Guardian of Nature - EE focused druid

[Pilgrim1]

I have spent considerable time tweaking and changing a druid and I have finally come to the conclusion of what is (in my opinion) the best caster-based druid for EE content.

First off, these are the requirements of an EE druid:
- Be viable in solo, shortman, and full raids.
- Effective crowd control.
- Have good survivability.
- Solo heal groups and act as secondary healer in raids.
- Have an effective and strong ability to do damage.

The last one was what I have had the most difficulty with, spell DPS on a druid is rather spell point intensive and doesn't work well for anything other then single target. Melee DPS need's huge feet investment and stat points to be viable which just wasn't really an option.

The solution to this turns out to be the capstone ability of the primal destiny: avatar of nature. In fact, Avatar of nature is so good for a druid the destiny to stay in is primal.

First a bit about Avatar of nature. This ability turns you into a giant tree which can not cast spells but does large amounts of melee damage per swing (200,400,600,800 - 20/x2). The swings are slow but moving around improves the speed of attacks. Like most animal forms TWF and THF do not work in avatar of nature, however stunning fist and cleaves do work - along with haste and damage boosts. While this is active it consumes large amounts of spirit.

Gathering spirit is actually very easy on a druid, these offensive spells are the best way to get spirit because they generate spirit on additional "ticks" rather then only on the first cast: Earthquake, Call lighting storm, body of the sun, and possibly storm of vengeance lighting strike ticks (not so sure about that).

The build:
36 points - 17 druid/2 monk/1wizard - human
Str: 11
Dex: 14
Con: 17
int: 8
wis: 18 + lvl ups
chr: 8

Feets (13):
Evocation focus
Greater evocation focus
Epic evocation focus
quicken
empower healing
toughness
epic toughness
PA
Cleave
Gcleave
Stunning fist
Improved critical: blunt
maximize

EDIT: If madmatt70's testing shows that TWF increases the damage of avatar of nature this list will need to be updated.

Primal avatar destiny with twists:
Legendary tactics
Evocation mastery
Renewal/precise evocation

Skills:
concentration, bit of balance, pinch of tumble

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Meeting goals and play stile

- Viable Crowd Control:
You have 3 very viable forms of CC on this build, single target stunning fist. Single or AoE blind spells via sleet storm or the 2 light spells, and AoE earthquake. Earthquake is incredibly good CC and probably the best spell on the druids spell list.

- Healing
When its time to heal, twist in renewal. Renewal + rejuvenating cocoon is amazing cheep healing. Toss in mass regenerate (the best heal spell in the game) and single target heal spell you can easily heal most groups. Intelligent stacking of vigor prior to short boss fights is very useful as well - I have solo healed EE blue dragon using this + spot healing.

- Survivability
The best way for a druid to survive in EE is to get lots of hp and heal amp and use heal over time spells, you can stack vigor's to great effect here. Don't forget displacement clickies - there a lifesaver.

- Playstile
Build up spirit by tossing cheep heals at people to top them off, casting earthquake or your light spells, try to keep a un-maximized call lighting storm running on you and hop into combat after earthquakes for a few cleaves or stunning the outside mobs. In shortman situations you can stack vigor's on yourself as well.

With this most mobs should be locked down without much damage to your party and you will be generating plenty of spirit. Hop into avatar of nature and cleave and stun the pile in the earthquake - use damage human damage boost to. If your solo healing the group be ready to jump out of tree form.


Overall druids are a very versatile and fun class to play it was a frustrating but rewarding experience to play mine. I have recently TRed my druid but i may one day go back, they certainly have the power to be very strong.

- Variations
* Drop IC and maximize for ITWF GTWF and stay mostly in water form.
* Drop stunning fist and maximize for shield mastery and improved shield mastery, dump legendary tactics for legendary shield mastery and use medium armor for quite a bit more PRR.
* If you don't have the tomes or points for that set-up try dropping dex a bit or putting a lvl up into con instead of wisdom.
* Dump more dex, build up more str and grab some weapon and run in LD for a self healing, CCing master blitzer.

Good luck!