Druid Caster: What should I be wearing in Heroics?

[Smokewolf]

Been a few years since I last played a Druid and even then it was a Wolf-Melee build at that. Now as the title says, what should I be wearing from lvl 15? (No green-steel suggestions please as it’s not realistic for casual players)

Thank you in advance!

-Smoke

[cru121]

Probably start with Hruit's Influence set.
https://ddowiki.com/page/Named_item_sets#Masterminds_of_Sharn_sets

[Smokewolf]

Probably start with Hruit's Influence set.
https://ddowiki.com/page/Named_item_sets#Masterminds_of_Sharn_sets

Isn’t the armor from that set “heavy” and thus not viable except for Bear enh-tree? (Magical Beast)

Note: currently using the Esoteric Initiate set.

[Tsutti]

esoteric (which you said you're wearing) + wild flame (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Wild_Flame) and wild frost (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Wild_Frost) seems nice, ins wis probably on shattered onyx (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:The_Shattered_Onyx) and chieftain (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Chieftain) for wis and quality wis, bronze dragonscale belt (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Bronze_Dragonscale_Belt) for con and maybe cloak of the city's champion (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Cloak_of_the_City%27s_Champion) for ins con. I think I forgot an electric spellpower item lol, dusk lenses will cover most of it probably, you're down 55 spellpower there compared with cold though... I suppose you could use the bolt sphere (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Bolt_Sphere) instead of wild flame when in water ele form or just generally when you want to cast electric stuff, makes up 20 of that elec spellpower at the cost of 10 cold spellpower (from not having wild flame/frost set) and 55 fire spellpower but you might not care about fire spellpower when casting elec stuff. There's also attunement gauntlets (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Attunement_Gauntlets) for elec spellpower actually, so then there's no reason to ever swap to bolt orb really because it would only give 8 elec spellpower while losing 10 cold and 55 fire.


for hat I'd suggest maybe umber brim (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Umber_Brim) for profane well rounded, best thing I can think of for trinket is empowered dragonscale (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Empowered_Dragonscale) if you have it for some more con and false life, boots I really can't think of anything specifically helpful unless you don't have an upgraded quiver of alacrity (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Quiver_of_Alacrity) in which case probably some randomgen boots with 30% movespeed (even if you have scoundrel past lives, the boots are preferable so you can use a different iconic toggle and also PDK past life clicky shouldn't be used if you're using scoundrel for movespeed because 30% movespeed > 20% that you get from PDK)

[Smokewolf]

@Tsutti

I’ve most of those items on hand already so it shouldn’t be as bad as I originally thought.

A little more back-ground on the build....

I’m using wild-elf AA with the Falconry tree as a CC / Healing build. Being that AA / Falconry are both Wis-Based, it allows the Druid-caster a good amount of synergy. Specifically when it comes to CC from Para-Shot, Falconry’s coordinated-Strike, earthquake and later mass-frog. Thus far in Heroic’s, using all three pretty much means that nothing “fleshy” gets to attack. Only thing I can’t do much about are constructs but that’s a given for most everyone. While the build sounds weird, it’s been working really well for the casual (R 1-4) reapers I’ve joined thus far.

Note: I’ve 4 racial points that helped unlock the WildElf-AA requirement. Should be able to max out Falconry and get most of the important stuff from the AA tree. A racial-completionist should be able to take the AA requirements without using any of their 80 points and thus be able to take some of Season's Herald to boost up casting.

-Smoke

[Ultinoob]

Hi SmokeWolf

A druid caster can do a lot of different things and gear depends on what you wanna do with it.

Hruit’s armor can be used if you take core 3 in natures protector.

At level 15 I like to use finger of death so my gear reflects that. Also I don’t include a con item which is kind of a bummer.

But here are 3 gear layouts at level 15 for an ice druid:

Version 1 – misses 2 spell pen
Belt: Black Satin Waist
Boots: Shadow Sprinters
Bracers: Sage's Cuffs
Cloak: Twisthallow Cloak
Gloves: Sunstone Gauntlets
Goggles: CC spell focus evocation of ins spell focus evocation with insightull wisdom
Helm: Pansophic Circlet
Necklace: Pendant of the Azure Sea
Ring 1: The Shattered Onyx
Ring 2: Skulled Ring
Trinket: CC wisdom
Armor: Bronze Dragonscale Plate
Mainhand: CC spell power and lore lightning
Offhand: CC heavy wooden Shield with spell power impulse

Version 2
Belt: Black Satin Waist
Boots: Shadow Sprinters
Bracers: Sage's Cuffs/Aetherband
Cloak: Twisthallow Cloak
Gloves: Sunstone Gauntlets
Goggles: CC spell focus evocation of ins spell focus evocation with insightull wisdom
Helm: Pansophic Circlet
Necklace: Pendant of the Azure Sea
Ring 1: The Shattered Onyx
Ring 2: Skulled Ring
Trinket: CC wisdom
Armor: Bronze Dragonscale Plate
Mainhand: Macabre scepter/Wild frost
Offhand: Alchemical shield with force and electric spell power and lore

Version 3
Belt: Black Satin Waist
Boots: Shadow Sprinters
Bracers: Sage's Cuffs
Cloak: Hallowed Trail/Earthen Mantle/Construct's Mantle
Gloves: Sunstone Gauntlets
Goggles: Dusk Lenses
Helm: Arcsteel Brim
Necklace: Pendant of the Azure Sea
Ring 1: The Shattered Onyx
Ring 2: Celestial Topaz Ring
Trinket: CC lightning lore og spellpower
Armor: Bronze Dragonscale Plate
Mainhand: Macabre scepter
Offhand: CC Shield with impulse

[Vooduspyce]

This is the leveling gear section from my build post (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/427398-Gingerspyce-s-caster-healer-quasi-tank-build) if you're interested. Mine is a tanky caster, but heroic leveling gear wouldn't be too much different...

GEAR (leveling)

Heroic Feywild loot is an excellent gearing choice at level 5 that you can wear up until Ravenloft gear at level 10 and some pieces even beyond. House C challenge items Cloak of Flames (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Cloak_of_Flames) and Bracers of Wind (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Bracers_of_Wind)* are nice for druid because they cover spell power and crit chance for 2 of a druid’s primary elements (fire and electric) plus they have lots of other goodies like blur, fire absorption, dodge, Heightened Awareness and Haste guard. Get heroic versions (starting with level 3 version of the bracers for the permanent Blur effect and upgrade them as you level) and can use epic versions of each if you like. Silverthread Cloak (http://m.ddowiki.com/page/Item:Silverthread_Cloak) (level 10) and Earthen Mantle (http://m.ddowiki.com/page/Item:Earthen_Mantle) (level 15) are other cloak options. Runic Trinket (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Runic_Trinket) is a nice trinket option for any lowbie caster. Medium armor is the heaviest option until level 10 so use random or crafted (with Invulnerability) hide armor for early heroic levels. I recommend Snowscale (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Snowscale)at level 5. At level 10 I recommend heavy armor Scales of Avarice (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Scales_of_Avarice)* or you can go with Scales of Malice (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Scales_of_Malice) if you want to stick with medium armor. Scales of the Exile (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Scales_of_the_Exile)* starting at level 14 or Bronze Dragonscale Plate (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Bronze_Dragonscale_Plate) at level 15. Giant's Platter (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Giant%27s_Platter)* is my preferred shield because of the dual set bonuses when combining with Scales of the Exile (http://ddowiki.com/page/Update_38_named_items) and Wild Frost (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Wild_Frost) or Wild Flame (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Wild_Flame) but you can go with the heroic Hruit's Influence set if you prefer. Crystalline Ward (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Crystalline_Ward), Legendary Crystalline Ward (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Legendary_Crystalline_Ward), Wall of Wood (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Wall_of_Wood), Epic Wall of Wood (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Wall_of_Wood), Shield of Tireless Aid (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Shield_of_Tireless_Aid) and Epic Shield of Tireless Aid (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Epic_Shield_of_Tireless_Aid) are also nice shield options . Torc (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Torc_of_Prince_Raiyum-de_II) is awesome if you’re a TR; even your caster/healer druid can and should be in the middle of combat, taking lots of hits and generating lots of spell points! Vibrant Purple Ioun Stone (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Vibrant_Purple_Ioun_Stone) (upgraded) is also very nice for any caster to have big sp at level 5. Shamanic fetish is a decent teen level trinket but you're probably better off crafting a trinket since there are a great variety of options to craft onto a trinket so this is a good gap-filler slot. Weapons to consider are Wild Frost (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Wild_Frost)*, Wild Flame (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Wild_Flame), Skiver (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Skiver) and Vulkoor's Edge (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Vulkoor%27s_Edge) or can use Cannith crafted or just use random gen. Prior to level 14 you can use a random gen vorpal weapon or caster stick, whatever works for your gear set. For cold spell power use a Cannith crafted item or random gen for low levels. Can use Barovian Scepter or Macabre Sceptre at level 10 and Pansophic Circlet (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Pansophic_Circlet)* starting at level 13 or Dusk Lenses (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Dusk_Lenses) can also be a nice source of general potency at level 15. For an epic leveling weapon, the simplest option is Epic Sceptre of Glaciation from Keep on the Borderlands ingot turn-in, which can be made sentient. Other epic leveling weapon options include Epic Scepter of Glaciation (https://ddocompendium.com/w/Epic_Sceptre_of_Glaciation), Icy Forum Post (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Icy_Forum_Post), Icerazor (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Icerazor), Thunderforged or Legendary Green Steel. Thunderforged and LGS cannot be made sentient.

*Highly recommended gear.

For more suggestions about first-life heroic leveling gear, see my my video series Northwynd: The Druid True First Life Series (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTX5IZhNI5ubwSEHHNPlsgAWzHsx2uwAk), where I play a "true first life" version of the build on another server, without gear, guild buffs or plat. You can read more about the series and find a journal of the experience with loads of tips and advice for new players later on in my build thread here (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/427398-Gingerspyce-s-caster-healer-quasi-tank-build?p=5898833&viewfull=1#post5898833). You can also check out the sequel to the series Northwynd 2: The Druid True Second Life Series (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/427398-Gingerspyce-s-caster-healer-quasi-tank-build?p=6144422&viewfull=1#post6144422), that I made 2 years later, with updated information as well as a companion journal here (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/427398-Gingerspyce-s-caster-healer-quasi-tank-build?p=6144422&viewfull=1#post6144422).

The gearset I use while heroic leveling is below.

https://i.postimg.cc/ctd2LhCT/ginger-heroic-gear-2021.png (https://postimg.cc/ctd2LhCT)

Other notable gear and supplies

(https://postimg.cc/image/5c5uw24d3/)https://i.postimg.cc/QHHKy3xN/ginger-TR-gear-other-2021.png (https://postimg.cc/QHHKy3xN)