The druid is not fighting!!! LONG!

[BryonD]

In *our* group, this guy would be getting a blanket party. No DM intervention necessary.

I agree 100%.

DM controls everything except what the party does and the DM stays out of that.

If someone is ruining the fun, then that should be addressed outside of the game.

But the characters need to work out things amongst themselves.

 

[Zhure]

People who play characters like this never expect everyone else to role-play their characters doing the reasonable thing - which is usually to call them a rotten coward, tell them to go to hell, and go off to look for a new companion they can actually trust - or, depending on the type of characters in the party, leave the useless PC bleeding to death in some dungeon as payment for getting their friend killed because they were too cowardly to help.

But that kind of thing generates too much bad blood, hurts feelings, and disrupts the game, so reasonable people don't do it, and if the DM doesn't do something about it, they just end up putting up with the jerk. Role-playing isn't acting.

I disagree. I've seen it done. Like in real life, it starts with a verbal warning.

"Hey, Thelron, you're being a wus. Stop holding back."

Then it progresses.

"No, really. If you keep this up, you're fired."

Until...

"Thelron, you got Gargamel killed!"

In the last year I've seen characters get axed out of groups because the character they're playing doesn't fit the MO of the rest of the group. It happens. If Thelron's holding back too much in combat, and it's a combat intensive group, they should verbally try to get the character to grow. Very recently I've seen it lead to PC's deaths. It happens. It's not for every group.

Greg

 

[Ravellion]

People who play characters like this never expect everyone else to role-play their characters doing the reasonable thing - which is usually to call them a rotten coward, tell them to go to hell, and go off to look for a new companion they can actually trust - or, depending on the type of characters in the party, leave the useless PC bleeding to death in some dungeon as payment for getting their friend killed because they were too cowardly to help.

But that is exactly what should happen. If he doesn't want to play an adventurer, let him stay at home and tend to his geraniums. Don't expect the other characters to hang out with deadweight.

Rav

 

[Nareau]

Some more ideas

First off, I like a lot of these ideas. I agree that it should be something worked out in character if possible. It sounds like other PC's have an idea of things the druid can be doing, but they should discuss these ideas over the campfire, not in the middle of combat.

It also sounds like the player isn't playing a noncombatant druid on purpose. If he were, he'd be prepared with some tactics that will be useful, while at the same time keeping himself safe. It sounds to me like he just doesn't know how to manage his character effectively, and that's something that can be discussed both in and out of character.

{Rat Bastard}
Another idea:

4) An NPC human of 6th level Fighter/4th level Devoted defender who just plain kicks ass in melee.

Have this NPC fall in love with the druid. If they don't swing that way, set up some other kind of intimate relationship: Maybe the DD idolizes the deep wisdom of the druid; maybe looks up to him as a father figure; maybe looks down on him like a little brother who needs protection. After a few sessions of this, have the DD get him/herself killed while trying to protect the druid.

Viola! The druid's inability to pull his own weight gets someone close to him killed. Now the character has some real and personal incentive to increase his effectiveness in combat.
{/Rat Bastard}

Where are this guy's animal companions through all this? By this point, he should have an awakened critter trotting alongside him and throwing itself into the fray. If you go with the above idea, you could even suggest the druid Reincarnate the DD. Bend a few rules, have the DD come back as an intelligent wolf with levels. The druid now has his awakened companion (which the player controls) to send into battle whenever he's feeling ineffective.

Good luck,
Spider

 

[Happiest_Sadist]

Tell him to memorize some attack spells with something other than instantaneous duration. A couple of produce flames can make him more viable, as they do halfway decent damage as a touch attack for a long time, better than he'd do with a bow. Also at this level he shouldn't have to deal with running out of spells, as durids have great spells. Entangle is always worthwhile and its first level.
Also point out that he dosn't have to enter melee to do damage. Rusting grasp their weapons and armor, warp wood or wood shape on hafted weapons.
Consider also getting some melee animal companions and learning animal growth. Noone will complain about you not contributing in melee after you animal growth both of your dire ape animal companions (and a couple of monsters you summon).

However if he is unwilling to change, and others demand that he does create situations where melee is inevitable. This should show him his competence. Then follow up with some situations where others in the party must take risks to help him that others might not take. Ex. If the party has a dwarf who hates water, make the druid have an urgent quest that takes place under the sea and requires the dwarf's skills. After this it should be clear (or can be made clear by others) that its expected that adventuring requires doing things that you don't like for your friends. If after this he outright refuses to enter melee (as opposed to being reluctant) then you should remember that they aren't forced to adventure together.

 

[maddman75]

I have a group of that level, with a druid in it. He's even got a couple levels of ranger and deepwood sniper. Still, his AC is pretty low. Without fail, druid goes melee, druid mush.

Casting attack spells, buffing party members, sending in animal companions is exactly what a druid is supposed to do!

 

[Zhure]

(flame blade is the druid's friend)

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Yes and no. Yes, druids are basically feral clerics and as such can hold up their end in a melee. However, I don't see why this means that a player can't conceive a druid character who doesn't get involved in melee.

I'm not suggesting that the player can't conceive of such a character. The problem is, the party might be counting on that character to take up the slack when fighting gets hot and heavy. It's a natural assumption. If the party already has its complement of physically fragile spellcasters - wizards and sorcerers - then it might not be able to afford to have another character that acts like one.

Yes, though I think some gentle prodding to think outside the box is occasionally called for. In this instance, the problem is not so much the fact that the druid doesn't get involved in melee, but that he spends a lot of time sitting back and doing nothing during battles. Perhaps a different complement of spells could keep him actively involved for longer. Or maybe he could take up some kind of ranged weapon - in most climactic battles, there is sufficient room to manouvre in such a way that allows ranged weapons to contribute to a battle while minimizing the risk of friendly fire.

And again, it should be considered that perhaps the druid is already punching above his weight away from the battlefield.

I agree with what you're saying, except that I'd only do the gentle prodding if the player was relatively new to the game. If he's played for a long while, he should already have an idea as to how to construct his spell list, or have contingency plans ready for when he's out of spells.

As for whether the druid is pulling his weight, the only information we have to work with was what was presented above. I tried to respond based solely on that, not on anything extrapolated from it, if you see what I mean. The assumptions I did make were based on the party being irritated with the druid's combat role, which suggested that he was needed in that role.

 

[DragonLancer]

I think you guys are being rather harsh on the player in question. He's roleplaying his character as he wants to. Not every party is a well oiled team, and the druid although an average class isn't a combat machine nor does it have particularly good spells to choose from.

I've had a druid in my group, and she performed well in a support role outside of combat (tracking, information gathering...etc). In combat the character was easily taken down if she tried to get involved.

It sounds like the rest of your party should use the druid PC in the same way.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Adventuring parties usually are not so large as to be able to afford to have members that come and go in combat (or other situations) as they please. If the player is having fun with that character concept, cool; if his method of playing is irritating the other players, it isn't too harsh to suggest the one player re-examine his methods. Gaming is a cooperative pastime, which necessitates people cooperating in and out of game.