Share your clever uses of Druid 'soft' skills and spells

[Beelzebubba]

I've been doing a lot of thinking of how to use more of the Druid's 'soft skills' lately. I've played for a long time, and it seems there's a whole class of spells and tactics that get hand-waved away or overlooked, and I want to start using them.

So, I'm hoping people can add cool uses of the out-of-combat Druid magic to give me ideas.

I'll seed it with the type of thing I'm talking about.

--

Tactic 1:

Recruit temporary scouts

Look for birds in the forest, smarter ones like Ravens, Crows, or (if they get close enough), ones with great vision like Raptors. If you see some, forage or hunt for some food for them.

When you find a few, put some food out in a clearing, back off, and when some land, cast 'Speak with Animals' to start talking, maybe 'Animal Friendship' also.

Make a bargain. 'I'll give you more food if you fly around us and watch. If you see other humans or creatures like us moving towards us, fly down to me and sit on my shoulder, and then point your eyes in the direction you saw them'.

Should be good until 8th level or so when the Druid can fly, or if they pick up a Familiar with Magic Initiate / Ritual Caster.

--

Any takers?

[Azgeroth]

i like it,

i have used this same idea myself and allowed it, though in both instances it was a forest gnome who could already speak with animals as opposed to doing it magically.

basically befriending a magpie by giving it shinies, and then keeping them safe for it.. yeah.. in exchange it stuck around as a scout, gave basic information on the area..

in the game i allowed it (which was for my daughter) she had the ingenious idea of casting enlarge on the bird to ride it out of harms way, she was being chased by some big bad cloud of nasty mist.. i was so impressed i allowed it.

[Citan]

I've been doing a lot of thinking of how to use more of the Druid's 'soft skills' lately. I've played for a long time, and it seems there's a whole class of spells and tactics that get hand-waved away or overlooked, and I want to start using them.

So, I'm hoping people can add cool uses of the out-of-combat Druid magic to give me ideas.

I'll seed it with the type of thing I'm talking about.

--

Tactic 1:

Recruit temporary scouts

Look for birds in the forest, smarter ones like Ravens, Crows, or (if they get close enough), ones with great vision like Raptors. If you see some, forage or hunt for some food for them.

When you find a few, put some food out in a clearing, back off, and when some land, cast 'Speak with Animals' to start talking, maybe 'Animal Friendship' also.

Make a bargain. 'I'll give you more food if you fly around us and watch. If you see other humans or creatures like us moving towards us, fly down to me and sit on my shoulder, and then point your eyes in the direction you saw them'.

Should be good until 8th level or so when the Druid can fly, or if they pick up a Familiar with Magic Initiate / Ritual Caster.

--

Any takers?
Mine is not really using Druid's spell but rather making a particular Druid build. Pick Observant feat, wild shape as a rat, cat or spider, or later eagle, and learn about enemy plans from an extremely safe distance. Even better if you can put your hands on Comprehend Languages or bargain with DM to learn additional languages with downtime. :)

Otherwise...
- Earn the grace of a local lord by starting a trend of poison or illness uncovered then offering to resolve the problem thanks to Detect Poison and Disease, Create Water, Purify Food and Drink.

- Or help him seduce the wife of a lifetime by Enhancing his Charisma (so it's still a fair game), creating a romantic setting (preparing a Faerie Fire romantic firework or making a Moonbeam shine in the distance,using Plant Growth on a garden of rare flowers)...
- Or help him go away and see his mistress by casting Pass Without Trace on him. XD

- Make yourself a "pet hunter" and bring back those poor domestic animals that just fled their masters because of overly possessive love (like the cliché of old noble woman and her little dog/cat), because, well, you have to earn your life too.

- Help farmers and otherwise agriculture producers by easing crop development (create water), grinding mills (Gust of Wind) or otherwise being the fireman of the local area (control over wind/water/earth so many ways to extinguish flames).

[ghost_warlock]

Mold Earth is quite useful for burying people alive. Not exclusively a druid thing, but definitely an application most druids could get behind.

[hymer]

Mold Earth is quite useful for burying people alive. Not exclusively a druid thing, but definitely an application most druids could get behind.

Planting the dead? How odd. Bonus points to anyone catching the reference.

Anyway, Detect Poison and Disease allows you to walk through town/camp, sensing anyone within range who is sick (or poisoned; less likely to be useful). You can even sense it through slight wooden structures or tents. And it's a Ritual, so you can do it for as long as you have the time. And of course, Lesser Restoration will allow you to heal anyone who needs it.
Use it on the warlord's army, and go before the army and scout out settlements for risks of disease. You have the perfect excuse for visiting the local brothel! :smalltongue: Or volunteer/work at the harbour, using your wild shape to visit approaching ships, and ascertain whether they carry any communicable diseases before they arrive. Be sure to go through the bottom of the ship and get a sense of the rats and their fleas.

Speak with Animals has been mentioned, and I heartily recommend having a chat with the local horse dealer's wares before buying, and the innkeeper's dog/cat/canary before settling in for the night. The ability to speak with the animal should also make training so much easier, as you can get through straight away what you want the animal to do (and will reward it for), and it can explain to you if it has a good reason for not doing it. And most importantly, you can apologize and be understood if you step on a dog's foot or almost sit on a cat.

Stone Shape is extremely useful in a variety of situations, especially in construction. One application can do months' work of a skilled artisan. And you can make copies of great statues and busts, or even your own works if you are so inclined. So you can punish the haughty noble art collector by making a series of copies of his treasured stuff, and giving one to all his artsy friends. Or you can make a piece of stone on top of a ridge into an easily rolled boulder, and then... Roll it.