5e Druid Handbook - Dreams, Land, Moon, and Shepherd

[hymer]

@ TorqueSpec: Thanks for your thought!
The text in my PHB indicates that it can't light your own equipment on fire. Given that distinction, as long as you're trying to set other stuff on fire with it, you should be fine. I agree you can't set things on fire from range, but that's hardly news.
As for the comparison with a torch, it's hands free unlike a torch, and can be turned on a whole lot easier than a torch, and whether or not you have a torch - and of course it doesn't set your hair or clothes on fire by accident, in case your DM is like that.
So my analysis of Produce Flame is based on it shedding light, being able to set stuff on fire, and it dealing acceptable damage (for a druid cantrip, anyway) with the better means of application (spell attack roll) at shortish range. That's green in my book.

[MaxWilson]

@ TorqueSpec: Thanks for your thought!
The text in my PHB indicates that it can't light your own equipment on fire. Given that distinction, as long as you're trying to set other stuff on fire with it, you should be fine. I agree you can't set things on fire from range, but that's hardly news.
As for the comparison with a torch, it's hands free unlike a torch, and can be turned on a whole lot easier than a torch, and whether or not you have a torch - and of course it doesn't set your hair or clothes on fire by accident, in case your DM is like that.
So my analysis of Produce Flame is based on it shedding light, being able to set stuff on fire, and it dealing acceptable damage (for a druid cantrip, anyway) with the better means of application (spell attack roll) at shortish range. That's green in my book.

Also, if you say, "I throw Produce Flame at the puddle of oil to set it aflame!" and your DM says, "You can only throw the flame at a creature because that's what it says in the spell text," give him a funny look and consider finding a new DM.

[ohster]

First off, thank you for this comprehensive guide! I've referred to it often. I have a question about one of the spell picks.

In your quick spell picks section, you suggested heat metal/flaming sphere/moonbeam. I was curious as to what situations you would recommend flaming sphere over moonbeam. Moonbeam has a greater range, more damage, and less resisted damage type, and a fairly situational rider. Flaming sphere ignites flammable objects and sheds light. Other than that, it seems like moonbeam is a more effective choice. But as both are 2nd level spells, I'm sure I've got to be missing something.

[Crgaston]

First off, thank you for this comprehensive guide! I've referred to it often. I have a question about one of the spell picks.

In your quick spell picks section, you suggested heat metal/flaming sphere/moonbeam. I was curious as to what situations you would recommend flaming sphere over moonbeam. Moonbeam has a greater range, more damage, and less resisted damage type, and a fairly situational rider. Flaming sphere ignites flammable objects and sheds light. Other than that, it seems like moonbeam is a more effective choice. But as both are 2nd level spells, I'm sure I've got to be missing something.

Moonbeam affects 4 squares. Flaming Sphere affects 9. Moving moonbeam takes an action. Moving FS uses s bonus action.

[hymer]

@ ohster: You're welcome!
Crgaston has pointed out the mechanics of why you might want FS over MB (thanks!). To put it in some situations, suppose you have a strong at-will attack you want to be able to use. You could be an elf with high dex and a longbow, and you want to shoot with it every round you can, e.g. Or you could be in a situation, where you expect one big fight that day, and you might as well pump out spells quickly. So you need that Action every round.
You might think of it this way: Moonbeam is 'old faithful' of those three. It will usually be castable and efficient. And if the party are really good at holding enemies in one place, it gets that much better. But in the right circumstances, Heat Metal or Flaming Sphere can significantly outperform Moonbeam.

[MaxWilson]

Moonbeam affects 4 squares. Flaming Sphere affects 9. Moving moonbeam takes an action. Moving FS uses s bonus action.

Note though that Flaming Sphere only affects 1 enemy when you move it with your bonus action. In order to get the full 9 squares of AoE, you need 9 squares of enemies who are unwilling or unable to simply leave the area on their turn before they take damage.

This means that in practice Flaming Sphere's area is more like 1 or 2 squares: the guy you ram with your bonus action and anyone your party has grappled or restrained.

[Crgaston]

Note though that Flaming Sphere only affects 1 enemy when you move it with your bonus action. In order to get the full 9 squares of AoE, you need 9 squares of enemies who are unwilling or unable to simply leave the area on their turn before they take damage.

This means that in practice Flaming Sphere's area is more like 1 or 2 squares: the guy you ram with your bonus action and anyone your party has grappled or restrained.

Absolutely this... it’s not 9 squares of damage, but 9 squares where your enemies typically won’t want to end their turn. Sorry for not differentiating.

But if you park it thoughtfully, it can potentially encourage enemies to move and possibly draw an AoO.

[MaxWilson]

Absolutely this... it’s not 9 squares of damage, but 9 squares where your enemies typically won’t want to end their turn. Sorry for not differentiating.

But if you park it thoughtfully, it can potentially encourage enemies to move and possibly draw an AoO.

Yeah, the difficulty here is that the usual reason you'd want an enemy not to end his turn somewhere is because a squishy PC is adjacent to one or more of those squares... but you don't want a squishy PC to be within one of the 9 squares affected by Flaming Sphere.

You might be able to usefully deny 3 or 4 squares to an enemy, but in those scenarios Moonbeam is probably still better. (It also denies 4 squares, it does more damage, and it denies crossing those squares as well as stopping in them.)

Overall, the main advantage to Flaming Sphere over Moonbeam is not really about the AoE at all, it's the bonus action vs. action to control. That being said, IMO it's a rather weak spell.

[hymer]

I have seen Flaming Sphere used very effectively as area denial in specific cases: When you are facing ranged attackers, who come out from behind a corner or cover to shoot, and then duck back in after. You roll the sphere in where they want to hide.
But generally I agree that you are unlikely to pick it for area denial. It's the action economy you want it for. It's a lesser version of Spiritual Weapon in many respects.

[SonOfMyths73]

I noticed you marked Magic Initate as red. Why? Am I the only one who gets Mage Armor and uses that to increase the AC of almost all my beast forms by at least +2, sometimes +3? It puts nearly everything under Huge in the 15 to 17 AC range, without multiclassing.

[hymer]

@ SonOfMyths73: I'm sure you're not alone.
Mage Armor works better for the low CR beasts, who have more Dex and less Natural Armor. Once you get up to CR 3, the bonus from Mage Armor is nothing, with very few exceptions. I can't think of one just off the top of my head, so there may be none. It's still great for the Air Elemental, so look forward to that. But for beasts, not so much.
Other strikes against the getting Mage Armor with a feat include the limited time period. Depending on your working day, you may have to do some hard prioritization. It probably won't be on if you get ambushed during a long rest, e.g.. The occasional lost Action at the beginning of a surprise fight can also be very annoying, especially if the ambush turns out to be easy, and then there's no more fighting for eight hours.
I should also mention that you'd hope that there is a friendly wizard or sorcerer who can spare you a Mage Armor when it matters. For many druids, this would be the case.

All in all, 'could be a waste of your stuff' seems the right rating, there. It might do good for you, but between being situational and hoping for access from other sources, I'd think hard before I took it.

[Merudo]

Good guide! Thank you for your work, hymer.

Quick question. Why is "Variant Human" only green?

It's arguably the best race if you are planning to ever pick a feat - in which case it is a much stronger choice than Wood Elf or Hill Dwarf.

Raw numbers show it is so much better to pick up the feat at Variant Human at level 1, and spend your ASI on +2 Wisdom, instead of say picking Wood Elf and spend your level 4 ASI on the feat.

This means starting level 4, the Variant Human will always have +2 Wisdom over a Wood Elf / Hill Dwarf / etc who took a feat.

The Variant Human ends up with more stats overall at level 4 (+2 Wisdom and +1 to two stats, versus +1 to Wisdom and +2 to Dex/Con).

The bad thing about the Variant Human is that you don't get the cool bonuses from Wood Elf / Hill Dwarf. However Druids get access to the Darkvision spell and don't benefit from racial Darkvision while in Wildshape anyway, so they are hurt way less than other classes by this.

Wood Elf also gives you Proficiency in Perception, but Variant Human gives you an extra skill proficiency in anything, so that's better for the variant human. Other abilities like Fleet of Foot & Mask of the Wild are neat but certainly not worth foregoing a +2 to Wisdom.

As for feats, most Moon Druids will want to eventually take either Resilient(Con) or Warcaster, which means Variant Human is the best choice for them.

[hymer]

@ Merudo: You're welcome! And that's a pretty long, quick question you have there.
First, I'll quote myself from an earlier thread, because you're not alone in your sentiment. Waazraath and EnderDwarf have likewise (if less lengthily ) aired similar thoughts in a previous incarnation of this guide. Here's what I told them (bonus points for spotting typos), first running a comparison between wood elves and variant humans:

VHumans get +1 to two different stats. That'd likely be +1 wis and +1 con or dex.
Wood elves get +1 to wisdom, +2 to dex.
Prettty even so far.

VHumans get a free skill proficiency.
Wood elves get proficiency in what is possibly the most used skill for anyone: Perception.
Again, pretty close.

VHumans get an extra feat.
Wood elves get darkvision, 35' base move, trance, resistance to charm, immunity to sleep, proficiency in some weapons, and the ability to hide more effectively behind natural effects.

Bottom line is that wood elves get more stuff. VHumans get more flexible stuff. So how good are feats for druids? Druids don't have feats along the usefulness of Great Weapon Master for a barbarian or Heavy Armor Master for a low level paladin. Feats are good for a druid, but they do not turn things upside down for them the way they do for many other classes. And let's not forget that if feats are in play, eventually the non-human druid will also get the best feats.

All in all, humans are very similar to the usefulness of dwarves, elves and gnomes. I think that rating one of them higher than the other might be true in strict cases (human moon druid from level 1-3 e.g.), but actually misleading. They are too close to usefully call, particularly when you consider the DM-dependence of such abilities as Trance (Is that a Long Rest in 4 hours?) and Mask of the Wild (How often does it come up? How does stealth work exactly?).
Suffice it to say, I personally prefer playing a wood elf over a variant human just from a mechanical standpoint.

In your case, I'll add a further observation, given that you seem very focused on advancing wisdom:

Wisdom is the best stat you can advance as druid. But it is not to the druid what, say, dex is to the rogue, or strength to the fighter. The average rogue needs dex to land their sneak attacks, to improve their AC, to win initiaitve, and to use their most iconic (and likely most useful) skills. Fighters need it to hit, deal a significant portion of their damage, bear heavy armour, and to shove and grapple people. For most fighters and rogues, their attacking ability scores directly affect virtually every combat round, and likewise it directly affects the power of their main shticks.
Druids can use wisdom, for sure. You want to land any spell attack rolls, and make save DCs against your spells higher. But you can play a druid with a mediocre wisdom, and not lose effectiveness on many of your most potent spells and abilities. Goodberry, Healing Spirit, Conjure X, buff spells, even such damage spells as Wall of Fire and Heat Metal don't have to rely on allowing enemies a saving throw. In that list are some of the very best spells in the druid toolbox.

In other words, druids don't depend on their stats to the degree that other classes do. Not only can they switch their physical scores for that of an animal, they can also buff or bypass many skill and ability checks. And they don't need a high score in anything to kill you. It just makes it easier for them to do so.

[Merudo]

@hymer Thank you for the detailed answer.

I do agree Wood Elves get lots of stuff, I'm just not sure how valuable it all is.

Wood elves get darkvision, 35' base move, trance, resistance to charm, immunity to sleep, proficiency in some weapons, and the ability to hide more effectively behind natural effects.

Trance/Resistance to Charm/Immunity to Sleep I see as mostly fluff and of little gameplay relevance. The later two are especially unlikely to come into play given the Druid's excellent WIS saving throw.

Proficiency in weapons is okay for the Bows at low levels but Shillelagh makes other melee weapons superfluous. Once you are level 5 you'll probably limit yourself to cantrips for ranged attacks.

So, the main advantages of the Wood Elf are Darkvision, 35' movement and hide more effectively. All three will probably end up useful somewhat frequently.

However, I do believe +2 Wisdom & the Warcaster feat are most useful still.

Warcaster helps keeping Concentration both in and out of Wildshape, which is crucial for Druids. Losing your Conjure Animals because you got hit is absolutely awful.

+2 Wisdom helps Shillelagh, Cantrips, WIS saving throws, skill checks (including perception), lets you prepare an extra spell, makes Cure Wound more effective, and increases the save DC of your spells. Nearly every combat action not involving Wild Shape or summoning spells will be improved by it.

[hymer]

@ Merudo: I'd really like to avoid a long back-and-forth in this thread, and it looks like that is what this would turn into (if it hasn't become one already). I'm very happy to answer 'quick' questions about the guide, but this subject is something you should make a separate thread to discuss. I'll be happy to say more there. I'll even edit this post to link to it for anyone else to find in future.

[Rixitichil]

I just want to give voice that the cantrip Control Flame's primary use is to double the effect of lantern light.
The other effects, (spreading or extinguishing fire, occasionally communicating with fire across planar boundaries) have been nice occasional ribbon abilities, but Searchlight strength Bulleye lantern is a really strong consistent effect that is easy to overlook.

Shape Water's Ice effect is usually a lot better if you shape the water first. An Ice block is as you say unstable, but an Ice Canoe is a lot more serviceable. I've seen players fabricate simple tools they need from a waterskin and this cantrip. It seems at least as useful as Druidcraft?

[Merudo]

@ Merudo: I'd really like to avoid a long back-and-forth in this thread, and it looks like that is what this would turn into (if it hasn't become one already). I'm very happy to answer 'quick' questions about the guide, but this subject is something you should make a separate thread to discuss. I'll be happy to say more there. I'll even edit this post to link to it for anyone else to find in future.

Sure! I thought this thread would be the place for such discussion, but I understand if you want to keep posts here brief and on point.

[hymer]

@ Rixitichil: Thanks for your thoughts!
I recall looking at Control Flames and seeing how you can 'double the area' (quoted by memory) of bright and dim light, and wondering what that actually means. It's a pretty complicated thing to deal with taken at face value. A 15' radius light covers a little over 700 square feet (or 36 5x5 fields if placed at an intersection on a battlemat). If you double the area, you get a radius of a little over 21' (it takes 28 squares to surround the 36, so what do you do with the ones left over?). Are we really supposed to calculate that, and answer the questions about half-light and precise placement this brings up? Or is that supposed to mean that the radius is supposed to be doubled, which would quadruple the actual area? It seemed like rather a long thing to go into over a part of the effect of a cantrip, so I just pass it by.
But you're right. Many games do run with particular attention to lighting, and in those cases it makes (possibly at least, depending on what is meant by area) a big difference. So I should probably see if I can't give a quick mention of that, without getting bogged down by the whole geometric discussion.

With Shape Water, it very quickly moves deep into DM judgement territory. Does the ice melt over the duration, or all at once at the end? Just how cold is it? Does the cold spread? Does application of a warm bum to the ice cause it to melt (in the case of an ice canoe)? Is the ice block able to withstand lava or dragon breath? How brittle is an implement made of ice? How handy? How finely can you shape it?
So I err on the side of caution in the brief description. I don't want to get people's hopes up about this sort of thing, where the player is annoyed that their being clever and creative is shot down by by a DM, who just thinks it's silly and trying to optimize water from a stone.

[Orvir]

Any thoughts on Eberron Druids? I'm particularly interested to hear thoughts on some of the racial abilities like Warforged Integrated Protection or Shifter Shifting and Wild Shape.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

I doubt Hymer would add those in yet since they are extremely likely to change.

[hymer]

@ Orvir: th3g0dc0mp13x is right (and thanks!). When official Eberron stuff comes out, I'll update the guide with it pretty soon after I get the book.

One thing that strikes me is that the Eberron races all have an interesting relationship with druidism. They are either inherent shapeshifters, like druids, or are inherently unnatural, contrary to druidism. They could all use some rules or clarifications on how they and their abilities interact with druid abilities. Can wildshaped shifters use their shift abilities? How does having metal parts deal with the taboo against metal armour? Things like that could do with answers.

That said (and since it'as Sunday and I have some time), UA warforged seem to grant little to druids. +1 con and AC, and something very similar to Trance. Immunity to disease is peculiar (given that even constructs and elementals can get sick in 5e), but not much use to a druid (or to anyone in most campaigns) who may get there on their own, whether by subclass or by curing it with simple spells. Warforged fall well behind the various Trance-capable elves, whose +2 dex gives +1 AC in addition to other bonuses, and that's just a part of what elven racials give you.

Changelings also give small bonuses (+1 dex, Deception) and then the ability to look like a humanoid. Druids synergize poorly with charisma, but you could have some fun with changing humanoid shape. The power is pretty DM dependent, as how monsters and NPCs react to your shapeshifting can vary widely.

Shifters are unlikely to work well with a wildshaping druid, but caster forms can still gain something here. +1 dex and darkvision, again, is rather unspectacular. I can't be bothered to go through every subrace one by one just now. Bonus hit points are nice, but they don't save you from making Concentration saves. Wildhunt, giving +1 wisdom, is appealing on that ground, but the advantage on wis saves and checks is annoying to activate on anything other than a reaction. Other effects can be duplicated or emulated with wild shapes or spells (Cliffwalk, Longstride, and Longtooth). Razorclaw can give you a little extra oomph in an emergency or while mopping up. But both starting the shifting and using its ability is a bonus action, which is inelegant and impractical (same problem for Longstride).

So all in all, I'm not particularly impressed with the UA Eberron races for druids.

[DonaldT]

@ Orvir: th3g0dc0mp13x is right (and thanks!).

How does having metal parts deal with the taboo against metal armour? Things like that could do with answers.

So all in all, I'm not particularly impressed with the UA Eberron races for druids.

Keith Barker checked with Jeremy Crawford on this one, and Crawford said that warforged druids could still use the composite plating even though it was metal: "It's their body."

[Alpharn_999]

That's the old Eberron UA article; there's a new one with the Kalashtar.

[hymer]

@ Alpharn_999: Thanks! You wouldn't happen to have a link about you?

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Here you go hymer http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unea.../races-eberron

Warforged: very nice in the AC front as the medium version will start out with 19 ac with a shield. Super nice for a caster form. Envoy is probably the best option so you can get +1 con Dex and Wis.

Changeling: I'm not seeing much synergy for a Druid

Kalashtar: move over ghostwise halfling +2 Wis, telepathy, limited advantage on wisdom saving throws, advantage on insight checks. This is a good druid race imo.

Shifter: This has a lot of dependency on the sub race but there are a lot of interesting abilities and some that are useless to a druid. It seems like these are meant to conflict with wildshape but if you could use them then that would make for some interesting wildshape interactions.

[hymer]

Thanks again!

That's rather a lot to go through, so I won't. At least not right now.

[Brainsalad]

I would like to give a special shout out for the "Staff of Swarming Insects". Very useful for a Land Druid and possibly others. 10 charges. Recharges 1d6+4 per day. Insect Plague is okay for 5 charges. Giant insect for 4 charges depends on your access to portable wasps, bees, and scorpions.

The real standout though is Insect Cloud for just one charge. 30ft radius zone blindness on everyone except for you. They automatically fail skill checks involving sight and have disadvantage on attacks, while you have advantage. No concentration required. 10 minute duration. Follows you. Blindsight or other non visual senses are the only way to sense things in it.

Amazing for a ranged caster and very themey for a druid. The only minus is that it affects other party members, so you really have to move away from every one else. DMs who find it being abused though can just give opposing spell casters Gust of Wind or just have windy areas. Any good AOE damage spell could also take it out.

[hymer]

@ Brainsalad: Thanks for the thought! I agree, it's a nifty item for a druid. The wizard or sorcerer is likely to have first pick, I'm afraid, given that it expands their available spells better than it does for druids. That said, protective effects like that usually come at the cost of Concentration, so it's really nice to get it without that drawback.

[sambojin]

Wow, those Kalashtar seem amazing for druid builds (especially Moon). Might have a new favourite. Everything you need for druid+'ing.

[Klorox]

I think the yuan ti pureblood is the best race for moon druids.

The magic resistance is just so damn good, even with “non optimal” stats.