Building an effective Oceanic Druid [Archive] - Wizards Community

Building an effective Oceanic Druid [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Raven Dark
08-19-06, 03:19 PM My DM is going to be starting a new campaign soon which will take us from levels 1 through to 20. It is a new adventure series from Dungeon magazine (I don't recall the name of the series at the moment) which, as he tells me, will take place in large part on the open ocean.

I have always wanted to play an oceanic druid and I figure this is my chance to finally make it work out well. I was considering playing a Human Druid 5/Stormcaster 10/Something Else 5. Aside from that, I have a general idea of what kind of druid spells I would like to use.

In any case, I was hoping to get some advice on how to build an effective oceanic druid from levels 1-20, such as what race/class combinations might vbe particularly effective. I have nearly all of the official D&D books (Core books, Supplementery core books, Complete books, Races books, Monster books, Terrain books, etc.) to work with.

Also, if it helps, I have the following stats to work with: 15, 15, 14, 13, 11, & 11. I can assign them however I want. The only other party member created thus far is an Elven Swashbuckler who will likely multiclass into fighter and go the Melee Weapon Mastery route with the Elven Courtblade.

Thanks in advance!
LogicNinja
08-19-06, 03:38 PM My DM is going to be starting a new campaign soon which will take us from levels 1 through to 20. It is a new adventure series from Dungeon magazine (I don't recall the name of the series at the moment) which, as he tells me, will take place in large part on the open ocean.

I have always wanted to play an oceanic druid and I figure this is my chance to finally make it work out well. I was considering playing a Human Druid 5/Stormcaster 10/Something Else 5. Aside from that, I have a general idea of what kind of druid spells I would like to use.

In any case, I was hoping to get some advice on how to build an effective oceanic druid from levels 1-20, such as what race/class combinations might vbe particularly effective. I have nearly all of the official D&D books (Core books, Supplementery core books, Complete books, Races books, Monster books, Terrain books, etc.) to work with.

Also, if it helps, I have the following stats to work with: 15, 15, 14, 13, 11, & 11. I can assign them however I want. The only other party member created thus far is an Elven Swashbuckler who will likely multiclass into fighter and go the Melee Weapon Mastery route with the Elven Courtblade.

Thanks in advance!

I don't know if you absolutely have your heart set on Stormcaster, but I wouldn't recommend it--it offers decent perks for a seagoing character, but you'd be giving up wild shape. Wild Shape will make a druid incredibly effective on the sea, since you can take land-dwelling, aquatic, and flying forms as need be.

As for spells, Control Winds is ridiculously good; Control Weather + Control Winds is even better. Turn a calm day into a tornado that will keep your enemy from doing anything and damage them.
From the Complete books, Cometfall is pretty much unfair(to arcane casters)ly good outdoors; make a comet fall on the enemy ship for (caster level)*d6, and create rubble. A Bead of Karma will mean that you're doing 4d6 more than you should be at any given level.

Frankly, Druid 20 is pretty much the best way to go, unless you really want to focus on spellcasting or wildshape to the exclusion of the other thing.
PhoenixInferno
08-19-06, 07:49 PM Yeah, Seafaring Druids are really powerful and quite simple to build. A Druid anywhere in the Great Outdoors is a force. Don't forget Call Lightning to destroy the ships of your enemies and you can summon sharks to corral/eat any of the enemy sailors that abandon ship.
jameswilliamogle
08-19-06, 11:22 PM Play a Darfellan (sp?) from Stormwrack, with the Nature's Avenger Druid variant and take Snow Tiger Berserker at first. En-choi!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Raven Dark 08-19-06, 03:19 PM	My DM is going to be starting a new campaign soon which will take us from levels 1 through to 20. It is a new adventure series from Dungeon magazine (I don't recall the name of the series at the moment) which, as he tells me, will take place in large part on the open ocean. I have always wanted to play an oceanic druid and I figure this is my chance to finally make it work out well. I was considering playing a Human Druid 5/Stormcaster 10/Something Else 5. Aside from that, I have a general idea of what kind of druid spells I would like to use. In any case, I was hoping to get some advice on how to build an effective oceanic druid from levels 1-20, such as what race/class combinations might vbe particularly effective. I have nearly all of the official D&D books (Core books, Supplementery core books, Complete books, Races books, Monster books, Terrain books, etc.) to work with. Also, if it helps, I have the following stats to work with: 15, 15, 14, 13, 11, & 11. I can assign them however I want. The only other party member created thus far is an Elven Swashbuckler who will likely multiclass into fighter and go the Melee Weapon Mastery route with the Elven Courtblade. Thanks in advance!
LogicNinja 08-19-06, 03:38 PM	My DM is going to be starting a new campaign soon which will take us from levels 1 through to 20. It is a new adventure series from Dungeon magazine (I don't recall the name of the series at the moment) which, as he tells me, will take place in large part on the open ocean. I have always wanted to play an oceanic druid and I figure this is my chance to finally make it work out well. I was considering playing a Human Druid 5/Stormcaster 10/Something Else 5. Aside from that, I have a general idea of what kind of druid spells I would like to use. In any case, I was hoping to get some advice on how to build an effective oceanic druid from levels 1-20, such as what race/class combinations might vbe particularly effective. I have nearly all of the official D&D books (Core books, Supplementery core books, Complete books, Races books, Monster books, Terrain books, etc.) to work with. Also, if it helps, I have the following stats to work with: 15, 15, 14, 13, 11, & 11. I can assign them however I want. The only other party member created thus far is an Elven Swashbuckler who will likely multiclass into fighter and go the Melee Weapon Mastery route with the Elven Courtblade. Thanks in advance! I don't know if you absolutely have your heart set on Stormcaster, but I wouldn't recommend it--it offers decent perks for a seagoing character, but you'd be giving up wild shape. Wild Shape will make a druid incredibly effective on the sea, since you can take land-dwelling, aquatic, and flying forms as need be. As for spells, Control Winds is ridiculously good; Control Weather + Control Winds is even better. Turn a calm day into a tornado that will keep your enemy from doing anything and damage them. From the Complete books, Cometfall is pretty much unfair(to arcane casters)ly good outdoors; make a comet fall on the enemy ship for (caster level)*d6, and create rubble. A Bead of Karma will mean that you're doing 4d6 more than you should be at any given level. Frankly, Druid 20 is pretty much the best way to go, unless you really want to focus on spellcasting or wildshape to the exclusion of the other thing.
PhoenixInferno 08-19-06, 07:49 PM	Yeah, Seafaring Druids are really powerful and quite simple to build. A Druid anywhere in the Great Outdoors is a force. Don't forget Call Lightning to destroy the ships of your enemies and you can summon sharks to corral/eat any of the enemy sailors that abandon ship.
jameswilliamogle 08-19-06, 11:22 PM	Play a Darfellan (sp?) from Stormwrack, with the Nature's Avenger Druid variant and take Snow Tiger Berserker at first. En-choi!