Warcaster on druid?

[hymer]

Hello I am brand new to D&d, started playing with a group that is all pretty new except the Dm. I am currently a level 2 druid and wanted to know if getting war caster as a feature at level 3 is a waste? I'm often running out of slots and in need to being able to attack when creeps close in on me. The limit on casting cantrips or having a weapon drawn seems to be a particular drawback. My low ac is what is making me doubt having anything melee at all. My question is, if I am not multiclassimg is getting the warcaster feature at lvl 3 a waste?

I'll answer it here, because I think this has the potential to clutter up the handbook thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?397940-5e-Druid-Handbook-Land-amp-Moon/page4). :smallsmile: Welcome to the forum, and indeed the game! :smallbiggrin:

We need to get some things straight: First, are we talking land druid or moon druid? You made that choice at level 2. Second, in standard play, you get a feat at druid level 4, not 3 as you mention. So unless your DM is using some house rules, you don't need to decide finally just yet.

That said: Warcaster is not a bad feat for any druid. The advantage on Con saves to maintain Concentration is a big deal, and will remain so throughout your career. So you should not come to regret taking it.

There are some other issues that may be worth bringing up:

As part of an action, you are allowed to draw or sheathe a weapon. So you could cast your cantrips, and when the enemies get too close, you can draw your weapon and whack at them without losing time/actions. And of you need to go back to casting, you can sheathe and then cast.
If you're a land druid: Your friends should be helping to keep you safe from creeps. It won't always be possible for them to do so, but if you all try to manoeuvre with this in mind, it should ease the melee pressure on you.

Your AC shouldn't be too low. You should have around 16+ from shield, dex and armour. If you have high dex or spiked armour from the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, it could be even higher. Even so, staying out of melee is generally a good idea for land druids. But Warcaster helps with other stuff too, as mentioned, so it won't be a bad investment.

Hope that helped! Or you could ask some more. :smallwink: Maybe others have some thoughts on this as well.

[Lumiere]

Thanks for the prompt reply! Thank you, it really is appreciated. Sorry for not making my own thread. I read almost the entire thread for druids and it has been a HUGE help.

One of the reasons I have such an issue making a decision is there is a MULTITUDE of moon druid faqs and threads but very little discussion of land druids from what I have been able to see

I chose circle of the land (have not chosen a circle yet with the DM's permission as i was still wrapping my head around spellcasting he thought it might be relevant to understand it better before making a choice)

So to get things straight as you said I am a druid of the Land. You are right, the feature choice comes from lvl 4. I have some time to think about it. The points you brought up are actually very informative. I will believe I will be taking the feature, the con/advantage is going to be necessary for how i see myself playing this druid.

Also thanks for pointing the dex/shield bonus to AC as I had completely not included those bonuses to my AC, I went from 13 to 16, I'm thinking of talking to the DM about possibly making an Iron bark medium type armor so I can take advantage of the proficiency and bypass the no metal thing as most medium armors are made of some type of metal.

My druid is a young wood elf of 45 years of age, and has been on his own for a really long time. He uses a scimitar because I figured he did not have too many spells available to him growing up in the wild and fighting a bear or wolves with your bare hands seems like a bad idea. Also my party tends to spend more time protecting our Forest Gnome Bard than myself because of his low ac and mobility issues which i don't mind.

I realize I have ranted a bit and away from War-caster, but seeing my ideas and voicing my issues in written form has helped with my decision making. If you have any tips and tricks for Noobs trying to bring a druid to life feel free to send them my way. If I come across anything else or any questions come up in the future I will be sure to send em out. Thanks again.

[bid]

Druids have shillelagh for melee, it frees you from bumping Dex early on.

As for warcaster, you have to ask yourself 3 questions:
- do you get many attack of opportunity and would you rather use a spell than a melee weapon?
- do you often sheath your weapon to cast spells that have somatic but no material component?
- do you use concentration spells during battle and often fail your concentration roll?

If you answered no to those questions, you don't need warcaster.

If you answered yes to some, that will tell you how necessary that feat is for you. See how it goes when you are level 3 and think which spells you will prepare at level 5.

[MaxWilson]

Thanks for the prompt reply! Thank you, it really is appreciated. Sorry for not making my own thread. I read almost the entire thread for druids and it has been a HUGE help.

One of the reasons I have such an issue making a decision is there is a MULTITUDE of moon druid faqs and threads but very little discussion of land druids from what I have been able to see

The lack of chatter around land druids tells you something interesting: they're not very interesting.

[Aridon]

Thanks for the prompt reply! Thank you, it really is appreciated. Sorry for not making my own thread. I read almost the entire thread for druids and it has been a HUGE help.

One of the reasons I have such an issue making a decision is there is a MULTITUDE of moon druid faqs and threads but very little discussion of land druids from what I have been able to see

I chose circle of the land (have not chosen a circle yet with the DM's permission as i was still wrapping my head around spellcasting he thought it might be relevant to understand it better before making a choice)

So to get things straight as you said I am a druid of the Land. You are right, the feature choice comes from lvl 4. I have some time to think about it. The points you brought up are actually very informative. I will believe I will be taking the feature, the con/advantage is going to be necessary for how i see myself playing this druid.

Also thanks for pointing the dex/shield bonus to AC as I had completely not included those bonuses to my AC, I went from 13 to 16, I'm thinking of talking to the DM about possibly making an Iron bark medium type armor so I can take advantage of the proficiency and bypass the no metal thing as most medium armors are made of some type of metal.

My druid is a young wood elf of 45 years of age, and has been on his own for a really long time. He uses a scimitar because I figured he did not have too many spells available to him growing up in the wild and fighting a bear or wolves with your bare hands seems like a bad idea. Also my party tends to spend more time protecting our Forest Gnome Bard than myself because of his low ac and mobility issues which i don't mind.

I realize I have ranted a bit and away from War-caster, but seeing my ideas and voicing my issues in written form has helped with my decision making. If you have any tips and tricks for Noobs trying to bring a druid to life feel free to send them my way. If I come across anything else or any questions come up in the future I will be sure to send em out. Thanks again.

In my experience, it was better to take the ASI than War Caster at level 4. The advantage of having a higher wisdom, a higher DC to save against my spells and additional flexibility from being able to prepare more spells outweighed warcaster, but I play a Moon Druid so YMMV.

[RickAllison]

Also thanks for pointing the dex/shield bonus to AC as I had completely not included those bonuses to my AC, I went from 13 to 16, I'm thinking of talking to the DM about possibly making an Iron bark medium type armor so I can take advantage of the proficiency and bypass the no metal thing as most medium armors are made of some type of metal.

You could always re-flavor the spiked armor from SCAG (which the OP mentioned). Medium armor, 75 GP, AC 14+Dex (max 2), disadvantage on stealth, and weighs 45 pounds. You wouldn't get all the neat aspects of the armor that come with the corresponding barbarian subclass, but it's an excellent armor alternative (and does not necessarily use metal).

[hymer]

Thanks for the prompt reply! Thank you, it really is appreciated. Sorry for not making my own thread. I read almost the entire thread for druids and it has been a HUGE help.

You're welcome, and I'm glad you found it useful. Parts of it can also serve to help keep a bird's eye view, like the 'On Beasts' spoiler once you get to Conjure Animals at level 5, so you may want to be sure you can find it again in the future. :smallsmile:


Iron bark medium type armor

Interesting idea. Dragon Age? :smallwink: Rick Allison above had a thought about that. Maybe your DM can make it into a quest. :smallsmile: But it may be up to you to find out where someone can make that sort of thing, so talk to some NPCs and show an interest in the DM's world. They like that! :smallbiggrin:


My druid is a young wood elf of 45 years of age, and has been on his own for a really long time. He uses a scimitar because I figured he did not have too many spells available to him growing up in the wild and fighting a bear or wolves with your bare hands seems like a bad idea. Also my party tends to spend more time protecting our Forest Gnome Bard than myself because of his low ac and mobility issues which i don't mind.

Fighting bears and wolves seems like a bad idea even with a scimitar. :smallwink: Getting killed by them is one thing, learning to live with them is often what people consider the druid way. But of course, not every druid is a carbon copy of every other druid.


I realize I have ranted a bit and away from War-caster, but seeing my ideas and voicing my issues in written form has helped with my decision making. If you have any tips and tricks for Noobs trying to bring a druid to life feel free to send them my way. If I come across anything else or any questions come up in the future I will be sure to send em out. Thanks again.

It's no trouble. Letting you communicate with the other playgrounders and to help you make up your mind are what this thread is here for. :smallsmile:


Druids have shillelagh for melee, it frees you from bumping Dex early on.

Dex 16 is perfectly fine for a +dex race land druid. It keeps being useful between Initiative and dex saves. And for elves, with their racial weapon proficiencies, 16 dex + ranged weapon will be competitive with your ranged attack cantrips throughout your single digit levels. Longbows have fine range, and a different damage type. You may even find some magical arrows nobody else wants to use, dpeending on the group.


If you answered no to those questions, you don't need warcaster.

I like that, but I'd add that looking ahead doesn't hurt. It's hard to imagine a druid that won't be glad of a good Concentration save once they get to Conjure minions.


The lack of chatter around land druids tells you something interesting: they're not very interesting.

What an opinionated opinion! :smallwink:
But seriously, I think a new player is better off starting with a land druid. The beast bookkeeping is less intensive, and you don't have to worry so much about picking the right shape for the job. Also, getting an early experience of playing a bear at level 2 is probably setting the wrong expectations for the future. :smallsmile:

[tieren]

There used to be a land druid specific guide on the WotC forums before they shut down, I don't know if it got reposted anywhere else, I'll try to poke around for it later.

For circle choice I personally prefer Grasslands, getting invisibility and haste are big deals no other druid can touch.

Natural recovery is something else you need to keep in mind. Most druids are moon so don't think about it but getting those spell slots back on the short rests can really up your casting and help you come into your own. If your group doesn't have a warlock or short rest much you may need to talk to the table about working them in more.

Personally, I recommend staying at range and controlling with entangle or flaming sphere rather than trying to cast in melee with warcaster. Res (Con) may be a better choice for you to get proficiency on the con saves, but ultimately imo not getting hit as much is better than adv on the saves when you get hit.

[Lumiere]

I appreciate everyone's solid advice, I am gonna work on my character tonight before my next meet with the party tomorrow.

I'm just overthinking a lot of this as from reading most of the advice here and the druid guide from hymer:smallcool: the land druid is your basic typical caster/summoner. I always saw druids in a more in your face archetype than your average wizard or warlock for the simple fact that they revere nature thus giving them a survival of the fittest attitude in life.

Druids shouldn't be so completely dependent on magic as magic has had its fair share of failings with the time of troubles and spell plague. But then after going through all of this information the Moon Druid would fit the description by being the fittest in any situation by choosing the right form. I am gonna stick with Land druid as our party is lacking in that department.

[bid]

I like that, but I'd add that looking ahead doesn't hurt. It's hard to imagine a druid that won't be glad of a good Concentration save once they get to Conjure minions.
Yep, losing control of a fey is dangerous.