Druid help (Help me, a poor n00b to the Druid)

[hammymchamham]

where is this create infusion? Is it in Masters of the Wild? I am going to ask my DM to let me replace Scribe Scroll with Track and then pick up Create Infusion next level, but I need to read how these infusions work. I took scribe scroll cause when I made the charecter I pretty much had the PHB, and scribe scroll is a nice way to be able to have a few handy scrolls laying around for a rainy day, but you are right, his background doesn't make that a very wise choice.

 

[arwink]

I didn't spot anyone else mentioning this, but you might want to put some thought into taking Craft Wonderous Item.

From memory, Druids are the only class capable of crafting the very useful Amulet of Natural armor, and with the spell list you can probably come up with a few items that are pretty funky.

 

[Pielorinho]

I loves my druid.

A couple of ideas:

-Don't worry too much about your physical stats except for Constitution. You'll be replacing them when you wildshape with animal stats, and if you pick up natural spell at 6th level (a must-have for druids), your human strength and dex won't matter very much.
-Masters of the Wild has a very nice ritual you can do to advance your animal companions, so that you can have a 3hd wolf at third level, a 4hd wolf at 4th level, etc. It costs 1 day and 200 XP to do the ritual each time, though, so consider the cost. (I convinced my DM to make the cost be 25XP times the animal's current HD, which makes it cheaper to cast until you reach 8th level, after which point it becomes progressively more expensive; this method makes it more reasonable, and more closely mirrors other advancement rates). Anyway, I'd recommend using this ritual: at 6th level, your 2HD wolves will die very quickly, and that's not such a nice thing to do to a pack.
-Craft wonderous item is fun, especially for the bag of tricks you can make. The medium-sized bag is a great bargain, and at higher levels, you can include the animal from the bag in an animal growth spell, stretching the spell's utility. If the party ever has a low-level NPC or torchbearer or follower in it, you can give them the bag, to make them somewhat useful in combat.
-As soon as you can afford to, purchase a wand of mage armor for your party's arcane spellcaster to use on your animal companions and yourself. The extra +4 AC will be invaluable for your companions and for your own wildshaped self. AC will always be your, and your companion's, Achilles Heel; cover it up as much as possible.
-If you can, always keep a goodberry spell memorized. At low levels, it provides basically cheap cure potions to everyone in the party; even at high levels, the berries last so long that you can give everyone in the party a full ration of 8 berries (the most anyone can benefit from at a time). If you end up casting the spell a lot, see if your DM will let you create an average amount of berries (5) with each casting: it makes the record-keeping much easier.
-At third level, remember that you can cast produce flame on someone else. If there's a rogue or fighter in the party with rapid shot, you can thereby give them multiple ranged touch attacks per round. Flame blade can only be cast on yourself, but the fact that it's a touch attack makes it quite nice.

Daniel

 

[Tiberius]

where is this create infusion? Is it in Masters of the Wild? I am going to ask my DM to let me replace Scribe Scroll with Track and then pick up Create Infusion next level, but I need to read how these infusions work.

This is all IIRC. Infusions are sort of a strange scroll/potion combination. You imbue a spell of any level you can cast into an herb for later use, then eat the herb when you wish to cast the spell. If the ingestor of the herb does not have the spell on their class list and the sufficent level to cast it, the herb acts as a poison (DC 20, 1d6 Str, nausea). Therefore, don't expect to be able to make Heal infusions for your friends' use. If you are able to cast the spell, then the infusion functions as a scroll would.

If I am mistaken about any of the above, someone please correct me, as I do not have MotW with me.

-Tiberius

 

[Greatwyrm]

My druid died last Saturday, but here's some things I learned.

1. Natural Spell is more than worth it. The ability to cast while wildshaped is great.

2. Track is a good choice. Since you're putting points in Wilderness Lore anyway, it's really handy.

3. Craft Wonderous Item has its uses. You're the only one making Amulets of Natural Armor. You can also make a Bag of Tricks. You can make Druid's Vestments that let you wildshape more often.

4. Don't overlook Craft Wand. A druid has a lot of nice, cheap utility spells that you may just not want prepared all the time. Protection from Elements, Obscuring Mist, and Faerie Fire are all handy to have around.

5. While I'm not a big beliver in metamagic for the druid, if you like them, look for feats that will enhance your ground control spells. One of the main strengths of the druid spell list is area control. Entangle, Briar Web, Spike Growth, Spike Stones, Wall of Thorns or Stone or Fire, and on and on. Any feat that makes these larger in area or tougher for an enemy to overcome may be a worthwhile investment.

 

[wolff96]

Natural Spell is probably the best feat I can recommend. For a druid, the ability to cast in Wildshape is incredible.

Craft Wand is nice -- it alleviates the need to memorize healing if there are no other healers in the party -- and allows the druid (and only the druid) to make wands of Flame Strike. If you rely heavily on your animal companions, then a wand of Nature's Favore (I think that's the name, MotW spell that adds a +1/2 level luck bonus to an animal's attack and damage) is also good.

Animated Shields and "Wild" armor (A +3 equivalent from MotW that lets you retain the AC from armor while wildshaped) are wonderful ways to raise AC while wild-shaped. (NOTE: Your DM may rule animated shields differently, so make sure you discuss it ahead of time.)

A druid first comes into their own at level 3; the power of Flame Blade, Produce Flame, and Briar Web should never be underestimated. Flame Blade is espeically nice given its long duration and touch attack status. Also, it can be empowered later in your life for a great deal of damage versus hard to hit creatures like dragons.

Energy Substitution is a very good feat for a druid. It allows you to modify all of those fire-based spells for when you face enemies immune to flame. With the exception of a few splatbook or third party spells (and the core Call Lightning and Ice Storm), virtually all druidic spells are fire.

I agree with those that like Tracking -- it's a good feat for a druid.

Extend Spell is relatively good for a druid in my opinion.

A lot of your power is tied up in Wildshaping and spells; you will never be as much of a combatant in your natural form as a cleric. A 5th level druid can have three attacks per round through wild-shaping, though, so never underestimate your power to mix it up in combat.

Most of all, have fun. I'm having a blast with my druid.

 

[Nightfall]

This is all IIRC. Infusions are sort of a strange scroll/potion combination. You imbue a spell of any level you can cast into an herb for later use, then eat the herb when you wish to cast the spell. If the ingestor of the herb does not have the spell on their class list and the sufficent level to cast it, the herb acts as a poison (DC 20, 1d6 Str, nausea). Therefore, don't expect to be able to make Heal infusions for your friends' use. If you are able to cast the spell, then the infusion functions as a scroll would.

If I am mistaken about any of the above, someone please correct me, as I do not have MotW with me.

-Tiberius

Sounds right to be Tiberius. Btw hammy, yes Create Infusions are in Masters of the Wild.

 

[Witness]

I also had a Druid character, an evil Gnome who rode around on his wolf animal companion. I agree with others sugestions for Track and Craft Wand. Druids have afew spells spells that are useful in just about nay situation. A wand of Entagle, or Obscuring Mist, Flaming Sphere, or wven Speak with Animals is invaluable.

Also, though there is a ritual to improve your animal companion in MotW, you might want to talk to your DM about whether or not your animal companions can advance on their own. If your animals are traveling with you and fighting with you, it makes sense that they would advance naturally without the Duid having to expend XP to make them stronger.

 

[Terraism]

Also, though there is a ritual to improve your animal companion in MotW, you might want to talk to your DM about whether or not your animal companions can advance on their own. If your animals are traveling with you and fighting with you, it makes sense that they would advance naturally without the Duid having to expend XP to make them stronger.

Later on, you can take a look at Awaken, too.

 

[Argent Silvermage]

WOW!

It seems like all the Druids who posted have the same ideas.
Remember one thing about Animal Companions. Only a 1st level druid may have more hitdice in companions than the druid does.
Thus a 1st level druid can have a 2hd wolf but after that he can only have up to his level in hd.

To offset this there are now Legendary animals (from MoTW). These are like nornam animals but Nature has amplified them just to walk with druids. A legendary wolf for instance is as dangerous as a Dire Wolf but is normal wolf sized.

The bag of tricks are a wonderful concept. also a staff of Insect control can be amplified with druid spells.