D&D 5E Help with Plasmoid Druid Circle of Spores

[ElterAgo]

Heyo! Making a new character for a new group playing through the Radiant Citadel.
As I understand it, The Radiant Citadel has 'spaceships' stopping by to take and/or drop off travelers and cargo from different realms/domains/planes at this hub of the Ethereal Plane. So the GM is ruling that anything is at least semi-reasonable.
Looking at all the possibilities and Plasmoid seems about as Ethereal as you can get. A druid of the Spores just meshes so well with the Plasmoid, I almost have to try it. I figure the Astral Drifter background mostly explains why it's here in the Citadel when the campaign starts. For personality, I'm going with cuddly/huggable friendly. Though he can't understand why almost everyone is creeped-out by his mere presence. I've got lots more ideas on how to ply this. Not 100% certain, but this is currently my leading contender for character to play.

Now the question is how to build it. My initial thoughts are the the Spore powers are mostly melee or at least very close range, but not hugely damaging. So I was thinking, mostly caster with Spore powers to augment when forced into melee. I don't know, does that seem like a good idea or should I mostly focus on just melee? Should I multiclass with anything else? How would you build this?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

It sounds like a great character concept. Mechanically, it's straightforward enough. You are probably going to want to be using Shillelagh to hit people with, but otherwise you don't need to do anything special. Make sure your DEX and CON don't suck.

A monk or barbarian dip might be worth considering, so you don't need to drop your armor when you slip under a door (Barkskin works in theory, but I don't like it as its concentration). In which case, you might go high enough to pick up extra attack.

Feats: Pole Arm Master is worth a look, as is one of the several feats that can give you the Booming Blade cantrip if you don't multiclass for extra attack.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Addendum

Suggested ability scores (standard point buy):
STR 8
DEX 16
CON 16
INT 8
WIS 16
CHA 8

Suggested subclass for monk multiclass: Way of the Astral Self.

 

[Ancalagon]

Spore druids have a bit of an "execution" problem. The concept is super cool but the actual execution of the concept is lacking.

Some things you should look out for and maybe talk to your GM:

1: do the temp HP from symbiotic entity last more than 10 minutes? I 100% believe they do and that the rules are clear, but others disagree.
1b: if you lose said temp HP, the other benefits of symbiotic entity go away! So it encourages you go to close (as you said, very short range/melee powers), but being close to the front line is a good way to lose the powers....

2: Reaction conflict:
Fungal infestation is a very cool ability, but it takes your reaction... and so does halo of spores! But you only have one reaction, so you can't do both...

 

[ElterAgo]

Hmm... Barbarian doesn't seem right for the flavor I'm feeling. Monk works though. Now to decide on a 1 or 4 level dip. I'm thinking just do 1 at character level 2. Then see if I'm finding myself in melee enough to go for more.

I will read through symbiotic entity a few more times, then go over it with the DM to make sure we are on the same page.

 

[ElterAgo]

I think the rules for Symbiotic Entity (lasts 10 min max but lose if lost temp hp) and Fungal Infestation (can only use 1 reaction or the other) are pretty clear. I can live with them.

I have a question though. If you use Symbiotic Entity, it ends if you use Wild Shape again. What if you do it the other way around? Use Wild Shape to turn into say a badger, then use your second Wild Shape for Symbiotic Entity. Then you would be a badger with temp hp and extra necrotic damage on its attacks. Will that work?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Now to decide on a 1 or 4 level dip.

Definately not level 4. Either level 1, for unarmoured defence and martial arts, or push on to 5 for extra attack. Since (unusually) your Symbiotic Entity bonus damage applies to every attack, the more attacks you can make in one round the better.

Use Wild Shape to turn into say a badger, then use your second Wild Shape for Symbiotic Entity.

Sure, I see nothing to prevent it.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

but being close to the front line is a good way to lose the powers....

Personally, I would play a tortle spore druid, to minimize the chance of being hit.

Fungal infestation is a very cool ability, but it takes your reaction...

Only to animate the zombie in the first place, and it lasts an hour. It doesn't need anything to tell it to attack.

 

[Ancalagon]

Personally, I would play a tortle spore druid, to minimize the chance of being hit.

Only to animate the zombie in the first place, and it lasts an hour. It doesn't need anything to tell it to attack.

Tortle really fits well re flavor wise, but so do the plasmoid... but yes, the Tortle is a lot tankier.

Re reaction: The problem is that your halo of spore power also takes a reaction, and it's one you are going to use every round, so you might not even have a reaction to animate the zombie! Furthermore, if you kill a foe with halo of spore, thematically that would be the perfect time to animate them as a zombie, but mechanically you can't because you just used your only reaction!

It's a mess.

 

[ElterAgo]

Yeah I agree with you. If I was GM, I would probably say that IF the Halo of Spores made the kill, it would automatically infestation would be automatic.
But I think I'm ok with it as it is.