So... you're going to play a Druid...

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

For Energy Substitution: If you consider it, I would recommend cold. It is a "natural" form of energy you often encounter in the wilderness, and it is the opposite of your standard energy type - Fire. Few enemies are immune or resistant to both energy types, in fact are many especially vulnerable to the one type and immune to the other.
So, for high level spells: You might memorize Flame Blade and Cold Blade, Flame Strike and Cold Strike.

On the other hand, my Druid took feats like Endurance and Alertness - but he is a shifter.
I can still recommend Combat Reflexes, since most powerful forms have reach (including your natural form if you use a Longspear).
Improved Initiative is useful for anyone (be sure to Entangle the enemies at start).
Natural Spell is more or less a must, since you certainly want to keep casting in your animal form and you have only a limited number of times for switching between human and animal form.
Masters of the Wild has also something like Quicken Shape, that allows you to change form as move action - If you are not going to become shifter (and losing all spell progression), this might be a good idea, at least at higher levels.

Unfortunately, being an Elf won`t help you much in regards to typical elven weapons (you are not allowed to use them being a Druid), but the best way to still "simulate" being an Elf might be choosing the Flame Blade as your weapon of choice. (2nd level spell, I believe). You won`t get nearer to a Longsword or Rapier.

The sling is not a good "archer" weapon, but its the only ranged weapon you may use. I would not recommend concentrating on it, though it might have it uses.


Mustrum Ridcully

 

[DiFier]

this might be totally out of wack. . . but. why don't you ask your DM if you can switch the druid spell list for the shugena or shaman spell list from OA (spelling?). I don't know if that would be overpowered or underpowered or just right. but they cast divine spells that are based on the elements. might be cool.

 

[daTim]

For druid healing spells, you cant beat the regenerate spells for out of combat. A Regenerate Light wounds cures a minimum of 10hp at lvl 1. If you Extend a Regenerate Critical Wounds (4 per round) you get 20+lvl rounds of healing. The higher level ones are good for during combat too, it free's you up to fight or cast other spells. Thats almost minimum 90 HP for a 5th lvl spell. Considering you dont get heal until a 7th lvl spell it is a good deal.

Edit: They are from Masters of the Wild btw.

 

[Speaks With Stone]

I don't have the book with me but I'm fairly certain that the Regenerate Spells only heal damage that occur after the spell is cast. So you have to cast is before combat and then it can heal damage as it begins to accrue at some point during the duration of the spell. It would be fairly rare that you would heal a full 10 hp off a level 1 casting of RLW. Of course, it does help take care of stabilizations and such fairly handily.

If optional books are allowed - consider a Shaman from the Shamans Handbook with elemental lists or possibly the Book of Elementalism by Mongoose. It is really for arcane users, but seems reasonable for a druid type with some modifications.

 

[Caliber]

There are two versions of the Druid Regenerate spells, one in MotW, and the other in MoF (I think)

One works like you said Speaks With Stone, but the other works as daTim described (again, I think)

 

[Kannik]

Some interesting options here }

The Shaman from OA -- I hadn't even thought of that, silly me } I'll have another look at it and present it to the player, see if she likes the idea (and if the DM will approve). IIRC that had a good mix of spells/etcthat might be what we're looking for...

Unfortunetaly I haven't seen the Shaman's Handbook...

Energy substitution (yes, I am answering these backwards ): Cold does sound like the 'most appropriate' choice to begin with as an opposition to the fire -- classic. Though as one need have another metamagic feat as a prereq I don't think she'll be taking this for a while (at low levels metamagics that up spell levels aren't very useful).

I hadn't thought about wildshape w/ reach either, nor the longspear option... another to look into (this is why I love these boards }:>

Mounted combat, she was actually thinking of taking a Stag as her animal companion, so that could be very interesting indeed...

MMmm, I'm really going to have to look at the Shamen class when I get back home tonight. Which is in about 30 mins...

I sense the problem changing from 'what to do' to 'what not to do because I can't do it all' }:>

Kannik

 

[Caliber]

Is Natural Spell metamagic?

 

[Nifft]

Is Natural Spell metamagic?

Nope, it's a [Wild] Feat -- requires Wild Shape class ability as opposed to spellcasting ability.

-- Nifft

 

[Caliber]

Curses!

Do Druids carry some nice buffs? Extended buffs always rock.

The Shaman class (OA) is great. Very Druid-y feel, but defintely more Elemental. You get Domain-y type abilities (in the form of Ancestor Spirits) and I think they can elemental ancestor spirits or some such ... should work rather well.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

That's up to you. For balance reasons, I suggest that divine casters have a limited number of spells on their list, equal to the number of spells in the Player's Handbook. A PhB druid has acces to 22 first level spells (I think); if that druid wants access to an earth-based spell from a splatbook, she has to give up one of her first-level PhB spells to make up for it, taking that spell of her list entirely (i.e., no casting it with wands or scrolls, either). There are other ways to keep divine casters in check, but I think this is the fairest way. If you're the DM, you can choose whichever method works best for you.

If the player does go with a traditional druid, I cannot recommend the above advice strongly enough. An ever-expanding spell-list is a powerful thing. And it will seriously annoy any wizards in the party who have to pay for access to each and every spell.