How viable are druids?

[Yeldo]

I made a kindred druid with the eagle summon and it's just not working very well. I'm not sure what role druid fits? the summon dies really quickly and when it does it harms the user by stunning/damaging by a lot and then you cannot re-use it until full rest...unless the summonss get really strong later on I see them as quite weak tbh... any tips for druids? I wanted to try like a summoner build in this game but so far...not impressed

[DiceWrangler]

Your spirit companion is not a tank, it is primarily a buff (+HP, +AC, +Movement, etc.) but can also be used to block a square (dodging is recommended), enable Sneak Attack for a rogue, trigger a trap, activate or maintain a pressure plate, draw monsters away from the party (assuming that it is fast enough or can fly) and some minor damage (they attack with Advantage if the target is next to an ally).

Druids are very useful because they can fill most combat roles (except, possibly, tanking due to the metal armor restriction) if you are missing a specialist.

[Elder Borjoyzee]

Kindred spirit is easily the weakest druid subclass. A lot of the time, the spirit pet is just a buff and serves as a weakpoint for the druid if it ever gets killed. Completely deterimental on cataclysm difficulty. Best use for druid imo is a support caster who has access to area denial/control or passive damage from moves such as entangle, thorns (wall of thorns too). And some situationally useful moves like fairy fire which could reveal invisible enemies. They can be good healers, but they lack the ability to revive the dead. Summons are somewhat viable on normal difficulties, but are useless or are only useful for baiting invisible enemies on higher difficulties. The druid's wildshape abilities are good early game when you have little gear I find. My recommendation would be if you use a druid again, is to use anything but kindred spirit. The buffs from the pet are too minor to be worth the risk of the pet dying and you losing a lot of health and a turn.

[Ommamar]

With a shield, barkskin and heals they can tank alright, with the new druid armors probably even more so. I used the eagle on far away targets like archers , if you put it next to them this forces them to move or use a weaker melee attack. I can't remember the exact buff they give it might be dexterity I would have to look, in general though DiceWrangler is right they are more about the buffs they provide.

The druid gets some pretty powerful spells early for damage you get the thorns that can at the least force enemies in a certain direction at the best it does good damage if you can force them through it. Moonbeam is good for shapeshifter or undead who don't do well with radiant damage. Flaming sphere can be good in certain situations, it is also a light source. Calll lightning is good you do have to manually choose your target every turn.

They get some good healing options as well so they can easily cover that role. One of the best utility spells is Goodberries as it cuts down on the ration you have to carry around, although I recommend carrying at least 4 in cast of long hard fights. They also can summon animal companions which can be powerful allies to have. I also think they get access to pass without a trace which is an incredible stealth advantage.

[Azure]

Everything is viable. Whether it suits your play-style and other inclinations is of course another matter. Not a fan of summoners generally so haven't tried it in this but had a Druid go successfully thru both the bonus campaigns that come with the game as only divine caster and slightly modded (to remove the flavour lock on armour and Modded subclass) go thru the main campaign about 3/4 till lost valley release broke the save as the "Tank"

[erandomone]

Has anybody figured out a solid use for Wildshape? Shillelagh's generally a better option for smacking things, and losing spell casting to be a direwolf for a bit is a bit much

[Ommamar]

Originally posted by erandomone:

Has anybody figured out a solid use for Wildshape? Shillelagh's generally a better option for smacking things, and losing spell casting to be a direwolf for a bit is a bit much

I only go wildshape when I have no more spells to cast or if I am low on hit points so I need that extrra buffer of hit points it provides.

[Velimirius]

Im also a kindred but with the wolf spirit, i mainly control the field with entangle and thorns, tho now i got ice storm and summon beast, flame ball and insect as well to use when i feel like getting stuff done fast in those random encounters or delaying hits on party members.
I use wildshape to save myself some HP when some1 comes attacking me, better to lose HP as wildshape, but found direwolf cool, big movement range and can hit hard.

And hurling flames a lot :D

[Yeldo]

Originally posted by Ommamar:

With a shield, barkskin and heals they can tank alright, with the new druid armors probably even more so. I used the eagle on far away targets like archers , if you put it next to them this forces them to move or use a weaker melee attack. I can't remember the exact buff they give it might be dexterity I would have to look, in general though DiceWrangler is right they are more about the buffs they provide.

The druid gets some pretty powerful spells early for damage you get the thorns that can at the least force enemies in a certain direction at the best it does good damage if you can force them through it. Moonbeam is good for shapeshifter or undead who don't do well with radiant damage. Flaming sphere can be good in certain situations, it is also a light source. Calll lightning is good you do have to manually choose your target every turn.

They get some good healing options as well so they can easily cover that role. One of the best utility spells is Goodberries as it cuts down on the ration you have to carry around, although I recommend carrying at least 4 in cast of long hard fights. They also can summon animal companions which can be powerful allies to have. I also think they get access to pass without a trace which is an incredible stealth advantage.

Cheers i actually have good berries it is really good, but i still dont know about the summon at least the eagle one it can die so so quickly and my druid has died many times because of the pet that dies.. stun+self inflict damage. I mean how well do summon scale later on? and do they level up/get new abilities too? can druid only summon 1 at a time ?

[Yeldo]

Originally posted by Velimirius:

Im also a kindred but with the wolf spirit, i mainly control the field with entangle and thorns, tho now i got ice storm and summon beast, flame ball and insect as well to use when i feel like getting stuff done fast in those random encounters or delaying hits on party members.
I use wildshape to save myself some HP when some1 comes attacking me, better to lose HP as wildshape, but found direwolf cool, big movement range and can hit hard.

And hurling flames a lot :D

Yeah I wasn't impressed with wildshape seems very situational - only literally you havnt got anything else to use apparently, i do like druid utility

[Pumis]

Druids are weak in this game. Only thing that makes them strong is the fact that A.I is too stupid to understand to not to walk on spike growth. Which btw... Makes that spell extremely strong. Stronger than in tabletop.
So just spam entangle and spike growth whenever you can.

[Azure]

Originally posted by Pumis:

Only thing that makes them strong is the fact that A.I is too stupid to understand to not to walk on spike growth.

If they have no choice they will go thru it but many times things will go around it if they can, things like lesser undead do because their attack motive is move forward and strike and enemies who don't have a ranged set of attacks if you drop it on your forces.

[Iry]

Originally posted by AzureTerra:

If they have no choice they will go thru it but many times things will go around it if they can, things like lesser undead do because their attack motive is move forward and strike and enemies who don't have a ranged set of attacks if you drop it on your forces.

This. If the enemies have enough movement to go around it, they usually will. But if they do not have enough movement to go around, they will charge straight into it and take a mountain of damage. A high movement character can sometimes deal more damage disengaging and running around Spike Growth, just so enemies wade through it to catch the character kiting them. It's brutal.

[CostlySpider]

Yeah I wasn't a big fan of summons, most of them died really quick, or would fly in attack something, then fly away giving enemy a free attack.

Also the change shape, though I did use it, here and there. Was not a big fan, as you can not change shape and attack on same turn.

Seemed better just to use an agressive spell, and hit something, then change shape, do nothing, get hit a few times, then you change back.

But it is kind of free hit points, if you know your are going to take some hits.

[magritte]

Originally posted by Iry:

Originally posted by AzureTerra:

If they have no choice they will go thru it but many times things will go around it if they can, things like lesser undead do because their attack motive is move forward and strike and enemies who don't have a ranged set of attacks if you drop it on your forces.

This. If the enemies have enough movement to go around it, they usually will. But if they do not have enough movement to go around, they will charge straight into it and take a mountain of damage. A high movement character can sometimes deal more damage disengaging and running around Spike Growth, just so enemies wade through it to catch the character kiting them. It's brutal.

In dungeon settings you can often retreat to a choke point and set it so they have no choice but to go through it so unless they have range attacks, it makes mincemeat of them. I consider it by far the strongest 2nd level spell in the game from any class.

I didn't use lower level summons much, but conjure elemental is certainly effective.

[Ommamar]

Originally posted by magritte:

Originally posted by Iry:

This. If the enemies have enough movement to go around it, they usually will. But if they do not have enough movement to go around, they will charge straight into it and take a mountain of damage. A high movement character can sometimes deal more damage disengaging and running around Spike Growth, just so enemies wade through it to catch the character kiting them. It's brutal.

In dungeon settings you can often retreat to a choke point and set it so they have no choice but to go through it so unless they have range attacks, it makes mincemeat of them. I consider it by far the strongest 2nd level spell in the game from any class.

I didn't use lower level summons much, but conjure elemental is certainly effective.

Then depending on the length of the choke point you can back up to reset if if they have made it through. I agree it is a very powerful spell in situations where the enemy can't get around it or fly over it.