Druid Spell Focus

[Naughty Mouse]

I see various belt, neck and bracer with arcane and cleric spell focus, but only the hand held stick for the druid. Did they forget to include it. Sucks having to devote one weapon combo just to be able to cast the spells that require the focus

[jrf773]

Quick slot it where the potion goes

[Mimir]

It took me some time to realize you can do this (also same for wizard focus), not surprised to see others who also find it counterintuitive. I found it out by wanting to cast Shillelagh which requires a free hand, a staff/club in hand and a druidic focus which seemed impossible... I don't know if it's homebrew but for me, a staff has always been able to double as druidic focus. A wooden staff is also listed as a druidic focus in D&D Beyond.

[Sentient_Toaster]

"a staff drawn whole out of a living tree" is a example mentioned as a possible druidic focus in the PHB.

"Unless a staff's description says otherwise, a staff can be used as a quarterstaff" is stated in the DMG, and Mearls has agreed that an arcane/druidic focus staff can double as a quarterstaff (see his response to https://twitter.com/GamerJosh/status/509454115861434368 )

This is one-way -- a staff that qualifies as a druidic focus can double as a quarterstaff, but not every quarterstaff will be suitable as a druidic focus.

[Ommamar]

Originally posted by Mimer:

It took me some time to realize you can do this (also same for wizard focus), not surprised to see others who also find it counterintuitive. I found it out by wanting to cast Shillelagh which requires a free hand, a staff/club in hand and a druidic focus which seemed impossible... I don't know if it's homebrew but for me, a staff has always been able to double as druidic focus. A wooden staff is also listed as a druidic focus in D&D Beyond.

With a belt component pouch I am able to cast shillelagh while dual wielding clubs so you don't need a free hand just the right focus. As for the quarterstaff I agree it would make sense to have them as a spell focus.

[Meanwhile]

It still kinda sucks having to fill your potion slot with something you should just be able to wear.

[Ommamar]

Yes the druid focus is kind of a head scratcher as it is the only one they can use to get the full suite of their spells and the best slot is in the quickslot, which makes it so you have to swap things around to use potions or just use them after combat for recovery purposes. You don't need a free hand for shilelagh just a wooden object be that a club or a quarterstaff. You do need a free hand however to use flameblade which is a nice spell for a up front melee druid.

[e.hough]

Originally posted by Ommamar:

Yes the druid focus is kind of a head scratcher as it is the only one they can use to get the full suite of their spells and the best slot is in the quickslot, which makes it so you have to swap things around to use potions or just use them after combat for recovery purposes. You don't need a free hand for shilelagh just a wooden object be that a club or a quarterstaff. You do need a free hand however to use flameblade which is a nice spell for a up front melee druid.

You don't have to swap things around in order to use potions in combat - you can go into you inventory and use a single item as part of your action, it justs costs you your 'free action' which is usually used to swap weapon sets, push rocks or things like that. You can also use the free action to swap a single hand held item (like a weapon) from your inventory - the 'weapon slots' just make it more convenient.

[Ommamar]

Originally posted by e.hough:

Originally posted by Ommamar:

Yes the druid focus is kind of a head scratcher as it is the only one they can use to get the full suite of their spells and the best slot is in the quickslot, which makes it so you have to swap things around to use potions or just use them after combat for recovery purposes. You don't need a free hand for shilelagh just a wooden object be that a club or a quarterstaff. You do need a free hand however to use flameblade which is a nice spell for a up front melee druid.

You don't have to swap things around in order to use potions in combat - you can go into you inventory and use a single item as part of your action, it justs costs you your 'free action' which is usually used to swap weapon sets, push rocks or things like that. You can also use the free action to swap a single hand held item (like a weapon) from your inventory - the 'weapon slots' just make it more convenient.

I will look to verify but I don't think you can heal others with a potion from the inventory screen just drink it. Plus as you point out the quick slot makes it easier to use potions, I have no idea why they didn't allow druids to use things like holy amulets as a focus.