how does the druid not stink?

[haiiro]

Damn you, Gez. I was content only reading Piratecat's story hour up until now, but that passage was too good to ignore.

And Nwm? Easily one of the coolest names I've ever seen, bar none. I love a good name, and this is a really good name. Wow.

(Edit: just to keep this on topic, I think druids are cool in the same way that bards are cool -- not necessarily a good munchkin class, and not essential to every party, but they have a lot of potential (and a host of nifty abilities) and in the hands of a creative player they totally rock.)

 

[nharwell]

The druid is a wonderful class. It, unlike the Cleric, has alot of "flavor" -- and it's greater restrictions encourage creativity, IMHO. On the other hand, the druid's effectiveness is VERY dependent on the DM's style of campaign (probably moreso than any other class except perhaps the Bard). Notably:

(1) Druid's shine in the wilderness, are mediocre in dungeons, and weak in urban environments. In a campaign that focuses predominately in one of these settings, the Druid can be anything from slightly stronger to much weaker than other classes. Just as Bard's rock in social games, Druid's do best in wilderness games.

(2) The power of the Druid's special abilities (Wildshape) and spells is is largely dependent on the DM. Does the DM use errata'd Wildshape. How strictly does he enforce the "familiarity" rule? How flexible does he allow you to be with spells (i.e. will Entangle work in an underground setting? etc.). These kinds of questions determine overall usefulness of the class.

(3) Related to #2, the utility of a Druid's animal companion is completely up to the DM. In many games I've seen, the animal companion is a near-useless liability. In others, it's played as a mere combat extension of the Druid. The balance lies somewhere between. An important point Sean Reynolds makes, though, is that the Animal Companion is an important aspect of the Druid. Without it (or if it's weakened by the DM), the Druid is much weaker than a Cleric.

 

[Pbartender]

The tricky thing about Animal Companions is that, except for a very few of them, they are much more useful outside of combat than in.

My wife is planning on making a multiclassed druid/sorcerer for an upcoming game. For Animal Companions, she will have a mule and a flock of two dozen ravens. Her Sorcerous Familiar will also be a raven. I've ruled that if her ravens are guarding or scouting, and there are at least twenty of them together in a flock, then they can Take 20 on their Search, Spot and Listen checks.

Plus, there is the advantage that she can take them almost anywhere... The mule can go into any town without suspicion (as opposed to a wolf or a tiger or somesuch), and the ravens can just fly away into the background when they aren't needed.

Or... Consider a halfling or gnome druid with a riding/war dog animal companion that he can ride into battle.

 

[Will]

The power of Awakened animal companions and the ability to cast Animal Growth (or other spells) on your companion... rocks.

Granted, a DM had really better use the suggestion in the DMG to limit a companion's HD to what a cohort would be.

I generated a 10th level druid with an Awakened dire bear companion. It was so gross even I had to say 'er, no.'

(Though that may have been after considering an awakened dire bear in full plate. Panzerbjorn. Hee)

 

[Nifft]

Druids are lots of fun.

I played one mid-level (10th-11th) starting in the City of the Spider Queen. Even though that's not the sort of place where Druids are favored, I made decent scout, excellent utility spellcaster, good damage-dealing spellcaster and even a decent healer.

-- Nifft

 

[Gez]

(Though that may have been after considering an awakened dire bear in full plate. Panzerbjorn. Hee)

Don't forget the Deflect Arrows feat.

 

[Rashak Mani]

Forgotten Realms Druids have it better thou... some great spells ! One of them basically allows you a hit with poison d6 Con loss every round ! Blinding spittle ... some great stuff.

Some combo are great with Druids too... Monk for example... get Wildshape and good AC too !

 

[Bob5th]

Well if you have a new DM who lets you start with one magic item (happened once to me) and can talk him into a ring of animal friendship then you can have a small pack of dire wolves following you.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

Well, I was going to point to Nwn in Sepulchrave's SH, but I've beaten to it. Druids are fantastic, when played well.

 

[I'm A Banana]

How does the Druid not stink?

They crush aromatic herbs beneath their sweaty, sweaty pits before *any* hot date and/or adventuring mission to surpress their natural odours.