Should I replace my fire sorcerer for spores druid?

[Brenoli]

Hi all,

I am in doubt and would like your advise. I now have a level 5 fire Dragon sorcerer and the battles we run usually last for many rounds. I run out of spells and sorcery points fast. Now I am looking towards a spores druid.

I would build this spores druid as follows:
Human with magic initiate taking BB and GFB and at 4 I would grab war caster.
If I can get special not metal medium armour I could get my ac to 17 or 18. In case he doesn't want to do that I could still grab mage armour from magic initiate feat getting my ac to 17 (2 from DEX and 2 from shield).

With the extra hp from spores druid and this ac I would say I can take a hit in melee range. I can also deal 2d8 plus 3 (shilelagh and 16 wisdom) plus 1d6 poison damage without burning a spell slot. I can then choose to use reaction for 6 spore damage (increasing to a whopping 12 at level 6) or withhold that if I expect I can do attack of opportunity in enemy round. If so, I would cast booming blade dealing the aforementioned damage again plus maybe 2d8 more if they actually move away from me.

I think this is quite a lot of damage without spending spell slots which I cannot match without burning spell slots and or sorcery points on my sorcerer and even if I would spend spell slots or sorcery points, it still quite even. This makes me wonder why I shouldn't just go for spores druid. I like to cast, but with spores druid I can cast more diverse and situational and still have good damage and survivability without burning spell slots.

Thoughts? Am I overlooking things or does spores druid Indeed seem strong and versatile?

[Grod_The_Giant]

Bear in mind that you're about to hit lv 6, and your cantrip damage is going to get a huge boost.

That said, Circle of Spores is pretty fierce. Personally, I'd suggest Polearm Master over Magic Initiate, but between solid melee abilities and Animate Dead, you ought to be pretty reliable.

[Brenoli]

Bear in mind that you're about to hit lv 6, and your cantrip damage is going to get a huge boost.

That said, Circle of Spores is pretty fierce. Personally, I'd suggest Polearm Master over Magic Initiate, but between solid melee abilities and Animate Dead, you ought to be pretty reliable.Well, I would rate that as a small boost, but ok. I mean, without spending spell slots or sorcery points is at best plus 4 on a fire bolt. But at 6 the spores druid spore damage goes up from 6 to 12, which is a bigger boost imo.

[Brenoli]

Any people who have experience with this build and/or can also confirm that this is a solid and versatile build?

[Contrast]

Its worth highlighting that activating the symbiotic entity is an action. This tactic does also require you to be in combat which means less chance of keeping up your concentration spells.

It's certainly more at will damage though. It really depends what you're trying to achieve with the character.

[Brenoli]

Its worth highlighting that activating the symbiotic entity is an action. This tactic does also require you to be in combat which means less chance of keeping up your concentration spells.

It's certainly more at will damage though. It really depends what you're trying to achieve with the character.How I see this character/how I want to play is as a melee tank/dps while retaining full spell casting ability (sometimes for big damage spells but mostly for utility helping my team out). Naturally there are better thanks out there (barb, full plate cleric/fighter with shield) or DPSers, but I still believe with the extra HP and shield it's a tanky character with good melee range damage while preserving spell slots for the occasional cool spell. Btw we also have a paladin I do not need to be the only tank). Since I also take war caster and have a pretty good AC I would think I won't break concentration that fast generally.

[Aleister VII]

The spore damage seems superior IMO, I'd also would pick PAM from the start over MI, but once per day mage armor sounds solid at low levels, the blade cantrips however shine at higher levels unless you take spell sniper booming blade or something.

I personally lack experience with spore druid but a few people has told me that it's somewhat broken in some cases.

[Kadesh]

The damage is numerically superior when not facing against the many higher level resistant foes. That said, Fire has the same issue.

[Brenoli]

The spore damage seems superior IMO, I'd also would pick PAM from the start over MI, but once per day mage armor sounds solid at low levels, the blade cantrips however shine at higher levels unless you take spell sniper booming blade or something.

I personally lack experience with spore druid but a few people has told me that it's somewhat broken in some cases.I can see the benefit of PAM, but I would think the benefits aren't that big compared to Magic Initiate with BB and GFB. At lower levels it may outshine a bit, but not even that much and situationally. Later (when BB en GFB add 2d8 to the initial target) it already get's outshined a lot and then you are stuck with a feat that is mediocre at best. Note that as melee I will often have more targets for GFB and with a second target GFB already does more damage then PAM at lower levels. Also BB can keep enemies from walking away from you to attack your allies (or suffer great damage). Also, at 10 you can use bonus action for spore AOE. This interferes with PAM as well.

Granted PAM obviously also has OA when the enemy enters your reach, but I would still think BB/GFB (especially BB) offers more.

[Brenoli]

The damage is numerically superior when not facing against the many higher level resistant foes. That said, Fire has the same issue.You mean the damage of the spore druid is superior?

[Kadesh]

You mean the damage of the spore druid is superior?

Ye. Going by the nukbers stated upthread. Doesn't mean much when most resist or are immune.

[Brenoli]

Ye. Going by the nukbers stated upthread. Doesn't mean much when most resist or are immune.Well, as others have suggested, I will ask my DM if I can choose between poison or necrotic at a certain level.

[Vogie]

I mean if you're going to ask your DM to adjust things already, go ahead and flesh out a concept.

Replace all poison damage for Fire Damage, refluff the Spore Druid for the Wildfire Druid
Replace all poison damage for Cold Damage, refluff the Spore Druid for the Blizzard Druid
Replace all poison damage for Necrotic Damage, refluff the Spore Druid for the Blight Druid


If you have the stats for it, I'd also do a 2 level dip in Fiend Warlock. You'd be able to grab the Cloak of Baalzebul (a cloak of flies equivalent, but available earlier for Fiend locks only) and Armor of shadows for at-will Mage Armor, as well as 2 spell slots that refresh on a short rest (while all of your druid abilities refresh on a long rest). On top of that, the Dark One's Blessing feature would augment the THP that your Symbiotic form gives you. You'd also have access to Booming blade without the MI feat.