Curse of Strahd druid choices

[Aaedimus]

I'm playing Curse of Strahd and I picked a druid. The other players are:
Human Warlock (old one)
Aracockra gunslinger
Human Paladin (oath of the ancients)

I want to pick either

Variant Human Grasland land druid
1st lvl feat - ritual caster (find familiar) mobile or shield master
4th lvl feat - Magic initiate (mage armor, booming blade)
(6th lvl monk dip?)

Protector Aasimar Shephard Druid
(3rd lvl grave/tempest/trickery cleric dip?)
(Ritual caster or magic initiate?)


I'm the only full caster, however from past experience my characters tend to take initiative and put themselves in danger. The biggest goal though is to have an answer to any situation. Perfect optimization is less important than having fun and having diverse choices. Last game for example, we started in a haunted mansion and when we met an enchanted suit of armor which put me to 3hp in 1 hit my character's answer was to dodge action until it got mad at someone else,
than fireman throw it over the banister.

I feel like having haste and the extra cantrip are huge advantages, with mage armor,
Shillelagh, and booming Blade making my land druid an effective gish. A familiar could give my booming Blade advantage or provide blindsight, while mobile hit and run tactics would help me avoid death

The Aasimar shephard though is pretty powerful too, and adding the 3rd level cleric dip might put my progression off (this waiting for summons), but my skill diversity (an extra 6 prepared spells, 3 cantrips, and cleric ability) from levels 3 through 6 could be much higher, while the Shephard aura has allot of diverse users as well.

What would be the most fun, and provide the best support while also meshing with my own playstyle?

[hymer]

Normally I try to preach the gospel of the Land druid, but I think I should say something about Dreams in this case: It would fit your playstyle, especially once you get Hidden Paths. That mobility is pretty sweet, and can get you out of (or into) trouble very effectively. Having a good use for your bonus action in any case seems to fit your edgewalking style, especially when it heals.
Alternatively there's Misty Step from Coast.

I wonder why you would want to dip monk. Even when your mage armor is down, you would have to have 20 wisdom to beat the AC of studded leather + shield - and that's if none of those is magical.

[Aaedimus]

The monk or Mage armor is more to make wildshapes more effective. Along with shephard druid temp hp, bonus action unarmed strike, and Aasimar bonus damage, that almost keeps up with base moon druid wildshapes during important moments and combat while increasing my in game choices. Haste helps bridge that gap as well. A hasted monk land druid is adding 5 to 8 ac to those wildshapes as well as an extra 2 attack actions.

Dream druid only has a bonus action heal and a tiny hut like ability at level 6, which if I had ritual caster would be redundant. The more useful dreams druid abilities like hidden paths come on much after the curse of strahd story would be over in teir 3. Multiclassing grave cleric gives a detect undead in 60 ft, bonus action ranged spare the dying, and lots of useful spells prepared and known including additional temp hp. Sacred flame in an undead campaign can be useful too, as well as providing enough cantrip choices that picking between damaging and toolkit cantrips doesn't have to involve tradeoffs. The additional cleric prepared spells give more freedom to prepare a larger diversity of high level spells as well.

I'm a little worried about shepherd due to the fact that later levels revolve around summons. I'm afraid that might cause issues. They seem very strong, but I don't want the team to feel like I'm either a
-one trick pony
-heavy metagamer
-spotlight hog

I also feel that although I tend to play agressive, providing god wizard type support would be the most effective form of support for this team.

[SVamp]

I have a suggestion then: play a wizard, lol.

Seriously, abjurer (optionally with a first lvl dip into fighter for con saves n fighting style or hexblade for armour of agathys and hex , both give you armour and shield use) or blade singer seems like a much better fit. You have decent melee, great survivability and full GOD wizard awesomeness that lets everyone else feel special.

[Aaedimus]

I already played one session, as a first level druid, from which we leveled up. DM will let me change my race, but not my class. The second level hasn't been locked in yet

My issues arrived after seeing the play style of the rest of the group

[sophontteks]

Avoid dipping and multiclassing in a campaign that is over at level 10 or earlier. These dips tend to put you behind the curve in the short run, and, well, there is no long run. Putting your spells behind just 1 level will be very painful.

Shepherd druids are great. You'll have an amazing AOE heal, and you can add a ton of HP to the field at level 5+. Your animal forms will aid with scouting and utility as well.

I'm not sure if I follow your strategy. If your team is being aggressive, it seems like they would be exceptional at drawing agro, so why try to gish? Just sit back and support them in safety.

I wouldn't hold too much weight on the haunted house. You are all level 1, so your players havent been able to put their character concepts to use yet. In the main campaign picking the right fights will be better then fighting well. I had a lot of luck running a dedicated party face in CoS.

EDIT:
I see I misread this line:
"I'm the only full caster, however from past experience my characters tend to take initiative and put themselves in danger."
I thought you were talking about your party. This is a good way to lose concentration and get yourself killed.