What is your favorite low level Druid Spell?

[Nail]

Details...details????

Okey-dokey.

The PCs were abushing a goblin tree fort.....yeah, that's right, goblins can hide in trees too! They don't love trees in the same way elves do, o' course, but they know a tree's uses.....anyway....

After the PCs charged in, to climb the tree, the druid cast Summon Swarm on the top of the tree. The idea, I suppose, was to get the goblins out of that tree fort. It did => the goblins came down....and so did the swarm, attacking the PCs in the process. It's at that point that we read the fine print about "the swarm is not controllable by the caster."

Oh. Great.

"Fine," grumbled the druid, as her companions are engulfed by the swarm, "Fine. That's just fine. .....that spell's going on the 'Do Not Cast' list. ...Don't worry, guys! It only lasts a few more rounds!"

 

[Vymair]

Faerie Fire is a wonderful concealment/invisibility/darkness problem solver.

My druid was on a long staircase when missile came flying out of the darkness striking the party. I made a listen check, heard beating wings, cast faerie fire in the area and presto, Manticores exposed to returning fire.

IMO, Entangle is the most powerful first level spell in the game. Cover a incredibly large area and even works against higher level monsters. Recently had a druid in my game slow down 3 Hill Giants with Entangle which allowed the party to fight them one at a time rather than all three at once.

Other spells mentioned here I liked were Summon Nature's Ally (the whole spell line is very useful for more than just combat reasons). For example, summoning Xorns to serve as scouts (if you speak Terran). With tremorsense, they can give you exact locations of the monsters in the next room.

Calm Animals and Hide from Animal are great for avoiding or neutralizing animal encounters if your DM favors pack of wolves, hibernating bears, etc...

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Produce Flame is really fun...works well, too.

 

[Plane Sailing]

It's at that point that we read the fine print about "the swarm is not controllable by the caster."

That is quite a big change from the 3e version, which druids could control!

 

[Hypersmurf]

I prevented a TPK with a pair of Soften Earth and Stone spells, once.

Same party also ran into some sort of lesser Shield Guardian - a construct with wooden limbs and metal gears. I hit it with a Wood Shape, and the cleric slapped it with a Gauntlet of Rust... DM figured "Sure, why not?", and shut it down.

-Hyp.

 

[Angcuru]

Wood Shape - turn a bunch of tree branches into a spiked fortification to defend against mounted enemies at the last minute.

Soften earth and Stone - Use when attacked by enemies wearing Full Plate (Must be steel!) If your DM is a realisticness freak, he'll rule that the mud prevents the foes from moving, as their steel boots are practically glued to the ground.

Faerie Fire - if chasing someone through a dark alleyway, this is a must


And if being attacked by a group of evil, yet puppy loving orcs, - Summon Monty I.

 

[ForceUser]

Speaking as a druid player of almost two years, entangle is probably too powerful, even given the fact it is so situational.

Faerie fire has been mentioned for its ability to reduce concealment and whatnot, and I agree with that sentiment, although I personally haven't ever cast it.

As my druid tends to favor combat while wild shaped, I find barkskin v.3.5 to be fantastic because it is an enhancement bonus to natural armor and, thus, stacks with "natural" natural armor, such as the thick skin of a dire boar.

At very early levels (1st to 4th) I favored goodberry to cure light wounds, because it allows a druid to more deftly expend those precious points of healing. Also, it's a groovy way to sustain oneself without stuffing your backpack full of trail rations: one goodberry sustains a single being for 24 hours. Can't beat that.

Finally, I enjoy obscuring mist as a defensive tool. More than once the cleric and I have saved members of our party from serious hurt by dropping this spell on top of a melee in which our warriors were at a disadvantage, allowing them time to regroup, get healed, better position themselves, etc.

 

[Anthraxus]

That is quite a big change from the 3e version, which druids could control!

Yeah, it used to be nice at lower levels when our party's Druid could -for the most part-counter an enemy spellcaster.

Now it's totally up to the DM what the swarm does, and it's mostly pointless. :\

Produce flame is a good one. Ranged, flaming touch attacks! (or Fire damage, Ranged Touch attacks, to be more precise)

-A

 

[Li Shenron]

Our Druid seems to particularly enjoy the following (considering only up to level 2):

Entangle has always been her main spell for outdoor combat, very useful both in an offensive and defensive way (I mean, to run away from too difficult encounters). If you have ranged combatants in the party, it really makes the difference.

Briar Web is an upgrade of the previous. Definitely worth the higher level slot.

Goodberry: the damage healed is very little, since a creature can benefit up to 8hp per 24 hours, but the berries last 1day/level so our druid always make a small escort of them while travelling.

Magic Fang quite a no-brainer for the Animal Companion.

Produce Flame maybe the druid's favourite, especially when used from range. The fact it is a touch attack has helped a lot many times.

Shillelagh was very popular before the party could afford magic items.

Barkskin the most used buff.

 

[Lerris]

I'm a new druid palyer and so far my fav spells are.

lvl 0:

Flare: I know, I know not mainly a druid spell but it's saved many of my partys bacon a few times.

lvl 1:

Endure Elements: main reason a spell that last 24 hours hell yeah

Entangle: A party with 2 rouges and a swashbuckler so they pretty much ignore it and fight as normal.

Farie Fire: Have yet to use it but yeah sounds good to me.

Magic Fang: Cast upon yourself saying bite or something and then hey presto you get a bonus in an animal form.


lvl 2:

Barkskin: A must for any druid

Fire Trap: A really light fingerd Roage in ourr party this combined with snare are great fun.

Flameing sphere: Great fun, no other reason

Produce flame: Again great fun

Heat Metal: Ever tried heating somones belt buckle.

Warp wood: Who needs rouges

lvl 3:

Snare: Gotta love magical traps



Now for spells taht both me and DM have winched at:

Summon swarm: According to 3.0 it attack everything in it's area of effect so not always a good idea.

Call Lighting: Other than it takes 10 mins to cast we are currently in a town sitting between two waterfalls anyone care to guess what would happen if i called fourth a huge lighting bolt in the middle of that town.

Pass without trace: ANy one know any reason for this at all as Druids get this as a class perk anyway.