I'm new to Druids, advice wanted!

[Pewf]

Hi all, I've finally decided on what I want my 'final' final life for my main to be. So far he has 3 Wizard Past Lives(His third one is currently in progress), 3 Sorc PL, 3 FVS, 1 Cleric, and 1 Bard. My goal for this druid would be a healer/caster at the bare minimum, possibly resorting to melee as a backup if I have too?

I really truly loved playing a divine (Cleric/FvS have been my favorite of my lives) in epic elites, it was fun but it certainly felt limited to what I could actually do... I could only implode so much, and my CC was certainly lacking.

I recently witnessed a caster/healer druid totally mop up some epic elite drow in an earthquake and managed to keep up the melees with some of his cure things, and it got me interested/hooked!

The whole hybrid, caster/healer thing looks interesting and I would really like some advice!

1) Is there anymore past lives you would recommend grinding out?

2) Feats, I heard someone talking about dropping heighten because it didn't help out druids too much... Opinions?
I am leaning towards:
Max/Empower/Quicken/Empower Healing/Heighten?/SF: Evo (For Twists)/Toughness/Wizard Past Live, clueless on epic feats!

3) What role do I play in Raids? Back-up healer? Could this be a primary healer? They don't get mass cures?

4) Besides the basic max wis, some con... any other critical ability scores I am missing?

I hope this post isn't too cluttered, typing it rather quickly as I am xp farming with guildies. Thanks!

[LordRavnos]

I too am interested in this info, want to get the most out of my druid. I went melee and at 13 I am loving it, so I might roll up another just to cast, too many fun spells to not use!

Also, not to derail this, but is there any medium armor that is none metallic a druid can use besides dragonscale armor that i refuse to grind for?

[Diyon]

Also, not to derail this, but is there any medium armor that is none metallic a druid can use besides dragonscale armor that i refuse to grind for?

Stinkpelt's Hide, Terrorweb Chitin Breastplate, Leaves of the Forest. There may be a few others but that's what I have off the top of my head.

[LOOON375]

Hi all, I've finally decided on what I want my 'final' final life for my main to be. So far he has 3 Wizard Past Lives(His third one is currently in progress), 3 Sorc PL, 3 FVS, 1 Cleric, and 1 Bard. My goal for this druid would be a healer/caster at the bare minimum, possibly resorting to melee as a backup if I have too?

I really truly loved playing a divine (Cleric/FvS have been my favorite of my lives) in epic elites, it was fun but it certainly felt limited to what I could actually do... I could only implode so much, and my CC was certainly lacking.

I recently witnessed a caster/healer druid totally mop up some epic elite drow in an earthquake and managed to keep up the melees with some of his cure things, and it got me interested/hooked!

The whole hybrid, caster/healer thing looks interesting and I would really like some advice!

1) Is there anymore past lives you would recommend grinding out?

2) Feats, I heard someone talking about dropping heighten because it didn't help out druids too much... Opinions?
I am leaning towards:
Max/Empower/Quicken/Empower Healing/Heighten?/SF: Evo (For Twists)/Toughness/Wizard Past Live, clueless on epic feats!

3) What role do I play in Raids? Back-up healer? Could this be a primary healer? They don't get mass cures?

4) Besides the basic max wis, some con... any other critical ability scores I am missing?

I hope this post isn't too cluttered, typing it rather quickly as I am xp farming with guildies. Thanks!

1) I haven't gotten that far, but the usual caster past live are good to go, and therefore Im not the best help here.

2) The Druid class is basically "feat starved". You have very few choices and is very limited compared to other classes. Im sure this will differ from one player to the nex, bu. I think the biggest issue, is deciding whether you want to be spell focused or melee focused. Feat selection would probably be totally different depending on path.

3) Yes you can effectively heal. I have solo healed elite streak PUGS with my melee druid. Raid healing? I haven't got that far yet, but I think it would be a stretch, at least for me, without mass heal. I have backup healed elite shroud on my Arty with scrolls, so I would assume I could do it with my Druid. Reincarnation I feel is the weakest part of the "divine" aspect of the druid, simply because the casting time on the Reincarnation is super painfully slow, and you can't use rez scrolls unless you manage to be able to work in UMD.

4) Str if you are going melee. And squeeze in as much dex as you can afford to help with reflex saves.

When I fight or my healing isn't really needed, I stay in Wwolf form and go to town. But when I have to go into healer mode, I go into water ele mode so I can use heal scrolls and the cooldown for spells isn't hindered. In wolf form, spell cool down is a ton slower than out of wolf form.

I don't think nothing is set in stone as of yet since the class is still brand new. I sure as heck haven't figured out yet what I will end up with or which path I will end up staying with. But overall I love the class and it's versatility.

Also, not to derail this, but is there any medium armor that is none metallic a druid can use besides dragonscale armor that i refuse to grind for?

It depends if you are going to use the animal forms. Light leather armor is a requirement for shape changing and being able to go into animal form.

[Diyon]

It depends if you are going to use the animal forms. Light leather armor is a requirement for shape changing and being able to go into animal form.

This is absolutely not true. As long as the armor is nonmetal you won't lose anything. You can wildshape fine with medium armor, and heavy armor as well (but I wouldn't do that unless you picked up the proficiency by some means).

[LOOON375]

This is absolutely not true. As long as the armor is nonmetal you won't lose anything. You can wildshape fine with medium armor, and heavy armor as well (but I wouldn't do that unless you picked up the proficiency by some means).

Anytime I have tried to put on any armor other than light leather, I get a pop up that says If I do so, I will "violate my druidic oath" and will lose the ability to change into animal form.

Im still playing around and learning the class. Maybe I misread the "light" part.

[the613]

Anytime I have tried to put on any armor other than light leather, I get a pop up that says If I do so, I will "violate my druidic oath" and will lose the ability to change into animal form.

Im still playing around and learning the class. Maybe I misread the "light" part.

because pretty much all lootgen meduim or heavy armor has metal on it, it breaks the druidic oath by being metallic. I would suggest you find out what armor is considered metal and which is not.

[Diyon]

because pretty much all lootgen meduim or heavy armor has metal on it, it breaks the druidic oath by being metallic. I would suggest you find out what armor is considered metal and which is not.

This. Other than some old holdovers from before the armor changes, the only nonmetal medium/heavy armors are named, and there aren't many.

[Paleus]

Anytime I have tried to put on any armor other than light leather, I get a pop up that says If I do so, I will "violate my druidic oath" and will lose the ability to change into animal form.

Im still playing around and learning the class. Maybe I misread the "light" part.

As a follow up on what others have said, it is a limitation of the material, not the type of armor. I can attest to leveling a druid wearing heavy black-dragon armor with no problems.

[Myrrae]

Just curious, I've seen more than once now the suggestion that a healing druid get UMD to cover the raises - is the artificer PL for the boost to UMD worth it, or is it just overkill?

[Pewf]

Thanks so much for your responses! I have put together a "theory build". Tell me what you guys think! Thanks. I didn't really put it in a planner as I am short on time, so I hope I didn't make it too messy yet again.

My goal was simply a Caster/Healer druid, but I had some extra feats so I tried to work in some Melee... I opted out of Mental Toughnesses due to having enough sp as I could ever want... if I calculated it correctly that is. lol.

Pewf - Level 25 Druid (Primal Avatar)

Wisdom: 52 (18 Base +6 Levelups +7 Item +3 Enhancements +3 Tome +3 Insightful +1 Litany +1 Human +3 Epic Destiny +1 Exceptional +2 Capstone +2 Yugo +2 Ship)
Con: 32 (16 Base +7 Item +3 tome +3 Insightful +1 Litany +2 ship)
STR: 34 (14 Base +8 Item +3 Tome +2 Ram's Might +2 Rage Pot/Spell +2 Yugo +2 Ship +1 Litany) To Low for Meleeing?

Feats: (7 Base +1 Human +2 Epic = 10)
Maximize
Empower
Quicken
Heighten
SF: Evo
Wizard Past Life
Empower Heal
TWF
ITWF
GTWF
--> Splash 2 monk for Improved Critical and Power Attack? Or is Melee Aspect of this build simply pushing it too far? Wisdom would stay the same, trading +2 capstone for +2 water stance. STR would be -2 or +2 depending on monk stance, I suppose. If only there was a way for animal form to use Wisdom for Attack/Damage :P I would definitely take that feat!

HP: 600+ (I dropped toughness, 40+ hp doesn't make or break this build I don't think... I could use the extra feat as well)
SP: 1205 Base +120 Past Lives +225 Wiz IX +150 Shroud +110 Enhancements +250 Primal Avatar +714 Wisdom Bonus +10% EA Twist (282) = 3051

Are my numbers off? (Caster Level + 9)*(Casting Modifier) = 25+9*21 = 714 Or do epic levels not count and it should instead be 20?

DC:
Evocation: 19 Base +21 Wisdom +3 Sorcerer PL +1 Feat +1 Wiz PL +3 Twists +2 Item = 49
Conjuration: 19 Base +21 Wisdom +1 Wiz Pl +1 Cleric Pl+2 Item = 44

Twists:
10% SP Exalted Angel
+3 Evocation DC - Magister
Melee Twist? Perhaps Haste Boost from Legendary Dreadnaught?

[LordRavnos]

From what I know, the two weapon fighting chain does nothing for the druid in animal form( assuming you took them to boost melee while shifted), you are better off taking the feat that boosts doublestrike in animal form, if you are serious about splitting between caster and melee.

[Tuney]

I'm a wolf form melee/healing druid. I sit at 32 str ,the key is to always be flanking. +5 or +7 if you using Harrowing pack (Only part of that buff that works), while I get more grazing hits then I want. The flanking bonus helps a lot to counter that.

But I think the greatest and most damaging thing to an Animal form druid... Only place to get 'weapon increase damage' is from Handwraps and splashing monk so you are able to use reinfornced fist. Else you are stuck with a 1d10 - 19-20/3x at epic levels... Also Magic fang and Aligned fang are your friends. +6 Enchantment mod (Pure druid + level 5 Primal sphere) is a lot as well as if you a weapon with spell focus implement +18 to that hehe

Two key things to know about animal forms , LordRavnos said the first one - Two weapon fighting chain is usless. Second , If you can use a shield when in form , do so. You still still get the AC bonus and Most effects on the shield unless they are damage mods like flaming only your Primary hand will transfer weapon effects. I also heard ToD rings with damage mods work in animal forms.

And if you are planning on using a shield while animal form , If you don't mind giving up a little Double strike. Use the Shield mastery line , extra PRR at the cost of 4% double strike, assuming you are swaping two Natural fighting for it... That and you could twist in the line from Unyeilding sental for more PRR and double strike while using a shield.

I started rambling and forgot my point now...

[Pewf]

LOL. Thanks so much you two! I had totally assumed that TWF would affect them.

I had decided on the following Build.

Stats
15 Str
14 Dex
14 Con
18 Wisdom

Feats (7 Base +1 Human +2 Epic = 10)
Toughness
Max
Empower
Quicken
Heighten
Empower Heal
SF: Evo
Wizard Past Life
Shield Mastery
Improved Shield Mastery

Will do it pure, unless I feel the need to have evasion.. I think I read somewhere that Primal Avatar gives evasion... Have to look into that.

I plan on using the Wall of Wood level 24 version mostly, and various caster scepters/weapons when meleeing.

After much discussing I had decided I really just wanted to melee for some fluff really... perhaps later after the Enhancement pass or a druid buff I could fit it in more easily.

None-the-less, I think this will be my final build. Nom nom nom.

Thanks to everyone who helped me out! Love the forums sometimes.

EDIT: It seems I totally missed the part about the Shield Mastery Nerf thing... Is it still useful? o.o Only 10 PRR? Or am I missing something...

[unbongwah]

Shield Mastery + ISM is mostly useful to S&B tanks or melee-focused wolf/bear builds, because it provides doublestrike as well as PRR bonuses. I wouldn't bother with them anymore just for the PRR, tho; Turbine really nerfed the defensive boost you got from Shield Mastery.

[Mubjon]

My caster/healer druid took the mental toughness feats and will take epic mental toughness for an extra 400 SP.

I did this on a human 32 pt build

Str - 8
Dex - 14
Con - 14
Int - 8
Wis - 16
Chr - 16 - So with items and skills I should be able to cast raise dead scrolls eventually, till then I have Resurrection up on bar.

Feats

Toughness
Maximize
empower healing
mental toughness
quicken
improved mental toughness
Augment summon
SF: Evo
GSF: Evo
Epic Mental Toughness

I am still level 17 though and having a blast with this character, have a TR cleric and TR wizard I am working through though so it gets played 3rd.

Do not have all the gear I need and have almost 1600 sp at level 17, 367 hp. Wolf is at 480 hp so he is a decent distraction.

As far as armors go, you can wear dragonscale armor so might want to take a look there. If you do not want to stay pure, then monk or fighter might be best or 1 wizard and 1 of those two for the meta magic feat free and toughness (monk) or (shield mastery) fighter.

[goodspeed]

Your definitely going to want to stack dc's every single which way. And to get the numbers I'd head for maximize and empower, and heighten. The name of the game is dot. area dot, single dot. And mild cc knocking everything on it's ass. I'd say as well that you could prolly melee some while everything was assfallen.

The wolf I find is just a running waste of mana and hp. So that thing takes it's seat right by the arti dog.

I think I went toughness of course.
Mental toughness
Maximize
heighten
empower
empower heal
spell focus evo
greater focus evo.
And then if human you get one more. I can't remember what I took but I know it wasn't extend or quicken, or augment.
And then of course the epic feat.

Though it's been awhile since I played em, (he's shelved) I do seem to remember wishing I had gone helf instead of human. I think I thought that druids would have access to a great number of things and then I found out they didn't. On both the arcane and divine sides. And umd wasn't exactly the best so that kinda sucked.

I think epic wise I would go for a mix of mag and drac. I never tinked with the new one so no idea if the avatar is any good or if it even works.

[Pewf]

The problem I have with taking the Mental Toughnesses are that... for as long as I could remember I was told they were a waste and 9 times out of 10 there is something better. But, I literally have 2 'extra' feats or epic feats that I have literally no idea what to get!

I don't know, I consider dropping Shield Masteries for sure as I had no idea they were changed with U14. Probably because I don't really keep up with every change that comes through the doors.

I really appreciated you guys posting your builds, it means a lot!

I suppose I could take one more +Evo feat, but on this build I'll already be hitting 50+. I could take the Mental Toughness Line for an additional ~400 sp and would put me at 3.5k (If my math was correct above..) But... I don't know, I think it's engraved in my brain that Mental Toughnesses are bad. I also can't see wasting three feats on only 400 sp!

Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I am even more confused than when I started. LOL, Ok... maybe a little less. Why do druids have to be so difficult?

[susiedupfer]

Druids really aren't all that difficult. Not if you have played divines and arcanes. What it comes down to is this: you get all the advice people can give you, then you meld it and make it your own. Just like everything else. Try one feat set up, if you don't like it, or are just still wondering "what if", change feats. Fred is still there, hopefully he will be fixed for druids soon (if he is not fixed all ready).

I like SP. I played nothing but clerics for a very long time. I learned to think that all toons are SP starved. But, OTOH, I cast MUCH more than I melee. So, if I have no SP, I am nothing more than a sorry melee. I do not buy DDOStore mnemonic pots, so I try to keep pot use to a minimum.

I do hope to see you posting YOUR awesome druid build here in the near future. Let us know what you did, and how you like it. Maybe we can learn something from you.

[Mubjon]

The problem I have with taking the Mental Toughnesses are that... for as long as I could remember I was told they were a waste and 9 times out of 10 there is something better. But, I literally have 2 'extra' feats or epic feats that I have literally no idea what to get!

I don't know, I consider dropping Shield Masteries for sure as I had no idea they were changed with U14. Probably because I don't really keep up with every change that comes through the doors.

I really appreciated you guys posting your builds, it means a lot!

I suppose I could take one more +Evo feat, but on this build I'll already be hitting 50+. I could take the Mental Toughness Line for an additional ~400 sp and would put me at 3.5k (If my math was correct above..) But... I don't know, I think it's engraved in my brain that Mental Toughnesses are bad. I also can't see wasting three feats on only 400 sp!

Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I am even more confused than when I started. LOL, Ok... maybe a little less. Why do druids have to be so difficult?

They are not that complicated, I have had a lot of fun learning mine. I went with twf line, then respeced to animal form and the shield masteries and now I am respec'd once more with casting and I am have lots more fun casting than I did the other two ways.

The beauty is that you can still melee as you have buffs to help in that regard (rams might, bulls strength at low levels, sleet storm to blind and make the mobs fall down, earthquake for more CC options,) elemental forms offer the best of both worlds I am finding. I am spec'd to cast, but with all buffs and items I am 24 strength and I started at 8. Which coupled with sleet storm and earthquake makes meleeing fairly easy. Cast the fire elemental aura with a combustion item, now in melee I am getting 200+ ticks of fire dmg, plus what pitiful damage I can add with weapon.

Oh I also took natural warrior pRE for the reaving roar enhancement. That thing is still pretty nice at level 17 as I am able to take out 1 mob fairly quick and then another 2 to 4 drop when that bad boy goes off. Toss a maximized (and wear a radiance item to boost light damage )Sunburst and clear out the rest.

Just realize that even though you might spec for one thing, it does not take much to get adequate items and buffs to help the other out and use all tools available.