Swami's of Spellcasting: The Spontaneous-Casting Druid?

[Eldren]

I wanted to get some input here. I'm considering using the "Spontaneous Divine Spellcaster" variant from Unearthed Arcana for my Druid, but I'm weighing it against the power of the standard Player's Handbook Druid. The one thing I'm already noting is that spontaneous divine casters don't get a more favorable number of spells per day vs. their preparation-based brethren, as Sorcerors do over Wizards, but they still have to deal with a lesser number of known spells.

With this in consideration, though, which do you all think would make a "better" Druid: One who goes strictly by the class rules from the Player's Handbook, or a spontaneous-casting Druid using the Unearthed Arcana rules? Input is wanted. Thanks!

 

[Kyamsil]

I guess that the player's handbook one will be "better".

If you want a spontaneous caster that uses the druid spell list play a spirit shaman from Complete Divine: Not-so spontaneous, still unlimited access to the druid spell list but you must select some prepared spells each day (to a max of 3 of each level), but get to cast any of those prepared spells a lot of times per day (similar to a sorcerer, but with 9th level spells available at 17th).

The spirit shaman also has some nice abilities dealing with spirits (any incorporeal undead, fey, elementals and some other spirit creatures), and a lot more nice abilities.

All in all it is a good class. Either that or druid from Player's Handbook. Giving up the nice ability of any divine spellcaster of having an almost limitless spell list just is not a good idea to me.

 

[Pielorinho]

I played a druid for a long time, and I would definitely stay with the non-spontaneous version if given the choice.

1) In most parties, druids are secondary healers, and therefore need some access to the healing spells; this would seriously limit their spell slot choices.
2) Other spells, especialy animal growth and flame strike and produce flame and wall of thorns, are so awesomely awesome that a druid more or less has to take them.
3) Druid spells are often weaker than a cleric's or wizard's spells, but their strength is in their flexibility: if a druid knows (for exapmle that they'll be fighting fire elementals, they can prepare Quench, the single best bang-for-your-buck spell in fighting such creatures (huge shapeable AoE, no save, great damage). Similarly, they can prepare Entangle when going through the woods without having to sacrifice anything when they're in the dungeon.

That said, the weird flexibility of the druid works in another way as well: by midlevels, a smart druid with access to a scrollscriber really ought to plunk some cash into getting scrolls made of the specialty spells (the ones that are extremely useful in rare situations and useless in most situations). If a druid is going to have access to cash and scrollscribers early on, they might build up the scroll library early and thereby function well with limited spontaneous casting.

In such a case, the druid ought to consider getting the following scrolls, at least:

1st: obscuring mist, speak with animals, pass without trace
2nd: lesser restoration, soften earth and stone
3rd: remove disease, stoneshape, quench (written by a tenth-level caster)
4th: antivermin shell

I'm sure I've forgotten some, but those are the ones I'd recommend.
Daniel

 

[Pielorinho]

Kyamsil, I like that idea. It's the same way magic works in Arcana Unearthed:
-Each day, you choose a set of spells to prepare.
-You can then use your spell slots to cast any of your prepared spells during that day.

That is, if you get three first-level spell slots and can prepare two first-level spells, then you might prepare cure light wounds and produce flame. Then you could cast two of the former and one of the latter, or three of the latter, or three of the former, or whatever you wanted.

It's a great balance between strategic flexibility and tactical flexibility.

Daniel

 

[Silveras]

I am testing this in a Play-by-Chat campaign I am putting together. I have adopted the All Divine Casters are Spontaneous option to emphasize the differencs between Divine and Arcane magic. I am instituting the reverse, as well: All Arcane Casters Prepare. Sorcerers require a feat to give them some "innate magic ability".

My feeling is that Clerics and Druids are a little too good. They have good combat or other special abilities, and spellcasting that sometimes overshadows the powers of the Wizard and/or Sorcerer. With the right domain choices, a Cleric can be a better "blast-'em" spellcaster than a Wizard, sometimes.

However, to keep balance, I suggest looking at using some additional variants. I am using the Reserve Points variant, for example, to make the loss of healing magic less of a problem.

 

[Hypersmurf]

That said, the weird flexibility of the druid works in another way as well: by midlevels, a smart druid with access to a scrollscriber really ought to plunk some cash into getting scrolls made of the specialty spells (the ones that are extremely useful in rare situations and useless in most situations).

Make sure it's a divine scroll-scriber.

There's nothing worse than cooperating with the wizard, and ending up with an Arcane scroll of Soften Earth and Stone

-Hyp.