Druids - Likes and Dislikes?

[der_kluge]

I don't allow Druids IMC because they are too complex. I had a druid in my last campaign (the reason why I banned them). This was actually the first druid I'd ever ran in 3rd edition.

He didn't do anything particularly out of the ordinary when he made the class, but it was just obnoxious.

He had a pet wolf that was stronger than the party's fighter - had more hit points, and did more damage. Then he kept summoning stuff every round, so he was constantly having to look up monster stats, most of which were more or less ineffective, so they were just troublesome things that added little value. I dreaded the Druid's turn during initiative, because I knew he was going to take forever by virtue of all the critters surrounding him.

And almost universally, every Druid I've ever seen played was a "lone-wolf" sort of character that almost never agrees nor gets along with the party. They are almost always at odds with a party decision at some point during the campaign. So, for that reason alone, I've made Druids IMC, "NPC-only" because it fits the style better - lone recluse who hangs out in the forest protecting it, not happy-go-lucky go who travels with a party of do-goods into a dungeon to get phat l3wt.

 

[Andor]

Like: Wildshape - Shapeshifting is fun, and too difficult to do otherwise in D&D.

Dislike: Pesky People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal companions protesters.

 

[Wolfwood2]

- Can't do multiple less powerful animal companions by RAW, which makes a "Beastmaster"-type character tough to play.

A Beastmaster character is possible. You just have to take the Handle Animal skill, get some animals, and spend the time training them. They won't get any of the animal companion freebie powers, but with a high enough Handling score you can make them do everything an Animal Companion would do.

Admittedly, the time crunch may be the biggest problem for most campaigns.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

A Beastmaster character is possible. You just have to take the Handle Animal skill, get some animals, and spend the time training them. They won't get any of the animal companion freebie powers, but with a high enough Handling score you can make them do everything an Animal Companion would do.

Admittedly, the time crunch may be the biggest problem for most campaigns.

And then there's the wimpiness of the pseduo animal companions. They will suck in combat (and will die even if you try to keep them out of combat), can't scout (little intelligence, probably little stealth), have a worse Survival score than you do (so don't use them for tracking), can't be left outside dungeons, etc.

 

[TheLe]

Here's an offhand question: Is it really necessary for a "druid" to have spellcasting capabilities?

`Le

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Here's an offhand question: Is it really necessary for a "druid" to have spellcasting capabilities?

`Le

No. Similarly, I dont think a priest needs spellcasting capabilitites, or an assassin needs a deathstrike ability. IMO, they are jobs.

I'm running an Oathbound game using Arcana Evolved classes, and while many druids have levels in Greenbond, quite a few do not. Some of the high ups have been a Champions of Nature, and the leader of one sect is a Mage Blade with a few appropriate feats.

Similarly, since there is no cleric class, anyone of any class can be a priest without feeling they are "less" of a priest than anyone else.

As far as druid dislikes, the complications of wild shape and losing gear bonuses coupled with stupid weapon/armor restrictions that are a throwback to 1st/2nd edition irritate me.

 

[blargney the second]

I don't really like the exponential D&D spellcasting system, so I'd be fine if druids didn't have it.
-blarg

 

[Nebulous]

I really like the flavor of druids, and in theory their tie to nature, but in play it really just boils down to every other character, how much whoop-ass they can lay down in a round.

I REALLY despise Natural Spell. I houseruled it to spells that only effect the caster.

 

[Wolfwood2]

And then there's the wimpiness of the pseduo animal companions. They will suck in combat (and will die even if you try to keep them out of combat), can't scout (little intelligence, probably little stealth), have a worse Survival score than you do (so don't use them for tracking), can't be left outside dungeons, etc.

Well sure, but aren't you facing the exact same problem with "weakened" multiple animal companions, which was the offer in the original complaint about not being able to do Beastmaster?

Also note that there's nothing saying you have to stick to training dogs and badgers. You do that when you're low level and your Handle Animal bonus is low. At mid-level your bonus is higher and you can be training dinosaurs and hippogriffs and gorgons. At higher levels you can be training- Well, even regular regular animal companions aren't really that survivable at levels 15+, but I guess if you could find a powerful enough magical beast with a low intelligence score, you could train that.

Subject of course, to availability of such animals and campaign time.

 

[Fishbone]

I think they are a very strong and well realized class
Likes: Animal Companion: These have nice defenses, my first Druid had Natural Bond and a dire bat and he'd always throw the bat little bones from the loot and had a special suit of mithril chain made for him. He ended up with HD equal to our level, perfect manuverability, and an AC in the low 30s even after being Animal Growthed.Dire wolves and giant constrictors are fun, too.
All the little things they get like One Thousand Faces, Woodland Stride, etc. This is a class with some meat to it. Multiclassing/prestiging is not needed and there are only 2 nulls throughout 20 levels. I look forward to leveling a druid each and every time I play.
I both like and dislike Spell selection. They have plenty of neat strong spells but throughout the years druids have been getting more and more high octane offensive spells. I think this usurps the role of the arcane users and slightly unbalances the druid. They can truly do it all, to an extent that I think their spell list is as strong as the clerics.
They are friggin' tanks, too. It is hard to put one down. I like to play a race like Forest Gnome with a constitution increase, bump my constitution with items whenever I can, and stick my second highest score in constitution, always. With a Monk's Belt and wild shape they can have great armor classes plus Barkskin and the 3rd score in dexterity and access to healing, WOW.