Good Guide to make effective Predatory Druid?

[Shin Okada]

Hi! One of my friends is now playing a Drow Predatory Druid in Revenge of the Giants campaign.

While his PC is not that weak, the player is feeling that his PC is not a good controller enough and also not a good damage dealer (Predatory Druid's second role meant to be Striker).

I saw several Druids on the run at Heroic and Paragon tier. Con/Wis druids seem to be fine especially after Primal Power was introduced. Summoning dailies are strong. And they are tough.

I have seen only 2 Dex/Wis Predatory Druids on table, one at late heroic, another at paragon. Both of those druids' players were feeling that it is hard to grasp what is the strength of this build and how a predatory druid meant to fight.

Are there any good guidance or tutorial for making a good predatory druid somewhere?

 

[Ramius613]

Check out the druid handbook on the character optimisation boards on the d&d forums. Specifically alien270's handbook as his is the most up to date, and he has a few example builds as well.

 

[yesnomu]

Predator druids don't want to stay in beast form all the time, and they definitely don't want to use only beast powers. Beast dailies are generally awful, stick with encounter-length caster powers for those (Summon Giant Toad, Vine Serpents, Wall of Thorns, Summon Croc are all great). On the other hand, preds get some awesome encounter powers: Thorn Spray can easily be kept til 30, Predator's Flurry is a mini-Color Spray with better damage, and Latch On is great at locking down artillery or skirmishers. Special mention goes to Claws of Retribution, which when combined with Savage Rend can make you nearly invincible to melee attacks for a turn. I got the chance to activate it next to a Beholder and cut off about a quarter of its health in one round--fun times! (Claw Gloves are mandatory for any druids who enter beast form, btw.)

The trick to being a good predator is to take the best controlling powers, and switch back and forth between forms, looking for the place you can do the most harm to the enemies. It's a complicated class, but a lot of fun to play.