Caster Druid - feats

[Detton]

So, human is the way to go as a caster druid - the extra feat is just too important. Some feats I plan to take early on - such as Augment Summoning - are temporary, but i'm trying to figure out what to plan for later on. Same with Extend. (5 minute duration buffs suck, but by 20 you don't need it, so it's one to swap out later)

There weren't a lot of threads on druid builds (a lot of discussion on other areas, but not a lot of build posts), so what feats would people say are the key ones?

Maximize/Empower have traditionally been a staple of caster butt-whoopin'. With their change (empower = 75 spell power, maximize = 150), are they still? (Not for a first life druid with little gear at the start of the game, but later on)

Quicken/Heighten? Seems like a lot of the spells I used a lot on Lammaland were low-level and could benefit from heighten. Quicken? Not so much, unless I planned to be a healer. (May decide on that later on, but not right now.)

Spell Penetration/Spell Focus: Evocation (and their Greater equilivants)? Some of the 'key' spells I used didn't have a saving throw (produce flames / creeping cold), and I don't think any of them had a spell resistance check either, but maybe someone who got up higher level could confirm it's usefulness?

1: Augment Summoning
-Human: Extend Spell
3: Mental Toughness
6: Toughness
9: Empower
12: Maximize
15: Heighten
18: *

So, given that I can swap augment, extend, and - probably, by the end-game, mental toughness (figured i'd take it early when I needed the SP, again, being poorly geared), I can get SF: Evo, GSF: Evo, Spell pen, greater spell pen... but like I said, i'm not sure if I will *need* that, or if there are other feats... (My evo. nuke spells don't have a saving throw; Storm of Vengeance does, and it's conjuration, so maybe get SF: Conj. instead? Necro for the one spell that it benefits, which is a good one? One of each, and the two spell pen feats?

Or do I fly blind since there's still not much info on it and let you know how badly I'm doing later on. =) I'm good with that, too. I've got a (probably poor) plan in mind, so it's not like I'm paralyzed with indecision here, though a bit too wordy for my own good.

Anyway... happy druid'ing!

[Derwyddlon]

I dont think caster druids will be able to spin the fate of combat like sorcs and wizzies. I have checked druid spell list and every evocation spell has like 1d3 or 1d2 blah blah damage. Seriously 1d2? Ok druids are hybrid classes but they are not that weak.

[LupusVai]

I dont think caster druids will be able to spin the fate of combat like sorcs and wizzies. I have checked druid spell list and every evocation spell has like 1d3 or 1d2 blah blah damage. Seriously 1d2? Ok druids are hybrid classes but they are not that weak.

They also got terribly shafted on enhancements too.
Costs 10 ap to get an element up to +65 spell power. 3 ap to get a wizard or sorc up to +60 spell power.

[Detton]

Fair enough, but I would like to push for it anyway. What about focusing on my dots? Creeping cold, either of them, don't have DCs. Creeping doom does, its conjuration, so getting SF conjuration could help that and storm of vengeance.

The ddowiki spell list is missing a bit of info and I'm still leveling. I'm iffy about necromancy for just one spell, even if it is a good one, with fingers of death.

The rest of my spell toolkit could work with utility and healing. If there are nukes people have had better luck with at higher levels in their experience any info is a great help. . Trying not to focus too much on if the damage I do will be sufficient (it'll get me to 20 and I can reincarnate if its too bad) and on what I would take to make it work.

I could rant as much as the next person on other parts :P

[Osma77]

Generally the spells druids use on enemies tend to not have spell resistance, so with few notable exceptions (fod) you don't need spell pen.

[Detton]

Thanks for the replies so far. They're helping out a lot. So, with that in mind, scrap spell pen feats.

After some evaluation and thinking about how I am going to play my caster druid, ive decided to keep spell focus evocation. I plan - tentatively - to really work the shifting angle.

Druid of summer : fire elemental and Nike with fire spells. If mobs are immune or strong, go wolf with other spells and wolf attacks.

Winter: water elemental. Same deal, shift to wolf with non-ice spells when mobs are strong.

Always the option to maybe use wolf and bear for cc (bear knocldown, wolf aoe paralyze and snowslide... depends on spell slots I need for other things.)

Resulting in the following feats:
Toughness
Empower
Maximize
Spell focus evocation
Greater spell focus same
Spell focus conjuration
Spell focus necromancy
... something. I can get GSF for conjuration or necromancy to further help with storm of vengeance or finger of death. Flexible.

Hows that look, given that I'm using wolf form for the effect attacks and not damage?

[BinyaminTsadik]

The wolf paralyze is enchantment!

How spread out can you force a druid to be!