Lammania Druid Update

[Torc]

Druid Pass - The following changes are up on Lammania. This is not the "entire" pass, but a lions share of it. Some spells have yet to be modified such as call lightning and storm of vengeance.


GENERAL CHANGES

1. Animal forms will now use the stats of the player's main hand weapon for melee attack purposes, such as Base Damage, Critical Multiplier, Critical Range, all Enchantments, Material traits, procs, etc. The issue with the power level of certain effects not scaling will be resolved by this as well.

Primal Avatar form and damage is “currently” not effected by theses changes for this build.

2. Existing combat style bugs are being fixed.

No combat style specific bonuses will function while in animal forms aside from Natural Fighting, and any bonuses native to the form (no dual wielding, shield bashes or single weapon attack speed).


Using a two-handed weapon still grants the 1.5 damage from your modifying stat, and Power Attack feat adjustments in animal form as well, for its additional bonus.

Shields still grant stat bonuses including armor class (but no shield bashes while in animal form)

Activated Attacks that require a specific weapon to be held in your hand will still not work in animal form (because sometimes these attacks have animation requirements) However things that modify your weapons base stats still work normally such as changing your primary damage stat.

3. Wolf form attack animations and movement speed has been adjusted.

We are reducing the Basic Wolf Form attack speed bonus to 15%. Winter wolf remains about the same speed at 30%. We are also fixing some flaky behavior in the attack chain.

All Wolf Speed increases now stacks with haste and other speed effects

Winter Wolf Speed increased to 10% + 1% per druid level, max 30% at level 20 druid.

4. The Bear attack animation chain will be improved to make its attack rate match other weapon styles.

This will result in an approximate 15% increase in attack speed.

Bear form gains glancing blows as if it was using a two handed weapon. Abilities that increase your glance damage, chance apply normally though this does not include improved two handed fighting feats which are "combat styles". See natural weapon fighting. Glancing blows are disabled when the fighting defensively feat is toggled on

5. Water and Fire Elemental form will now grant 65% Absorption to their element, instead of Damage Reduction, and 15% Vulnerability to their opposite element.

The bonus will not stack with Fire Shields or Fire Energy Sheath. Absorption from items and other abilities still work.

6. Specific Spell Changes


The following druid innate animal spells will now work regardless of rage, feeblemind, quell or anti magic. Additional Changes listed per ability

Maul & Great Maul

Take Down

Pack Pressence

Baiting Bite
-DC: You use your spot score for the bluff role. This is still considered a bluff skill check.

Shred

Harrowing Pack

Rising Fury

Cold Breath

Tenacious Pack

Tremor

Jaws of Winter

Rising Fury
-Cooldown changed to 30 seconds

Relentless assault

Howl of Terror

Unstoppable

Snow Slide

Reincarnate's casting time and cool down will be put on par with Raise Dead.

Creeping Doom will now do acid damage and benefit form acid spell power. Each character can have their own copy of this dot on a target.

Enveloping Swarm is being re-designed as a single target instant application dot instead of a damage shield effect. Each character can have their own copy of this dot on a target.
Target is enveloped by insects taking 2d8 acid damage + 1d8 for every 3 druid levels every 2 seconds for 16 seconds.
SP Cost: 10
Meta Magics: Max, Intensify, Empower, Enlarge, Heighten
Reflex save for half each tick

Rising Fury's cooldown will be reduced to 30 seconds and the extend meta magic will work on it. (new)

Snare (updated)
Cost reduced to 5 sp
Re-occuring strength check now happens every 6 seconds not every 2 seconds.

Produce Flame Projectile speed is being increased (new)

Creeping cold and Greater creeping cold will now stack with each other when cast by other druids (two can each have their own copy on a target now)

Anger of the Noon Day Sun (updated)
Creatures affected who were immune/resistant/healed by to fire now take full damage. Will not stack with effects that amplify damage beyond 100%.
-8% fortification

Mantle of Ice (updated)
Creatures affected who were immune/resistant/healed by to cold now take full damage. Will not stack with effects that amplify damage beyond 100%.
10% attack speed slow
25% movement speed slow
-4 to fort/reflex saves

Elemental Toughness (updated)
Target: Self
DR removed. Now grants 1 physical resistance per druid level for the duration of the spell.
Lasts 30 seconds a druid level
Costs 25 spell points
Metas: Quicken Extend


Fires of Purity
-Fire DR penalty has been changed to a 10% vulnerability penalty

7. Removing pets damaging the druid/artificers on death

We’re going to be cutting the death penalty for pets and are discussing give a few more pet rez charges at certain levels. The arty enhancement that touches this will be reworked to something else.

Druids should now have 3 pet revivals a rest instead of 1

8. Natural Fighting Feat

Natural Weapon Fighting revamped. (work in progress, will change as testing progresses)

You have grown accustomed to fighting with claws, paws, and jaws. While in a Druid animal form, such as Bear or Wolf, you receive +4 to melee power, physical resistance rating and a +1 bonus to all tactic DCs. \n\nIn bear form your glancing blow damage is increased by 10%.\n\nThis feat can be taken up to three times. This feat gives no benefit to Druids in elemental or none animal forms.

ENHANCEMENT TREES

NATURE'S WARRIOR

CORES:

1. Nature's Warrior: Each Core including this one grants 8 hit points, +1 sneak attack dice in wolf form and +1 damage in wolf and bear form. (tool tip description in this build is missing the +1 damage but it should work)

2. Natural Senses: Your attacks penetrate 10% of your enemies fortification, +3 to listen, spot and search

3. Nature's Bounty: While in animal form, the cooldown penalty for non-animal form spells is reduced from 2.5 times the usual length to 2.0. Does not stack with Nature’s Protector cores.

4. Nature's Hunter: In wolf or bear form you gain a +1 competency bonus to crit damage multiplier on your weapon. Requires a weapon to be equipped.

5. Howling Frost: Casting Howl of Terror now grants you "Winter Hunt" for 10 seconds which grants +10 melee power and, 25% bonus to spell crit and 50% to spell crit damage to all cold damage spells. This will only occur once every 30 seconds.

6. Avatar of the Hunter: You have mastered the art of wielding divine magic in animal form, and using it to empower your body in physical combat. While in animal form, the cooldown penalty for non-animal form spells is reduced from 2.5 times the usual length to 1.5. Does not stack with Nature’s Protector cores.

Passive: +2 strength and wisdom and +10 to double strike and physical resistance

TIER 1

Nature's Empathy: 3/3, increases use of animal empathy, 5/10/15 increase to positive spell power. AP COST: 1

Snapping Jaws: Whenever you bluff or use an ability that triggers a bluff check such as baiting bite your target is debuffed losing -2 AC and you gain a stack of "Snapping jaws" for +2 AC for 15 seconds. Stacks 1/2/3 times. AP COST: 1

Take Down: Increase trip DCs by 1/2/3, AP COST: 1

Bestial Nature: Increase reflex fort saves by 1/2 (no longer a toggle) AP COST: 1

Athletic Hunter: Bonus to move silent,hide, jump and swim, tier 3 grants one charge of wild empathy 1/2/3 AP COST: 1

TIER 2

Flight: Gain an uncapped dodge bonus of 20% for 10/20/30 seconds, costs 1 wild empathy to activate, 30 second cooldown. AP COST: 1

Improved Dodge: +1/2/3 Dodge. AP COST: 1

Ghost Wolf: Requires wolf form. Activate, gain 35% incorporeal defense for 20 seconds, Cooldown 60 seconds. SP Cost: 15 Passive: Gain ghost touch while in wolf form to your melee attacks AP COST: 2

Prey on the Weak: 8/15% Damage Bonus against helpless targets AP COST: 1

Action Boost: Double Strike: Activate to gain a +[10/20/30]% action boost bonus to Doublestrike for 20 seconds. AP COST: 1

TIER 3

Fight: increase melee damage and AC, 1, 2, 3 in wolf or bear forms AP COST: 1 (requires: flight)

Brother Wolf: While your wolf pet is alive and within 40 meters it gains 5/10/15 hps every 12/9/6 seconds and 10/15/20 mrr & prr and you gain 1/2/3 to hit and damage AP COST: 1

Ghost Pack: When Ghost Wolf is triggered the spirits of your pack manifests around you striking nearby enemies for 1d6 bane damage per wilderness lore rank, scales with melee power, and applies confusing them for 5 seconds, no save. Bosses are not affected by the confusion . AP COST: 2

Essence of Nature: If you score a crit hit in melee you are granted 10/20 temp spell points for 8 seconds. Your pet has a 10% chance to proc this on its base attacks. Passive: + 5 Positive SP/10 AP COST: 1

Strength or Wisdom AP: 2 (new)

TIER 4

Fatal Harry: Killing an enemy grants you a 5% enhancement bonus to attack speed for 20 seconds. This can stack up to [1/3/5] times.
Enemies your own level or higher have a 100% chance of activating this ability. For every level below you, the chances are reduced by 20%. A monster two levels below you only has a 60% chance of creating this effect.
.AP COST:1 (as current ability on live but no longer a toggle, passive)

Four Legs Good: You become immune to most knock down effects in animal forms AP COST: 2

Ferocity: You gain +2/4/6 melee power in bear or wolf form. This bonus is doubled when under the effects of true rage (rage that prevents spell casting) AP COST: 1

Great White Wolf: +10/20/30 cold spell power, while in winter wolf form you gain 10/20/30% cold absorption. AP COST: 1

Strength or Wisdom AP: 2 (new)

TIER 5

Alpha Strike: AOE Melee Attack - Requires animal form: You fight for leadership of the pack. Area damage melee attack dealing +2[W]/+3[W]/+5[W]. This attack can doublestrike. On targets above 85% health it reduces their attack, range and spell power by 25 for 15 seconds. Activation Cost: 12/9/6 sp, Coodown: 18/15/12. AP COST: 1 (requires: fight)

Nature’s Swiftness: Wolf forms gain evasion. Armor restrictions apply. AP COST: 2

Throat Rip: Requires wolf form: Adds 6 bonus sneak attack dice. Against living targets silences target for 15 seconds on Fort save 10 + Druid level + Greater of Str/Wis + Stun Mods. Also inflicts a bleed that causes 6d6 damage every 3 seconds for 18 seconds. Bleed Scales with melee power. Against bosses the silence is replaced with a 25 pt spell power debuff. 15 Second cool down. AP COST: 2 (updated - no longer requires stealth)

Jaws of the Great White Wolf: The spell Jaws of Ice now grants gain temporary hps equal to 10 times your character level. AP COST: 2

Go for the Kill: Wolf Form Required - You charge your target smashing into them for a 4[W] Melee attack and gain 15 melee power for 30 seconds. If the charge started from over 10 meters away the melee power bonus is doubled. Does 50 additional bludgeon damage against helpless targets, scales with melee power. Cooldown: 20 seconds. SP Cost: 15

NATURE'S PROTECTOR

CORES:

1. Nature's Protector: Gain 8 hp and 3 MRR. For every additional core in the tree gain 16 hp and 3 mrr.

2. Nature's Defense: Defensive Combat Stance +8 phy and magic resistance. Cannot be active with other defensive stances but can be used while raging.

3. Magical Beast: Gain heavy armor prof. In addition while in animal form, the cooldown penalty for non-animal form spells is reduced from 2.5 times the usual length to 2.0. Does not stack with Nature's Warrior Cores.

4. Big Claws: Adds Great Maul to your spell book. This is a version of the maul spell with the same cost and stats but stuns instead of causing a bleed on it. Shares cool down with maul. Stun DC: 10 + Druid level + Wisdom + Stun Modifiers.

5. Big Bear: The Tremor spell now deals 5-8 blunt damage per druid level in addition to it's knock down effect. This damage scales with melee power. Grants a 5% combat style bonus to attack speed.

Passive: Your attack speed in bear form is increased to 5% combat style bonus.

6. The Great Bear:

While in animal form, the cooldown penalty for non-animal form spells is reduced from 2.5 times the usual length to 1.5. Does not stack with Nature’s Warrior Cores (new – mirror spell casting benefit from wolf tree and updated stats.

Passive: +2 Con, +2 Str. Your attack speed in bear form is increased by another 5% to a total of 10%.

TIER 1

Rage of the Beast: Activate to rage gaining +4 strength and Con, +2 will saves, -2 ac for 40 seconds, but disallowing the casting of magic. Requires bear or wolf form. This ability shares cool down and charges with Barbarian class rage. Effects that modify barbarian rage also effect Rage of the Beast and using it counts as a use of barbarian rage and vice versa. Effect persists through shape changes Can be used 1/2 per rest. AP COST: 1

Fey’s Blessing: Gain +2/4/6 MRR AP COST: 1

Improved Nature's Defense: Competence bonus to one of three, Increase Threat by 50/100/150%, PRR MRR 4/8/12, Saving Throws by 1/2/3 AP COST: 1

Bloody Claws: Using Maul grants a stack of "Killer instincts" granting +1 damage for 15 seconds. Stacks 1/2/3. AP COST: 1

Animal Brutality: Gain a +1/2/3 bonus to intimidate, swim, jump AP COST: 1

TIER 2

Primal Beast: Gain 5/10 melee power when raging in animal form. Gain one more use of rage 1/2. AP COST: 1 Requires Rage of the Beast

Thick Hide: Nature Armor Bonus 2/4/6 AP COST: 1

Improved Nature's Defense: Competence bonus to one of three, Increase Threat by 50/100/150%, PRR MRR 4/8/12, Saving Throws by 1/2/3 AP COST: 1

Sharp Bloody Claws: Shred now also applies killer instinct AP COST: 1

Defense Boost: Action boost grants 5/10/15 ac 7/12/20 mrr for 20 seconds. 30 second cool down. AP COST: 1

TIER 3

Enduring Beast: while raging Increase healing amp by 10/20 in any animal forms. Gain one more use of rage per rank. AP COST: 1 Requires: Undying Beast

Spirit Refreshed: When shape shifting forms below 33% health you heal to full and cure all fatigue. This benefit can only occur once every 3 minutes. AP COST: 2 (new – applies to all forms now)

Improved Nature's Defense: Competence bonus to one of three, Increase Threat by 50/100/150%, PRR MRR 4/8/12, Saving Throws by 1/2/3 AP COST: 1

Ursa Protector: While in bear form nature's defense now does one of these, +2/4/6 con, +3/6/9 MRR, +15/20/25 % to max hp AP COST: 1

Strength OR Wisdom AP COST: 2

TIER 4

Undying Beast: While raging in animal form you gain immunity to death effects and energy drain. Gains one more use of rage. AP COST: 2 Requires: Primal Beast

Spirit Renewed: When shifting forms below 33% health you heal to full and benefit from a restore spell. This can now occur once every 2 minute. Still removes fatigue. AP COST: 2 Requires: Spirit refreshed

Savage Roar: Using the Roar spell with 1 stack of killer instinct active now triggers a burst of sonic damage around the druid for 1d3 per rank of wilderness lore. Scales with melee power. If you have 2 stacks it also stuns at DC: 10 + Wilderness Rank + Strength Mod + Stun Bonus. At 3 stacks the damage is 1d10 per rank of wilderness lore and stuns. Clears all stacks of killing instinct when triggered. AP: 2

Ursa Protector: While in bear form nature's defense now does one of these, +2/4/6 con, +3/6/9 MRR, +15/20/25 % to max hp AP COST: 1

Strength OR Wisdom AP COST: 2

TIER 5

Beast unleashed: Gain one additional uses of Rage of the Best per rest. While raging you gain 15% double strike. and while in bear form 50% increase in threat generation and 15% bonus to your armor class. AP COST: 2
Requires Enduring Beast

Spirit Bear Charge: Requires bear form Charge forward inflicting +3W and knocking down enemies, reflex save vs DC 15 + Highest of Str/Wis + Trip Bonuses. 15 second cooldown. AP COST: 2

Lightning strikes the Mountain: Activating calls down a bolt of lightning that strikes the druid granting a 100% bonus to threat and MRR for 15 second. 20 MRR / 40 MRR in nature’s protector stance. Nearby enemies take 1d8 in lightning damage per wilderness lore rank. Scales with melee power. SP Cost: 15. 30 Second cooldown. (new – Replaced/Improved Great roar)

Ursa's Protector: While in bear form nature's defense now does one of these, +2/4/6 con, +3/6/9 MRR, +15/20/25 % to max hp AP COST: 1

Force of Nature: You gain 10/15/20% resistance against force damage and 1/2/3 con. AP COST: 1

SEASONS HERALD

CORES:

1. Child of Summer: You gain the ability Child of Summer: Activate to grant +5 Spellpower when casting fire, force, light, sonic and positive spells. This seasonal Spellpower is multiplied by one for every Core enhancement possessed in Season's Herald (starting with this one), up to +30 when you have all six Enhancements. Lasts until death or change of season. Fire Elemental form changes you into this season automatically.

Passive: +1 Universal Spellpower per AP spent in this tree.

2. Child of Winter: You gain Child of Winter: Activate to gain +5 Spellpower when casting water, acid, earth and electric spells per core in this tree. Lasts until death or season change. Water elemental form changes you into this season automatically.

Passive: +1 caster levels to spells in your active season.

3. Nature's Wellspring: The effects of your shillelagh are doubled. +1 max caster level in your active season

4. Sun Burst: Gain Sun Burst as an SLA, SP: 4, Cooldown: 20 seconds (new – lowered cooldown)

5. The Storm of Change: Gain Storm of Vengeance as an SLA, SP 20 cost. 2 minute cool down.

6. Hierophant: You are wise and skilled in the art of wielding divine magic to summon aid and change the world around you. +2 Wisdom +2 Con +10 Universal spell power. Your Conjuration and Evocation spells gain +1 DC, +1 caster level and +1 max caster level. (update – decreased wis/con bonus and mass caster levels)

TIER 1:

Beguile: Whenever you attack or cast a spell on an enemy, there is a 50% chance to Beguile an affected enemy [1/0-2/0-3] times for [3/0-6/0-9] seconds. Beguile: -2% attack speed, -2 Spellpower. Beguile stacks up to 25 times, and one stack fades every few seconds. Up to one enemy affected each second (by up to [1/2/3] stacks). Does not affect bosses. AP COST: 1

Shared Spirit: Your wolf pet gains 3/6/10% bonus to hps. Passive: You gain 1/2/3 spell power. AP COST: 1

Wax and Wane: +2% critical chance with spells associated with your current season.
Winter: Acid, Cold, Electric, Earth, and Water
Summer: Fire, Force, Light, Positive, Force and Sonic
-AP COST: 2

Produce Flame: Spell Like Ability: Produce Flame. Cost: 6/5/3, Cooldown: 10/6/4 AP COST: 1 (new – lowered cooldown)

Druidic Wisdom: Gain a +1/2/3 to heal, spellcraft and diplomancy skills. AP COST: 1

TIER 2:

Efficient MetaMagic: Reduce the cost of a meta magic, empower, enlarge, maximize, quicken AP COST: 2

Efficient MetaMagic: Reduce the cost of a meta magic, empower, enlarge, maximize, quicken AP COST: 2

Wax and Wane: +2% critical chance with spells associated with your current season.
Winter: Acid, Cold, Electric, Earth, and Water
Summer: Fire, Light, Force, Positive, Force and Sonic
AP COST: 2
Requires previous tier.

Creeping Cold: Spell Like Ability: Creeping Cold (Cost: [6/5/3] SP. Cooldown: [12/10/8] seconds) AP COST: 1 Requires produce flame

Action Boost: Spell Power: Action boost grants 10/20/30 spell power for 20 seconds. 30 second cool down. AP COST: 1

TIER 3

Autumn Leaves: Toggle ability: Leaves always seem to blow around the druid. Grants feather fall, +2 dodge and 5% proc chance on anyone hitting you in melee to be knocked down by a blast of air. Costs: 15 SP Lasts until death or toggled off AP COST: 1

Efficient Heighten AP COST: 2

Wax and Wane: +2% critical chance with spells associated with your current season.
Winter: Acid, Cold, Electric, Earth, and Water
Summer: Fire, Force, Light, Positive, Force and Sonic
AP COST: 2
Requires previous tier

Call Lightning: Spell Like Ability: Call Lightning (Cost: [10/8/6] SP. Cooldown: [12/8/6] seconds) AP COST: 1 Requires: Creeping cold (new - lowered cooldown)

Wisdom +1 AP COST: 2

TIER 4:

Spring Resurgence: Fill an ally with the vitality of spring. When that ally falls below 50% hit points, that ally and any other allies near him are healed by 20d6
positive energy, and receive a +2 primal bonus to attack rolls. (Lasts 5 minutes or until triggered.) (Activation Cost: [8/6/4] Spell Points.)
Cooldown: [8/4/2] seconds) AP COST: 1 (new – lowered cooldown to make buffing party easier)

Strength of the Solstice: +1 to the save DC's of your Evocation and Conjuration spells AP COST: 2

Wax and Wane: +2% critical chance with spells associated with your current season.
Winter: Acid, Cold, Electric, Earth, and Water
Summer: Fire, Force, Light, Positive, and Sonic
AP COST: 2

Salt Ray: Spell Like Ability: Salt Ray (Cost: [12/10/8] SP. Cooldown: [12/10/8] seconds) AP COST: 1

Wisdom +1 AP COST: 2

TIER 5

Crown of Summer: A target of your choice is filled with the light and vitality of summer. That target gains a 15% enhancement bonus to Healing Amplification, and 10 melee power and 5 ranged power. (Activation Cost: 1 Spell Point. Cooldown: 6 seconds) Only one target can have the crown at a time. AP COST: 1

Master of the Elements: Gain 5/10/15 spell power in your season. Passive rank 3: If the character has 17 druid levels they gain anger of the noonday sun or mantle of icy when changing in the appropriate elemental form. This effect costs 8 spells points when it occurs.

Time and Time again: increase your caster level and max caster level by +1 AP COST: 2

Word of Balance: Spell Like Ability: Word of Balance (Cost: [12/9/6] SP. Cooldown: [20/15/10] seconds) AP COST: 1 Requires: Salt Ray (will fix bug with this spell getting blocked by spell resistance)

Armor of Winter: Gain 8 times your wisdom in temporary Hit points that lasts 60 seconds. (Cooldown: 30 seconds, Sp Cost: 12) AP COST: 2 (new – moved spell power and allow it to work in any elemental form/season)

[PsychoBlonde]

"Animal forms will now use the stats of the player's main hand weapon for melee attack purposes, such as Base Damage, Critical Multiplier, Critical Range, all Enchantments, Material traits, procs, etc. The issue with the power level of certain effects not scaling will be resolved by this as well."

Question . . . so what improved critical feat now applies when you're in animal form? Is it the one specific to the weapon you're wielding?

[Pilgrim1]

(1) on live crown of summer gives +30 heal amp. The 15% is a holdover from before the Heal amp changes.
(2) on live seasons hearld offers several transmutation bonuses. All of these are droped. This is unfortunate as druid has several solid transmutation options. The previous bonus allowed druids to have a better chance of landing them. Please re-introduce transmutation bonuses back into the tree. They are not over powered they allow additional spell options to druids.
(3) seasons hearld and wolf tree both offer small pet bonuses. Consiter adding something like this to the bear tree.
(4) does salt ray still daze? Have you made it stun like the description states? On live it only dazes (no additional helpless damage).
(5) does the wolf movment speed stack with other sorces of run speed? It feels like wolves should fast runners. You know.. the mammal that will take a week to walk some 500 miles from the rockies to oregon. The animal which runs down various dear/elk/caraboo/bison.
(6) i notice that natural fighting does not give a additional bonus to wolf form. Is this intended?
(7) i wonder if you could incoperate the bonuses from the t5 wolf ability “go for the kill” to work with the wolf spell snow-slide. They seam like the same ability. And snowslide is really fun.

Thanks

[Xugx_quetoxi]

Please add All Martial Weapon Proficiency for the Druid Melee Trees. Don't force us to choose between losing a feat or multi-classing.

Other caster classes melee trees with All Martial Weapon Proficiency:
Wizard/Sorcerer Eldritch Knight: second tier
Bard Warchanter: second core
Warlock Enlightened Spirit: fourth core

Stretch request: Full BAB at 20 (see Enlightened Spirit capstone and Warchanter 5th core)

Also, Pink Dire Bears!

Thank you for your time and consideration,
Chickenplucker, Argo

[Maelodic]

I won't have my actual PC around and have to play on my chromebook which lags like crazy, but playing with these abilities it seems as though you've made Wolves specifically for me and I am extremely excited. I was able to run a short quest and test some of them out. I was originally planning on doing a Gnome build that uses INT to attack and damage, the crit threat range, and color spray. With howl of terror, I don't need no stinkin color spray, it's amazing.

I'm worried about the viability of Howl of Terror, though - could I get the DC calculation for that and whether or not it's subject to spell penetration? Is it going to retain its will save as listed at the moment?

[MasterKernel]

2 "Preview" threads and… nothing has been changed. All the useless stuff are here.
Why did we have any of the previews (Lammania's one include) again ?

[PsychoBlonde]

Bear druid is my new favorite thing.

[TackW5]

I did a couple of quick tests with spell-like Produce Flame and Call Lightning and the seasons. When I activated summer and winter my spellpower changed in the character sheet display, but the crit chance did not change and showed only 7% (feats, no gear equipped except starter rags). With all 4 Wax and Wanes my crit chance should have been 15%. I tested with:

100 x Produce Flame - 3 crits
50 x Call Lightning - 4 crits

So, W&W is not showing in the spellpower display and does not appear to be having an effect.

Also, turning on Child of Summer changed my positive spell power more than any of the others, 45 rather than 30.

On a positive note, the caster level and max caster level effects all seemed to be working and stacking with the effects from dragonborn.

[HuneyMunster]

(4) does salt ray still daze? Have you made it stun like the description states? On live it only dazes (no additional helpless damage).

Its described as a stun with a Fort save that doesn't induce helplessness or breaks on damaged. I don't think this should induce helplessness due to the regular spell has a 2 sec cooldown while the SLA has a 8 sec cooldown. This makes a decent spamable singles target cc.

[TDarkchylde]

I'm liking the changes to the Season's Herald tree so far. Making Beguile no longer a SLA requirement is a win in my book, if it stays as it is right now and has a chance of not applying any stacks at all at higher tiers. Some of the stuff in the higher tiers is wonderful, including the Shining Through analogue at Tier 5 (Temp HP = 8x Wis.)

I also LOVE the fact that you can choose to exclusively run in one season now, and that it can automatically change you to the corresponding Elemental form in the process! Gearing for all of the different spellpowers has been a nightmare since the changes to spellpower items from so long ago, especially on a Druid, and having to change Elemental form and possibly gear to get the most out of a season change, especially mid-fight, is just too much upkeep.

I didn't play around much with the new animal form trees because my current Druid runs as a tanky caster (Gingerspyce build), but I did check out a couple of things from the Bear tree.

NATURE'S PROTECTOR

CORES:

3. Magical Beast: Gain heavy armor prof. In addition while in animal form, the cooldown penalty for non-animal form spells is reduced from 2.5 times the usual length to 2.0. Does not stack with Nature's Warrior Cores.

This doesn't seem to work yet. I tried not taking the Heavy Armor feat and getting it from that core instead and I got a nonproficiency penalty while wearing Shadow Dragonplate (the heavy one). Otherwise, I do like the fact that some of the benefits work outside of animal form, but not all. It makes for some interesting build variety.

I'll reserve judgment on whether or not this makes bear tanks actually viable to those with more experience on the subject, but not completely shutting out Elemental form tanks with these changes is a win in my book.

That said, as a caster Druid, there is next to nothing worth taking in the Wolf tree for me (not that that's a bad thing, for build diversity's sake). Also, the few bones tossed to the wolf pet in these trees seem all gnawed up already and not worth taking - pets need much more of an overhaul. It just can't be done in the class trees. Perhaps a summoning Reaper tree, but with the caveat that it does NOT affect charmed/dominated mobs, just summons and Druid/Arti pets. (I'm aware charmed mobs are a bit OP in Reaper, and I don't want to suggest worsening the problem there, but normal summons and pets are diversions at best, dead weight a lot of the time, and actively detrimental at worst in that setting.)

[SerPounce]

8. Natural Fighting Feat

Natural Weapon Fighting revamped. (work in progress, will change as testing progresses)

You have grown accustomed to fighting with claws, paws, and jaws. While in a Druid animal form, such as Bear or Wolf, you receive +4 to melee power, physical resistance rating and a +1 bonus to all tactic DCs. \n\nIn bear form your glancing blow damage is increased by 10%.\n\nThis feat can be taken up to three times. This feat gives no benefit to Druids in elemental or none animal forms.

So compared to the previous plan:
-1 feat cost (yay!)
+3 melee power
+3 PRR in wolf
-3 PRR in Bear
-3 dodge/dodge cap/max dex in wolf form
-15% glancing blow damage in bear form

I'm glad it's no long a 4 feat chain and that you get both bear and wolf bonuses (though the enhancement trees alone make a dual form build questionable), but I really don't think they needed those reductions.

2. Existing combat style bugs are being fixed.


No combat style specific bonuses will function while in animal forms aside from Natural Fighting, and any bonuses native to the form (no dual wielding, shield bashes or single weapon attack speed).


Using a two-handed weapon still grants the 1.5 damage from your modifying stat, and Power Attack feat adjustments in animal form as well, for its additional bonus.

Shields still grant stat bonuses including armor class (but no shield bashes while in animal form)

Activated Attacks that require a specific weapon to be held in your hand will still not work in animal form (because sometimes these attacks have animation requirements) However things that modify your weapons base stats still work normally such as changing your primary damage stat.

Doesn't this create a situation where 2 handers are strongly preferred? Sure you get a slot for shield/orb and maybe some AC, but for any build that wants to DPS that's a minor consideration compared to raw damage. Seems like you should at least be able to benefit from shield feats. After all can't you benefit from 2HF feats (with bastard sword or dwarf axe) and SWF feat (while swashbuckling with buckler) and shield feats? Seems like shield feats are a separate category than weapon style feats and ought to work together.

Fatal Harry: Killing an enemy grants you a 5% enhancement bonus to attack speed for 20 seconds. This can stack up to [1/3/5] times.
Enemies your own level or higher have a 100% chance of activating this ability. For every level below you, the chances are reduced by 20%. A monster two levels below you only has a 60% chance of creating this effect.
.AP COST:1 (as current ability on live but no longer a toggle, passive)

Any chance of making this a smaller bonus, but stack with enhancement items? Also do all the stack disappear at once? They should go down one at a time like almost all recently created abilities do. This sounds like a nice ability on paper, but in practice keeping up 4/5 stacks just doesn't really happen. Increasing the duration to 30 seconds would help with that also.

[edit] also can you still not use wands and scrolls in animal form? That's a huge hit for anyone in heroic reaper, and a general inconvenience for everyone. Maybe that's too deep into the code, but it would be a great quality of life thing to make that stuff work. Having to change forms for every scroll is wretched.

[unbongwah]

Question . . . so what improved critical feat now applies when you're in animal form? Is it the one specific to the weapon you're wielding?

I believe Torc said in the other thread(s) that it would be whichever feat goes with your equipped weapon.

Doesn't this create a situation where 2 handers are strongly preferred? Sure you get a slot for shield/orb and maybe some AC, but for any build that wants to DPS that's a minor consideration compared to raw damage.

That's clearly by design: either use a 2H weapon for the extra melee damage or use your offhand for other bonuses (e.g., orb for Spellpower, shield for AC and passive bonuses). If in bear form, I presume single-wielded b.sword or d.axe will proc glancing blows, which opens up some TYWA build ideas for me...heh heh heh.

[edrein]

No combat style specific bonuses will function while in animal forms aside from Natural Fighting, and any bonuses native to the form (no dual wielding, shield bashes or single weapon attack speed).


Using a two-handed weapon still grants the 1.5 damage from your modifying stat, and Power Attack feat adjustments in animal form as well, for its additional bonus.

Shields still grant stat bonuses including armor class (but no shield bashes while in animal form)

Activated Attacks that require a specific weapon to be held in your hand will still not work in animal form (because sometimes these attacks have animation requirements) However things that modify your weapons base stats still work normally such as changing your primary damage stat.

So there's still no reason in this proposal for any DPS oriented druid to run any sort of offhand item (weapon, orb, shield, etc.). You're practically making two handers the most attractive option, especially when considering the boost to shillelagh in Season's is going to make a wooden staff build being pretty solid in the hands of splashed druids. The only exception to this is a druid running Dethek Runestone for the slight advantage it gives over other offhand items.

Please consider allowing offhand weapons to apply their magical effects to your mainhand damage ala throwing builds holding an offhand weapon (shurikens and celestia for example.)
Also consider allowing us to make use of the doublestrike and PRR/MRR from shield mastery, improved shield mastery, and legendary shield mastery if we invest the additional feats. (Which will be hard given how feat starved druids are.) Don't allow us to use the melee power from the combat style as a trade off. It's fair that way.
I'd also suggest an orb bonus similar to Loud and Clear/Arcane Marauder/Music Box from Swashbuckler. Allow druids to use non-metallic orbs with an appropriate damage or casting boost applied, perhaps as an use for hybrid builds and elemental season heralds.

Bear form gains glancing blows as if it was using a two handed weapon. Abilities that increase your glance damage, chance apply normally though this does not include improved two handed fighting feats which are "combat styles". See natural weapon fighting. Glancing blows are disabled when the fighting defensively feat is toggled on[/INDENT]

Is this supposed to be a base percentage that isn't listed numerically? Otherwise there's a nerf to the glancing blows in this preview compared to the previous posts.

8. Natural Fighting Feat

Natural Weapon Fighting revamped. (work in progress, will change as testing progresses)

You have grown accustomed to fighting with claws, paws, and jaws. While in a Druid animal form, such as Bear or Wolf, you receive +4 to melee power, physical resistance rating and a +1 bonus to all tactic DCs. \n\nIn bear form your glancing blow damage is increased by 10%.\n\nThis feat can be taken up to three times. This feat gives no benefit to Druids in elemental or none animal forms.

As above, 30% is a massive decrease compared to 45% which is already pretty low considering two handed fighting is 50%. There's no built in increases in the bear tree for this currently.
Edit: This also removed doublestrike from wolves? Yeesh talk about a nerf if so.

There's also the issue of the Insidious Spores spell in Primal Avatar. Is it going to be changed to acid damage to mimic Creeping Doom? If so will it scale with spellpower now (as Rust damage is now a thing as well via the Artificer changes as of late.)

In general I plan to hopefully get onto Lammania somepoint this evening after having updated my client to test a few things, mostly to see how bears play out in practicality compared to on paper for more in depth responses and feedback.

[SerPounce]

That's clearly by design: either use a 2H weapon for the extra melee damage or use your offhand for other bonuses (e.g., orb for Spellpower, shield for AC and passive bonuses). If in bear form, I presume single-wielded b.sword or d.axe will proc glancing blows, which opens up some TYWA build ideas for me...heh heh heh.

I was under the impression you would get glancing blows in bear form with any weapon even ones that don't normally produce glancing blows.

I'm downloading now. Hopefully add that to my to-test list.

Seems like while an extra slot is always nice that if you're planning on having melee DPS be any significant part of what you do that having 2H weapon damage is going to win over an extra slot. Even if you have a runestone shield (and good luck getting one now if you don't), that's still only +11 damage with a bastard sword. Switching to a falchion is going to add a lot more than that.

[Zistra]

Doesn't this create a situation where 2 handers are strongly preferred? Sure you get a slot for shield/orb and maybe some AC, but for any build that wants to DPS that's a minor consideration compared to raw damage. Seems like you should at least be able to benefit from shield feats. After all can't you benefit from 2HF feats (with bastard sword or dwarf axe) and SWF feat (while swashbuckling with buckler) and shield feats? Seems like shield feats are a separate category than weapon style feats and ought to work together.

No:

"Abilities that increase your glance damage, chance apply normally though this does not include improved two handed fighting feats which are "combat styles". See natural weapon fighting. Glancing blows are disabled when the fighting defensively feat is toggled on"

Pretty sure I read somewhere that SWF wouldn't apply in animal forms, too.

[unbongwah]

I was under the impression you would get glancing blows in bear form with any weapon even ones that don't normally produce glancing blows.

Hmm, does it? I'll have to adjust my build ideas accordingly then.

[SerPounce]

No:

"Abilities that increase your glance damage, chance apply normally though this does not include improved two handed fighting feats which are "combat styles". See natural weapon fighting. Glancing blows are disabled when the fighting defensively feat is toggled on"

Pretty sure I read somewhere that SWF wouldn't apply in animal forms, too.

I'm not sure what you're contradicting. Yes, 2WF, SWF, and 2HF feats do not work in animal form. Neither to shield feats. I was saying that I think it would make sense to allow shield feats since they aren't really "weapon style feats" and can be used in conjunction with weapon style feats in other builds.

[LrdSlvrhnd]

"Animal forms will now use the stats of the player's main hand weapon for melee attack purposes, such as Base Damage, Critical Multiplier, Critical Range, all Enchantments, Material traits, procs, etc. The issue with the power level of certain effects not scaling will be resolved by this as well."

Question . . . so what improved critical feat now applies when you're in animal form? Is it the one specific to the weapon you're wielding?

Per Torc's response here, it's specific to the weapon. Which gives me a sad, because one IC to rule them all was awesome.

No:

"Abilities that increase your glance damage, chance apply normally though this does not include improved two handed fighting feats which are "combat styles". See natural weapon fighting. Glancing blows are disabled when the fighting defensively feat is toggled on"

Pretty sure I read somewhere that SWF wouldn't apply in animal forms, too.

He's not referring to shield mastery working with animal form, but using it working with THF (via b-sword/d-axe) and SWF (via Swashbuckler) to argue that it *should* work with animal form. Flipside being that you're no longer technically wielding a shield, but you're also no longer wielding, say, a scimitar, but you still need IC:Slashing for it.

[Xario]

Have a plan to play Warforged Druid in Nature's Protector tree, but unfortunately this character will be crippled. He will gain so many Magical Resistence from this tree, but it will be wasted, because MMR cap of 50. There isn't way to can have armor as druid warfoged .

If some Ironwood Body can be gained ...

What about:

3. Magical Beast: Gain heavy armor prof (Adamantine body not longer prohibited because changed to Ironwood) . In addition while in animal form, the cooldown penalty for non-animal form spells is reduced from 2.5 times the usual length to 2.0. Does not stack with Nature's Warrior Cores.

[edrein]

My current list of issues/bugs on Lammania applying solely to Wildshapes:

1. Dethek Runestone is only applying +1W to items, while providing +2W if not holding a weapon.
2. Single Dagger does not work in bear form. (Current work around seems to be equipping the dagger before shapeshifting and thus the 20MP remains. Swapping for any reason removes this.)
2. Single Dagger does not work with shields. We really need a clarification on whether or not this is intentional. As it currently works with Runearms on live, but no orbs or shields.
3. Tremor: does not seem to be effected by melee power when Big Bear is taken or the scaling is too low to be appropriate at cap with 100+ MP.
4. Great Maul does not show up in your spell book, unless it is supposed to replace Maul.
5. Savage Roar is not scaling high enough with melee power, the damage is extremely anemic at cap.
6. Without Great Maul existing as a separate attack, it is currently a bit difficult to maintain killer instinct stacks at their decay rate/spell cooldowns.
7. 6 uses of rage is not enough at 1 minute duration. Please have it scale with constitution like barbarians.
8. Any druidic wildshape spell breaks defensive fighting like normal spellcasting, this means druids trying to prevent glancing blows are going to have a nightmare of a time self healing/attacking.
9. Lightning Strikes the Mountain deals slashing damage currently and again does not scale appropriately with melee power for cap.
10. Nature's Defense stance prevents glancing blows. This is problematic for those of us who want our 25% HP bonus which is practically required in epics for meleeing. Removing the proposed Power Attack requirement was a god-send, but please consider making either two versions of the defensive stance or a secondary weapon toggle for glancing blows like Venomed Blades/Lighting The Candle/Ninja Poison.
11. Casting Rage of the Beast removes Single Dagger.
12. A Dance of Flowers did not apply to animal form attacks despite being centered. (This also applied to daggers via Vistani centering.)
13. Shield Mastery, Improved Shield Mastery, and Legendary Shield Mastery are working with Natural Fighting. This seems non-WAI if going by the notes. The melee power applies as well.
14. Bear form cleaves seem to be buggy. There is a delay between the animation and scroll text/actual damage application.
15. Not enough filigrees in the dojo to complete the Blood Feast set to test if it works with bear rage.
16. Animal attacks no longer possess DR breaking qualities for weapon type. AKA: No slashing and blunt for bears.