Druid of spores in Ravnica questions

[Brenoli]

Hi all,

Seems Spore druid is going into new guildmasters guide: https://www.sageadvice.eu/2018/10/05/revealed-circle-of-spores-druid-from-guildmasters-guide-to-ravnica/

Just wondering if this already permanent, or is it possible that there will be changes?

Anyhow, I like that the guaruanteed damage part is gone, but that con safe feels rough, and the damage nerf is quite severe (at level 14 from 24 guaranteed to 2d10 with con safe, so on average around 5? So from 24 to 5..) . Just to be sure; if a creature succeeds it's con safe, is your reaction than still wasted? Logically I would think so, but then, it actually says that you can use your reaction..UNLESS it succeeds saving throw, so reading it literally I would think you do not waste your reaction if they succeed on saving throw (because you cannot use your reaction if they succeed).


Also I do not like that you loose the symbiotic benefits when your temp hp are gone. Feels weird as well, because it seems to me that this class is meant to be front line, but switching already takes an entire action and those temp hp can be lost within a round..

Please notice though, that now you can actually use your reaction in enemy turn, whereas previously only in your own turn. That is obviously nice and it's also nice that you can now more easilly create zombies, although I would have rather had a slightly stronger creature without undead fortitude.

To me it would feel a lot better if you retain benefits after loosing temp hp and if the damage nerf of halo of spores wasn't so severe.

Thoughts?

[Eragon123]

Hi all,

Logically I would think so, but then, it actually says that you can use your reaction..UNLESS it succeeds saving throw, so reading it literally I would think you do not waste your reaction if they succeed on saving throw (because you cannot use your reaction if they succeed).


I disagree with your reading.

"When a creature you can see moves into a space within 10 feet of you or starts its turn there, you can use a reaction to deal 1d4 necrotic damage to that creature unless it succeeds on a Constitution Saving Throw against you Spell Save DC."

If they make the save, you don't deal the damage, you still spent a reaction.


Overall I think the Con save is rough but the damage type change helps. Also the damage nerf hurts. However I am still excited to play this arch-type.

[Foxhound438]

the damage nerf is probably fine, considering it's free extra damage that doesn't really interfere with anything else you're doing. I only wish it would still do half damage if they succeed while you're in the alt form, since as it is you're going to just gum up game time with your reaction that they just roll a die against and then often nothing happens from it.

Losing the form benefit after THP is gone is probably fine considering that the THP is now almost double what the original had. I still don't think you're anything close to a tank, as you have neither extra attack nor good armor, but using it to add say... 30HP is probably going to buy you more than one turn.

[Eragon123]

Losing the form benefit after THP is gone is probably fine considering that the THP is now almost double what the original had. I still don't think you're anything close to a tank, as you have neither extra attack nor good armor, but using it to add say... 30HP is probably going to buy you more than one turn.

Well they still have medium armor, especially if they can get some ironwood or dragon hide equivalent. And while you may not get extra attack you get the extra poison damage on a melee weapon hit which is similar to melee clerics. Not to mention Guardian of Nature (flame blade also does below average to decent damage by itself but isn't in flavor and you lose the poison damage). I do wish they just change druid features such as these to melee attacks so we can do cool stuff with Flame Blade or Thorn Whip or even primal savagery.

[Foxhound438]

Well they still have medium armor, especially if they can get some ironwood or dragon hide equivalent. And while you may not get extra attack you get the extra poison damage on a melee weapon hit which is similar to melee clerics. Not to mention Guardian of Nature (flame blade also does below average to decent damage by itself but isn't in flavor and you lose the poison damage). I do wish they just change druid features such as these to melee attacks so we can do cool stuff with Flame Blade or Thorn Whip or even primal savagery.

honestly this one should have just had extra attack at 6th rather than useless zombie maker.

Medium armor's crux is, as you alluded to, finding non-metal variants of the decent armor. If your DM isn't willing to give you that, your best armor is hide, which is just worse studded leather.

As far as I can see, the best way to use this is probably to multiclass into monk for bonus action attacks, wisdom armor, and maybe if you don't mind being super behind on spells (and THP progression), extra attack. A lot of the monk subclasses don't play super well with it, but drunken master seems okay. I'd MC from levels 6 to 8, then go druid for however much longer the game lasts.