Feats for Druids

[Aaedimus]

I've been weighing feats for my druid's progression. Mostly interested in making an interesting fun to play character, but don't want to kick myself for it.

He's a Shepard Druid. The choices I want to pick from:

Charger
Mobile
Magic initiate(MI):
- booming blade
- prestidigitation or shape water
- mage armor

I want them all, but I'm not a human variant. I think we're going to take this campaign to level 9... so, I'm thinking I can pull 2 of them.

I really think Mobile and booming blade would be great fun as an Aasimar Druid with a temper. And the wildshape mage armor could be nice for my weak wildshapes. Am I sacrificing to much though?

Conversely, I could take Charger+Mobile or Charger+MI, which would both boost wildshape to differing degrees. 5 damage in wildshape can be allot. But my wildshapes are pretty weak anyways, and shapes like panther warhorse and wolf have potential second bonus action attacks at advantage which don't stack with charger, so there's that action economy tradeoff...

I realize Shepard Druids are generally summoners and casters, but I've gotta play the front lines with our fighter for the sorcerer and ranger and also don't want to pull the spotlight by overdoing conjure animals etc.

I'm also the healer/anti-undead (1 lvl Death Domain Cleric)

It's a mixed bag, but so far it's been fun.

[hymer]

Going to level 9, you can take two, yes. But you won't be playing much with both. So though Mobile and Booming Blade can make for a nice combo, you won't be able to make much use of it (and let's face it, it's not exactly a big deal by level 9).
In terms of fighting power, your wild shape can do something for you in the early levels, but it drops off pretty quickly. It doesn't pair well with getting Booming Blade, so if you're picking that up, you may be thinking that it's there to take over from your wild shapes. Charger likewise doesn't work well with a lot of wild shapes. Most of the charging ones use the bonus action as part of their charge (see panther or lion,, e.g.)
If you want to be able to mix it up in melee, Shillelagh and PAM may be the way to go. There's the cheesy quarterstaff + shield combo, which technically allows you to attack twice with your staff while getting the protection of a shield. Or you can pair Shillelagh with Booming Blade, if you can find a way to make the enemy move after applying BB.

[nickl_2000]

So you are front lines, if you are going to be mixing it up with a weapon you need either GFB or BB. After all, Druid don't have a second attack option class. So, MI is required.

I wouldn't bother with Mage Armor for Wildshapes though. You wildshapes are more for utility than for combat since you aren't a moon Druid. Use your forms to climb, burrow, scout, stealth, and hide. If you are found, the extra 3 AC from mage armor won't make that much of a difference. Instead look at other spells that may be useful to you. Find Familiar, Feather Fall, Longstrider, and Shield all come to mind.

Mobile is a fun feat, although it will be slightly less effective on your character as it would be on others since you only get to attack once, but it is a possibility for you.

Other things that may be fun:
-Elemental Adapt Thunder would apply to BB, but I'm not sure how much else on the Druid list
-Healer is always a good spell
-Martial Adept could be interesting
-PAM mentioned before is great with a Shilleighed Staff
-Warcaster so you can BB on AoOs and be less likely to lose concentration

[sophontteks]

The entire point of shepherd druid is lost if you go in the front lines, doubly so if your entering the front lines in wildshape form. Even if you are doing it for fun, risking a concentration check and losing all of your summons is practically suicidal.

If you want to do anything remotely like this do not be a shepherd druid. Your summons are a huge hp pool for the front lines and risking them by going in yourself is a liability.

[Corpsecandle717]

I don't think a shepherd druid needs to be a rear line player, however I don't see how it can be managed without at least picking up war caster or resilient(con). You can get your AC pretty high to help mitigate some of those, but you're still going to be making a lot of concentration checks.

As for the feats you're going for, the only one I don't question is Magic initiate for the cantrips. Mobility and Charger are both meant to empower a player to chase down enemies, however as a druid you're pretty good at getting the baddies to come to you. If for some reason you're standing on the field and no one is attacking you that means you're free to lob your spells until someone takes notice (Thorn whip is really great at getting some attention). There's a guide on this forum for Druids who want to be front liners. There's some good points made and I'd suggest you take a look at it.

[Maxilian]

The entire point of shepherd druid is lost if you go in the front lines, doubly so if your entering the front lines in wildshape form. Even if you are doing it for fun, risking a concentration check and losing all of your summons is practically suicidal.

If you want to do anything remotely like this do not be a shepherd druid. Your summons are a huge hp pool for the front lines and risking them by going in yourself is a liability.

I agree, though i dont think that means its a big NO to try this things, is mostly to be smart about it, i mean... with feats like Mobile and a good Wildshape, you should be able to attack the front lines without staying there

[nickl_2000]

I agree, though i dont think that means its a big NO to try this things, is mostly to be smart about it, i mean... with feats like Mobile and a good Wildshape, you should be able to attack the front lines without staying there

Ya, but what is a good wildshape for a non-moon Druid when attacking? I mean, you are going to do poor damage and your attack bonus will suck too.

[RickAsWritten]

I'm currently playing an Underdark Land Druid with Alert. With the amount of battlefield control spells on the Druid list, going first(or near it) is immensely important. For Shepard, it'll let you get that wall of summons in place before the enemy gets positioned. I highly recommend Alert for Druids. If you really want to mix it up in the frontline, grab Polearm Master and Shillelagh away...ly.

[hymer]

Ya, but what is a good wildshape for a non-moon Druid when attacking? I mean, you are going to do poor damage and your attack bonus will suck too.

True enough, but compared to what? Most druids don't deal much at-will damage. So putting on a panther shape, say, can be worthwhile in charging into melee. I've found it useful in getting into position and charging down the enemy leader. The extra hp is just another little bonus.

[sophontteks]

True enough, but compared to what? Most druids don't deal much at-will damage. So putting on a panther shape, say, can be worthwhile in charging into melee. I've found it useful in getting into position and charging down the enemy leader. The extra hp is just another little bonus.
Compared to eight cr 1/4 creatures at 5th. and eight cr 1/4 fey at 8th, and a CR 5 elemental at 10th.
Its a shepherd druid. Risking your summons for some paltry damage is a net loss.

[hymer]

Compared to eight cr 1/4 creatures at 5th. and eight cr 1/4 fey at 8th, and a CR 5 elemental at 10th.
Its a shepherd druid. Risking your summons for some paltry damage is a net loss.

Absolutely, though that isn't at-will damage at all.
You can't conjure those until at least level 5. I'm talking about the three levels where you can get real combat use out of wild shape, even as a non-moon druid. And even at level 5, putting on a wild shape in desperation is not unheard of, if you're out of spell slots and get attacked during a rest.

[Man_Over_Game]

Have you considered War Caster? It'd be a decent enough fit for what you're looking for.

As for a combat cantrip, you could look at Magic Stone. Summon a bunch of baboons and make a small artillery force.

Primal Savagery is also an option that doesn't require a feat. In addition, Mobile doesn't require a weapon attack, just a melee attack, so combining the two saves you a feat requirement rather than Booming Blade.

[Aaedimus]

Ya, but what is a good wildshape for a non-moon Druid when attacking? I mean, you are going to do poor damage and your attack bonus will suck too.

I can tack allot of damage on to my wildshape attacks with the Aasimar racial ability and possibly with charger. See below for a level 5 & 8 comparison of wildshapes.

A Dire Wolf is CR1 (the limit until level 6) with 37 HP and an average of 10 damage per turn (no bonus action attack) with forms like he brown bear and giant spider making closer to 17 after saving throw failures.

At level 4/5 a Shepard Druid can turn into a warhorse with +10 movement, and 11 damage per attack and possibly 2 attacks.

The Shepard Druid Bear Spirit is useable in wildshape and would add 10 temp HP at level 5, adding an additional 5 radiant damage per turn for the racial feat, making a potential 26 damage per turn with saving throw failures, and 16+ average without. The wildshape than has HP matching the CR 1 Giant Spider but a matching AC with the Dire Wolf with Mage Armor.

At level 8, the Giant Elk gets 22 damage, 29 possible after failed saving throw. 44 HP and 14 A.C.

The Mage Armor Shephard Druid Aasimar Giant Spider has 43 HP, 16 AC, 12 damage with 21 after failed saving throw.

Aasimar Shepard Druid doesn't quite scale with non-aasimar Moon Shapes, but I'm thinking it can come close enough with Mage Armor and racial features.

Basically, I made my character than realized my place in the party. I'm already stuck with the first few levels, so I can't change my race or class.

Warcaster was another possible alternative i had for Mobile at 8th Level, my Constitution though is 14, so some of the benefit would be wasted. I guess we will have to see if I'm having issues holding my concentration at level 8 lol

I really do want to take booming blade though for use with my Shillelagh for when I'm not wildshaped or caring. For the second cantrip though I have absolutely no idea what I might want to take. I wish I could use message while in wildshape.

I'm going to try and not summon for every single encounter. That would get old. Instead, it'll be a powerful special occasion. It's Curse of Strahd. I summon 8 Giant Boosted Bats!

[MaxWilson]

The entire point of shepherd druid is lost if you go in the front lines, doubly so if your entering the front lines in wildshape form. Even if you are doing it for fun, risking a concentration check and losing all of your summons is practically suicidal.

Unless you don't even have any summons for this fight.

There's nothing wrong with wildshaping into a CR 1 Giant Toad every once in a while to play with 78 free HP per short rest, plus grapple/restraining of enemies that you hit, which BTW makes your opportunity attacks better than a Sentinel fighter in some ways.

If you know how to win easy fights cheaply, you are more likely to have expensive options like Conjure Animals V still available for hard fights. Plus, variety is fun.

Furthermore, there is absolutely nothing wrong with e.g. a Mobile Divine Sorcerer 1/Shepherd Druid 6 who sometimes relies on Fire Bolt and/or Booming Blade in addition to summons. The whole point of skirmish tactics like Mobile is to make sure that you aren't at risk of getting hit, let alone losing concentration. This is doubly true if you have 50' of movement (Longstrider + Mobile) and a wall of meat shields with opportunity attacks to retreat behind after you attack.

[Aaedimus]

Have you considered War Caster? It'd be a decent enough fit for what you're looking for.

As for a combat cantrip, you could look at Magic Stone. Summon a bunch of baboons and make a small artillery force.

Primal Savagery is also an option that doesn't require a feat. In addition, Mobile doesn't require a weapon attack, just a melee attack, so combining the two saves you a feat requirement rather than Booming Blade.

Magic Stone is interesting... I could even summon 4 Apes for that...

I actually traded primal savagery for shillelagh because I don't need a feat to do an opportunity attack, and was planning on going magic initiate anyways

[Aaedimus]

I am a little concerned about the concentration issues.

How big of a problem do you think that might be?

[sophontteks]

I am a little concerned about the concentration issues.

How big of a problem do you think that might be?
It's a huge, huge problem. It is the problem. The big weakness of the shepherd druid.

[Aaedimus]

If I don't use my summons every every encounter in guessing it's less of an issue?

I mean, a land or dreams druid has it just as rough, right?

[sophontteks]

Land druids have an extended spell list with some defensive spells and better non-concentration spells.

You'll be hard pressed to find an archtype/class more concerned with concentration then a shepherd druid. You will be casting summons every combat where it really matters, and even if you didn't all of your best spells still require concentration. And if you lose it mid-fight, it may be TPK.

Do what is fun. Nothig wrong with that. But don't underestimate just how big of a deal concentration will be if you play in the frontlines as a caster without warcaster or profeciency in con saves.

[Aaedimus]

I'll take that to account.
As long as it's not a TLK we're good. If I die, #1, I've heard that in Curse of Strahd that's not always the end, #2 As you can see: I like building characters. I've got a few ideas in my back pocket.

One thing I do want to avoid is constant frustration. That's part of why I'm here.