Druid Help Please

[Vander]

I am starting a new campaign tomorrow evening, and am making a Gnomish Druid. I've never played a Druid before, and would like some tips on what to strive for, spell combos, combat strategies, etc.

We are to use a 40 pt. buy, as the campaign will rely heavily on combat (although playing a druid, i wont be in many, hopefully...). It will also be very deadly. What weapons can I use for my size, etc.? Also, Genasai are a possible PC race, so maybe a Genasai Druid would be in order? Thanks.

Also, the campaign will have some Norse flavor to it, and will involve the four elements strongly (possible high level plane traveling, etc.) Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Xarlen]

What level are you starting at?

Being a Genasi would be very good, if it's Element focused. Also, Dragon Magazine's newest one has lots of Genasi, and varied ones in it.

 

[Vander]

What level are you starting at?

Being a Genasi would be very good, if it's Element focused. Also, Dragon Magazine's newest one has lots of Genasi, and varied ones in it.

Starting at 1st level. Don't have the books with me. Whats so great about Genasai? Would they make good druids?

 

[Xarlen]

No, I just thought that it'd be the coolness factor.

If you're starting 1st level, a Genasi isn't doable; they have an ECL +1. Gotta wait til second level.

I don't exactly get the point by. You can't even get all six stats at 10, an Average, with 40.

 

[Vander]

No, I just thought that it'd be the coolness factor.

Ah. I'm into that too. What do they get?

If you're starting 1st level, a Genasi isn't doable; they have an ECL +1. Gotta wait til second level.

Guess he's going to start us as just Genasai with no class levels first.

I don't exactly get the point by. You can't even get all six stats at 10, an Average, with 40.

We use the Char Gen so you start with 8's and build from there. The higher you go, the more points you use. 18's are difficult. Personally, i'd rather go with higher average scores, cuz for every 18, you gotta have a 6 somewhere (cringes....)

 

[Xarlen]

Actually, you could have 2 18s and 4 13's.

You have 40. Take twenty, break them into 4 5's. Add 5 to each 8.

That leaves 20. Break it into ten, and add those to the remaining 2 8's. That gives you 18.

 

[Otterscrubber]

Actually it is not a one for one point system usually. The higher an ability score it can cost 2 or more points to get an extra point of a certain ability.

But back to the post.....Druids are really fun but require some good thought. You will come to rely on your animal companion a lot, it is used to help you in combat as well as non combat roles. Druids have great combat spells to up their AC as well as their weapons and the natural weapons of their companions. Your healing skills will come in handy and eventually your ability to turn into some kickass monsters to help your companion tag team the baddies of the world.

My personal favorite combo is to have a druid with riding feats so that you are good at mounted combat. This would work well with a gnome as you can ride a smaller mount and still get all the benefits from the mounted feats and fit inside most dungeons or other indoors locations. Druids get plenty of spells to buff out the AC of both themselves and their pets. With the right feats you can dish out double damage while charging with your flame blade ( a great touch attack weapon) and avoiding damage by taking half cover from your mount. If your mount or you gets damaged you often have a superior movement capability to get out of combat and heal up, or just heal up your mount and charge back in. Loads of fun to be had here and that is just the combat aspects. The druids shapechange abilities I think are fun to play with in later levels as spies and whatnot. Druids can go just about anywhere silently if they really want to and no one can track them. I think they are up there with rogues for sneakiness.

As far as animal companions go, I used an advancement plan from a friends campaign where the monsters actually gained PC class levels instead of hit Dice as I gained in levels. So my pet wolf had some levels of Rogue and was a mean sneak attacker. This is house rule stuff but you get the idea. Also there is the Awaken spell to give you pet sentience, gotta like that. Good luck.

 

[DevoutlyApathetic]

Hmm....stat-wise for a druid I'd probably go.....

Str 10 (12) points 4
Dex 10 points 2
Con 16 (18) points 10
Int 12 points 4
Wis 18 points 16
Chr 14 points 6

Why do I dump all over the normally lovely stats of Str and Dex? After 5th level they really just don't matter to a druid. You can turn into something with much better than you're likely to have anyways. High con you ask? You keep your con modifer to hit points even while wildshaped. The charisma is to help with the fun charisma based skills you have access to. Wisdom is really worth the high cost, you have many spells that are simply great with good DC's and absolutely worthless with low DC's. Look at flaming sphere. Beautiful spell if you can get a good DC. How about poison, a third level spell for you and absolutely devastating.

As for feats a spell focus isn't bad and when you can get it Natural spell (From MotW) is wonderful. Make sure you're up on the changes to wildshape in MotW.

EDIT: Oops, two bits I forgot. As a small druid your normal form is pretty much unacceptable for combat. Pick up a sickle and a large shield then find the biggest, baddest animal in the world to stay next to you to make the sickle completely unnecessary. War dogs are nice, as they help with your pathetic 20' speed as well.

 

[Dinkeldog]

If you go the riding route, at 3rd level, make your animal companion a dire badger. He's big enough for you to ride.

I played a gnome that wielded a scimitar two-handed. With the critical threat range, it's the best you can do.

 

[0-hr]

Another quick druidic note: see if you can grab some armor out of Oriental Adventures. The Leather Scale and hide armors in there might be better for you than the junk in the PHB.

At higher levels, you might think about Rhino Hide and a wooden shield with your Spikes spell cast on it.