The perfect druid? [Archive] - Wizards Community

The perfect druid? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
viana_qoh
04-29-07, 06:41 PM So I've been hankering for some druid play lately, and I have a tendency to like to play "interesting" characters/races. A template or two, that kind of thing. But in this case, I want to play a simple, no-level adjustment race.

But even humans aren't really suited to play. Ideally such a race should provide bonuses to wisdom and/or cha or dex, possibly strength or con, or some other ability that complements the druid's natural abilities.

Is there anything that really fits a druid well?
Cricket_God
04-29-07, 06:45 PM If your looking purely for flavor, the Killoren from Races of the Wild fit the bill. The only non-LA race that gives a bonus to a mental stat that I know of are spellscales which have a charisma bonus, which isn't what your looking for. Other than that, Dwarves give you a nice con bonus, along with other useful abilities, and have a negative in charisma, which is usually a dump stat for Druids anyway.
viana_qoh
04-29-07, 07:18 PM Killoren would be good for flavor, yes... but its abilities aren't really needed by a druid, per se.

Druids do need charisma for handle animal and diplomacy. It would definitely depend on how you were planning to build your character; an animal handler or a mediator would need cha.

I would prefer to be charismatic rather than not.
JulesCARV
04-29-07, 07:40 PM Dream dwarves, perhaps? They're a druid-ish oriented dwarven subrace. +2 con, -2 dex, and some neat abilities to see incorporeal being automatically.
runestar
04-29-07, 10:13 PM Try the Jermlaine in MM2 or anthropomorphic bats in SS. They each gives +6wis and are LA+0. Physical stat deficiencies are rectified at lv5+ when you access wildshape.
Jaxgaret
04-29-07, 10:27 PM But even humans aren't really suited to play.

Is there anything that really fits a druid well?

Were you were talking about humans not being suitable from a flavor or mechanical standpoint?

Humans (extra feat + sp), Halflings (+1 bonus on saving throws), and Gnomes (+2 Con) make the best core Druids.
The_One_Who_Walks
04-30-07, 02:29 PM I think dwarves make the most interesting core race druids, if only because it seems like such a departure from the "normal" dwarf ideals... but mechanically they're not great for the job. Con is nice, and Cha can be done without, but most druids aren't all about mineing and mines, or spending lots of time in worked stone environments, so stonecunning becomes that much less useful... Thematically, Elves also make great druids, the whole "in touch with nature" idea... but again, mechanically, they're eh at best.

In terms of rules, Gnomes win, as far as I'm concerned.
Zelck
04-30-07, 02:41 PM I'd say humans. That feat is absolutely wonderful, and combined with the skill point bonus it gives even the +6 wisdom races a run for their money. Besides, if you want to stay in human form most of the time (and thus actually be able to /talk/), those physical stat penalties hurt.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
viana_qoh 04-29-07, 06:41 PM	So I've been hankering for some druid play lately, and I have a tendency to like to play "interesting" characters/races. A template or two, that kind of thing. But in this case, I want to play a simple, no-level adjustment race. But even humans aren't really suited to play. Ideally such a race should provide bonuses to wisdom and/or cha or dex, possibly strength or con, or some other ability that complements the druid's natural abilities. Is there anything that really fits a druid well?
Cricket_God 04-29-07, 06:45 PM	If your looking purely for flavor, the Killoren from Races of the Wild fit the bill. The only non-LA race that gives a bonus to a mental stat that I know of are spellscales which have a charisma bonus, which isn't what your looking for. Other than that, Dwarves give you a nice con bonus, along with other useful abilities, and have a negative in charisma, which is usually a dump stat for Druids anyway.
viana_qoh 04-29-07, 07:18 PM	Killoren would be good for flavor, yes... but its abilities aren't really needed by a druid, per se. Druids do need charisma for handle animal and diplomacy. It would definitely depend on how you were planning to build your character; an animal handler or a mediator would need cha. I would prefer to be charismatic rather than not.
JulesCARV 04-29-07, 07:40 PM	Dream dwarves, perhaps? They're a druid-ish oriented dwarven subrace. +2 con, -2 dex, and some neat abilities to see incorporeal being automatically.
runestar 04-29-07, 10:13 PM	Try the Jermlaine in MM2 or anthropomorphic bats in SS. They each gives +6wis and are LA+0. Physical stat deficiencies are rectified at lv5+ when you access wildshape.
Jaxgaret 04-29-07, 10:27 PM	But even humans aren't really suited to play. Is there anything that really fits a druid well? Were you were talking about humans not being suitable from a flavor or mechanical standpoint? Humans (extra feat + sp), Halflings (+1 bonus on saving throws), and Gnomes (+2 Con) make the best core Druids.
The_One_Who_Walks 04-30-07, 02:29 PM	I think dwarves make the most interesting core race druids, if only because it seems like such a departure from the "normal" dwarf ideals... but mechanically they're not great for the job. Con is nice, and Cha can be done without, but most druids aren't all about mineing and mines, or spending lots of time in worked stone environments, so stonecunning becomes that much less useful... Thematically, Elves also make great druids, the whole "in touch with nature" idea... but again, mechanically, they're eh at best. In terms of rules, Gnomes win, as far as I'm concerned.
Zelck 04-30-07, 02:41 PM	I'd say humans. That feat is absolutely wonderful, and combined with the skill point bonus it gives even the +6 wisdom races a run for their money. Besides, if you want to stay in human form most of the time (and thus actually be able to /talk/), those physical stat penalties hurt.