lv20 bear and beyond

[MadGardener]

Possible bear upgrades for the future class balancing:

The "Bear" Druid
'The Druid was designated as a multi-option class, dps, tank, offensive caster and healer, with the idea that you would move in one direction but have flexibility to change (somewhat) to other rolls. The shape change is supposed to offer a very different feel on how they work, interact and function. They are ultimately masters of nature and from reviewing the update 15 new class announcement they are the guardians, and portal keeper'. This is a paraphrase and summary as I understood it.

Overview of suggestions focusing specifically on Nature’s Warden, The Bear (dog too I guess, but he might have fleas):

1) Increasing base damage in animal forms;
2) more stages to animal form
3) Add a new spell point reclamation feature, maybe called ``Elemental absorption``;
4) Additional 9th level spell;
5) Pet options.
6) Capstone

Details:

1) Natural attack base damage should scale. currently a lv 28 full bear hits like a soft fuzzy kitten.
I would like to see Base damage increase with more druid levels similar to how the monk works with unarmed. -AND/OR- the equipped weapon providing it's multiplier to the damage. formula would be base 'Paw' damage times the weapons multiplier. this would represent the same type of growth from simple weapons to weapons with larger base numbers and higher multiplier.
Note: it feels like the bear attacks are very slow, not sure if it's just animation and all attacks are there or it really is slow.

2)Animal form could be lesser bear, greater bear, lesser dire bear, greater dire bear, and maybe supreme dire bear as a capstone this is granted form upgrades as you gain more druid levels.
The animal form are not only a stat increase but also were a size increase (larger base weapon category size, 4 legs bonus to forced movement includes trip, knockdown and pushes, pin/grapple(bear) and tendon slice(dog)). The bear is big and it should have base damage step ups (sneaky dogs not sure what they get...very stealthy).

3) A new feat or enhancement called ``elemental absorption`` could be added demonstrating how Druids are attuned to nature. For example, when a Druid is magically damaged they are rebated a small number of spell points back as a natural sacrifice. This feature would be truly unique and set the Druid apart from other classes.
Elemental absorption would function similar to fire/cold shield but would be 30% elemental absorption with 60% to damage, and 10% spell points rebate. Quick example: A fire trap does 50 points 30 absorbed by a protection spell, if applicable. Of the remaining 20 points, 30% (6) would be absorbed by the shield, 60% (12) taken as damage, and 10% (2) rebated into spell points.
Same example using a 300 point fireball would be:
boat buff or spell elemental resistance (30) leaving 270 points
Shield (30%) -81
Damage (60%) -162
Rebate (10%) -27
Note: Absorption/damage/rebate could be affected by seasons.

4)A level 9 spell for the Bear would be appreciated as current there is none. I would suggest something like 'Nature Warrior': Calling forth spirits of fallen spirits to aid you. Your base becomes the same as a fighter of you level and you gain +1 to critical range for melee attacks
Another spell option would be a natural banish. A similar effect as turn undead, the druid could have an option to dismiss (area/mass) animal, vermin, magic beasts, or command the animal(s) to be passive on partial success unless it is successfully attacked.

5) Pet companions could have masters link, the pet receives/shares all healing and buffs cast on the owner, but based on the stance of the pet. Also a new pet ability might be snap arrow, snapping projectiles out of the air and tossing them harmlessly aside. This is to help keep the pet near and not running off getting into trouble without direct orders.

6)Capstone: Supreme Dire Bear spirit: True Beast Form -spirit claws and spirit form -take on the true nature of the animal form. You have become the master of the nature wardens drawing on the best nature and the spirits have to offer. In animal form you gain evasion, ghostly attacks and your shield and armour become one with the spirit plane (changes any armour and shield to spirit form 'changing the base material to 'spirit' you are considered un-armoured.

In summary, these are some ideas to focus the animal form of the Druid into a uniquely playable form as an alternative to some of the other melee classes. Thanks for taking the time to consider these suggestions.

Paws For the Cause

The Bear





note this is a rewrite from a much early post.

[Chimeran1]

Not sure how you built or play your bear but I was getting 9-12k crits on mine with only 8 levels in druid.
Further more, now with SwF and TWF skills stacking, the only issue is slow attack speed, which can also be bypassed with the cleave twitch.

Stalwart Bear over 3k hit points ....
6 monk levels for Shadowveil ......

If your on to it, and build a good Bear, you can easily solo EE like I do.

Builds to consider:
8druid 12monk
8druid 6monk 6ranger or 6fighter

6 monk for Shadowveil is a no brainer, you can tank just about anything in game and take little or no damage.

Sure, if you want a 20 druid level bear, yes you will be gimp, so don't do it.
Bear multi class is the way to go.
Pure anything died long ago, live in the now

[dunklezhan]

.
Pure anything died long ago, live in the now

I play almost exclusively pure classes. They're definitely weaker compared to others but they're all viable in general via one enhancement tree or other otherwise except perhaps pallys who really do get the **** end of the stick.

Druids have two highly viable trees and one utter dud - bear. I do not have a druid, because a bear tank is really the only thing that particularly appeals to me. As I play pure classes by preference... No druid for me. I tried it but it was so underwhelming already by level 10 i just deleted. Whilst I think druid is certainly powerful enough as a whole class I am disappointed by the let down of bear.

Which is not to say there aren't other classes in the same boat, but even bard and pally are getting the treatment so I'm hopeful bear will be soon.

I like some of the OPs suggestions. Better scaling damage or attack speed or both would certainly go a long way just on their own. New spells and forms... Nice to have but probably resource Intensive so I could live without in exchange for faster changes to the straight damage output. Not to monk levels mind you, but definitely a significant nudge upwards. Suggest more prr or HP too possibly from core enhancements so they can be level gated to higher levels - a multi class bear is quite viable now so the focus does need to be on the very deep splashes and pures in my view.

[Seikojin]

I think bear form should bring aoe melee strikes, stuns, fear, and overrun for offense and ac and prr for defense.

Wolf should have attack speed, doublestrike, howl debuffs and buffs for offense and dodge and blur (blink dog!) for defense.

However, my druids are low level right now and are doing just fine.

[kdikdai]

Not sure how you built or play your bear but I was getting 9-12k crits on mine with only 8 levels in druid.
Further more, now with SwF and TWF skills stacking, the only issue is slow attack speed, which can also be bypassed with the cleave twitch.

Stalwart Bear over 3k hit points ....
6 monk levels for Shadowveil ......

If your on to it, and build a good Bear, you can easily solo EE like I do.

Builds to consider:
8druid 12monk
8druid 6monk 6ranger or 6fighter

6 monk for Shadowveil is a no brainer, you can tank just about anything in game and take little or no damage.

Sure, if you want a 20 druid level bear, yes you will be gimp, so don't do it.
Bear multi class is the way to go.
Pure anything died long ago, live in the now

I have been in love with shapeshifting druids in whichever game I played, but ddo druid seemed too caster&healer focused for me.
Then recently I found out some wolf builds and this one you're talking about which I have great interest in.

I get what multiclassing offers, but could you elaborate feats a little bit? especially fighter splashed one.

I guess you're not taking either swf or twf since it will be using stalwart, right? also no nat fighting since it's lv8 druid.
so PA, cleave, Gcleave, Quicken, Empower healing, shield masteryx2, maybe improved shield bash are my guesses, and then what else did you get?

Please help me improving my quality of life T.T

[ForwardWu]

I keep reading someone mentioned a bear tank build, which is a split of 8 druid / 6 fighter / 6 monk.

What is the basic weapon this tank be using? wrap or dual short short i guess as you need to keep centered to make use of the monk veil shadow. However, with that you cant have the full benefit of stalwart stance as you are not using a shield. Am I wrong in this?

[MadGardener]

Not sure how you built or play your bear but I was getting 9-12k crits on mine with only 8 levels in druid.
Further more, now with SwF and TWF skills stacking, the only issue is slow attack speed, which can also be bypassed with the cleave twitch.

Stalwart Bear over 3k hit points ....
6 monk levels for Shadowveil ......

If your on to it, and build a good Bear, you can easily solo EE like I do.

Builds to consider:
8druid 12monk
8druid 6monk 6ranger or 6fighter

6 monk for Shadowveil is a no brainer, you can tank just about anything in game and take little or no damage.

Sure, if you want a 20 druid level bear, yes you will be gimp, so don't do it.
Bear multi class is the way to go.
Pure anything died long ago, live in the now

a MONK in a bear suit is a MONK and i completely agree monks are great they blow out almost everything else.

the mixes with monk, monk fighter, monk ranger are all variants on a MONK...wrong spot this goes to the monk class.


if the dps ect was coming from druid line that would be different and the other classes for flavour...but the damage is all monk

good luck on your monk build.


...edit....opps sorry for the overly strong sound....tired of everyone trying to Fix the bear by tellling me to be a monk in bear suit

[Zachski]

I disagree with the tone of the previous post, but I agree with the spirit.

Whatever class you have a majority in, you are basically that class. Doesn't matter if you started as a Druid, if you take very few levels in it and are mostly Monk, you're basically a shapeshifting monk who finds his center within nature and gets a few druid spells. Like a Ranger.

It's kinda sad that there's no melee druid builds, since they all require a majority of levels in other classes.