Can a Druid be a effective buffer?

[ImperatorK]

Can he?
I'm asking about PF, but 3.5 materials are also available.

[Yuki Akuma]

He's a 9-level full caster with various buff spells.

Yes. Although some buffs are somewhat more limited than other full casters' - a couple are animal-only, and some only affect natural attacks.

[Eldariel]

Extremely. His buffs focus on different areas, than Wizards' and Clerics'. The cream of the crop only works on animals (Animal Growth, Nature's Avatar, Greater Magic Fang) but there's a whole lot of excellent buffs that work on humanoids too. Most of the good stat buffs are from non-Core 3.5 sources but there's a number of Core-spells of interest too:
- Magic Stone (on low levels)
- Barkskin
- Animal's X (on low levels)
- Resist Energy
- Protection from Energy
- Air Walk
- Death Ward
- Freedom of Movement
- Stone Skin (tho beware the Material costs; rarely worth it)

Also note that some summons can replicate some buffs (e.g. Summon NA IV can get Unicorns which have Magic Circle Against Evil). You have a lot of utility but only few numeric buffs of interest (the biggest difference between the divine casters is that Druid buffs natural armor while Cleric can grant Deflection). For numeric buffs, Spell Compendium offers a few more (Snake's Swiftness, Tortoise Shell, Beast Claws, Beastland Ferocity, Girallon's Arms, Greater Blindsight, Superior Resistance & Brilliant Aura off the top of my head).

Note though that you're a full caster; you are never a "controller" or a "buffer" or a "healer" or a "blaster" or any such. The very nature of a full caster's spellcasting is that he can do a variety of things; the same character has access to some of all of that. So you can do some buffing but it's certainly not the only thing yo do.

[subject42]

Also note that some summons can replicate some buffs (e.g. Summon NA IV can get Unicorns which have Magic Circle Against Evil)

Pathfinder changed Summon Nature's Ally (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/summon-nature-s-ally) so that the Unicorn is no longer on the list of available creatures.

[Eldariel]

Pathfinder changed Summon Nature's Ally (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/summon-nature-s-ally) so that the Unicorn is no longer on the list of available creatures.

Pity. C'est la vie...

[PollyOliver]

Mass snake's swiftness is also nice, though not quite as nifty as haste.

Edit: whoops, that was totally at the bottom of Eldariel's post and I didn't notice it. Nothing to see here.... :smallredface:

[Yuki Akuma]

Point of order! (Greater) Magic Fang does not work only on animals. It works on anything with natural weapons.

Monks, for instance. Totemists. Kobolds.