Best race for Druids?

[Olden Sloe]

Best race for Druids and why? Please...

[Fistimus Maximus]

depends what circle, believe dwarf for moon, as land is more a caster type possible a dex build so a elf. The shalala doesnt use strength so can dump.

[sim-h]

I rolled a Gold Dwarf rather than Wood Elf because DRUIDS SHOULD HAVE BEARDS.

[Grilled Cheese]

crash bandicoot

[Shintobadto]

gift pls.

[R3sistance]

Originally posted by Pumis:

Originally posted by Indure:

Moon druid is probably the best class Gold Dwarf can be. Their stats are perfect and the lack of +1 str/dex that holds them back from being perfect clerics is fix due to wildshape. The slower movement speed is also negated.

str/dex are kind of useless for druid. Just get dex to 14 and you're set. Dwarf's racials are just so much stronger than what elves has to offer. Plus they are more durable as well.

I disagree on Dex, as I said on page 1, I'd go WIS > CON > DEX > STR/INT/CHA for a Druid. WIS is obviously the main attribute for spell casting, CON for both HP and concentration saving throws and DEX is for AC, mainly. Druids can wear light and medium armour (but not armour made of metal), I haven't checked how this is implemented in game but technically studded leather is about the best type of armour a druid can normally wear since most medium armour is made of metal, only hide isn't and studded leather is better than hide.

Good AC means not taking a hit and not making a concentration throw, meaning this is still useful. Also it means more likely to make dexterity saving throws against things such as the fireball spell. This is while not wild shaped of course, since wild shape does replace out STR/DEX/CON while wildshaped.

This all said, I'd normally go for CON > DEX for druid, you can get a good AC as in above average but even with that, you'll still take some hits and concentration saves are important.

[War Maiden]

Originally posted by R3sistance:

Originally posted by Pumis:

str/dex are kind of useless for druid. Just get dex to 14 and you're set. Dwarf's racials are just so much stronger than what elves has to offer. Plus they are more durable as well.

I disagree on Dex, as I said on page 1, I'd go WIS > CON > DEX > STR/INT/CHA for a Druid. WIS is obviously the main attribute for spell casting, CON for both HP and concentration saving throws and DEX is for AC, mainly. Druids can wear light and medium armour (but not armour made of metal), I haven't checked how this is implemented in game but technically studded leather is about the best type of armour a druid can normally wear since most medium armour is made of metal, only hide isn't and studded leather is better than hide.

Good AC means not taking a hit and not making a concentration throw, meaning this is still useful. Also it means more likely to make dexterity saving throws against things such as the fireball spell. This is while not wild shaped of course, since wild shape does replace out STR/DEX/CON while wildshaped.

This all said, I'd normally go for CON > DEX for druid, you can get a good AC as in above average but even with that, you'll still take some hits and concentration saves are important.

In making my Lolthian Drow female, I chose the 14 STR / 16 DEX / 12 CON / 15 WIS route for versatility because nobody likes a weak Circle of the Moon polar bear tank! Plus, I still wanna toss gobbies around!

Additionally, this is the first i've heard of not being able to wear metal, as i'm wearing Lae'zel's medium armor half plate with no issues and no negatives except the obvious disadvantage to stealth rolls as it always says on the armor.

[R3sistance]

Originally posted by Pumis:

Your wildshape form replaces Dex. Dex is useless for moon druid. +2 is enough to get the max AC coverage from medium armor. Your armor AC doesn't matter in animal form. Thus Con is far superior and making elf useless in comparison to dwarf.

Wild shape replaces Dex AND Con, I literally stated this above. Your Con has no advantage in your wild shape form. Also as I stated, the only Medium Armour a druid can generally wear is Hide, which is worse than Studded Leather (Light).

In a campaign I am playing (5E), I have a moon druid and DEX is definitely not useless. First off while Wild shape is the primary benefit of moon druid, you won't always use wild shape, there are times when I have done things like cast tidal wave or moon beam because of choke points or enemy placement. Also if you get knocked out of wild shape, you're back to your own stat block for AC and HP.

[seandeven]

...and thus the continuation of the time honored tradition of ~

My elf is better than your dwarf. and My dwarf is better than your elf.

Wood elf Perception, Charm resistance, Long swords, Long Bows, and a Stealth bonus. Dwarves can be damage absorbing hammer bashing meatbags, they have thier place ... Elves are more versatile, thus outperforming Dwarves. ....change my mind ;)

[R3sistance]

Originally posted by seandeven:

...and thus the continuation of the time honored tradition of ~

My elf is better than your dwarf. and My dwarf is better than your elf.

Wood elf Perception, Charm resistance, Long swords, Long Bows, and a Stealth bonus. Dwarves can be damage absorbing hammer bashing meatbags, they have thier place ... Elves are more versatile, thus outperforming Dwarves. ....change my mind ;)

I do think the Elf is the better choice but it's not that big a difference really, they are very close and hard to say which is truly better.

Yes you get perception but Perception is a choice for Druid anyways, still it's an extra skill so yay? Stealth isn't an option for Druids (you could use background) but Druids get without trace (+10 stealth) and with that up, you're probably not failing many stealth rolls anyways.

You don't have charm resistance, you have advantage against Charm which as a class that is both focused on Wisdom and gets Wisdom Saving Throw proficiency, you're already so hard to charm, I doubt that advantage will actually help all that often.

Overall I don't think there is really any meaningful difference between the Gold Dwarf and Wood Elf to say one is definitely better than the other, they're about equal in my opinion. Variant Human, if we get it, tops for me. Since Variant Human is OP.

[seandeven]

Wood Elf Druid with a Charlatan background then leave the other elf companions wherever, is my final defensive plea for the wood elf build...lol


Overall I agree with R3sistance and don't think there is really any meaningful difference between the Gold Dwarf and Wood Elf they are almost equal but right now with Druids not having the bear/barbarian builds, Dwarven Druids builds are somewhat less flexible thus suboptimal....imho. Rp-wise there is no real difference, and a 1/2 drow druid sounds real fun to play. There are optimal or fun and shades in between. I believe the OP meant best (as of patch 4)

I'm playing my woodelf now... :)

Yes, Variant Humans are OP.

[mutantbeth]

wood elf cause druids make wood duh

[Shandor]

Originally posted by Diablerie:

Originally posted by trippint82:

Is it just me or Drow Druids Wild Shape should be different heck most of the kit should be different cause so called "Nature" or Ecology of the Underdark is pretty different to the topside. Idk I just don't see a Drow being like look ders a bear. Just feel like they would be drastically different in some ways...:/

It should, in 5e it specifies that you can wild shape into a creature that you have seen before. A drow druid living in the underdark would of course have wild shapes that are vastly different from say an elf that hangs out in a forest top side. I'd expect things like giant lizards, Rothe, Spiders of course etc.

Well i dont think that a Drow Druid would had much chance to learn Druid Spells and all that in the Underdark. If you grow up in a typical Drow City, Druid should be not on the list of Jobs you can get. The chance for a Drow Druid to even exist is high if that Drow moved up to the surface and learn Druidism up there and they learn about Animals living there and how to transform into them.
Ofc its always a way to make your RP Story background against all "chances" like you were lost after an Attack as a Child and a non Drow Druid found you and teached you all in the underdark.
But thats more a one of a million things that could happen to a lost Drow Child down there.

Even if i only think how your Famely will react in Menzzoberanza, if you tell them that you wont go to the Cleric/Wizard/Warrior School because you want to be a Druid instead, makes me laugh. Loth wont be very Happy with your Choice even if you only transform into a Spider :)

[[Murica] Uder]

Originally posted by Locklave:

Originally posted by Murica Uder:

From years of experiance playing games like this and tabletop D&D, play what you want. Its more fun that way. Racial stats dont tend to make much difference in the long run.

Lies! Anyone who truly has years of experience has become a jaded to RP and exists only to create hyper optimized nightmare characters the GM can't control.

He is not a man, he is death poured into a mold shaped like a man. Just like the nameless npcs he kills he has no true name or soul, he exists only to Murder hobo the campaign into the ground.

You are, sadly, all too correct.

I have been DMing Tabletop D&D for far too long with barely any character playing, it usually devolves into murder hobo status all too quickly.

[War Maiden]

Originally posted by Shandor:

Originally posted by Diablerie:

It should, in 5e it specifies that you can wild shape into a creature that you have seen before. A drow druid living in the underdark would of course have wild shapes that are vastly different from say an elf that hangs out in a forest top side. I'd expect things like giant lizards, Rothe, Spiders of course etc.

Well i dont think that a Drow Druid would had much chance to learn Druid Spells and all that in the Underdark. If you grow up in a typical Drow City, Druid should be not on the list of Jobs you can get. The chance for a Drow Druid to even exist is high if that Drow moved up to the surface and learn Druidism up there and they learn about Animals living there and how to transform into them.
Ofc its always a way to make your RP Story background against all "chances" like you were lost after an Attack as a Child and a non Drow Druid found you and teached you all in the underdark.
But thats more a one of a million things that could happen to a lost Drow Child down there.

Even if i only think how your Famely will react in Menzzoberanza, if you tell them that you wont go to the Cleric/Wizard/Warrior School because you want to be a Druid instead, makes me laugh. Loth wont be very Happy with your Choice even if you only transform into a Spider :)

Actually, you never know in regards to the possibility of the Druidic Arts being a thing in the Underdark. Yes, the 'big 3' schools are typically thought of as classical disciplines, but that does not rule out such things possibly being learned in a different route of study at the Sorcere. Additionally, there are plenty of denizens in the Underdark that could possess such knowledge and be willing to pass it on either out of want, or fear.

Also, do not forget that shapechanging is not an unfamiliar thing to Lolth or Lolthians.

Arachnomancer:
Spiderform (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, an arachnomancer may transform himself into a Small, Medium, or Large monstrous spider three times per day. At 5th level, he can also take the form of a Tiny or Huge monstrous spider, and at 8th level, he can take the form of a Gargantuan monstrous spider. This ability functions like polymorph, except that the indicated forms are the only ones available and the duration of the change is up to 10 minutes per arachnomancer level. Resuming normal form requires a standard action but does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Still, we get to be Lolth-Sworn as a Druid in BG3, and that's pretty nice. I do wish and i'm going to make it a suggestion in 'Suggestions and Feedback' (regardless if it gets any traction) to make a few 'specific' Wild Shapes just for Drow. Most surfacers do not trek into the Underdark on a whim, and most do not survive, so the Drow that live there will, as stated earlier, have visual remembrances of the fauna that roam its caverns. Like for instance the Hook Horror, or the Ettercap, or even the Bulette. These are just examples mind you, but they are nearly never seen on the surface and would be a fun 'specifically specified' as WoTC mentioned, things that could be implemented as Wild Shapes.

[R3sistance]

Originally posted by Pumis:

Wild shape replaces Dex AND Con, I literally stated this above."
Which makes dex pointless. While con without wildshape contributes to your survivality and con checks. This is something that you failed to realize.

*"Also as I stated, the only Medium Armour a druid can generally wear is Hide, which is worse than Studded Leather (Light)."
And you're wrong. In game you can wear all medium armors, and even with hide your AC is high enough to ignore putting ASI points to dex beside that +2.

" First off while Wild shape is the primary benefit of moon druid, you won't always use wild shape"
First off, I never made claim that you would always use. It's just obvious that con saves contribute more to caster class than dexterity. Especially class where most of their spells are concentration spells.

What you fail to realise is that Dex is basically coming in at the same point as Con. The CON is still doing nothing for you when you're wild shaped, your argument is nonsense.

When you're wild shaped your CON and your DEX are replaced, so your base CON and base DEX don't help.

When you're NOT wild shaped, you are using BOTH your CON and your DEX, this means your AC being based off of DEX. Literally the only part there is a difference is for carried over damage and that most the time will be very low if around at all. So no, there isn't any difference between how DEX and CON work for most classes that use both.

What is different and still a consideration is that when attacks ARE made against you, you have a higher chance to avoid the attack, 5% less chance to be hit on the dice roll which means 5% less concentration checks to make compared to the 5% higher chance to succeed them. Then on dex saves against spells like fireball, you could be reducing the concentration save you need to make since concentration saves are 'damage taken / 2 (min 10)'. Reducing a 30 damage effect down to 15 reduces the save from DC 15 to DC 10, for example.

Originally posted by Pumis:

*"Also as I stated, the only Medium Armour a druid can generally wear is Hide, which is worse than Studded Leather (Light)."
And you're wrong. In game you can wear all medium armors, and even with hide your AC is high enough to ignore putting ASI points to dex beside that +2.

I literally just tested playing as Druid and I was NOT able to equip Scale so the no metal armour rule applies! Literally the ONLY medium armour you can wear is Hide which IS worse than Studded Leather

Studded Leather is 12+DEX
Hide is 12+DEX (cap 2)

Unless you are being EXTREMELY cheap or really worried about the 1LB difference, neither of which you would, you have no reason to not go for Studded leather if you have 16+ DEX! So no, your argument here is wrong, while a druid can wear hide, there is literally no reason to limit yourself to it, just use Studded Leather instead and look at the lovely higher AC you get with DEX 16.

As I've said, one of the characters I PLAY in 5E is an Aarakocra Moon Druid, none of this is new to me and the implementation I have seen thus far sticks to literally all the same rules here.