Author Topic: Help with level 1 Druid  (Read 2241 times)

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d_maner

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Help with level 1 Druid
« on: February 21, 2009, 06:18:52 PM »
Well, first of all, hello everyone. I'm new around here, referred by someone on the WoTC forums. I've been looking around, and found a lot of information about druids, which helped me get a basic idea. However, I haven't been able to find some help in creating a character based only on the three basic D&D 3.5 books. This is roughly what I have/need:

-A level 1 Druid Half-Elf (Yeah, I know.)
-Stats 16-14-14-14-12-10
-Must be prepared for a very long campaign, probably going over level 15.
-The character should be focused on the aggresive spellcasting and fighting side.
-The DM is not very experienced, so it is easy to implement suggestions.
-The campaign will have a good load of dungeoning.
-The group has a cleric, an artificer, a bard and two fighters, all level 1.
-Nothing outside the three basic books will be used, but it may be possible to get an exception or two.

If anyone wants to take the trouble, I would like some advice on how to arrange stats and abilities, which equipment, weapons and armour to focus on, which feats to take, how to develop the character through the levels, and how to take advantage of spells and animal in battle. I have no idea which other information you need, so please tell me. Thanks in advance, and sorry if this is not an appropiate post for the forum.

Optimator

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Re: Help with level 1 Druid
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2009, 12:04:22 AM »
Stat-wise, I would go
Str: 12
Dex: 14
Con: 14
Int: 14
Wis: 16
Cha: 10

Get a riding dog and slap some armor on it since it is war-trained. 

Feats... Since you're going core-only (other than the Eberron book.  I am assuming most of it is allowed if the Artificer is in play), Spell Focus: Conjuration and Augmented Summoning are okay.  Natural Spell is a no-brainer.  Lots of spells on the Druid list don't check against spell resistance fo you won't likely need feats like Spell Penetration. 

Early on I would recommend a lot of Entangle spells to help out the fighters and your animal companion.  Druids have a surprisingly good amount of blaster-type spells, but not a lot of easy ways to trick them out with metamagic and the like.  If there is one book I would recommend for you to push your DM for, it is the Spell Compendium.  I would use a good mix of control spells like Entangle, Wall of Thorns, and Summon Nature's Ally X; buff spells for the fighters and yourself while windshaped (Bite of the <whatever is best at the time>) as well as your animal companion (animal growth, greater magic fang, etc); and blaster-type spells (Control Winds, Deadfall, Call Lightning) for good measure.  Agile flying forms would work well for raining elemental fury down upon enemies--that actually sounds like a lot of fun, so keep up the wisdom score and the spell DCs.  Based on your party make-up, the bard can really help you out with his songs if you go the summoner route and/or wildshape into good combat forms. 

You are in a pretty good position based on your party's composition so you have a lot of leeway in how you build your Drood.  The only thing you are missing, it seems, is a true Arcanist.  Some of the Druid battlefield control spells can make up for this in combat, but out of combat... not so much.  The artificer is likely going to be a damage powerhouse so don't be disappointed if you don't fry everything is sight as well as he does.  You have a ton of abilities at your disposal so try to fill any gaps (I predict battlefield control will be lacking).  It is probably a good thing you are starting at level 1 because Druids take a ton of paperwork (Prepared casting, animal companions' stats, summoned monster stats, Wildshape stats) and hopefully you will get better at keeping track as you go. 

That's all for now from me.  Check out this if you haven't already. 

InnaBinder

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Re: Help with level 1 Druid
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2009, 01:40:19 AM »
Quote
Str: 12
Dex: 14
Con: 14
Int: 14
Wis: 16
Cha: 10
I'd make STR 10; your Riding Dog is a better Fighter than you at 1st level anyway, and the CHA is slightly handier for your skill list.  Once you hit 5th, your STR shouldn't matter a bit, and you can Bull's Strength at 3rd if you're that hung up on it.
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Runestar

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Re: Help with level 1 Druid
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2009, 02:06:49 AM »
Produce flame and flaming sphere are quite fun to use at lower lvs, IMO.
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d_maner

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Re: Help with level 1 Druid
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2009, 10:06:58 PM »
Ah, thanks for the advice. Less is sometimes better.

woodenbandman

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Re: Help with level 1 Druid
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2009, 11:44:50 PM »
Entangle times 1000000000.

Anything to fuck with the opposition is good, and entangle is a good spell from day 1. Heighten it, quicken it, do everything to it.

Also, for combat, your favorite spells are Bite of the XXX. Get to level 5 and wild shape into a wolf or something, and cast Bite of the Wererat. Come level 8 you get bear form and you can go to town with Bite of the Wereboar, and it gets progressively better.

sonofzeal

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Re: Help with level 1 Druid
« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2009, 12:03:26 AM »
I second "Produce Flames".  It's quite effective as an economy spell, dishes out reliable damage fairly cheaply.  Halfling is the best for it (counts as thrown, so that's effectively +3 to hit over what a half-elf would get), but whatever.  Entangle is always gold (especially at low level when the DC means something), Obscuring Mist is similarly reliable and useful, and Shillelagh can make you a valid melee threat temporarily.  Also, while your summon duration stinks don't rule them out entirely, especially if you have a Rogue in the party to flank with.  

Riding dog is the strongest combat familiar at this level.  Consider Light Horse too, for obvious reasons, especially since you have two frontliners already.

Remember that you're a support class, at least partially.  Focus less on taking things down, and more on controlling the battlefield and giving the frontliners an easier time of it.  Split up the enemies with entangles and summons, buff when you get the better buffs, and keep yourself covered with your animal companion.  Druids don't get many massive-damage spells in core (until Fire Seeds), and Wildshape for combat can be a serious gamble without Wildling Clasps or Fleshrakers.  But your ability to control the pace of battle is nigh-unparalleled, so go nuts!

Operation Shoestring

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Re: Help with level 1 Druid
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2009, 05:00:25 PM »
Splinterbolt its great when you get it, especially if you remember to carry an acorn of far travel.  Read the fluff description, it's nature's machinegun  :lmao  It's free web content and is balanced against scorching ray, so ask your DM about it.  It gives you a better blast otion that anything else you're likely to get at that level.

I always wanted to use the city druid sub level to turn myself into an animated wagon and blast away with splinterbolt and fire seed. Druidic Main Battle Tank.  heh.

If someone is going artificer, you can try to wrangle one of the druid "initiate" feats from the ebberron book.  Though I don't remember which ones were good.  I like gatekeeper, but that's a personal thing.

Caelic

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Re: Help with level 1 Druid
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2009, 05:04:34 PM »
Yep.  To be honest, if "artificer" is an exception to the "only the three basic books" rule, then just about ANYTHING should fly as an exception--I can't think of a single exception that would be more powerful.

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Re: Help with level 1 Druid
« Reply #9 on: February 23, 2009, 05:22:05 PM »
Yep.  To be honest, if "artificer" is an exception to the "only the three basic books" rule, then just about ANYTHING should fly as an exception--I can't think of a single exception that would be more powerful.

Planar shepherd.

You left yourself open to that one.  :P

Caelic

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Re: Help with level 1 Druid
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2009, 06:59:03 PM »
Planar shepherd.

You left yourself open to that one.  :P


Give me time!  I'm sure I can find a way for the Artificer to out-break the Planar Shepherd.

woodenbandman

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Re: Help with level 1 Druid
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2009, 07:41:00 PM »
What about having access to wizard, druid, and cleric spells ALL AT ONCE and getting GATE and SHAPECHANGE 2 levels early for wishes EVEN FASTER than a planar shepherd (due to planar binding 2 levels early).

Alastar

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Re: Help with level 1 Druid
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2009, 08:48:07 PM »
60 round in bubble = 1 round outside.

Planar sheperd win.

Oh, also, he can do all the things you just said too.

Negative Zero

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Re: Help with level 1 Druid
« Reply #13 on: February 24, 2009, 02:35:40 AM »
Or, choose a Forgotten Realms plane. Your lifetime inside the bubble will be a round outside.