Alright... New player, wants to be a Druid. Help me out!

[Rossebay]

So, he asked to be a Druid. He's new to D&D, only played an Orc Barbarian before. And, I want him to have a good time and not be bogged down by too many rules. Problem is, I agreed to Druid.
We're level 6, by the way.
The party is this:
A Sorcerer who is headed down a road to some metamagic-reduction abuse (I'll stop him if it gets ridiculous, but he's agreed to not break my campaign, and he's using it for a substitution for Deus Ex Machina if need be), and slight caster level shenanigans. At level 6, via his Versatile Spellcasting and Practical Metamagic, he'll be casting Fireball at 12d6 if he so chooses...

A Wizard with Abrupt Jaunt, who I agreed to let take the Elven Generalist substitution level. He's not new, but he's fairly bad at optimization, so I figured it wouldn't hurt.

A Swordsage, specializing in Shadow Hand and Setting Sun, who will be going into Telflammar Shadowlord via the Dark Creature Template. I'm requiring that he take that, and not Shadow Walker, after a long discussion between the two of us. He's good friends with the Sorcerer, and the Sorcerer has built every character in this party, save for the Druid. He's busy, and it's on short notice.

Finally, a Warblade 5/Beguiler 1, who's going into JPM. Good Single-Target damage, and at least out of combat utility. She's fairly new as well, but the Sorcerer built her as a Lockdown build, Spiked Chain and all.

And that leaves the Druid. I don't want the complexity, so I wanted to give him the Shapeshifter Variant, and Spontaneous Rejuvenation.

But I also know how powerful Wild Shape, the Animal Companion, and Summon Nature's Ally are, and in a party like this, I don't want to sell him short on his abilities. Can you guys help me out with this build, and get him to be on-par with the rest of the party?

[Randomguy]

Have you considered using the spontaneous divine caster variant in unearthed arcana? This lets the druid player not have to worry about which spells to prepare each days, and how many of them there are left; he can just cast whatever's useful. With the help of the more experienced players, he can have spells for most occasions.

Wildshape is really the only other thing that takes any bookkeeping. You could swap it and armour proficiency for some unarmoured abilities, but it wouldn't be too difficult to keep track of just a few forms (one to swim, one to fly and one to fight), especially if the others pitch in. It would probably be best to give the player the choice.

In general, the lowest you can get druid by swapping out class features is low tier 2. Since the party already has a tier 1, a tier 2 and a tier 3, this would put him about on par with the rest of the party.

[Rossebay]

Have you considered using the spontaneous divine caster variant in unearthed arcana? This lets the druid player not have to worry about which spells to prepare each days, and how many of them there are left; he can just cast whatever's useful. With the help of the more experienced players, he can have spells for most occasions.

Wildshape is really the only other thing that takes any bookkeeping. You could swap it and armour proficiency for some unarmoured abilities, but it wouldn't be too difficult to keep track of just a few forms (one to swim, one to fly and one to fight), especially if the others pitch in. It would probably be best to give the player the choice.

In general, the lowest you can get druid by swapping out class features is low tier 2. Since the party already has a tier 1, a tier 2 and a tier 3, this would put him about on par with the rest of the party.

I've decided on the UA Variant Aspect of Nature, but I've made it Hours/Level, not Minutes. I feel that Minutes was underwhelming. I'll grant him an Animal Companion, though I'm having trouble deciding on which... And, I'm trying to think of other feats...

[Manateee]

This problem has been overstated. Especially if you have experienced players Abrupt Jaunting and abusing metamagic.

[Rossebay]

This problem has been overstated. Especially if you have experienced players Abrupt Jaunting and abusing metamagic.

The problem is this:

I have to build this Druid. The Sorcerer (who made everyone else) is busy right now, and the game is tomorrow.

So, I'm looking for some basic tips on building a decent druid.

[Randomguy]

In general, druid 20 is the way to go since the only good druid PrC is planar shepard, and that's way overpowered.

Entangle is a great battlefield control spell, and produce flame is a druid's crossbow. Also, cloudburst + call lightning is a good combo for more damage. The Bite of the X and heart of X spells are also good, especially heart of earth for a shorter duration stoneskin, free.

Natural spell at level 6 is necessary if you've got wildshape. Useless with aspect of nature, though.

If you want to be a summoning druid then spell focus (conjuration), augment summoning and cloudy conjuration are the way to go. Imbued summoning is also an option. Flight aspect is good here to stay out of reach while your summons fight.

For a buffing/debuffing/battlefield control/blasting build, sculpt spell (for your area spells) and extend spell are both good. Flight aspect would be good here, too. Wall of smoke is a decent low level battlefield control spell.

For melee, you'd focus on aspects that grant strength bonuses and buffs, especially long duration ones. You won't be as good at it as a wildshape druid, though. Entangling staff, girallon's blessing and lion's charge are all nice spells. Extend spell to make buffs last longer would be helpful here.

Any druid can do all three of these, but you only have so many feats and spell slots, so pick one and spend your feats to get good at it.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Go with a single-classed Druid straight out of the PHB, with a newer player it's just bad policy to go swapping class features around. Teaching him that a class works some other way than the standard is only setting him up to be extremely confused down the road.

I'd make him a Killoren, from Races of the Wild. It should suit him just fine whether he's a natural-born optimizer or more focused on lore/RP. It has something to offer any type of player, rather than just-another-human or a purely mechanical choice like a strongheart water halfling.

For his feats, Natural Spell at 6th level is not optional. Give him Natural Bond (CV) at 1st level, which should normally go at 3rd but there's something else I'll have you put there, so this can get pushed back to 1st. He can't benefit from it until 4th level, because that's the earliest he can get a companion off the higher level lists. You can add your own effects in the most beneficial order, so he can get a 'level -3' companion and apply that effect first, then add on Natural Bond for a +3 that will bring his effective level back up to equal his character level. Give him either a Fleshraker Dinosuar (MM3) or a Dire Eagle (RoS, the text in RoS trumps the table in PH2), whichever he thinks would be cooler. This is a companion that's never left his side for years, make it clear that this is his character's bestest friend in the whole wide world. Here's a stat block for each of those:


Warbeast Fleshraker Animal Companion (Druid 6)
Medium Animal
HD: 9d8+36; HP: 80
Initiative: +5
Speed: 60 ft.
AC: 25 (+5 Dex, +10 natural); Touch AC: 15; Flat-Footed AC: 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+12
Attack: Claw +12 melee (1d6+6 plus poison)
Full Attack: 2 claws +12 melee (1d6+6 plus poison) and bite
+7 melee (1d6+3) and tail +7 melee (1d6+3 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Leaping pounce, poison, rake 1d6+4
Special Qualities: Combative mount, low-light vision, scent, link, share spells, evasion, devotion
Saves: Fort +10; Ref +11; Will +6
Abilities: Str 22; Dex 21; Con 18; Int 2; Wis 16; Cha 12
Skills: Hide +13*, Jump +28, Listen +4, Spot +4, Survival +8
Feats: Improved Natural Attack (claw), Track, Ability Focus: Poison, Virulent Poison

Leaping Pounce (Ex): As the MM3 entry.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 22, initial damage 1d6 Dex, secondary damage 1d6 Dex. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +8 melee, damage 1d6+4.

Combative Mount (Ex): A rider on a trained warbeast mount gets a +2 circumstance bonus on all Ride checks. A trained warbeast is proficient with light, medium, and heavy armor.

Skills: A warbeast receives a +1 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks. Fleshrakers have a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks and a +6 racial bonus on Jump checks. *The Hide bonus increases to +10 in forested areas.



Warbeast Dire Eagle Animal Companion (Druid 6)
Large Animal
HD: 10d8+50; HP: 98
Initiative: +5
Speed: 20 ft., fly 70 ft. (good)
AC: 23 (-1 size, +5 Dex, +9 natural); Touch AC: 14; Flat-Footed AC: 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+18
Attack: Talon +13 melee (1d8+7)
Full Attack: 2 talons +13 melee (1d8+7) and bite +8 melee (1d8+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Mage Slayer
Special Qualities: Combative mount, low-light vision, link, share spells, evasion, devotion
Saves: Fort +12; Ref +12; Will +7
Abilities: Str 25; Dex 21; Con 20; Int 2; Wis 16; Cha 6
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +22, Spellcraft -2
Feats: Alertness, Flyby Attack, Improved Flight, Mage Slayer

Mage Slayer (Ex): As the feat description in Complete Arcane.

Skills: Dire eagles have a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks.

Carrying Capacity: The numbers given in Races of Stone for a Dire Eagle's carrying capacity are what's standard for a large quadruped. At Str 25, a light load is up to 798 pounds; a medium load, 799-1,599 pounds; and a heavy load, 1,600-2,400 pounds.


For his 3rd level feat, give him either Magic of the Land or Killoren Hunter, both in Races of the Wild. If he prefers to help his party and cast spells he should use the Aspect of the Ancient, so Magic of the Land is a natural fit, and it's a great benefit to the party that's otherwise lacking a capable healer. If he'd rather be attacking foes directly he should use the Aspect of the Hunter, and Killoren Hunter is a great choice for sniffing out hidden creatures. You could even let him have both of those, but only be able to use the one corresponding to his current aspect, though as I said above it's bad policy to teach a new player that something works different from the norm. That would just be a rule-of-cool benefit that doesn't really make his character any more powerful.

Standard 6th level WBL is 13,000 gp. I'd give him two Lesser Metamagic Rods of Extend, a Stormfire Ring (MIC) with a +1 Deflection bonus to AC added (MIC p234), a Healing Belt (MIC), and 250 gp remaining for perhaps a partially charged Wand of Camouflage or Lesser Vigor. Don't forget that with the Aspect of the Hunter active and the Killoren Hunter feat, he can spend a move-action to pinpoint the location of any creature within 30 ft. He can then spend a standard action to activate his Stormfire Ring to reveal a hidden foe, and then a free action to order his animal companion to lay waste to it.

His spells per day at 6th level should be in the neighborhood of 5/4/4/3. I'd give him the following:
0- Create Water, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Mending, Cure Minor Wounds
1st- Enrage Animal x2, Longstrider**, Wall of Smoke
2nd- Creeping Cold* x2, Kelpstrand x2
3rd- Heart of Water**, Greater Magic Fang**, Sleet Storm
*Should be cast with a Lesser Rod of Extend.
**Should be cast at the start of the adventuring day, also with a Lesser Rod of Extend.
Those are all from PHB, SC, and CM. Wall of Smoke can be cast across one or more opponents' spaces to force an immediate save vs its effect. It's especially useful against opponents who are already tripped/locked down.

If he wants to engage in melee, he should Wild Shape into a Fleshraker Dinosaur. Check here (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19868802/Druid_Handbook_revived) for other useful Wild Shape forms, and make a separate sheet with several forms and what his stats will be in each (AC, saves, grapple, attacks, damage, movement, skills).

[Seerow]

I agree with most of what BF said, but disagree on the no variants. At the very least, the spontaneous variant should make things simpler for the new player, not harder, and it lets the DM help him pick spells that he knows will be generally useful.

[imneuromancer]

Wildshape is really the only other thing that takes any bookkeeping.

LOL.

You mean, other than the book-keeping for:
* Any enhanced summons (Augmented Ashbound SNA anyone?) for every level of SNA. This can easily get to be about 10 animals you have to modify by SNA 4.
* Your 2-3 wild shape forms + buffs (grappler, damager, air, water is what I generally work out)
* Your own form with all of your buffs
* Your animal companion
* The boguns/awakened trees/other stuff
* Trained animals

You mean, other than being by far the most complicated class for book-keeping?

[DrDeth]

Right. The correct answer is:

“Hey, umm Dude. No. “ Druids are not for newbs.

How about a Spirit Shaman?

[Sudain]

I'd give him a straight druid 20. Outline a good general spell list, and introduce him to a new class feature/thing every time. Take the time to teach him how druid works.

[Randomguy]

Right. The correct answer is:

“Hey, umm Dude. No. “ Druids are not for newbs.

How about a Spirit Shaman?

Aren't druids supposed to be the easiest class for new players to be good with?


LOL.

You mean, other than the book-keeping for:
* Any enhanced summons (Augmented Ashbound SNA anyone?) for every level of SNA. This can easily get to be about 10 animals you have to modify by SNA 4.
* Your 2-3 wild shape forms + buffs (grappler, damager, air, water is what I generally work out)
* Your own form with all of your buffs
* Your animal companion
* The boguns/awakened trees/other stuff
* Trained animals

You mean, other than being by far the most complicated class for book-keeping?

1. I forgot summons. I'll give you that.
2. No, I don't mean the only bookkeeping is for wildshape, aside from the bookkeeping for wildshape.
3. Every player does this, since even mundane characters have magical items and buffs.
4. Rangers also have to deal with this, and wizards and sorcerers with their familiars, and it's not nearly as overwhelming as all your possible wildshape forms.
5. The average new player probably won't take the craft wondrous item feat for boguns and animated trees aren't really practical unless a big part of the entire campaign is in a forest.
6. Forgot about this one, too, but it also isn't very practical to keep a small army of trained animals around.

Conjurers, necromancers and beguilers have as much stuff to keep track of. More, for the first two, since they've got to prepare spells each day and I specified a spontaneous variant druid.

[Mers15]

Check out the Arcane Hierophant PrC from Races of the Wild- if you switched into that as early as possible (i think its wizard 3/ druid 3?),then he wouldn't have any of the complicated high level druid abilities, but he'd have a lot of spell choice. And an intelligent animal companion- if he picked a bird of sorts and used speak with animals your party could have an amazing scout.

[Venger]

In general, druid 20 is the way to go since the only good druid PrC is planar shepard, and that's way overpowered.=

don't forget about moonspeaker if your player is a shifter. that class is better than druid 20, and less ridiculous than planar shepherd. plus playing a shifter is a lot like playing a halforc rpwise, so he might be more comfortable with it


Aren't druids supposed to be the easiest class for new players to be good with?

while druids are an easy class to be good with, they are still very difficult to play due to the amount of effort involved, especially for new players who don't know all the rules (lion at level 5, natural spell at 6, etc)


Check out the Arcane Hierophant PrC from Races of the Wild- if you switched into that as early as possible (i think its wizard 3/ druid 3?),then he wouldn't have any of the complicated high level druid abilities, but he'd have a lot of spell choice. And an intelligent animal companion- if he picked a bird of sorts and used speak with animals your party could have an amazing scout.

it was supposed to be wiz3/drd3, as the sample character dictates, but the genuises at wotc put a BA prereq of +4 there for whatever strange reason, so the quickest way in is wiz3/drd3/mt2. since this player is a noob and not familiar with spellcasting, I don't think giving him 2 of the biggest lists in the game to keep track of is a very good idea.

is your player evil? you might ask him if he's interested in blighter. they have much more manageable class features and a very short spell list. druid 5/full BA class 1 b/c of stupid BA prereq(usually ranger w/favoured enemy (animal) ) gets in no problem. strategy for blighters is more in tune with what a barbarian is used to, except instead of spamming greataxe swings, you're spamming cool fireballs that you never run out of as long as you destroy some forest. this way you can get him introduced to the mechanics of spellcasting slowly with a list that's much smaller than even a beguiler/warmage/DN.

[DrDeth]

Aren't druids supposed to be the easiest class for new players to be good with?



.

“Easiest to be super powerful” does not equal “easiest to be good with”. Actually, even a Fighter is easy to be good with. No one needs to play a tier 1 class.