[3.X] Best low level Druid spells (for this character)?

[VariSami]

Hi,

to explain the circumstances, a friend's Eberron campaign is about to continue this month and I made a new character to help alleviate some of the imbalances of our mostly fluff-based group (such as lack of healing and melee staying power). My character is a Feral (free LA 1) level 3 Shifter Druid, found here (https://eberron-journey-to-the-lost-continent.obsidianportal.com/characters/726032).

I am not particularly well-read on Druids and despite skimming through different Druid handbooks, the amount of recommended spells seemed slightly limited. So, I thought I should ask what druid spells from spell levels 0-3 people here would suggest keeping in mind? If you did not open the link, I will also add that the character will never Wild Shape and has no Animal Companion because I still built him with a particular concept in mind and wanted to minimize bookkeeping for different forms and companions. Next level, I could take a level in Fangshields Druid but I think I would rather have Strong Stomach and the bonus vs. diseases (from Cityscape web enhancement) than spontaneous cure spells, mostly due to fluff reasons but also because nauseated is such a save or die condition.

[Urpriest]

If you're looking to be a frontliner, then the Shillelagh/Brambles/Spikes spells may be handy, especially since it looks like you're a Longtooth and thus would typically have your hands free.

[VariSami]

If you're looking to be a frontliner, then the Shillelagh/Brambles/Spikes spells may be handy, especially since it looks like you're a Longtooth and thus would typically have your hands free.

Well, due to the Feral template, the character also has claw attacks. I appreciate the sentiment, though. But because using a club would turn the remaining claw into a secondary natural weapon, I intuitively think that spending spell slots for this strategy would be quite sub-optimal. After all, the character can currently attack with both its claws at no penalty and the difference in damage would likely not balance in favor of using spell slots.

[Urpriest]

Well, due to the Feral template, the character also has claw attacks. I appreciate the sentiment, though. But because using a club would turn the remaining claw into a secondary natural weapon, I intuitively think that spending spell slots for this strategy would be quite sub-optimal. After all, the character can currently attack with both its claws at no penalty and the difference in damage would likely not balance in favor of using spell slots.

Ah true, I missed the Feral aspect.

Longstrider is a good general purpose self-buff, you'd be surprised how much increased movement speed comes up. Gets easier at higher levels when you don't have as much to spend your 1sts on.

Standard Druid crowd control stuff is always handy. Entangle of course, but also Impeding Stones.

[nyjastul69]

The Bite of were-x creature line of spells are pretty decent self buffs.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Kelpstrand in Spell Compendium is a spectacular choice for crowd controlling multiple opponents without placing an effect that would prevent anyone from getting into melee with them.

With your claw/claw/bite attack routine, you can cast Produce Flame and deal fire damage on every natural weapon attack per holding the charge (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm#standardCastaSpell) on touch spells.

Creeping Cold in Spell Compendium is handy if you want to hit distant opponents.

A Lesser Rod of Extend is superb for all of those, especially Creeping Cold which deals 21d6 damage over six rounds.

You could put Snowsight on everyone in the party and cast Obscuring Snow, both in Frostburn. Get everyone to buy you a 1st level Pearl of Power and they can pitch in thirds for Lesser Rods of Extend so you only have to spend a single 1st level spell slot to put Extended Snowsight on everyone, and multiple characters should have Obscuring Snow on their spell lists, which should also be Extended.

[VariSami]

Ah true, I missed the Feral aspect.

Longstrider is a good general purpose self-buff, you'd be surprised how much increased movement speed comes up. Gets easier at higher levels when you don't have as much to spend your 1sts on.

Standard Druid crowd control stuff is always handy. Entangle of course, but also Impeding Stones.

The idea of having a 60ft. base land speed. :D (It is already 50ft. due to Feral and Deadly Hunter which gives the character a monk's AC and speed bonuses.) I sort of like the idea, actually.

But Impeding Stones... This was a spell, the existence of which I had not realized. I suppose one hardly realizes to search Cityscape for Druid spells. So, it is basically Grease for Druids but without the option to target objects or characters. I love it.

Edit: Kelpstrand is interesting. I knew about Produce Flame but somehow thought 'meh, it only lasts for three attacks'. I suppose I did not do the math for 3d6+9 extra damage at my character's current level. I will check the details on the rest of the suggestions as soon as I can.

[nyjastul69]

I forgot to add Mass Snake's Swiftness sees a lot of use at our table.

ETA: Both sets of spells I suggest are in the SC.

[Zaq]

In addition to all the excellent suggestions here, don't forget that at the end of the day, you have spontaneous summoning. That means that you can actually try out weird and unusual spells with very little risk. If it's useful, then great, mission accomplished! But if it doesn't seem like something that would help, you can always turn it into a summon, and it's not like Druid summons suck, especially at low levels. And of course, as a prepared divine caster, you've got access to your entire list, so you have pretty much zero risk whatsoever when it comes to trying new and strange spells.

So yeah. Definitely take advantage of some of the suggestions here, since they're not bad advice at all. Entangle and Impeding Stones do win battles. Mass Snake's Swiftness can be the most damaging spell on your list, depending on your party composition. Kelpstrand is very annoying to be on the receiving end of. But you shouldn't feel pressured into only taking the spells that you know are good. You can take weird spells just to try them out, and if they don't seem appropriate, then you just turn them into bears. (Or I guess wolves, at your level, but whatever.)

[Geddy2112]

I second longstrider, as well as barkskin, heat and chill metal, flaming sphere and resist energy. You can always prepare lesser restoration if somebody in the party takes ability damage, but I would never keep it in my standard rotation.

[Troacctid]

Do note that longstrider doesn't stack with the fast movement from the deadly hunter variant, as they are both enhancement bonuses.

[Theodred theOld]

Snakes swiftness and mass snakes swiftness are great. Greater magic fang lets you buff your natural attacks. Not alot of good cantrips but I always prepare at least 2 guidance and cure minor ( great for emergencies). Ran across a spell called false bravado. Haven't used it yet but it seems like it would be fun to spring on an unsuspecting dm.

[eggynack]

Lessee. Out of spells that have thus far gone unmentioned, stuff worth note at first is snowshoes (SpC, 194), which is basically just a strictly better longstrider, wall of smoke (SpC, 235), which is some really sweet BFC power, omen of peril (SpC, 149), which is one of those rare bits of foreknowledge out of druid firsts, spider hand (BoVD, 104), for that random scouting, spore field (CS, 104), in case you want to vary your BFC stack some, wood wose (CS, 106), because druids like unseen servant too, and summon fey (KoK, 188), if you want to summon a pixie and break the game utterly.

Out of unmentioned seconds, there's blinding spittle (SpC, 32), which is a great companion piece to kelpstrand, luminous armor (BoED, 102), one of the best AC boosters in the game, and wild instincts (RoE, 191), because it's neat on a shifter. I also like numbing sphere (Frost, 102) a bit more than the flaming variety. Anyway, if you seek more stuff, I could send over the handbook I've been working on, which at this point I think has just about all relevant spells in this level range (though I may be missing some dragon stuff. Just finished going forward from 308 or so, and now I'm going backwards and am at 302.)

Edit: I don't like false bravado all that much, incidentally. It's only really good on casters, and it's a will save, so your main target is passing a lot. You're basically running all the downside of charm person at a higher level with none of the upside. Also not in love with guidance, but I do like cure minor. There's not all that much in the way of obscure druid orisons, but fire eyes (MotW, 88) is really sweet if you actively leverage the benefit, dawn (SpC, 59) is decent predicated entirely on the action cost, and liana (KoK, 178) could be useful on occasion. Of course, that stuff should always be secondary to detect magic and create water, along with cure minor, but if you have the extra slots, then they're fun preparations.

[Theodred theOld]

Very true about false bravado being a less than reliable spell. I had actually thought to use it outside of combat as a sort of practical joke on a particularly irritating npc to see if I could get him beat up without doing the beating. Create water can get really fun at higher levels.

[VariSami]

All right, while I will not comment on the suggestions thus far for the time being, I thank you all for them. Right now I must finish some assignments but afterwards listing your suggestions should come in handy. Also, funny how the Monk bonus to speed is indeed an enhancement bonus. I suppose it sucks to be a Monk, once again.

Oh, and eggynack, would you happen to have a link, or is the handbook still not posted anywhere?

[Theodred theOld]

Thought of a few more. Try icelance and jaws of the moray sometime. Mixed results but both can be fun and again, if you don't use them they turn into wolves or whatever.

[eggynack]

Just found a couple more weird/good orisons in dragon 302, particularly footpad's grace and foraging charm. I also kinda like stench, more because it specifies that it can create any smell than for its intended scent destroying capability. It does also specify that it creates a terrible smell, which seems to contradict that other text by my reckoning, but if it actually does enable you to use that rare piece of druidic illusion to convince folks that there's chocolate just around the corner, then I'm in love. This has been a fruitful source search, I gotta say.

[Hiro Quester]

With your claw/claw/bite attack routine, you can cast Produce Flame and deal fire damage on every natural weapon attack per holding the charge (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm#standardCastaSpell) on touch spells.

I don't think you could get the flame on every NW attack in a round. Produce flame puts a flame in one hand (claw). Perhaps add it to your your bite if that's your primary weapon.

You can use it to add flame to that one NW attack whenever it hits, though. But the flame doesn't leap onto whatever NW attack hits, nor onto all of them.

Or you can make a standard touch attack. But if you are adding flame to your NW attack, then it would only burn them if that primary natural weapon hits.

[VariSami]

I don't think you could get the flame on every NW attack in a round. Produce flame puts a flame in one hand (claw). Perhaps add it to your your bite if that's your primary weapon.

You can use it to add flame to that one NW attack whenever it hits, though. But the flame doesn't leap onto whatever NW attack hits, nor onto all of them.

Or you can make a standard touch attack. But if you are adding flame to your NW attack, then it would only burn them if that primary natural weapon hits.

I find nothing to support this interpretation. Touch spells would go off unintentionally even from licking someone if held. In the case of Produce Flame, even if the part about the flames appearing on one hand is taken as a relevant line for rules questions, nothing about the spell specifies that the hand remains the same whenever the flames reappear. Thus, it would be completely natural to suppose that they appear in whichever hand you wish and could thus be used normally with both claws. (Oh, and the character's bite is a secondary natural attack because it is only active while shifting and only provides one attack, as opposed to two with the claws.)

[Warrnan]

A caveat: I loved playing shaman in world of Warcraft. I wanted a evocation/ healing class (traditionally horrible specializations in d&d). Regardless of the "ZOMG so unoptimized" stigma. My "ACF all the things" druid build was super effective at blowing up stuff with metamagic rods or healing our party with quickened heals and twinned CLW mass. Metamagic rods Were made for druids.

At high levels one of my favorite tricks was to use a rod of quicken and mass snakes swiftness. In my party of a cleric, druid and a bunch of melee characters giving everyone an extra attack was devastating. Maximized vortex of teeth is fun when you have cc'd a crowd of bad guys. Thunderous roar was also awesome. Tripping bad guys in an AOE is fun too. Use owls insight to get a crazy amount of wisdom and up your DCs.

As far as being a melee druid with out wildshape, that stumps me. If you don't want summoning the spontaneous rejuvenation is a great way to burn unused slots at the end of the day for moderate amounts of aoe healing.

Also handy as its one of the only ways to heal from range at low levels. I don't think it's technically RAW but my gaming group allows any feat (such as augment healing) to affect the fast healing from spontaneous rejuvenation and vigor spells.

I traded out my animal companion for a cleric domain (this may be borrowed from PF rules or unearthed arcana.) Renewal I think. Imbued healing for CL temp HP on every spell (great with mass spells and rejuvenations).

Druid is a phenomenal class. How ever you build it you will rock so hard. Just make sure to share the spotlight. Haha