Moon druid builds might be getting old...

[zylodrizzt]

But I'd like some additional thoughts. Any at all. From tactics to options to thematics to pointers.

Currently playing a shifter moon druid lvl 2.

The idea is to not need a healer or even use daily spell slots to heal myself or forms relying more on other forms hp and temp hp. Also it is to use the duration of wild shape to its max without needing to revert for speech or object interaction requiring thumbs. I plan on getting to moon druid 10 for elemental shape and not further or not much further.

So far my build looks like moon druid 10 death monk 3 blank warlock pact of chain 3

Monk for many features carrying over as well as wis mod temp hp

Warlock for refreshing spells and familiar which I will use as a voice object interaction and adv. I plan to get disguise self and speak with animal invocation.

I know mystic would have been a great pick but was banned from that. I also know goo warlock would have given me telepathy but I can't think of a way to get the object interaction as well.

I've considered barbarian for rage and con to ac for forms that have greater con. I've not really considered other classes. I've not considered feats or asi I've not considered limited spell selection I've not considered equiment magical or munedane.

I have consided story reasons which come out as he starts off not being in the best control of his beast side. He later gets back on track when he gains a familiar and then goes monk for enlightenment and discipline and then back to druid to unlock more secrets. I've not considered how leveling in such a way will effect playability and only loosly considered tactics.

If it matters my cantrips are guidance and thornwhip for melee and ranged combat. My shifter heritage is long strider.

To recap I'm looking for any advice anywhere for the development of this character. My apologies if I'm confusing. I'd be happy to clarify. Thanks in advance.

[Balain]

Barbarian has many benefits with druid. Raging also gives you resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage.

Third level barbarian, take bear totem and gain resistance to all damage types except psychic.

[Dalebert]

I've got a moon druid 2 / monk of the long death X. It's a great combo. I went ghostwise halfling. They already have telepathy but the recipient must share a language as it doesn't auto-translate like a GoO lock's. It serves the purpose of allowing me to communicate in animal form. I primarily wanted the monk features but don't care about the last two levels and it just combines damn well with a moon druid.

You could take Ritual Caster and create an unseen servant for interactions.

Personally not a fan of moon druid self-healing. It just seems painfully costly for such a tiny amount of healing vs. what you can do with those slots--cast a concentration spell before shifting (Flaming Sphere, Conjure Animals), cast buffs on the party or heals like Lesser and Greater Restoration, creating goodberries at the end of the day, etc.

Three levels of goolock would get you telepathy and obj interaction via an imp but that's a painful dip particularly on top of already dipping monk and/or druid. Maybe you can get a follower some other way who would just obey you. Undead come to mind, but that represents another painful dip. If you're already a druid, you can summon apes. Since they're magically empowered to understand your speech, your telepathy should work as well.

[zylodrizzt]

Well I hadn't even considered unseen servant. That might be a wise feat investment instead of multi warlock though those refreshing slots are enticing for things like aoa. Actually had no intention of using my slots for that self healing. Choices choices....
Thank you for the input.

Ok here are a few thoughts.
Multiclass: Moon druid 10/ death monk 10
Feats: I don't feel as though a moon druid is very reliant on asi so here are a few thoughts on choices. Ritual caster (unseen servant object interaction and find familiar raven for communication). Mobile to pair well with monk and how mobile some of these forms are after all you can't kill what you can't get close to. Sentienal for stickiness maybe. Brawn because grappling is fun. Handle animal feat because so far interacting with animals is great. Any other ideas?

[Eragon123]

Moon druid builds might be getting old...

Unlikely. They get timeless body at 18th level which makes them practically immortal especially if they were elves starting out.

[Chugger]

Moon druid builds might be getting old...

Unlikely. They get timeless body at 18th level which makes them practically immortal especially if they were elves starting out.

Nice! You nailed it! :smallbiggrin:

(never enough puns!!!)

To the OP, I'm sorry but I'm not quite sure what you're asking. You can dip 2 into Pal and divine smite in beast form, when you bite or claw. Or as the other poster said you can do a barb dip and get rage and damage resistance, which is good. But doing so puts you 2-3 levels behind on casting. And a moon druid who spends round one popping conjure animals - or call lightning - or even flaming sphere or barkskin - and who has access to higher CR animal forms - has many advantages, too - especially if that druid has warcaster or resil con to help keep those spells going as they get hit. At least Barb, if you go barb first, will give you iirc a con ST, freeing up an asi lvl for another choice.

[sithlordnergal]

Pure Moon Druid is pretty hard to kill as it is. I am playing Tomb of Annihilation in Adventure League, and I haven't gone down below half my hp once. And I am level 5 now.

That said, Paladin 2 is a nice addition, especially if you don't expect to get to level 20. You can heal 10 hp, you get Paladin spells, a Fighting Style, and Smite.

[Dalebert]

Ritual caster (unseen servant object interaction and find familiar raven for communication).

Check with your DM and make sure he's going to let your raven talk. I know you wouldn't be able to count on that in an AL game when you keep changing DMs. My moon druid with a wizard dip got the special familiar from an AL module that speaks several languages and used it that way. I actually built him with that familiar in mind and played that adventure specifically for it.


Mobile to pair well with monk and how mobile some of these forms are after all you can't kill what you can't get close to. Sentienal for stickiness maybe.

Both great feats but they don't pair well. One is about getting out of reach of things and the other is useless unless you stay in reach of things.


Handle animal feat because so far interacting with animals is great. Any other ideas?

What feat? Do you mean the skill?

[Chugger]

A raven that can say what you telepathically tell it to the party? I love it! But yeah I can see that being DM-dependant.

[zylodrizzt]

Nice! You nailed it! :smallbiggrin:

(never enough puns!!!)

To the OP, I'm sorry but I'm not quite sure what you're asking. You can dip 2 into Pal and divine smite in beast form, when you bite or claw. Or as the other poster said you can do a barb dip and get rage and damage resistance, which is good. But doing so puts you 2-3 levels behind on casting. And a moon druid who spends round one popping conjure animals - or call lightning - or even flaming sphere or barkskin - and who has access to higher CR animal forms - has many advantages, too - especially if that druid has warcaster or resil con to help keep those spells going as they get hit. At least Barb, if you go barb first, will give you iirc a con ST, freeing up an asi lvl for another choice.

I'm asking for any advice neat tricks or anything that pairs well with moon druid. Specifically im making a tank/utility caster. The tank part im trying to accomplish is losing as little real health as possible through the hp of wildshape and temp hp. Another goal of mine is to stay in wildshape as much as possible without being forced to revert in order to speak or interact with objects. I've already gone druid first. Great advice by the way. In fact one of my first ideas was barb druid monk warlock and yes I know I'm a tad crazy multi that much but we have every role filled so I can go crazy some even doubled down. 2 paladin 1 cleric 1 bard 1 monk and me the druid.


Check with your DM and make sure he's going to let your raven talk. I know you wouldn't be able to count on that in an AL game when you keep changing DMs. My moon druid with a wizard dip got the special familiar from an AL module that speaks several languages and used it that way. I actually built him with that familiar in mind and played that adventure specifically for it.



Both great feats but they don't pair well. One is about getting out of reach of things and the other is useless unless you stay in reach of things.



What feat? Do you mean the skill?

I thought about it more and yeah I think he would allow my raven to speak but I don't think unseen servant will last long enough for my purposes.

As for mobile and sentinel I think I'm going the former since we have 2 tanks and to put use to my impressive mobility. Any other good suggestions for feats? Would things like toughness or mobile transfer?

Yes I mean feat. It's in skill feats UA. I don't think I'll use it. It's kinda niche

So far I think my build is going to be
Moon druid 10/death monk 6/ warlock (celestial maybe?) chain 4. Anyone else?

What monk class features transfer? I'm fairly sure on unarmed and unarmored but what about ki abilities? Speed? Extra attack? Flurry? I imagine it might be easier asking what I couldn't use.

As far as invocations go I'm picking beast speech (thematic) and disguise self (more form shifting) is there any other good ideas? I'm guessing I can't use these in animal form. Any warlock spells highly recemended? Patron? Other multi ideas?