God... Druid?

[heavyfuel]

So, I've playing a Druid for the better part of a year now. We've just reached level 11 and I noticed that I might have been playing him a bit selfishly. I want to help the other players (3 melees with 1 being a gish), but I don't really know how. Druids don't exactly seem built for cooperation like Wizards are.

I''ll get a new feat next level but, so far, aren't really team work focused feats.

The only thing that comes to mind is using Freedom of Movement on them and then casting a crap ton of BFC. However, I fear this means the enemies (mostly Clerics, due to story reason) will just start countering the strategy with Freedom of Movement on themselves, and I prefer to have to have this trump up my sleeve for a harsh situation, and not an every combat situation.

Oh, and casting spells in Wild Shape is banned in all shapes and forms. If I want to cast, I have to remain human. No workrounds allowed.

Any ideas?

[Jack_Simth]

So, I've playing a Druid for the better part of a year now. We've just reached level 11 and I noticed that I might have been playing him a bit selfishly. I want to help the other players (3 melees with 1 being a gish), but I don't really know how. Druids don't exactly seem built for cooperation like Wizards are.

I''ll get a new feat next level but, so far, aren't really team work focused feats.

The only thing that comes to mind is using Freedom of Movement on them and then casting a crap ton of BFC. However, I fear this means the enemies (mostly Clerics, due to story reason) will just start countering the strategy with Freedom of Movement on themselves, and I prefer to have to have this trump up my sleeve for a harsh situation, and not an every combat situation.

Oh, and casting spells in Wild Shape is banned in all shapes and forms. If I want to cast, I have to remain human. No workrounds allowed.

Any ideas?
Battlefield control is pretty easy for you (Wall of Thorns, Entangle, et cetera). You've also got a reasonable amount of buffing available (Barkskin, the animal attribute spells, Air Walk, Death Ward, Delay Poison, Protection From Energy, Spider Climb, Stoneskin, et cetera). Just... go through the PHB Druid spells, and note down what you can apply to others, what can corral your opponents, and then prepare those. If one doesn't work out as well as you hoped... prepare a different spell tomorrow. One's extra effective? Prepare more copies tomorrow.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Kelpstrand (SC), Sleet Storm, Wall of Thorns, and Call Avalanche (FB) are absolutely amazing. Mass Resist Energy (SC) is always good to have prepared, convert it to a SNA III in a pinch.

Speaking of Summon Nature's Ally, if you don't already have it you should take Greenbound Summoning (LEoF). That adds extremely durable bodies to the battlefield, and each one can cast Wall of Thorns on top of opponents to trap them, even dire rats from SNA I. Get a Ring of the Beast (CC) and you can summon even more and/or better creatures with every SNA you cast. You can get a Unicorn from a SNA III with that, which can output a lot more healing than any of your other 3rd level spells.

If you want to completely break the game, have everyone in the party pitch in 2,000 gp for a 1st level Pearl of Power and to go in thirds on Lesser Rods of Extend. Every day, use those to cast Snowsight (FB) on everyone, along with Obscuring Snow (FB). Each lasts an hour/level, so extended they'll last all day. The Obscuring Snow blocks all forms of vision, effectively blinding your opponents; not even True Seeing can pierce it. I honestly have no idea why they thought it would be a good idea to print Obscuring Snow.

In a few more levels you should get a standard Metamagic Rod of Extend and a 6th level Pearl of Power. Every other day prepare Energy Immunity (SC) twice, and using those items cast it three times so it lasts 48 hours. On the days in between, prepare Energy Immunity and Superior Resistance (SC) each once, use the pearl to cast Energy Immunity twice and use the rod on all of those, each lasts 48 hours. This gives you constant immunity to all five energy types and a +6 resistance bonus to your saving throws for two 6th level spells per day and the cost of those two items. (The Pearl of Power is the same price as a +6 Cloak of Resistance would be if it wasn't an epic item.)

[DwarvenWarCorgi]

......

This is amazing.
Rashemi Elemental Summoning is another good one, lets you summon orglash instead of air elementals, they get more HP, cone of cold and become native outsiders so any spell that says it sends a summoned creature to its home plane doesn't function. (Assuming your campaign is material plane).

Once you get level 7 spells, Rain of Roses mutilates evil clerics (spell resistance applies, but evil creatures get no save vs area effect WIS damage for 1rnd/level).

[ericgrau]

I'll just add that druids have a lot of good 10 min/level buffs, and some hour/level if you dig through enough splatbooks. With repeated castings and lesser rods of extend spell you can buff the party for at least 8 hours of the day. 24 hours for the longer buffs. Or if you are going into the dungeon you can just cast the 10 min/level spells once at the entrance even without extend. Stoneskin in particular is real good, and as long as you are sure there will be a fight that day (e.g., also at a dungeon entrance) you can afford to spam the diamond dust at your level. Even after spamming it continuously it will be much more effective than if you put that gold into most items. I mean "dungeon physical attacks are no biggy" is pretty uber. Get enough lesser rods of extend spell and get to high enough level and you can deal with energy damage too. Via rod extended mass resist energy for example, of multiple energy types. Get level 1 and 2 scrolls to remove annoying conditions, having at least 1 if not a couple for each condition. Prepare a handful of versatile remove X high level spells like panacea and [any/all] restoration too. Now it's getting really hard to affect the party with much.

[Eldariel]

BFC/Debuff Druid is easy as stated. You start off with Entangle, Impeding Stones, Wall of Smoke, Kelpstrand, Blinding Spittle, etc. and go from there. Buff Druid works too. You don't have that many buffs castable on non-animal allies but you have some decent ones: Barkskin/Tortoise Skin, Instant of Power, (Mass) Snake's Swiftness, Spikes (just tell your dorks to wield wooden weapons; takes some metamagic to make it good though as it's otherwise 1 round/level standard action buff),

You can mess around with stuff like Friendly Fire too and obviously Freedom of Movement, Death Ward and company are great.


Just pick the right spells and you can God Druid easily enough. It's more focused around debuffing than buffing and obviously it's easier if your allies have Druid-friendly traits (Druids are naturally very good at buffing animals/natural attacks and wooden weapons) but you can make almost anything work. Again, just focus on disabling the enemy where buffing doesn't do the trick. Largely buffing in combat is weak due to action considerations anyways so you have to pick your poison.

You can always Last Breath cycle them into a desired form: have 'em kill themselves over and over again while you Last Breath them until you get what you want.


Peruse Eggynack's handbook and read through the spell section. You should be golden.

[Gallowglass]

Speaking of Summon Nature's Ally, if you don't already have it you should take Greenbound Summoning (LEoF). That adds extremely durable bodies to the battlefield, and each one can cast Wall of Thorns on top of opponents to trap them, even dire rats from SNA I. Get a Ring of the Beast (CC) and you can summon even more and/or better creatures with every SNA you cast. You can get a Unicorn from a SNA III with that, which can output a lot more healing than any of your other 3rd level spells.


The OPs stated goal is to STOP being a selfish player. If he starts bringing tens of other bodies under his control to each combat eating up the action economy and overshadowing the other players further, he's not really reaching his goal.

Nothing's worse than

DM: "Okay thief, your turn."

Thief: "Okay. I am flanking with the wolf so... I hit! for 23 dmg!"

"DM: "Okay. Druid?"

Druid: "Okay hang on. I finish off my other summon monsteer 1 so *rolls* 3 more dire rats pile into the combat. Hang on... let's see... rat number 1 rolls and misses... rat number 2 hits..."

half an hour later

Druid: "And wolf three hits. Another 4 dmg and a trip attempt... hit! So thatt's all 23 minions."

DM: "great, now fighter..."

Druid: "Wait! I haven't gone yet. I go ahead and start another summon monster spell..."