WotC_Dave: Druid!

[ferratus]

Well since the WoW comparison have already been made and will continue to be made, let me add that shapshifting druids are a lot of fun. The problem with the WoW druid is that he/she is a "jack of all trades, master of none" . By having the D&D druid cover multiple roles then you run into that same problem. I'd rather have the druid pick a role and stay in it.

I wouldn't mind the D&D covering multiple roles if I'm allowed as a player to emphasize certain roles in a meaningful way. So I'd be okay with a druid that could be a nature based striker or a nature based controller, depending on the whim of the player. I'm largely worried about having the shapechanging be a core of the class, rather than a feature. I'd be okay with someone taking more and more shapechanging powers so that it became striker class while he is playing it, but I'd like to be able to grab more and more controller powers so it becomes a controller while I'm playing it.

You can do that with the 3.5 druid, but frankly it isn't going to be half the spellcaster that the wizard is. Buff and shapechange is definately the toughest type of druid in 3rd edition.

I could care less about the animal companions. I always felt to bad about leading them to be killed in battle at higher levels, and at lower levels I was playing a character with twice the power as anyone else.

 

[HeinorNY]

The problem with the WoW druid is that he/she is a "jack of all trades, master of none" . By having the D&D druid cover multiple roles then you run into that same problem. I'd rather have the druid pick a role and stay in it.

Last time I played WoW, the druid was the best tank and best arena healer. The moonkin form was also very good dps. The secret of WoW druid is that he can be a master of one role and a "jack of the other trades".

4E druid can just follow the same path. You chose one build that focus on one role, but you can always be a second defender/striker/leader when needed.

 

[Wepwawet]

I have to say I'm very happy with this initial concept

Weather magic: Awesome
Plenty wild shape: Good
Little or no summoning: Great!

It doesn't make sense that a priest of nature and wildlife should summon animals and place them in battles (which are unnatural for them) to get them killed. Moraly, it's not an acceptable behaviour for Druids, IMO.

 

[Lackhand]

Last time I played WoW, the druid was the best tank and best arena healer. The moonkin form was also very good dps. The secret of WoW druid is that he can be a master of one role and a "jack of the other trades".

4E druid can just follow the same path. You chose one build that focus on one role, but you can always be a second defender/striker/leader when needed.

I mean, I like that, but I like that even better when it's three classes that draw on shared powers or something so that each aspect is a separate class.

This is a subjective taste thing, and not absolute design wisdom, but my gut feeling is that each class should do a medium-sized-number of things well, not "anything you focus on" well.

That way lies point buy, and therefore madness.

 

[Riley]

Somehow, Ive never associated "Druid" with "shapeshifting warrior." From mythology, shouldnt they be mysterious nature shamans who draw upon the power of nature?

If theyre going to go down the wildshaping route, I wish theyd call those guys "totem warriors" or some such thing, and then go back to the drawing board for a nature priest type.

Thankfully, theres Mouseferatu to save the day, who has just sold me on the Advanced Players Guide!

(Sorry about the lack of apostrophes, my keyboard is doing something funny.)

 

[Moon-Lancer]

I would like to see a druid that uses wildshape for its utility rather then its combat. Turn into a bird and scout the land. Turn into a wolf and track your opponent. Turn into a house cat and spy on your enemy.

Thats what made wildshape fun.

I think that in terms of spells, the druid should cast summons, but summon elements in the forms of attacks. Like summon sylph and blast your opponent into the stratosphere, or summon salamander and burn your enemies to death.

The druids other spells should include wood shaping and strong nature magic dealing with plants and animals.

When wizards errated wildshape to take all the flavor out of it (the special qualites of the animal and its skill bonuses) it made wildshape into a purly combat option, it really took away what was great about wildshape, and thats using your cunning and ingenuity to use common animal shapes to your advantage.

combat wildshape would be good for a paragon tier but doesn't seem to fit as being the bread and butter of the class.

So i make a plea to wizards when they publish the druid, to make it more like the above. Heck I will help write it if thats what is needed to make it happen.

 

[Jhaelen]

Somehow, Ive never associated "Druid" with "shapeshifting warrior." From mythology, shouldnt they be mysterious nature shamans who draw upon the power of nature?

Yup. It's another nod to what most players feel is 'cool' about the 3E druid.

And as much as I hate to say it, the design decision might actually have been influenced by WoW:
The WoW player base is so big that it could actually mean the common perception of what a druid should be like has changed. If you were to ask people what a druid is, chances are more would remember it's a class in WoW than that it's the name of celtic priests.

I don't particularly mind, though. Names aren't that important to me. Calling them differently in my campaign setting is easy.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

It might be intresting if the 3 paragon tiers break the druid into

advanced wildshape

animal companion

advanced nature and elemental magic with a summoning flavor

 

[Phasics]

Hybrid I like the notion.

with any luck almost compeltly dropping spellcasting will allow picking up of a good chunk of crossclass skills.

hybrid e.g. Druid with rogue focus
using PHB 2 example we now have a 50ft speed Predator form that can hide move silently and detect traps (but not disarm unless humanoid form). We have an arial form which allows for excellent flanking/strike and fade. fly over to the rear, pred, backstab/hit, bail out in arial form when it gets too hot.

Druid fighter focus
Fly as a small bird into the fray and pop a Large or even Huge critter right on top of there soft
strikers and controllers.

Plus a handful of just plain useful forms that grant 20+ ft swim climb burrow etc

sounds like my kind of druid, leave the shiny disco lightning to the lame mages hehehe



Even tastier still would be a mass wildshape where the druid could convert the entire party into animals. Nothing like running through the forest as a wolf pack. Or swinging up through the trees as Ape's, or inconspicuously flying towards a hostile army camp as a flock of ducks hehehe

 

[Fifth Element]

It doesn't make sense that a priest of nature and wildlife should summon animals and place them in battles (which are unnatural for them) to get them killed. Moraly, it's not an acceptable behaviour for Druids, IMO.

Yes. Druids should not be treating nature's children as disposable tools to be used and abused at the druid's whim.