My Druid Thoughts

[Rienuaa]

I figured I should write this down somewhere you guys will read it rather than just attempt to mind-beam it to you psychically.

It would be really cool if somehow Wild Shape could benefit from the Reinforced Fists line of Enchantments on items. Right now the items with "Reinforced Fists" are useful for just unarmed monks, which means a lot of cool items that I'd love to wear on my Wolf (such as the new http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Fleetfoot_Necklace from Ravenloft) are a little bit useless. It would also make it a lot easier to design items for animal form druids in the future. There is a lot of precedence for mechanical overlap between monk nonsense and Wild Shape nonsense - the last of which will be cleaned up by U38 - but I'd love to see a dual use of Reinforced Fists.
Right now when building my super cool shiny new Rogue Druid it's a little weird picking my Epic Destiny feats. I'd love to see a Perfect Natural Fighting appear somehow - probably with a minimum Druid level of 8 (so you need to actually get to Winter Wolf or Dire Bear to get to the good stuff). This isn't really out of a balance concern numerically, it's mostly because right now as a Wild Shape Druid, at level 26... my other options are lackluster. It doesn't feel good to pick something just because it's the least bad or least useless of the available options. Even if Perfect Natural Fighting happens at the expense of Natural Fighting, I'd still want it to exist. Right now there's a gap in expected progression and it feels a little weird. My crackpot suggestion for Perfect Natural Fighting is something like "While in Wild Shape, your basic attacks hit 2 targets instead of one" or "While in Wild Shape, your Vorpal range is extended to 19-20" or even "While in Wild Shape you have 5% doublestrike and 10% offhand doublestrike" which is the same as Perfect Two Weapon Fighting but at least it's named "Perfect Natural Fighting." Right now I can take Perfect Two Weapon Fighting and even though Wild Shapes are now "NO COMBAT STYLES BUT NATURAL FIGHTING" the 2WF feat is the only one that works.
I'd love to have the actual hitbox of melee attacks (especially while moving) broadened slightly. The Winter Wolf model is very large and it's a little finicky to aim directly at the bad guys.
While we're in Wild Shape, is it possible we could avoid weapon durability loss? We're mauling them with your teeth and claws, not the physical weapon itself. It would be very very nice to not have to worry about durability.
Can Wolves still bypass Bludgeoning DR? If not, would you mind making them still be able to do that inherently? I have a lot of skeletons I need to get revenge on.


That's all for now. Can't wait to play them on live! :)

[edrein]

I figured I should write this down somewhere you guys will read it rather than just attempt to mind-beam it to you psychically.

It would be really cool if somehow Wild Shape could benefit from the Reinforced Fists line of Enchantments on items. Right now the items with "Reinforced Fists" are useful for just unarmed monks, which means a lot of cool items that I'd love to wear on my Wolf (such as the new http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Fleetfoot_Necklace from Ravenloft) are a little bit useless. It would also make it a lot easier to design items for animal form druids in the future. There is a lot of precedence for mechanical overlap between monk nonsense and Wild Shape nonsense - the last of which will be cleaned up by U38 - but I'd love to see a dual use of Reinforced Fists.
Right now when building my super cool shiny new Rogue Druid it's a little weird picking my Epic Destiny feats. I'd love to see a Perfect Natural Fighting appear somehow - probably with a minimum Druid level of 8 (so you need to actually get to Winter Wolf or Dire Bear to get to the good stuff). This isn't really out of a balance concern numerically, it's mostly because right now as a Wild Shape Druid, at level 26... my other options are lackluster. It doesn't feel good to pick something just because it's the least bad or least useless of the available options. Even if Perfect Natural Fighting happens at the expense of Natural Fighting, I'd still want it to exist. Right now there's a gap in expected progression and it feels a little weird. My crackpot suggestion for Perfect Natural Fighting is something like "While in Wild Shape, your basic attacks hit 2 targets instead of one" or "While in Wild Shape, your Vorpal range is extended to 19-20" or even "While in Wild Shape you have 5% doublestrike and 10% offhand doublestrike" which is the same as Perfect Two Weapon Fighting but at least it's named "Perfect Natural Fighting." Right now I can take Perfect Two Weapon Fighting and even though Wild Shapes are now "NO COMBAT STYLES BUT NATURAL FIGHTING" the 2WF feat is the only one that works.
I'd love to have the actual hitbox of melee attacks (especially while moving) broadened slightly. The Winter Wolf model is very large and it's a little finicky to aim directly at the bad guys.
While we're in Wild Shape, is it possible we could avoid weapon durability loss? We're mauling them with your teeth and claws, not the physical weapon itself. It would be very very nice to not have to worry about durability.
Can Wolves still bypass Bludgeoning DR? If not, would you mind making them still be able to do that inherently? I have a lot of skeletons I need to get revenge on.


That's all for now. Can't wait to play them on live! :)

1. Are you sure about this? It seemed to be working for me.
2. I've given several ideas for those feats in the original druid thread, go take a look if you'd like. Although it's fair to say many of us agree they need to occur as it's very awkward at the moment. Level wise 12 druid would be on par with other classes when it comes to epic feats.
3. The changes have made wildshape a bit awkward, much like the change for handwraps hitbox wise.
4. Many of us are concerned about this and in agreement.
5. Nope. And wolves had DR slashing and pierce, bears had slashing and bludgeon.

[Rienuaa]

1. Are you sure about this? It seemed to be working for me.
2. I've given several ideas for those feats in the original druid thread, go take a look if you'd like. Although it's fair to say many of us agree they need to occur as it's very awkward at the moment. Level wise 12 druid would be on par with other classes when it comes to epic feats.
3. The changes have made wildshape a bit awkward, much like the change for handwraps hitbox wise.
4. Many of us are concerned about this and in agreement.
5. Nope. And wolves had DR slashing and pierce, bears had slashing and bludgeon.

1. Wait, it already works? Really? I'm likely spending my Raid Runes on that necklace, then. Yay!
2. I don't care what it does as long as it's named Perfect Natural Fighting. I don't want to mix combat styles by name, and this is a good opportunity to do something mechanically unique with Wild Shape melee forms.
3. They also fixed the handwraps hitbox while moving thing after someone brought it up, so it can't hurt to remind them? :)
4. Worst case I can live with it but I would really love to just not have to worry about weapon durability like monks.
5. I have some zombies I need to maul, then. :P

[Haphazarduk]

Right now when building my super cool shiny new Rogue Druid it's a little weird picking my Epic Destiny feats.


Do you have a build outline anywhere? I'm gong to try something similar although my aim to build a multifunction toon off the back of wildshapes and druid buff spells - tanking, DPS casting, healing, stealth & traps (all at a decent if not optimised level). Rogue is a likely dip although Arty isn't out of the the question.

Hap

[Rienuaa]

Do you have a build outline anywhere? I'm gong to try something similar although my aim to build a multifunction toon off the back of wildshapes and druid buff spells - tanking, DPS casting, healing, stealth & traps (all at a decent if not optimised level). Rogue is a likely dip although Arty isn't out of the the question.

Hap

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1il3oNig5-UJoOLAEV05qW3AJwVW753hFIMh7VZWEOco/edit?usp=sharing

If you have any questions/suggestions let me know.

[Silverleafeon]

Druids start with 4 skill points plus int bonuses, so:
1+ rogue splash
14 int
36 point build
+5 or better int tome
yields plenty of points for trapping on caster or melee build.

On a caster build, the question is whether to take rogue at level 1 and give up a caster feat, or wait till about level 8 and put all skill points from that level into disable traps and the like?


PS ~ nice build Rienuaa +1

[edrein]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1il3oNig5-UJoOLAEV05qW3AJwVW753hFIMh7VZWEOco/edit?usp=sharing

If you have any questions/suggestions let me know.

Bad! How many times do I have to remind you that it doesn't break bludgeon DR. Wolves on live break piercing and slash. With the changes they won't break any DR beyond the base weapon you are holding.

Other than that; great build. I might actually have to try that once I'm done trying to make a bear work.

Edit:
"Why Winter Wolf? Because of the 35% combat style bonus to attack speed, as well as the 2 sneak attack dice, the stacking movement speed, the ability to break bludgeoning DR, the ability to hit Ooze without breaking my daggers, the list goes on."

Attack speed won't be the same as you listed, DR breaking doesn't work, nor will you be immune to Ooze at the moment. Might want to edit that!

Double Edit: You know you want to be a chain wolf... Use them extra racial points to make a hilarious build.