Key features for a Predator Druid?

[AbdulAlhazred]

Since HAE was errata'd, it only grants its effects for characters without a bonus from INT or DEX. It's markedly less useful now than it used to be, which is one of the main reasons Swarm Druids have fallen off the map a bit. According to what I've read, it's still useful if you're only playing heroic-tier, but once you go beyond that, it starts really falling behind.

Yup, but it is not bad for an all CON/WIS light armor guy at heroic. The bonus is a flat +2. Since chain isn't an option it is effectively all you CAN do. The problem is there's nothing at higher levels you can pick up. The new elven chain shirt thing in MME is obviously the fix for this type of character, but CON to AC would be the real fix. Maybe for the swarm druid that should only work up to +3 or something to account for the resist. That would basically do what the new item was meant to and not be borked.

Anyway, they definitely need help. The build would be viable if it wasn't for the fact that they simply HAVE to get in close to be useful.

Technically you're right, but if that happens, I've just forced him to blow an entire turn moving.

But as I said, it's just an added bonus. The real reason I took it was because it'll make it easier to force movement into all my zone powers. I can see the usefulness of both abilities, but I just felt that this one would help my playstyle a bit more. And if I end up being wrong, then I can retrain it later.

Yeah, I'm not really venturing an opinion, not having played that build. I suspect it is a matter of play style too.

 

[Greyfeld]

One of the things I was debating was picking up Fire Hawk instead of Fire Seed. I asked the GM, and he said that he'd be OK with ruling for actions that "can trigger an opportunity attack," which made it really attractive. But in the end, I liked the draw of having multiple zone/area attacks.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Since HAE was errata'd, it only grants its effects for characters without a bonus from INT or DEX. It's markedly less useful now than it used to be, which is one of the main reasons Swarm Druids have fallen off the map a bit. According to what I've read, it's still useful if you're only playing heroic-tier, but once you go beyond that, it starts really falling behind.

HAE is very useless... at epic, it is just a +1 bonus because you now have nt or dex 12. Only a barbarian can technically make use of it, since he gets his +3 bonus due to barbarian agility...

barkskin can help you for some combat rounds, but your best bet is just saying:
Ok, 14 con gives me small riders and dex will be my secondary, no matter what...