The Official Druid Enhancements Discussion Thread!

[SqueakofDoom]

Druid Enhancements are available on Lamannia this weekend.

Please share your thoughts on the Druid Enhancement Trees!

[Systern]

Nature's Warrior

Core Enhancements:
Nature's Warrior
0 AP
+1 HP for each point spent in tree.

Instinctive Fighting (Core enhancements 2-4)
2AP
+1d6 Sneak Attack for Wolves, +5 PRR for Bears

Natural Adept (Capstone)
2AP
Cooldowns go from 2.5x to 1.5x. +2d6 Sa for Wolves. +10 PRR for Bears


Tier 1:
Extra Wild Empathy (3 ranks)
1AP
+[1/2/3] Wild Empathy Use per rest. +[1/2/3] Improved Wild Empathy Use per rest.

Aggravate (3 Ranks)
1AP
Intimidate gives you DR [2/-|4/-|6/-]

Shifting Rake (3 ranks)
Bluff causes [-2/-4/-6] AC to critter.

Bestial Nature (3 ranks)
1AP
Cooldown 1 second
[+1/+2/+3] Insight bonus to Fortitude and Reflex saves with a [-1/-2/-3] penalty to Will Saves.

Athletic (3 ranks)
[+1/+2/+3] balance, Jump, Swim, Tumble.
[ 0/0/ +1] Wild Empathy Use


Tier 2:
Flight (3 Ranks)
1 AP
1:30 cool down
+10% dodge for [12/24/36] seconds. Costs 1 Wild Empathy.

Vengeful Hunter (3 ranks)
1AP
Your Critical hits and a 5% chance of being hit gives a 20 second buff that gives +2 critical damage (before multipliers.)
This can stack [1/2/3] times.

Hide of the Crocodile (3 ranks)
1AP
5Min Cooldown
Activating this ability reduces the damage you take from physical and acid damage by [40%/50%/60%]

Blood Moon Frenzy (3 Ranks)
1AP
Killing a critter gives your Pets, Summons, Hirelings a [20%/30%/40%] movement speed buff, and a [10%/15%/20%] attack speed buff for 15 seconds. Weaker critters are less likely blah blah blah.

Action Boost: Double Strike (3 ranks)
1AP
Gives a [+10%/+20%/+30%] action boost to double strike for 20 seconds.


Tier 3:
Fight (3 Ranks)
1AP
[+1/+2/+3] base melee damage while in a wolf or bear form.

Reaving Roar (3 ranks)
1 AP
Beast Stance: Killing Blows trigger a sonic blast that does [5/7/9]d6 damage and gives +[2/4/6]% competence bonus to threat generation for 10 seconds. :'(

Fatal Harrier (3 ranks)
1AP
Beast Stance: Killing an enemy gives a +5% attack speed increase for 8 seconds. This stacks [1/3/5] times.

Improved Dodge (3 Ranks)
1AP. requires Dodge feat
+[1/?/?] dodge in wolf or bear forms.

Str or Wis
2AP


Tier 4:
Essence of the Shrike (2 ranks)
2AP
Wolfie critical hits give [10/20] temporary SP for 8 seconds.

Essence of the Turtle (2 ranks)
2AP
getting hit in bear form has a 5% chance of giving [10/20] temporary SP for 8 seconds.

Four Good Legs (1 rank)
2AP
Beast Stance: Most knockdown effects don't knock you down. Must be in Lupine or Ursine forms.

Str or Wis
2AP


Tier 5:
Alpha Strike (3 Ranks)
2AP
AoE Melee attack dealing +3[W] damage. Elementals, Animals, Vermin, Plants, Magical Beasts take an extra +3d6 slashing damage. Must be lupine or ursine form.

Wild Healing (3 ranks)
1AP
on hit, 5% chance of [10/?/?] temp hp and [10%/?/?] morale bonus to healing amp.

Celerity (3 ranks)
1AP
cooldown 15 seconds
Activating this ability gives you a [30%/?/?] enhancement bonus to double strike for [15/?/?] seconds.


Season's Herald
Core Enhancements:
Seasoned
0AP
+1 USP per point in tree. you get the Summer/Winter cycle. +5 SP for Light, Fire, Positive, Sonic during Summer. +5 SP for Cold, Water, Acid, Electric, Lightning during winter. Call these groups "Seasonal"... +5 SP to the seasonals for each Core enhancement you have in the tree; up to +30.

Time
String Table Error
+1 caster level to spells in season.

Tide
+1 max caster level to spells in season.

Sunburst
Sunburst SLA. 2 minute cool down. 20 SP. 6d6 light damage and blinds, or 1d3+3 damage to oozes and undead

Storm of Vengeance
SLA, 2 min cooldown, 20 SP.

Heirophant
+2 Wis, each time the season changes next spell automatically crits and costs half as much SP. +1 DC and MCL to Conjuration and Transmutation spells.


Tier 1:
Wand Heightening (3 Ranks)
1AP
Wand and Scroll Mastery costs an extra [1/2/3] points. oh, and something about wand DCs that no one cares about.

Season's Greeting (Multiple Selector) (3 Ranks_
1AP
cooldown: [22minutes 30 seconds/15m/7.5m]
Pick just one season to speed up to, instead of either like on Live.

Beguile (3 ranks)
1AP
whenever you attack or cast on a critter. 50% chance to beguile them [1/0-2/0-3] times for [3/0-6/0-9] seconds: -2% attack speed, -2 spell power. This can stack up to 25 times.

Wax and Wane:
2AP
+1% critical chance to seasonal spells.

Negotiator (3 Ranks)
1 AP
+[1/2/3] Bluff, Diplo, Perform, Haggle
+[0/0/5] Universal Spell power.



Tier 2:
Wand and Scroll Mastery (3 ranks)
2AP
+[25/50/75]% effectiveness to your wands, scrolls, and other items that cast spells.

Efficient Metamagic Leeloodallasmultiselector (3 ranks)
2AP
Choice of: Empower [2/4/6], Maximize [3/6/9], Enlarge [1/2/4], Quicken [1/2/4] fewer SP per cast.

Produce Flame (3 ranks)
2AP
SLA costs [6/5/3] SP per cast.

Wax and Wane
2AP
+1% crit chance to seasonal spells.

Action Boost: Spell power (3 ranks)
1AP
+[10/20/30] action boost to USP for 20 seconds.


Tier 3:
Natures Warden (3 ranks)
1 AP
Aberrations and Undead take an additional [1/2/4]d6 bane damage from your offensive spells.

Eff Metamageic: Heighten (2 Ranks)
2 AP
Heightened spells cost [1/2] sp less per level heightened.

Creeping Cold (3 Ranks)
2AP
SLA costs [6/5/3] SP per cast.

Wax and Wane
2AP
+1% crit chance to Seasonal spells.

Wis
2AP


Tier 4:
Spring Resurgence (3 ranks)
1 AP
costs [8/6/4] SP. When allied target falls below 50% HP, 20d6 healing to everyone around him, and +2 primal bonus to hit.

Autumnal Susurrus (3 ranks)
1AP
Acid, Negative, and Electric spells have a [10/20/40]% chance to apply shaken to target.

Call Lightning (3 ranks)
2 AP.
SLA costs [10/8/6] SP.

Wax and Wane:
2AP
+1% crit chance to Seasonal Spells.

Wis
2AP


Tier 5:
Crown of Summer
2AP
1 SP. 15% healing amp and 2d6 light weapon imbue to one target. (like FvS champion)

Tide
2AP
+1 MCL to seasonal spells.

Word of Balance (3 Ranks)
Cool down: 1m30s.
SLA costs [15/?/?]

Time
2AP
+1 caster level to seasonal spells.

Winter's Heart
2AP
cold spells have 5% chance to trigger a snowball swarm centered on you for 1d10+30 cold damage.

[psteen1]

Nature's Warrior:
So reaving roar has been nerfed, from 13d6 to a max of 9d6. Eh... the ability is pretty OP on Live at lower levels, but they should at least let it go to the 13d6 at the highest tiers, since 13d6 isn't all that much damage in high levels.

My overall impression on this tree however is quite favorable. Not too much changed negatively, and has the addition of a few new fun things.

Season's Herald:
I'm very disappointed in this tree. It largely feels like an across the board nerf. Here are some of the reasons:
1) Pluses to caster levels are largely bugged, and many of these enhancements provide those bonuses.

2) The capstone: Your season switches once every 5 minutes... So once every 5 minutes you get an autocrit? Big-whoop-tee-do.

3) You can only pick one season to switch to rather than 2 like it is on live. However, it is kinda nice that you can speed this up to a 7.5 minute cooldown so that means you only have to run in your "off-season" for 2.5 minutes before you can switch back.

4) Negotiator: Perform?? Why? I don't think druids do sonic damage.

5) Produce flame is a bad spell. Hard to use and target mobs. I would never take it as an SLA.

6) Only able to get +3% crit chance, on live you can get this much much higher.

7) Compared to other trees, the tier 5's are really weak. You have the increased caster level thing, which is largely broken, you have crown of summer, which is actually fairly decent, but more of a tier 4 thing IMO, and you have winter's heart, which hardly ever does anything.

8) Spring resurgence now costs SP, and it was free on Live. It is a powerful ability at low levels but isn't too useful at higher ones. Therefore the healing ability should scale also or this is just a straight out nerf.

I see two things I like: creeping cold and storm of vengeance as SLA's.

[IronClan]

level requirements would be helpful. Is Reaving Roar Bear only?

[Charononus]

level requirements would be helpful. Is Reaving Roar Bear only?

No it works in any form,

Nice job on the caster druid prc btw turbine, finally some sla's

couple things though

crown of summer is now friend only instead of friend, self wai?

Needs some more icons for the abilities and some text is dnt tbd

nature's warrior needs healing spwr added to it so that wolves and bears can still get their devotion up higher.

[~AlissSeven]

crown of summer is now friend only instead of friend, self wai?

I was told crown of summer overwrites various effects so I just don't hand it out anymore unless asked for (which is never), leaving it for myself basically. If that's gone, then it's truely useless now.

(edit: actually, it doesn't even work sometimes on myself for whatever reason.)

[Silverleafeon]

Its the bottom of the 9th, one out (alpha) and chicken little is two runs ahead.
There is a wizard on first base, and a sorcerer on second base.
The Devs are the home team, and time out has been called.

Will the Devs pull it off, or will they lose the game to chicken little?



Speaking as someone who has played every class and race the old fashion way,
I am distressed and upset at the current events playing out in this enhancement alpha.


You, the Devs, are about to implement a nerf to every class in the game except two.
That is a pretty strong charge, let's talk it over.


Archmage wizards probably need some more flexablity.
Other than that, the arcane powerhouses (Sorcerer and Wizard) almost always come out on top.

The enhancements for the melee is coming along, until one considers that melees exist in
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiosis
with other classes. When those classes suffer, the melee classes suffer.

Most melees have gotten to the point of realizing that sorcerers and wizards often don't care.
That is why we melees carry haste clickies, haste potions, and melee aclarity items.
That is why we melees carry permanent blur items.
We can get along if we have to without them.

But we melees have another Symbiosis, a strong greater one that is much more important.
If this group is weak, we melee are also weak.
It is the group of classes that can cast mass curative spells.

This group includes Bards, Druids, Clerics, and Favored Souls.
The games fate and destiny are interwoven with their destiny.

These four classes have some else in common.
All four of them currently only have tier two prestige classes.
Since three tier should exists, one can obviously concluded that each of these classes
should be increased in enhancement power by 50% during this enhancement update.

Bards also suffer as already needing upgrades in many forms.
They sit at the bottom of all the classes, needing much love.
I will not list in detail what should be changed as you the Devs already have my very
details notes on the subject documented for later access.

While some will say, the spellsinger looks kinda nice, I say you have a long way to go.
The bard needs a lot of work, you know what it is, do it.


Fifty percent is a lot of power addition.
Fear is the original sin.
Be bold, be creative, show us how smart you can be.

[SerPounce]

Season's Harold:

Some nice improvements here over live, but it needs some tweaking. The addition of SLAs is huge, as is the evening out of spellpower with other casters.

RE: changing seasons. you should either buff the in-season powers, or improve flexibility and control over what season you're in. As is the bonuses are really too small to bother really adjusting your strategy to fit your season. Particularly given your limited selection (for example if you're DoTing a boss you're going to use creeping cold).

non-scaling abilties: They're bad. I'm looking at you spring resurgence and winter's heart. Make them scale in some way so they don't start out super powered and end up useless in EE.



Nature's warrior:

This one still has lots of problems, and needs serious work.

1. Needs Spellpower with AP spent

2. Needs spellpower with AP spent

3. Seriously, they're still primarily a caster, they need spellpower

4. make non-stacking bonuses stack

5. Make abilties scale (eg. reaving roar)

6. Defensive action boosts are more trouble then they're worth. Make the defensive bonuses passive or activated on an effect (eg. chance on being hit/hitting).

7. While I can't say I've tested this stuff extensively (my druid was a caster before I TRed) a lot of the numbers just seem too low.

For example fatal harrier seems like a really cool idea, but since it doesn't stack with melee alacrity or haste it's going to be pretty rare to get it up to the point where it's doing any good. you'd have to kill 5 enemies in a row in less then 8 second each to get what really amounts to 10% more attack speed over haste. I know from using masters blitz that this is going to be pretty unrealistic in most situations. I have blitz attempts sputter out regularly on EE because I can't string together enough kills in 15secs each to really get it going, and that's on a toon that does more DPS than most druids are going to muster. I'd recommend something like +10% speed for 30 seconds stacking 1/2/3 times (based on points spend).

And that's just one example, there are a bunch of abilities where the numbers just seem way to low.

Anyway, nice work on season's herald, that one is really getting somewhere, but nature's warrior needs serious work.

[Systern]

level requirements would be helpful. Is Reaving Roar Bear only?

The way the system works, Tier 1 requires class level 1. Tier 2 needs class level 2, Tier 3 needs 3, 4 needs 4, and 5 needs 12...

That's consistent across all trees.


Reaving roar works in any form.

[IronClan]

The way the system works, Tier 1 requires class level 1. Tier 2 needs class level 2, Tier 3 needs 3, 4 needs 4, and 5 needs 12...

That's consistent across all trees.


Reaving roar works in any form.

Cool thanks for the info, just wanted to see if there were any differences from last weeks. I'm not expecting them to keep the low level requirements for long.

[Vargouille]

The way the system works, Tier 1 requires class level 1. Tier 2 needs class level 2, Tier 3 needs 3, 4 needs 4, and 5 needs 12...

Tier 5 follows the pattern and only requires 5 class levels.
Tier 5 breaks the pattern and requires 12 character levels.

[Violith]

level requirements would be helpful. Is Reaving Roar Bear only?

no, reaving roar was never bear only. would've gotten alot of complaints if they changed that. XD but no they didnt so its good. its a beastial stance like fatal harrier so you cant have both of those active, same as live.not sure about the T5 ability wild healing, didnt test that, believe it was bear only on live, but it doesnt say (the t5 celerity mentions its wolf only, same as live)

honestly, Im abit sad about the way they did the druid prestiges. they live forms are only t1, and yet they tried and force it all into a prestige tree, without any growth. (herald got some SLA's, but the warrior didnt get much of anything)

alpha strike looked nice at first, 10w +10d6 for specific creatures, till I seen the costs 1 wild empathy, (my druid dumped cha... it had enough to worry about with wis, con, and str. so at max he has 6 of those (thats with the +3 from the enhanmcents requirements). plus it was broken and only doing half of my base damage rather then 10w.

plus the prereqs for it all suck (+3dmg for 6 AP for a t3? come on, it should've been atleast a +.5w per tier if not 1w (since its bear/wolf only thus being unarmed, wouldnt have been that powerful), extra 3 wild empathy, nice but having it as an prereq sucks since it forces you to take it to t3 in order to get the higher teirs up to t3, 10% dodge for 36 sec isnt bad, but costing a wild empathy limits its usefulness, it should be a permament buff if it costs something.

that plus the fact that warriors dont get ANY spell power kinda sucks. all druids should get some, even if its only .5 per pt in warrior.

[psteen1]

that plus the fact that warriors dont get ANY spell power kinda sucks. all druids should get some, even if its only .5 per pt in warrior.

Agreed, that is a major nerf.

[Systern]

If you put any point into Seasonal, you get the cycle... So it's like a huge part of that prestige has just been given to the other tree. I really don't like that you have to pick a season to fast forward to now. There are times on Live when you lose the cycle when you die or log in and need to kickstart it. Losing half your kickstarts with an even longer cool down duration kinda stinks. (EDIT: Just noticed it's 3 Ranks.... Disregard. )

I don't like the Points in Tree system. It really devalues a lot of choices. I am currently playing a human druid on Live, and "no brainers" have become skill traps... On Live, Of course I want Healing Amp enhancements. On Lamma, you take the 1st one for 2 AP, but after that: do you put 10 AP into Human to get a net 11% healing amp, or just throw 10 AP anywhere in Season's Herald and get 10% healing and 10% damage from the boost to USP? ... Duh.

Yea, kinda sad that Reaving Roar got nerfed. Also sad that it doesn't scale. I'd rather see it do something like 2d[4/6/8] per druid level than the [5/7/9]d6. I guess that might be a pain to code because the roar currently isn't tied to you (to stop domino effects) so having it based off your stats might be a pain to link without linking... if ya know what I mean.

Wand Heightening really just needs to become part of Mastery, and stop being a tax. The way wands work in the game is that the only class that might even consider using one is a pure Artificer with the AT Capstone, and even then the way the capstone works, Artificer Knowledge and the heightening enhancement are just trampled by the capstone's ability. So it's useless for even them.

[Khatzhas]

I don't like the Points in Tree system. It really devalues a lot of choices. I am currently playing a human druid on Live, and "no brainers" have become skill traps... On Live, Of course I want Healing Amp enhancements. On Lamma, you take the 1st one for 2 AP, but after that: do you put 10 AP into Human to get a net 11% healing amp, or just throw 10 AP anywhere in Season's Herald and get 10% healing and 10% damage from the boost to USP? ... Duh.

There is no more synergy. Human Improved Recovery 2&3 is giving up 10% spell damage and outgoing healing for 11 or 12% incoming healing.

Unless the spellpower situation has changed, 10 spellpower will not be close to 10% healing amplification in terms of healing yourself.
The positive spellpower only affects the base amount of the spell, whereas the healing amplification is 10% increase based on the total amount.

[Systern]

The SLAs are too expensive. 2AP each, 3 ranks per, and being linked to the one below it... If you want Rank 3 Word of Balance, it'll cost you 24 AP total for just that one SLA.

[Mark2422]

The SLAs are too expensive. 2AP each, 3 ranks per, and being linked to the one below it... If you want Rank 3 Word of Balance, it'll cost you 24 AP total for just that one SLA.

I don't agree. You don't just get that one SLA for 24 AP you get 4, which is 4 more than druids have now. And all 4 of them are good DPS. Well worth 24AP. Especially when you consider that the 24 AP is also being added to your Universal Spell power.

I really like the Uni spell power per point because to me it means every single point I spend in the tree is being put to use, regardless of what I am spending it on.

Keep in mind I am speaking purely from a caster druid perspective. I do not melee at all.

Another thing I think is a good addition for caster druids are the wand and scroll mastery. Something which I felt we were missing. Heal scrolls currently on live are useless for me. Although, on Lam right now the wand and scroll mastery is not working on heal scrolls. But I hope this is a bug and not intended. If intended then this is bad.

Overall I like the way it has been done. Melee druids can specialise and so can casters. We are no longer forced to live with any crossover if we don't want to. But for the people who like to be "jack of all trades", they can take some of each tree/style. No you wont be as powerful as the specialists but that is the price you pay for melee and spells rather than one or the other.

As a pure caster, I don't see anything usefull in natures warrior for me. That does mean I will end up with no +to my HP but I guess I am a caster and casters in general have a reduced HP compared to other classes so it brings be in line with other caster classes. So I like that aswell.

Overall I am very happy. The only thing I don't like is the winters heart ability. But its the same as on live. I am a ranged caster so an ability trigger spell that centres on me is pointless. It is better suited to a melee, but alas it is a T5 in the caster tree. I think this makes it even more useless than it currently is on live. Not sure how many jacks will take that T5 as they will be limited in selection already.

[Systern]

I don't agree. You don't just get that one SLA for 24 AP you get 4, which is 4 more than druids have now. And all 4 of them are good DPS. Well worth 24AP. Especially when you consider that the 24 AP is also being added to your Universal Spell power.

I really like the Uni spell power per point because to me it means every single point I spend in the tree is being put to use, regardless of what I am spending it on.

Keep in mind I am speaking purely from a caster druid perspective. I do not melee at all.

Another thing I think is a good addition for caster druids are the wand and scroll mastery. Something which I felt we were missing. Heal scrolls currently on live are useless for me. Although, on Lam right now the wand and scroll mastery is not working on heal scrolls. But I hope this is a bug and not intended. If intended then this is bad.

Overall I like the way it has been done. Melee druids can specialise and so can casters. We are no longer forced to live with any crossover if we don't want to. But for the people who like to be "jack of all trades", they can take some of each tree/style. No you wont be as powerful as the specialists but that is the price you pay for melee and spells rather than one or the other.

As a pure caster, I don't see anything usefull in natures warrior for me. That does mean I will end up with no +to my HP but I guess I am a caster and casters in general have a reduced HP compared to other classes so it brings be in line with other caster classes. So I like that aswell.

Overall I am very happy. The only thing I don't like is the winters heart ability. But its the same as on live. I am a ranged caster so an ability trigger spell that centres on me is pointless. It is better suited to a melee, but alas it is a T5 in the caster tree. I think this makes it even more useless than it currently is on live. Not sure how many jacks will take that T5 as they will be limited in selection already.

I especially hate that you are further being forced to min/max. the way my character is on live, and how I enjoy playing, is basically running around as a Herald in Fire ele form, train a bunch of critters, earthquake, burning hamsterball of doom, and cleave cleave cleave cleave... I miss my toughness enhancements. I'm forced to consider if every point I don't put into herald will make me survive long enough to live through the lessened damage (generally, no). I'm positioning myself to take Overwhelming Critical (not 24 yet)...

There is no more synergy. Human Improved Recovery 2&3 is giving up 10% spell damage and outgoing healing for 11 or 12% incoming healing. Every point in Nature's is a point not in Herald. You are X Powerful, and how you want to divide that X is up to you.

I loved my druid because it was a pure hybrid. That's been taken away. I no longer have the versatility to choose the LD Destiny or Primal if the party and whim call for it.

I also don't like Winter's heart now, because now you won't have the HP and PRR to stand there and survive the attacks as the center of attention.

[chrisdinus7]

I especially hate that you are further being forced to min/max. the way my character is on live, and how I enjoy playing, is basically running around as a Herald in Fire ele form, train a bunch of critters, earthquake, burning hamsterball of doom, and cleave cleave cleave cleave... I miss my toughness enhancements. I'm forced to consider if every point I don't put into herald will make me survive long enough to live through the lessened damage (generally, no). I'm positioning myself to take Overwhelming Critical (not 24 yet)...

There is no more synergy. Human Improved Recovery 2&3 is giving up 10% spell damage and outgoing healing for 11 or 12% incoming healing. Every point in Nature's is a point not in Herald. You are X Powerful, and how you want to divide that X is up to you.

I loved my druid because it was a pure hybrid. That's been taken away. I no longer have the versatility to choose the LD Destiny or Primal if the party and whim call for it.

I also don't like Winter's heart now, because now you won't have the HP and PRR to stand there and survive the attacks as the center of attention.

Yes, I dislike the gain +X per point in tree thing. It makes the racial trees horrid. And the balance is odd. Sorcs get +0.75 usp, but the caster druid gets +1 usp. I also agree the setup for druid currently kills the hybrid builds. On live, I take a mix of melee and caster enhancements / feats. With this, I can't see doing that. Prolly spec into caster based on this.