druid help

[moonshinebard]

I am building a level 5 human druid for an upcoming game. I have never played a druid and wanted to see what anyone thought of my plan and see if I was missing anything big in order to play effectively.

First, I am using the Deadly Hunter UA variant which swaps wildshape for monk AC bonus as well as track and the favored enemy progression from ranger. I know its not optimized, but it fits the character concept I have in mind and I don't want to take away too much from the fighters and rogues by being able to do their jobs better by becoming a bear or bird.


My main questions are around feat and spell selection. Ive tried to familiarize myself with druid spells but want to build a set of spells I will normally prepare. This is what I have as of now

Feats:
(Human) Improved Initiative
(1) Two Weapon Fighting
(3) Combat Casting

Spells: Given a Wisdom score of 18 with a periapt of wisdom Ill be able to prepare seven 1st level, six 2nd level and five 3rd level spells.

1st: Shillelagh, Obscuring Mist, Entangle, Speak with Animals, Charm Animal, Cure Light Wounds, Faerie
2nd: Gust of Wind, Splinterbolt, Blinding Spittle, Natures Favor, Bulls Strength, Master Air
3rd: Call Lightning, Alter Fortune, Entangling Staff, Spikes, Sleet Storm



Any suggestions on feats to replace the ones I have planned or to take in the future as well as spells to consider would be greatly appreciated.

[eggynack]

My sigged handbook has a buncha stuff. Beyond that, what books ya got? Also, is there anything in particular you want to do?

[moonshinebard]

My sigged handbook has a buncha stuff. Beyond that, what books ya got? Also, is there anything in particular you want to do?

Wow that is an incredibly detailed post. Being quarantined Ill have some time to look through that, what an awesome resource!

Pretty much just players handbook and spell compendium. The DM allows other things on a case by case basis. The complete series is usually good with him.

My idea for the character is someone who starts encounters doing battlefield control and damage spells from afar if possible, then buffing up my quarterstaff with the shillelagh/spikes/entangling staff to support melee and clean up. I have played mostly melee characters in the past and want that to still be part of the character. I also want some versatility in my spells to have some use out of combat. I also really like the animal companion. I've been a big fan of natural bond with my rangers in the past and am considering a one level dip into Beastmaster.

[moonshinebard]

Another question I had was if Brambles and Spikes applies to both ends of the quarterstaff. By my reading of them I think it could apply to both sides, but I know the rules with enchanting double weapons tend to mean that it only applies to one side. If it does only apply to one side I'm thinking it wont be worth the extra round to cast Shillelagh and grabbing power attack instead of TWF

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

With that variant your weapon attacks aren't really going to be worthwhile, try to focus more on spellcasting and get a reserve feat and a strong animal companion for dealing damage. Take Fiery Burst (CM) as your 3rd level feat, you can enable it by preparing Heat Metal (2nd) or similar, or any of Control Temperature (FB), Fire Wings (SC), or Wreath of Flames (DM) at 3rd level to make it better.

Combat Casting is a trash feat that you should only ever take if it's a prerequisite for something you need. Also replace TWF, take Natural Bond in Complete Adventurer and get a 'Level -3' animal companion like a Fleshraker dinosaur (MM3) or Dire Eagle (RoS). Natural Bond will allow you to still add your full Druid level toward its benefits. Prepare Enrage Animal (SC) to buff your companion if you need to fight stuff. You should typically try to stay out of melee, you won't be as squishy as a wizard or sorcerer but you're still a back row spellcaster. Your melee attacks won't be anything to write home about but you can still help flank if needed and make AoOs, keep in mind reserve feats don't require concentration or provoke AoOs.

Your spell selection needs some work, you should prepare multiples of the best spells you can cast. Some of those you've selected are situational spells that you'll almost never get a chance to use (Speak with Animals, Charm Animal). Others are for buffing your own attacks, which isn't really worthwhile. A spellcaster's job is to do things non-spellcasters can't do, which is basically everything except dealing damage. Here's what I'd have prepared every day, adjust as needed based on specific adventures:

1st: Enrage Animal x2, Wall of Smoke x2, Faerie Fire, Omen of Peril, Cure Light Wounds.
2nd: Creeping Cold* (SC), Kelpstrand x2 (SC), Mass Snake's Swiftness (SC), Earthbind (SC), Primal Hunter** (DM).
3rd: Sleet Storm x2, Mass Resist Energy (SC), Primal Instinct** (DM), and any one of the above fire spells to enable Fiery Burst.
* Only if you have a Lesser Metamagic Rod of Extend, since that increases it from 6d6 over three rounds to 21d6 over six rounds.
** Cast these on yourself every day. If you cast them (Rod of) Extended you can also cast them for your animal companion and they'll stay in place if it gets out of share spells range.

Honorable Mentions: Lesser Restoration is good to have prepared at least once. (Greater) Luminous Armor (BoED) amazing, but you can only use it if you're good-aligned.

Your items should include at least one Lesser Metamagic Rod of Extend, probably a Rod of Bodily Restoration (MIC) if you use Luminous Armor, and the standard Anklet of Translocation (MIC) and Healing Belt (MIC) that everyone should have.

Start each fight with a crowd control, depending on the number of opponents and estimated difficulty of the encounter. Wall of Smoke can be cast across multiple creatures' spaces to force an immediate save vs nauseated, plus it forces their ranged attackers to move around or through it to be effective. Kelpstrand is amazing and can even work on larger opponents fairly often. Sleet Storm is one of the best crowd control spells in the game and is extremely powerful for its level. The idea is that you spend one standard action to cast one spell that deprives multiple opponents of one or more turns. Between Improved Initiative, Primal Instinct, and a decent Dex score, you should pretty much always go before the opponents.

Your 6th level feat should be the Summon Elemental reserve feat. Use that to scout ahead, Nodwick the traps, set things on fire or douse fires or do something cool with a whirlwind or earth glide through the wall/floor to see what lies ahead, etc. Future items should include a Ring of the Beast (CC) which allows you to use SNA III to get a Unicorn, which blocks extraplanar creatures and suppresses charm and dominate effects with its magic circle, and can put out a lot more healing than you could have done with a cure spell of that level.

Edit: If you want to completely break the game, get the rest of the party to each contribute 2,000 gp for a 1st level Pearl of Power and to go in thirds on Lesser Rods of Extend. Use those to put Snowsight (FB) on everyone in the party, including yourself and your animal companion, and also cast Obscuring Snow (FB) every day. This effectively gives you a 30-ft. radius of total blindness that can't be overcome except by Snowsight or similar effects, which your entire party is immune to. Other spellcasters in the party can probably also cast Obscuring Snow so you can get total coverage if your party spreads out during a fight.

[ciopo]

Spells: Given a Wisdom score of 18 with a periapt of wisdom Ill be able to prepare seven 1st level, six 2nd level and five 3rd level spells.

1st: Shillelagh, Obscuring Mist, Entangle, Speak with Animals, Charm Animal, Cure Light Wounds, Faerie
2nd: Gust of Wind, Splinterbolt, Blinding Spittle, Natures Favor, Bulls Strength, Master Air
3rd: Call Lightning, Alter Fortune, Entangling Staff, Spikes, Sleet Storm



Any suggestions on feats to replace the ones I have planned or to take in the future as well as spells to consider would be greatly appreciated.

how do you have 7 1st 6 2nd and 5 rd at level 5? a wisdom of 20 would be 5 1st, 3 2nd and 2 3rd at level 5
I am confused

Anyway, spells :

3rd level : arctic haze (frostburn) is savage when combined with entangle
I strongly recommend having a heart of water (complete mage) prepared too, for the on spot "early entry" Freedom of movement, but that depends on the likelyhood of the DM throwing stuff that needs FoM your way
I am partial to using lesser vigor instead of the cure light wounds
barkskin is a old staple
cloudburst (1st or 2nd level, depending if oyu go with spell compendium or complete divine) is great utility
eyes of avoral (book of exalted deeds) is 10minutes/level of +8 racial spot, 1st circle
I see you are preparing bull strength, but since you have a periapt of wisdom I find it likely that your martial friends will have a strength item, they would not stack