Best Druid Spells Outside of CRB & APG?

[Palanan]

So, my current group has jumped another set of tracks and picked up with their long-running Kingmaker game, which I'm dropping into at ninth level with absolutely zero knowledge of the past four years of real-life gameplay. The learning curve vanishes into the hazy-blue heights of the stratosphere.

The Kingmaker game has a number of house rules and policies, including a restriction to the CRB and APG for character creation. I have access to anything in those two books, plus a few other sources by special request. The DM just approved two spells from Champions of Purity, so the option for additional spells is there.

So what are some good druid spells, 1st-3rd level only, from elsewhere in the Pathfinder line? Anything published by Paizo is fair game, but I don't want to push it with a huge list of DM requests, so just one recommendation for each of the first three spell levels would be fine. I'm looking for utility, ranged attacks, or generally cool and clever little gems. Any suggestions?

[Psyren]

Are you a casty druid (i.e. high Wis) or a gish druid (medium Wis, focuses more on Wild Shape and/or buffs)?

Regardless, here are some good ones from UM:

Diagnose Disease - if your GM likes to use these, this can help you spot them.
Ray of Sickness - fort save or suck, Close range.
Summon Minor Ally - gives you multiple disposable minions from a 1st-level slot- monkeys can turn handles for you while bats can screech if they find someone hiding or invisible. You should be able to cast this spontaneously too.
Tar Ball - no save, no SR, just suck.
Burrow - Not only can you skip around the dungeon or battlefield with this, but the tunnel stays for 1 round, so allies can follow you if they move quickly enough.
Spit Venom - No save blind, and if they fail the save they can also take up to 12 Con damage too.

If you can wait until 4th-level, other good ones include Echolocation (cheaper True Seeing), Vermin Shape II (you get Large forms with Tremorsense here) and Atavism (powerful buff for your companion.)

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Psyren
Are you a casty druid (i.e. high Wis) or a gish druid (medium Wis, focuses more on Wild Shape and/or buffs)?

Actually I'm a casty gish druid. :smalltongue:

I'm a druid/zen archer with a high Wis and an emphasis on ranged attacks. My DM gave me Natural Spell as a bonus feat (!!) so I was casting from Wild Shape in our first session. (With a gnome cleric riding me and firing Searing Light, because she was the only one who can understand me in giant owl form.)


Originally Posted by Psyren
Ray of Exhaustion - fort save or suck, Close range.
...
Spit Venom - No save blind, and if they fail the save they can also take up to 12 Con damage too.

A good short list, and these look especially useful, thanks.

Are there any spells which could be imbued into an arrow, the way arcane archers are able to? That may be a more complicated operation than a single feat or spell could manage, but I'd love to somehow synergize my druid casting with my zen archery.

.

[Psyren]

Sorry, I screwed up above - Ray of Exhaustion should be Ray of Sickness.

The only way I can think of for you to cast through your bow would be Spell-Storing, which is a bit expensive for the benefit it provides and wouldn't save you actions.

[Palanan]

Thanks for the correction, and no worries about the bow. Casting from Wild Shape will do in a pinch.

:smalltongue:

[Kurald Galain]

Ray of Sickness - fort save or suck, Close range.

ACG offers a variation in the form of Nauseating Dart (which, yes, nauseates).

[Psyren]

ACG offers a variation in the form of Nauseating Dart (which, yes, nauseates).

Ooh neat. Though the ranged attack and poison type do detract a bit.