XGTE Druids: Your impressions(thematically/mechanically)?

[The Shadowdove]

Hey forum-lurkers,

I'm a little late to the XGTE party and don't get my copy until tomorrow tonight. My local stores kept selling out of the Limited Ed. copy.

My wife has wanted to play a druid in 5e but hasn't had the opportunity until now because we'd been playing through a Hardcover.

We're wondering what the theme behind the new druids as well as the features.

What are your general impressions?

What's the flavor behind each archetype?

Any cool ideas you've had for it?

Mechanically, are there any neat tricks people have devised involving them?

Thanks in advance!

-Dove

[Foxhound438]

So both of the druids in Xan's guide are pretty cool. If I had to rate them, I would put them both above the existing archetypes in power, and way above in terms of how interesting the abilities are.

So as to what they do... Circle of dreams is more or less a "healer" druid, getting a pretty potent healing ability (completely separated from spells) that scales with level. Later features are other support type things, but nothing else is exactly healing. Just good utility stuff that can see use in a lot of situations without directly doing/healing damage, basically.

Circle of the Shepherd is more or less a "summoner", with 3/4 circle features directly interacting with conjure (x) spells. The first feature isn't, of course, since you don't have conjure (x) spells until 5th level, it's a short rest recharge area buff ability with 3 options.

Without copy/pasting all of the features into the post, that's pretty much it. If you want a better idea of what they do, they were both in UA: druids (http://media.wizards.com/2016/dnd/downloads/UA_Druid11272016_CAWS.pdf) a while back. They both saw some changes since then, but the general theme and "what they do" is still intact.

[lunaticfringe]

Dreams plays up druids environmental/travel utility. It also gets Super Healing Word. Fluffwise it's tied to the fey.

Shepards improve druid summoning and they have a buff bubble the can move around that is a summoned spirit.

I'm hesitant to mess with the shepard because I realize how aggravating Minionmancy can be from a DM's perspective. (I still use it while druiding I just don't abuse it) my first X Druid will be dreams because it looks interesting and I can freely use slots for nonhealing spells and not worry about it. Which I like, I hate getting forced into Primary Band Aid while playing a Druid.

Ya Cure Wounds once in session 1 and suddenly the GD cleric doesn't prep it...yeesh.

[Sariel Vailo]

Id like a sheppard of the wolf for druid