Tell me about your druids

[candidus_cogitens]

But on the other hand, a druid with a good Wisdom can get away with fighting entirely using his spells, especially at a higher level.

Could you explain how the high wisdom score would benefit you in combat?

I had been thinking that it is not really that important to have a super high wisdom. Just high enough to be able to cast your spells . . .

 

[ForceUser]

Breaking the mold

My druid is not what you'd call archtypal.

He is an orc, and a gothi (priest) of a tribe of orcs who have rejected their evil gods and turned instead to the worship of nature spirits - animism. He is true neutral, but not in the sense of seeking balance among forces; instead, he is neutral in the way animals are neutral: he is amoral. He isn't very intelligent, even for an orc, but he's very wise. He tends to make decisions slowly, as he ponders things with common sense but little ability to think critically. He often draws upon his knowledge of orcish tribal lore (they have an oral history tradition, which the gothi keep) to compare what he is faced with to what his ancestors faced. If he can draw a parallel it helps him decide. If not, he decides based on what is best for his tribe.

He has a ring of tongues given to him by the dwarves as a symbol of unity between their two peoples - earned by helping dwarvish interests many times over. Being wise enough to know that he is incredibly stupid, he performed a task for a wizard and thereby earned an intricately scrollworked headband that increased his intelligence. After earning the respect of the dwarf weaponsmith in the party with sweat, blood, and sacrifice, that dwarf crafted him a fine adamantine glaive, which was later enchanted.

Yrgach's greatest concern is for food and safety for his tribe - and by extension, his adventuring party. Orcish culture doesn't allow for the concept of friendship, but he has bled with his party, making them all his blood brothers. He would die for any one of them, not because it is the "good" thing to do ("good" and "evil" are relative to him), but because that is what brothers in blood do for one another under the laws of his people. It is that determination that led the orcs to freedom from the harsh rule of their hobgoblin masters.

Yrgach (ur-gotch)
Orc male Barbarian 1/Druid 6; medium sized humanoid (orc); HD 1d12+2 + 6d8+12; hps 53; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Speed 40 ft; AC 13 (+1 Dex, +2 Armour); Attack: BAB: +5; +1 adamantine glaive +8 melee (1d10+4), or longbow +6 ranged (1d8); SV Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +9; AL N; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 6 (8), Wis 16, Cha 7.

Languages: Common, Druidic, Orc.

Skills: Bluff +2, Bonemending +4, Concentration +11, Diplomacy +2, Intimidate +2, Knowledge (nature) +4, Knowledge (orc lore) +7, Profession (herbalist) +4, Sense Motive +7, Survival +10.

Feats: Create Infusion, Extend Spell, Natural Spell.

Special Abilities: Fast movement, rage (1/day), animal companion (dire owl), nature sense, wild empathy +4, woodland stride, trackless step, resist nature's lure, wild shape (2/day).

Spells: 5/4/4/3. Prepared spells vary, but usually include boarskin (barkskin), greater magic fang, and goodgrub (goodberry).

Permanent Magic Items:

• Oathbreaker: +1 grumdek glaive, crafted by Nim, son of Domel.
• Yagra's Gift: leather headband wrapped in golden leaves, +2 Int and +5 Concentration.
• Sharz Dwarmar's Ring: Permanent tongues, +4 Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive.
• +1 periapt of resistance

 

[humble minion]

Could you explain how the high wisdom score would benefit you in combat?

I had been thinking that it is not really that important to have a super high wisdom. Just high enough to be able to cast your spells . . .

The thing with direct-damage combat spells is that you want the save DCs as high as possible, and druid spell save DCs are based off Wisdom. While some of the offensive druid spells (sleet storm, ice storm) are less reliant on save DCs, the heavy hitters (flame strike, slime wave, poison, 3.0e call lightning) are battle winners, but give the bad guys a save to avoid the worst of the effects. You can always boost your save DCs with an Owl's Wisdom if you know combat's coming up, of course. Spell Focus (probably in transmutation or evocation) can help too, though less so in 3.5e than in 3.0e.

Also, at higher levels, the difference between, say, a 16 Wis and a 20 Wis (assuming Wisdom increases with level, stat boosting items etc) is extra spells of 1st level, 4th level, and 5th level. And that's enough to give you a lot more firepower without requiring you to sacrifice too many of your utility spells. Which is a good thing, because when you need (for instance) a Dispel Magic, you really need it!

 

[WayneLigon]

The only Druid I've played under 3E was a fill-in character; he was an elf, and most of his skills and personality were based around being a silent defender of the forest.

Owl companion, he'd always try to take spells that made him quiet, a good hunter, etc.

He disliked humans, and hated half-elves. He wouldn't even let the half-elf cleric heal him. (Thiyin spits on the priest as he approaches, and binds his own wounds. "Better to let the infection take me than to bear the taint of your touch, illyth." (Illyth being an elven word meaning, 'outsider', 'traitor',
'filth' or 'unclean' depending on the context; it's also the root word for 'Illithid').

 

[Voadam]

My brother plays a druid in our current "Groundhog day" campaign. He's a human who was raised by good druids who were betrayed and slain by evil druids in their circle. He grew up developing his druidism outside of the traditions of most circles and he does not accept the authority of druid organizations. He took shifter as soon as he was able (we started in 3.0) and focused entirely on his forms instead of druidic interests. For every form he masters he gets a tattoo so now he has a good half dozen across his torso and arms and is constantly hoping to find and fight new creatures to master their forms. His party role is mostly as a melee (dire ape/troll form) bruiser and as a scout(scent), he has no animal companions and rarely casts spells.

 

[Steverooo]

I'm creating a druid character and I am very excited about it, except for one thing: I like to feel like my character is archetypal but also at the same time unique. I don't want to be just exactly what people expect a druid to be. So, I thought it might help to hear some of people's various approaches to the class, to help spark my imagination.

What are your skill selections? Ability score arrays? Weapons? Animal? Personality?

What do you want your Druid to be good at? Check the Skill Synergy table and see what skills to take. Same with stats. You want to be good with animals? Take High CHA, five Ranks of Handle Animals and Ride.

At low levels, take either a staff or club, or a morningstar (if the GM lets you use Shillelagh with it). Also take a scimitar and dagger(s). Choose a missile weapon (slings are free, even if you're non-proficient - I can't remember if Druids are). If you're an Elf, you have sword and bow.

For animal and personality, take whatever you like. For the animal, choose something that can go many places. Critters that are limited to one terrain (cold, swamp, aquatic, etc) are poor choices. Many like the wolf, for trip, but I prefer the light warhorse. You can take it almost anywhere (and unlike the wolf, people won't usually object to it). They have their tradeoffs.

 

[candidus_cogitens]

Re: Re: Tell me about your druids

What do you want your Druid to be good at? Check the Skill Synergy table and see what skills to take. Same with stats. You want to be good with animals? Take High CHA, five Ranks of Handle Animals and Ride.

At low levels, take either a staff or club, or a morningstar (if the GM lets you use Shillelagh with it). Also take a scimitar and dagger(s). Choose a missile weapon (slings are free, even if you're non-proficient - I can't remember if Druids are). If you're an Elf, you have sword and bow.

For animal and personality, take whatever you like. For the animal, choose something that can go many places. Critters that are limited to one terrain (cold, swamp, aquatic, etc) are poor choices. Many like the wolf, for trip, but I prefer the light warhorse. You can take it almost anywhere (and unlike the wolf, people won't usually object to it). They have their tradeoffs.

The light warhorse is not an option specified in the 3.5 rules. I'm leaning towards the riding dog, as it does more damage and has more Hit points than the wolf.

Thank you for calling my attention to the benefits of the Shillelagh spell. I would have neglected to bring along a club! I think I'll be using a lot of that weapon and that spell.

 

[candidus_cogitens]

Here's an idea ... since Druids can now spontaneously cast Summon Nature's Ally, how the Superior Summons and Champion from the Dragon 311?

Superior Summons lets your summoned ally stay for an extra round, and Champion gives them full HP.

To me, they look like nice feats, although maybe a little weak. The Augment Summoning feat from 3.0 would have been accessible to druids, but the 3.5 version is not. That one was a better feat.

Any other ideas for good druid feats? That's one of the problems with the class . . . no good feats or prestige classes.

 

[candidus_cogitens]

double post

 

[ForceUser]

That's one of the problems with the class . . . no good feats or prestige classes.

I completely disagree. Metamagic feats are wicked cool for all spellcasters, including druids. Natural Spell from 3.5 is practically a must. No self-respecting spellcaster should be without at least one craft feat, either. Improved Initiative. These are all awesome feats.

On the subject of no good prestige classes I agree. And you know what - who cares? Druids are a 20-level prestige class on their own. They are dripping with spellcasting, combat potential, and skills.