Tips & tactics for playing a druid?

[Errant]

Hi all! Well, new campaign coming up & I've got a 6th level character or two to create. I've been considering playing a druid but I'm having a little trouble getting a handle on how to playing one. Trying to work out what spells, skills & feats would be most useful to maximize his versatility, especially in urban setting or dungeon settings.

So, all tips greatfully accepted.

 

[Thanee]

A good set of feats for a druid is Spell Focus (conjuration), Augment Summoning and Natural Spell.

Spontaneous Healer is also nice to have.

Bye
Thanee

 

[shilsen]

The druid is a very versatile class, so it's a good idea to consider what sort of character you're going for, and choose accordingly. Your choices of spells, skills and feats will vary a lot depending on whether you want to be a primary spellcaster, a sneak/scout-type, a mounted combatant, a shapechanger-type, a melee combatant, etc. And of course, you can do more than one of the above. Any preferences?

Some basic tips:

* The choice of animal companion will often affect the kind of role you play. A druid with a bear can be very helpful in melee combat but is going to have trouble traipsing into a tavern in the capital city. A flying animal companion like an eagle will be less effective in a fight, but less obtrusive.

* Druid spells are great at blasting and controlling the battlefield, and I personally find the latter far more useful. A carefully used entangle, soften earth & stone, plant growth, sleet storm, spike growth/stones, etc. can totally change the complexion of a battle.

* Depending on campaign style, Scribe Scroll can be a very nice feat for a druid, allowing you to be a lot more prepared for various eventualities.

* Two words - Natural Spell

* Take a look at Complete Divine. There are a lot of new druid spells in there. Just make sure that you and your DM are good at judging spell effects, because some of them need to be seriously nerfed (quill blast, for example).

 

[Blue]

Druids are very versitile, and 6th level is a point where they are really coming into their powers.

Wild shape is wonderful. Want to scout an orc camp, look like another hound gnawing on leavings. Or a hawk flying above. You've got some powerful combat forms, too. You can do just about any type of movement, including burrowing and swiming. You can go full aquatic if you need to, based ont he adventure.

Natural spell, as people have mentioned, allows your druid to cast like that. A 6th level druid can be wildshaped for 12 hours a day (6 hours x 2) and it only goes up from their. Natural spell allows you to cast while like that. So you can assume a form early and stay in it.

Druid's ability to auto-convert to Summon Nature's Ally spells is quite nice. I happen to be playing a 5th level summoner druid (with augment summoning as mentioned above) and it works quite well. They also get a surprising amount of attack spells.

Your animal companion is decent. At low levels it's liek a free fighter-type. One neat trick I've seen is to make your animal companion a mount (either a horse if medium sized, or other chocies like wolf if playing a small sized character). This way your ability to share spells can be used often (protective spells, longstrider, etc), and the rules allow a lot of casting while riding. Obviously, this route isn't as big for an oft-wildshaped druid.

As a side note, I find high Int a bonus when playing a druid because they have a number of good skills, including Spot and Listen. The 5th level druid I mentioned above is the eyes and ears of the party, and the group has two multi-classed rogues in it.

Good luck, druids are a lot of fun because they can do a wide variety of things and don't have to choose just one.

Cheers,
=Blue

 

[Errant]

Thanks all.

Natural Spell, Spell Focus Conjuration & Augment Summoning, cool. Although I might yet choose Scribe Scroll instead of Augment Summoning to start with, hmmm.

If that matters we'll be playing in Eberron & I think I'll play a halfling for something change.

Summon Nature's Ally is obviously going to be a commonly used spell, but what other spells have people found most useful?

 

[Thanee]

Entangle, Produce Flame, Shillelagh, Goodberry, Barkskin, Heat Metal, Call Lightning, Greater Magic Fang, Stone Shape, Camouflage, Lesser Vigor, Vigor, Mass Lesser Vigor.

Just to name a few.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Klaus]

I like flame blade a lot.

If you ultimately decide not to go the Wild Shape route, you might consider using the UA variant where you give up your Wild Shape and your Armor Proficiencies in return for the monk's AC bonus, Wis to AC bonus, Fast Movement and the Ranger's Favored Enemy.

 

[shilsen]

If that matters we'll be playing in Eberron & I think I'll play a halfling for something change.

Actually that matters a lot. Eberron has some great druid feats depending on what group you belong to. Ashbound, for example, doubles the duration of Summon Nature's Ally spells and gives your summoned creatures a +3 luck bonus to hit. Unfortunately, you need to belong to the Ashbound sect, who believe arcane magic is an abomination and are generally not fun at parties .

 

[KingOfChaos]

I just like to remember one thing...a druid's greatest weapon isn't the magical cudgel he or she has, but the terrain around them.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Another very good spell(and one that can be overlooked) is Produce Flame. The best part about it, IMO, is the ability to either use it as a touch attack or throw the flame, so you don't have to get in close. Its also a nice little torch if you need one