Essentials: Druid Preview Is Up!

[Tiitha]

I was hoping they'd bring back animal companions in Essentials. This is good news!

 

[DracoSuave]

Digging a little further...

It looks like the Druid only gets one at-will at 1st.
Also, the only Encounter power it gets is combined attack.

So, a smaller pool of at-wills and no traditional encounter powers balance out having a second miniature on the board and a second set of actions for it.

I think I may enjoy the new Druid!

The ability to grasping tide and then get an animal attack?

Forget about the beast master being jealous... this is likely to out perform twin-strike for damage potential.

 

[Reaper Steve]

As written, it doesn't look like combined attack requires the animal attack to be made against the same target. Yikes.

At least the animal companion moves (not shifts) during combined attack.

Hmmm... I would really like the animal companion to have its own actions, but I can see problems if it does. Druid actions + animal actions + animal free move/attack (1+ per ENC) in a round.

 

[AngryMojo]

It really makes me wonder if the second ranger build will get an animal companion as well.

 

[Korgoth]

I suppose if you're using this class in a world that doesn't have wolves and bears (Athas, for example) you just re-fluff the critter as something similar that fills that niche?

 

[FireLance]

I suppose if you're using this class in a world that doesn't have wolves and bears (Athas, for example) you just re-fluff the critter as something similar that fills that niche?

That sounds like a reasonable approach.

Although Athas does have bears.

They are horribly mutated, ferocious and psionic, but they are called bears.

 

[thewok]

Considering that Rangers got companions in 3E, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Scout with an animal companion next Monday.

I like this druid, though. I never really understood the point of wild shape in 3E (until I read a charop post about druids), and this jives with what I think of when I think of D&D druids.

 

[FireLance]

I get the impression that Druid and his animal companion do not share actions. The animal has its own initiative score, for one.

Actually, I think the animal's initiative is always equal to the druid's. This implies to me that they don't get separate actions.

 

[DracoSuave]

I suppose if you're using this class in a world that doesn't have wolves and bears (Athas, for example) you just re-fluff the critter as something similar that fills that niche?

Probably do that even if you DID have wolves or bears in your world.

Refluffing is for cool!

 

[Saracenus]

I win in time, but you win in thoroughness and presentation.

I bow to you.

I bow back, the main info is on the website and you provided a link. I have no idea why most folks are replying in my thread instead of yours...

We probably started around the same time and I just fiddled with mine longer <G>...

See you on the boards,