Too many builds....I'm a little lost here.

[Tuffgar]

I'm looking at doing a druid life for my next(5th) life. I've been browsing the druid subforum for a bit here, but I think I'm suffering from information overload. There's a lot of math, a lot of what appears to be abuse of grey areas(TWF working in animal form), and a lot of assumptions about past lives and equipment for builds, or builds that are overtuned for EE runs.

What I'm looking for is a druid build suitable for primarily solo play+hireling. I've got +3 tomes in all stats, with the mabar +5 in INT for skillpoints, and a +4 in CHA because I got a cheap upgrade from the AH. My gear is pretty casual. I don't sport a lot of crafted or epic gear. Generally speaking I get a few levels into epic content and get bored real fast and start another life. I have no need of a build that's aimed at soloing or being an asset in EE. I've never set foot in an EE except to see how badly I'd get smoked.

I don't really need a point by point breakdown, either. What I'm looking for is advice for a general druid build. What class mix, what race, feats, that sort of thing. I'm not even really expecting it all in this thread if there's a good build somewhere that I missed. Just point me in the right direction and I'll take it from there.

Thanks!

[Grailhawk]

Basic ideas for druid builds none of these is the be all end all but they are good and will get you through a life fine.

Caster build
Pure 20

Empower
Spell Focus: Evocation
Maximize
Wizard Past/Mental Toughness
Greater Spell Focus: Evocation
Quicken
Heighten

Focus on AOE damage spells Firewall, Ice Storm, Storm of Vengeance, and Earthquake. Word of Balance and Greater Creeping Cold for single targets.

Hybrid (Dronk)
18/2 Druid/Monk Max WIS and as much STR and CON as you can.

Stunning Fist
Two Weapon Fighting
Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Maximize
Quicken
Spell Focus: Evocation
Heighten/Power Attack/Precision/Greater Spell Focus: Evocation/Improved Critical (any 2)

Plays a lot like a clonk.

Wolf
15/3/2 Druid/Ranger/Monk Max WIS and as much STR and CON as you can.

Maximize
Spell Focus: Evocation
Quicken
Natures Fighting x3
Improved Critical
Stunning Fist
Precision

Double Strike and Sneak attack are your Focus for damage. (+11d6 sneak attack total from enh). Max and Quicken are there for healing spells mostly but you can max damage spells as need.

NOTE: Feat order is not 100% accurate i have no idea if there will be BAB or Stat requirement issues

[HatsuharuZ]

Well, if you're going to be soloing, then you'll most likely be using your summons, right? I'd suggest fitting in Augment Summoning somewhere. And no matter whether you go melee or caster, a devotion item is a must. I would NOT recommend taking the entire Natural Fighting line, but the shield feats are very useful for a druid, since they don't suffer from ASF.

[Grailhawk]

Well, if you're going to be soloing, then you'll most likely be using your summons, right? I'd suggest fitting in Augment Summoning somewhere. And no matter whether you go melee or caster, a devotion item is a must. I would NOT recommend taking the entire Natural Fighting line, but the shield feats are very useful for a druid, since they don't suffer from ASF.

I solo a lot on my druid only time my dog comes out is when I need a lever pulled.

If you don't have a monk splash then shield feat are better then Natural Fighting. But I wouldn't do a melee druid with out a monk splash.

[Tuffgar]

I've solo'd most of my DDO career and I've never used summons for anything other than distraction during certain fights. My last life as an artificer juggernaut never used the dog. I do make pretty good use of hirelings, but even then they're only for healbotting and lever pulling.

I'm just real hesitant to make use of a TWF wolf build when we're on the verge of seeing a new patch that could completely invalidate it. It also feels a little too much like exploiting a bug to me as well.

I do have monk, but I've also been looking at the shield feats and they seem pretty strong. Is a shield build with rogue instead of monk for evasion workable? Or is that trying to cram too much into it? Keep in mind I'm not aiming to run EE anything. This is mostly just to get a druid life under my belt.

[Grailhawk]

I do have monk, but I've also been looking at the shield feats and they seem pretty strong. Is a shield build with rogue instead of monk for evasion workable? Or is that trying to cram too much into it? Keep in mind I'm not aiming to run EE anything. This is mostly just to get a druid life under my belt.

I don't think of monk levels on a druid as for evasion its more about stunning fist, base damage, handwraps, and feat. A shield wolf can work I tend to think it inferior to the monk levels because I prefer Stunning fist and higher base damage over more doublestrike and PRR, YMMV.

The other issue is it takes a lot of feat to pull off I would recommend something like Human 15/2/3 Druid Fighter Rogue or you could drop the Druid down to 11 or 13 but at that point you will lose out on Earthquake and Heal and I would say your playing more of a mutt then a druid at that point.

Maximize
Spell Focus: Evocation
Quicken
Natures Fighting x3
Improved Critical
Precision or Power Attack
Shield Mastery
Improved Shield Mastery