Having more fun than a druid ought to be allowed to have

[samthedagger]

I rolled up a druid when u14 came out because I had an open character slot and I figured, what the hell right? But at first I found it confusing and a little strange. It was a very different type of character and I didn't understand how to use my animal companion or what spells/combos would work well. Anyway, I got my druid to level 4 and then just kinda stopped playing him.

Well recently a buddy of mine needed a TR pal and I have been hopping on my druid to help out. He farms stuff when I'm not around and I run the elites with him and occasionally other stuff. I have to say I am enjoying the druid a whole lot. Since I had absolutely no idea what I would be doing with the character I just picked a pre-gen, the nature's warrior build. I figured I would just TR him at 20 anyway after I had figured out what the hell I was doing. And I went with half-orc for the bonus strength, figuring it would give me an extra 4 strength and a few other half-orc bennies. Well the pre-gen doesn't seem to make some of the best choices (how many toughness feats do you need? and weapon focus? really?), and I haven't even bothered to really gear the character out besides giving him an abishai set and using what I find as I go along. I tried bear form and didn't like it (too tanky) and prefer wolf form for better dps and speed. But so far it has been an incredibly powerful, versatile, and self-sufficient character. I only really carry curse pots and no other consumables to speak of.

So I was thinking when I get to 20 to TR him and was thinking of doing a split between monk 2 (for the feats, wisdom to AC and evasion), rogue 1 (for traping and bluff as a class skill) and druid 17. I was thinking half-elf (with pally dilly for bonus to saves or barb dilly for bonus hp) or human for the next time around. I don't see a whole lot of druids on my server, but many of them are caster-oriented, not wild-shape oriented. But I am seeing a lot of potential in the wolf-shape druid as a self-sufficient DPS with some utility thrown in. Any advice on builds? A lot from the old forums seem to have been lost to the nether.

[Tilomere]

Any advice on builds?

If you want to do animal form dps for 1-20 leveling, take power attack, cleave, and great cleave over natural fighting or shield feats. Hitting 2-4 guys at a time for bonus weapon damage + power attack damage >> 6-18% double strike. I like PA, Cleave, and GC over natural or shield fighting because they stay useful in elemental forms.

If you want to do ranged dps, 1 artificer 2 monk 17 druid elf will give you proficiency with all ranged weapons, bow dex damage next update (as elf), traps, conjure bolts and arrows, pets, summons, heal, all powerful mass regen, reaving roar, spells with high DC (zen archery), AA, and evasion. Basically everything. Oh, and grease + FoM on the same caster, which just brings a smile to my face.

[samthedagger]

If you want to do animal form dps for 1-20 leveling, take power attack, cleave, and great cleave over natural fighting or shield feats. Hitting 2-4 guys at a time for bonus weapon damage + power attack damage >> 6-18% double strike. I like PA, Cleave, and GC over natural or shield fighting because they stay useful in elemental forms.

If you want to do ranged dps, 1 artificer 2 monk 17 druid elf will give you proficiency with all ranged weapons, bow dex damage next update (as elf), traps, conjure bolts and arrows, pets, summons, heal, all powerful mass regen, reaving roar, spells with high DC (zen archery), AA, and evasion. Basically everything. Oh, and grease + FoM on the same caster, which just brings a smile to my face.Thanks for the advice. I will definitely want to take PA at the very least next life. Cleave and GC I am iffy on. Doublestrike is highly underrated IMHO.