Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Epicweaver 02-06-06, 10:24 AM	What do you think are the benchmark Druid spells 1st to 9th... and Why? 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th (v3.5 Wizards of the Coast stamped)
Arismir 02-06-06, 11:20 AM	Well let's start with one of my new favorite 1st-level spells: Aspect of the Wolf (SpC): It is a useful boon at low levels. I usually use it as my last spell to net some better physical scores and a little more combat usefulness. However, this spell stays useful, because you can turn your huge dire bear animal companion into a small wolf that is much more likely to be accepted into towns and fit in small places. Here are some other useful spells: Enhance Wild Shape: Obviously gain ex. abilities or turn into plant before level 12, which is useful for Vine Horror (FF) if you like a more practical "tool-using" humanoid shape. Luminous Armor [, Greater (BoED)]: These are very useful IMO. They give +5/+8 AC and an effective +4 against melee. Also, its a daylight effect spell, for a spell slot lower, that lasts even longer. Even more, the armor bonus stays even when in Wildshape. And, the hour/level duration allows you to keep these spells up all day. Well those are three to get you started. I hope you realize that Druids have many useful spells and this list might end up being quite extensive. But, keep up the good work and good idea.
Kresalak 02-06-06, 12:23 PM	Shapechange, Nature's Favor, Avatar of Nature (or something like that. 9th level spell from CD), Spikes if you're using a Legendary Ape wielding a weapon, Summon Nature's Ally I-IX. All just from the top of my head.
MonkeyGreatSEOH 02-06-06, 12:37 PM	Shillegah and Spikes are good by themselves and pretty darn sweet when combined.
Inkubus 02-06-06, 02:39 PM	Produce flame, blinding spittle, splinter bolt, major resistance, arc of lightning, claws of the savage, jaws of the wolf, moon bolt, animal growth, death ward, rejuvenation cocoon, antilife shell, greater resistance, fire seeds, master earth and sunbeam see constant use IMC and are all quite good IMO. Cheers, Inkubus PS: There used to be a pretty good list of spells in the druid handbook. However, I'm not quite sure if it's still up to date...
jstorrie 02-06-06, 04:08 PM	Quill Blast rules the school, especially if you can quicken it.
allenchan 02-06-06, 04:47 PM	Quill Blast rules the school, especially if you can quicken it. You're aware it was nerfed in the spell compendium, correct?
Eital 02-06-06, 08:16 PM	You're aware it was nerfed in the spell compendium, correct? I'd Say "corrected" more than "nerfed"... it was really abusive... :p
Sang-Drax 02-06-06, 08:43 PM	I'd Say "corrected" more than "nerfed"... it was really abusive... :p Now the quills provoke a non-cumulative -1 to stuff. If it was too powerful before, nw it's just lame.
atlatyl 02-07-06, 06:55 AM	Splinterblast and arc lightning are no SR -- a critical issue for druids since they don't get assay resistance.
Eryth1 02-07-06, 11:37 AM	[QUOTE=Arismir] Aspect of the Wolf (SpC): It is a useful boon at low levels. I usually use it as my last spell to net some better physical scores and a little more combat usefulness. However, this spell stays useful, because you can turn your huge dire bear animal companion into a small wolf that is much more likely to be accepted into towns and fit in small places. QUOTE] Isn't Aspect of the Wolf a personal spell? If your Bear moves more than 5 feet from you it ends. Or does the part where is says you can cast spells with a range of "you" on your Animal Companion as a ranged touch spell include personal. I never was quite sure. :confused:
Khazra Reborn 02-07-06, 12:05 PM	Animal growth and natures avatar (im more combat minded then most druids). The best part of the spells is they effect both you and your companions. Oh and of course, natures avatar is the single strongest buff spell in the game. Nothing says combat like +10morale attack/damage and temporay hp and an extra attack. Though i dont have the book, these boards lead me to believe that the venom fire spell which i think is from serpent kingdoms is obscenely powerful.
NinjaDebugger 02-07-06, 12:14 PM	Frostfell is the definitive mass death spell for the entire game, let alone druids. It makes Wail and Weird look like slackers, and frankly, any spell better at killing lots of people than Frostfell needs to be not printed. Ever.
Endarire 02-07-06, 04:04 PM	Aspect of the wolf and other personal spells of non-instantaneous duration only affect your animal companion while you two are within 5 feet of each other. Should you two be farther away, the effect does not resume if you return to being within 5'. -EE
LordofLeapin 02-07-06, 04:16 PM	Lion's Charge, Charge of the Rhino, and Bite of the Were(wolf/boar/tiger/bear) are all great melee spells. Enhance Wild Shape seems to be the staple spell that all Druids will/should use. Quill Blast, Slime Wave, Brilliant Aura, and Embrace the Wild all got nerfed in the Spell Conpendium. Those were amazing spells.
Eryth1 02-08-06, 12:15 AM	Aspect of the wolf and other personal spells of non-instantaneous duration only affect your animal companion while you two are within 5 feet of each other. Should you two be farther away, the effect does not resume if you return to being within 5'. That's what I thought too.
atlatyl 02-20-06, 01:20 PM	What do you think are the benchmark Druid spells 1st to 9th... and Why? (v3.5 Wizards of the Coast stamped) All except Luminous armor are from the PH or Spell Compendium. Your milage may vary: 1st winter chill (damage and fatique -- good low level spell) faerie fire (alltime favorite since 1st Edition) entangle (another alltime fav from 1st Ed) omen of peril (druid augury) powersight (who's the BBEG?) 2nd splinterbolt (ranged attack with good damage and no save or SR -- totally rocks) kelpstrand (another rockin spell -- grapple multiple targets with lvl and wisdom bonuses added to grapple check) barkskin (another alltime fav from 1st ed) luminous armor (BoED -- if you're a good aligned character, don't leave home without it) creeping cold (good damage spell) 3rd touch of jubilex (first save or die spell. cast before wildshaping) infestation of maggots (con damage over time) stone shape (get thru doors, walls and do fun stuff with statues and petrified friends) 4th sheltered vitality (protection from ability damage) arc of lightning (attack two targets with lightning -- no SR) death ward (protection from lvl drain and death effects) enhance wildshape (get special abilities in wildshape) contingent energy resistance (great protection spell) greater creeping cold (good damage over time) 5th owl's insight (wisdom boost) rejuvenation cocoon (poor man's heal) jungle's rapture (great flavor spell -- curse enemies to become normal plants ) memory rot (int drain for that caster -- fort save) dire hunger (make enemy grow fangs and eat the closest person) 6th bite of the were bear (Cast before wildshaping add all bite of spells below this...they rock) circle of vitality (group 3 pt fast heal) miasma (death spell to something that breathes) spell staff (store a spell in your staff) fire seeds (good bomb spell) transport via plants (druid teleport) greater dispell magic (doh!) 7th fire storm master earth (self only improved druid teleport) true seeing aura of vitality 8th animal shapes (polymorph your friends) finger of death (just cause it's cool to point and say: DIE!) reverse gravity (fun damage spell) word of recall (get out of jail free spell) 9th shapechange (improved wildshape spell) elemental swarm (call a bunch of elementals) regenerate (grow back limbs and stuff) undermaster (get a variety of earth based spells you can cast at will) nature's avatar (+10 to everything)
Khazra Reborn 02-20-06, 03:40 PM	The otherday Xeraph pointed out splinterbolt (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20040710a) Splinterbolt Evocation Level: Druid 2, Sorcerer/Wizard 2 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effect: One or more streams of splinters Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes You cause a long, thin, sharp beam of splinters to lance out of your outstretched hand to strike a target in range. You must make a ranged attack (not a ranged touch attack) to hit the target; if you hit, the splinterbolt deals 4d6 points of piercing damage. The splinterbolt threatens a critical hit on an 18-20 and deals x3 damage on a successful critical hit. You can fire one additional splinterbolt for every four levels beyond 3rd (to a maximum of three splinterbolts at 11th level). You can fire these splinterbolts at the same or different targets, but all splinterbolts must be aimed at targets within 30 feet of each other and fired simultaneously. If you cast this spell in forested terrain, the splinterbolts are treated as cold iron magic weapons, and they deal an additional +4 points of damage on a hit. Material Component: A splinter of wood. So, a level 11 druid can use a 2nd level spell to do 12D6+12damage at level 11. Thats pretty sweet. Its probaly not a bad choice maximised for a 5th level slot to be honest (60damage). Lastly, its a great spell 2 put into 2 wands, get improved crit and use dual wand wielder with as a back up if you dont want to use spells. It does an average of about 32D6+32 (factoring in crits) which is an average of 144 damage/round :eek: Im hoping artifcers wont notice this one and steal it:D