Randomly decided to check in after years and see talk of Doordie and Amel. Lots of fun memories! Arguably my first long time character, Narwyn, ended up closely aligned with Amel as his protege.
Doordie was one of the best RP's I ever played with. His stories, with his character Amel, were amazing. Rich, deep, complex. I hope Doordie is doing well! You have a really great Uncle!
Registered Member #1593
Joined: 12:25:12 pm GMT 06/30/10
Posts: 454
Druids. We've heard of them. We've seen them. We have a couple hundred/thousand of them as NPC's. As PC's though? You see the occasional one, but they are few and far between. I frankly see the class as mechanically underpowered and would love to see a few modifications to their spells in order to bring them more in line with wiz/sorcs and clerics. Will I ever play one? Maybe. But I say that about a lot of classes and so far I've only ever managed the one wizard I have in Thain.
My point being, why don't we see more of them? What stops people from playing a class with great story and lore potential? For me? I'm a bit turned off by them mechanically. I can't speak for others though. Thoughts from the community? I also don't play druids. So, maybe my understanding is skewed.
*Edit: This is also keeping in mind the current AC balance fix the staff has added by making it impossible for druid and monk levels to stack with the wisdom AC bonus thingy. I'm mostly speaking of pure druids. Because if we speak of monk/druids, they can be stupidly powerful as Gears can more than aptly demonstrate. (No slam on you, Gears. I just remember seeing a screenshot you posted once.)
Evendithus wrote ... I frankly see the class as mechanically underpowered and would love to see a few modifications to their spells in order to bring them more in line with wiz/sorcs and clerics.
Not necessarily. Actually, I'd argue that druids are fairly OP even compared to other pure casters. I play a level 20 druid (Lylanna) whom I have built mainly around RP decisions, meaning I have not even bothered to consider picking up metamagic feats to bolster her spellcasting capacity. Even so, with the right spells, Lylanna can decimate the entire Bagnorn keep with only a single cohort (I did this with EcoTec a while back). Following arguement does not exactly pertain to the discussion your wish to raise, but casters in general are very OP on Thain compared to non-casters. There really is no incentive to further tweak them towards power, IMO.
Evendithus wrote ... My point being, why don't we see more of them? What stops people from playing a class with great story and lore potential?
Tough question. Lylanna has an amazing backstory, her RP is rich and the character is nicely fleshed out, and still I only play her occasionally. It could be the appeal to play any one class is tied to how much flexible said class is in terms of RP. You may play a fighter, but fighter as a class is not pigeonholed to serve one specific role; they can be gladiators, mercenaries, thugs ETC. Even a wizard can be RPed in several flexible ways: from transmuter to necromancer to demonologist, warlock and circus illusionist. A druid, on the other hand, can only ever be designated to fulfil that one role: druid. Okay, you can play a shaman, medicine man or voodoo dabbler (witch style druid), but these are very rare exceptions. Then there is the matter of factions. Many people roll PCs in order to fit into a faction: Knaves, Vandals, CDF, Stewards, Keepers ETC. Faction-wise, a druid is Feywood material, and Feywood RP is very starved at present.
Registered Member #2049
Joined: 12:00:00 am GMT 01/01/70
Posts: 0
To me, druid falls into the category of "very hard to RP properly" by which I mean:
I tend to like to at least give a valiant effort to stay in character in every situation. If I play a classic druid who's concerned mainly about nature, balance and other druidic crap, I exclude myself from many adventures just because it wouldn't make sense for a druid to participate, or would even be against the very nature of a druid to participate. And no matter how good RP, it's never fun to stay behind with everyone else doing something together.
From the power level angle, I don't think druid is a weak class at all. Would I pick a pure druid build to join a fray, most probably not, but 1on1 PvP is definitely not the most important aspect to consider when building for a RP world.
Murin was a druid for a good while, until I didn't feel the class suited him any longer.
Druids can be stupidly powerful with spells such as Stonehold, Storm of Vengance, Finger of Death, Heal, Mass Heal, Doom, Aura of Vitality, Spellresistance, Freedom of Movement, Shapechange and much more. In addition you can buff up your companion (the best one would be Dire Wolf), with Barkskin, Bull Strenght, Greater Magic Fang, Awaken and it becomes a real beast with +5 enhancementbonus, +5 magic dmg and quite alot of str (don't recall how high ab).
My main issue with the class is the low BAB, it is equal to a cleric which means 3 attacks pr round at lvl 20. Like the cleric, the class is supposed to be a part caster / part meele class, but unlike a cleric, a druid cannot become a real meele beast. Sure they get the elemental shapes, but due to the few attacks it doesn't become all that good. This is one of the main reasons people combine druid with monk, this will up the unarmed attacks while shapechanged from 3 to 5 (6 with flurry of blows). Same goes for shifter, when you shift into a drow warrior or a kobold commando, I kinda expect it to be a real melee beast, but sadly they are not.
This is one of the reasons for why I don't play a druid atm.
Registered Member #191
Joined: 2:06:27 pm GMT 07/31/04
Posts: 443
Coincidence. I was thinking about druid builds a few days ago and worked on a couple with the "Halls of Advanced Training" module. And just yesterday I started a rogue/druid character on Thain (I know, I can't stay away from rogue/anything builds). If I finish it will be 18 druid/2 rogue, though that could change. It's only level 2 at the moment (1rog/1dru). Now I see this thread today and think "Eh .... maybe not".
Registered Member #23859
Joined: 2:55:57 pm GMT 06/24/14
Posts: 409
Druids are an interestiing class. I have played a half elf druid with only one level of shifter. 15 druid 1 shift. I think the problem with druids, that unless you are a pure elf, you a gravely limited by what weapons you can use. Especially not being able to use bows or crossbows, which to me make more sense than darts or slings but would require a changed to the standard NWN.
Druids can be powerful with their spells and healing powers. They can eventually, without adding shiter class, morph into elementals and have access to the polymorph spell. They are as some called nature priests. The ability to use empathy on animals is nice.
Yes you can use staves as there are some nice ones out there designed for druids. The druid I play took the scribe scroll feat, as like clerics we are limited and it helps free up spellslots. Also where I play the druid, scribing scrolls has made money as often quest givers have adventurers seek them.
I thik the main thing about druids is aside from the rp challenge, is the mechanics. Best suggestion I can offer is use a builder module.
Also remember like wizards, there are some specialty druid classes. The druid I play is a generalist.
My main issue with the class is the low BAB, it is equal to a cleric which means 3 attacks pr round at lvl 20. Like the cleric, the class is supposed to be a part caster / part meele class, but unlike a cleric, a druid cannot become a real meele beast.
This is true, but a druid doesn't need to be a melee anything. It doesn't play to the advantages of the class. A cleric relies on melee power because he has few direct damage spells, something a druid does not lack in the same extent. Also, like you mentioned, a druid can safely hide behind a buffed up animal companion plus a buffed up summoned monster (level X). In many ways, these summons act as awesome surrogate meatshields and damage-dealers, affording your druid to relax in the rear and throw the occasional call lightning, flamestrike, icestorm, stonehold, firestorm ETC.
I have been on a "new class" kick the last few weeks, its been interesting to see what they are all like tbh. You'll never see me roll a bard, but Druid has always been the top of my short list of "want to make"
Why haven't I? I just can't see myself rp'ing one 'right'. Or worse, copying the same rp 'theme' I use with Slagg.
Month or so ago, I finally paid attention to my shifters powers.....yes I caught on a little late...but wow, they have some serious powers. It makes me want to try one even more. But I doubt I'd be making a pure druid, as mentioned, I'd likely add in monk to play one as a super powered shifter.
But that defeats the entire rp of the class, which has prevented me from making one in the first place.
Moo Registered Member #1327
Joined: 2:14:55 am GMT 07/27/08
Posts: 1718
Druid is probably one of my most favorite classes. Not as strong as a cleric but they can hold their own. The spell list is diluted with some kinda crappy spells. I have trouble coming up with good RP that's not just the same ole animal loving tree hugger.
Evendithus wrote ... This is also keeping in mind the current AC balance fix the staff has added by making it impossible for druid and monk levels to stack with the wisdom AC bonus thingy. I'm mostly speaking of pure druids. Because if we speak of monk/druids, they can be stupidly powerful as Gears can more than aptly demonstrate. (No slam on you, Gears. I just remember seeing a screenshot you posted once.)
druid/monk has not been nerfed in any way. You can still get high AC pretty easy
arrivederci, megido Registered Member #1403
Joined: 3:11:09 am GMT 02/26/09
Posts: 1864
Druids are awesome. ALL spellcasters in thain are OP. Pure druid or druid/bit of cleric or druid/bit of monk will get you some insane results.
I think the problem, and this is consistent with everyones reply in the thread is that people get stunted with the RP behind it. As a wizard you can be anything, bard can complement everything (or you know, be ignored for powerbuilding. Lol.) but people have a hard time seeing past the universal "i like nature" druid.
If youre thinking of trying to play a druid, try a neutral evil / true neutral one. Treat them as a wizard. Just because they have nature magic and twist nature to use powerful energies, does not mean they have to love and protect it. Interesting non-treehuggee druid archetypes use nature as a tool (though perhaps still revere some forces). Also paladin-type druids that chase after everything unnatural (abberrations and outsiders and fiends) and seek to the sick the forces of nature to purify them. Play a druid who inherited his powers through blood and culture and is just trying to disconnect himself but everytime he gets an adrenaline rush the stone and the flame and the lightning start flying. Play druid/bard/palemaster who is rotting and desperately trying to fix his arcane mishap with natural energies. Play a rogue who likes to backstab with lightning bolts and make a big show of every theft. Play a bard who sings tales of the forests and his songs manifest as natural magics instead of arcane. Play someone who hates nature and is using trees and rocks and flame to destroy and corrupt everything natural.
People see druid as ONE narrow archetype. Expand your horizons!!!!!! Make them versatile!!!! DRUIDS.
P.S. Theres a lot of mechanical benefits to playing a rogue, especially with GEAR and content like the SK thieves stuff. Theres not a lot of that for other base classes, like druids. They dont have a ton of custom stuff (there is some stuff to find tho!!) and that also discourages people from making ANYTHING other than a fighter/rogue which is LAME.
[ The Island of Thain ]
Druids. Thoughts, Concerns and Questions.
