Animal Growth, but being in critter form has its downsides unless your DM coddles you.

Standard vanilla Druids tend to have pitiful Armor Classes. Without a great AC or some DR, you can easily find yourself sucking up well over 100+ HPs damage in a round. That is why some of those odd wildshaping boosts are so useful -- Druids can easily find themselves one unlucky critical away from death, so eliminating the threat of a critical completely gains the Druid a welcome bit of predictability on his lifespan.

Most enemies for which offensive wildshaping is useful can also be effectively attacked by summoned critters. Six of one, half dozen of the other.

I think the key strengths of the Druid is flexibility and breadth of abilities. For all I am not in the "Druids are superpowerful" camp, it is quite obvious that the class is above average at everything. Do not put all your eggs into one basket. A Druid with Augment Summoning and a diverse selection of prepped spells has a lot of options.

Neat trick: For a 4th level spell slot a summoned Unicorn can heal an average of 42 HPs. Outside of combat (it takes 4 rounds), that is a much better deal the than Cleric's Cure Critical for a measly ~28 HPs.

 

[The Druid Merlin]

So, apart from LOOKING ridiculous, was she effective (how?) or a waste of space? Not trying ride you, seriously looking for insight so I can run an effective druid myself.

Her animal compainions were particularly good for killing Thayan Wizards. Her magical goldfish could kill Ao if he wanted. If you want some thing that comes close try a druid focusing on animal companions and the Leadership feat.