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Creating a druid

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Hasdru
Apr 20, 2009 3:03:33 I'm starting a new PC to join another gaming group, and I've settled for a druid.

My goal is to have a character that can manage from a distance, but isn't afraid of jumping into melee whan necessary or when a tactical advantage is needed. Hit points and AC must be decent to avoid being a liability to the party, especially when a melee.
I don't expect to be in a combat advantage position every round, it would kind of "stealing" what the key melee characters (defenders and strikers) need to be most effective.

So far, this is what I've planned:

Race: dwarf
Class: druid
Primal aspect: Primal Guardian

Stats:
Str 10
Con 16
Dex 11
Int 10
Wis 20
Cha 8

HP: 28

Defenses:
AC 16 (Hide armor), Fort 13, Ref 11, Will 16

Trained skills: Nature, Perception, Athletics, Endurance

Feat: Implement Mastery (Staff)

Powers:
At-Will: Savage Rend, Chill Wind, Flaming Seed
Encounter: Cull the Herd
Daily: Faerie Fire

Do you believe this can be an effective package for an LFR group? What would you change, and why?
#2
kinevon
Apr 20, 2009 4:23:32 For LFR, I advise against a 20 stat. I usually wind up with 2 x 18s, instead. It lets me buy a bit more of other stats, and have more "good" skills.

I was just building a Dwarf Druid, earlier, myself, and here he is:
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======
Thoradin, level 1
Dwarf, Druid
Build: Guardian Druid
Primal Aspect: Primal Guardian
Background: Durpar

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 18, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 8.

Starting Ability Scores
Str 12, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 8.

AC: 17 Fort: 14 Reflex: 12 Will: 15
HP: 30 Surges: 11 Surge Value: 7

TRAINED SKILLS
Nature, Perception, Insight, Endurance.

FEATS
1: Ritual Caster
1: Ferocious Tiger Form

POWERS
1, At-Will: Savage Rend
1, At-Will: Storm Spike
1, At-Will: Pounce
1, Encounter: Frost Flash
1, Daily: Faerie Fire

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Hide Armor, Implement, Staff

RITUALS
Animal Messenger, Create Campsite
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======

Note that this is my take on a useful Druid, not the be-all/end-all for Druids, even Dwarven ones.
#3
Bigfluffylemon
Apr 20, 2009 10:17:17
For LFR, I advise against a 20 stat. I usually wind up with 2 x 18s, instead. It lets me buy a bit more of other stats, and have more "good" skills.

I disagree. A 20 can be a mistake, but I've seen plenty of good characters with one. Putting an 18 into a secondary in this case is pretty unspectacular skills-wise, since only endurance keys off CON, and with a racial bonus this character is already good at endurance. I reckon a 20 is fine here, especially since the race has a bonus to the secondary AND wisdom is the most used 'skill' attribute.

OP, in general that character will probably be absolutely fine for LFR.

A couple of questions: Firstly, what background have you chosen? Secondly, why train athletics? Understand that I ask purely from a mechanical point-of-view. In LFR skill challenges are important, and the way they work you will rarely want to use a skill that you don't have both trained and a good attribute bonus in, because the risk of failure is too high. As such, I'd recommend that you train a wisdom based skill in place of athletics (I can't remember the Druid class skill list, but insight or heal are both potentially useful if you have them available. If not, you can gain access from the appropriate LFR background).

Finally: Did you mean Implement Expertise (Staff) in the feat section?

That said, the above is entirely cold and mechanical. If you have an RP reason for being trained in athletics, keep it and enjoy it.
#4
Hasdru
Apr 20, 2009 11:02:54 Background is Durpar, as hailing from a nation besieged by monster sounds kind of cool for a druid, and mechanically-wise, I'll take +2 bonus to Perception any day.

Athletics seems quite reasonable from a RP perspective. From a party design point of view, the characters most likely to take Athletics are also most likely to suffer a huge penalty to it because of heavy armor and shield (fighters, etc). I've witnessed too many burly fighters useless for a whole encounter because a trap fell down under their feet. Hence taking the skill to be able to provide the assist when needed. I could have settled on Heal instead, but I'd rather expect the Leader to have it (even though the Combat Medic feat is good).

Yes, I was meaning Implement Expertise (Staff).

I've also been toying with a variant of this build, based on a human. This is a more balanced version, has slighly lower chances to hit (at range only, it evens out when charging) but higher defenses and is more flexible.
The downside is that you can't second wind as a minor action, but I'll have to live with that ^^

Human, Druid
Build: Guardian Druid
Primal Aspect: Primal Guardian
Background: Durpar

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 8.

Starting Ability Scores
Str 12, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 8.

AC: 16 Fort: 14 Reflex: 13 Will: 16
HP: 28 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 7

TRAINED SKILLS
Nature, Perception, Endurance, Athletics, Heal.

FEATS
1: Ritual Caster
1: Implement Mastery (Staff)
1: Enraged Boar Form

POWERS
1, At-Will: Savage Rend
1, At-Will: Pounce
1, At-Will: Chill Wind
1, At-Will: Flame Seed
1, Encounter: Cull the Herd
1, Daily: Faerie Fire

Which version would you recommand?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Hasdru Apr 20, 2009 3:03:33	I'm starting a new PC to join another gaming group, and I've settled for a druid. My goal is to have a character that can manage from a distance, but isn't afraid of jumping into melee whan necessary or when a tactical advantage is needed. Hit points and AC must be decent to avoid being a liability to the party, especially when a melee. I don't expect to be in a combat advantage position every round, it would kind of "stealing" what the key melee characters (defenders and strikers) need to be most effective. So far, this is what I've planned: Race: dwarf Class: druid Primal aspect: Primal Guardian Stats: Str 10 Con 16 Dex 11 Int 10 Wis 20 Cha 8 HP: 28 Defenses: AC 16 (Hide armor), Fort 13, Ref 11, Will 16 Trained skills: Nature, Perception, Athletics, Endurance Feat: Implement Mastery (Staff) Powers: At-Will: Savage Rend, Chill Wind, Flaming Seed Encounter: Cull the Herd Daily: Faerie Fire Do you believe this can be an effective package for an LFR group? What would you change, and why?
#2 kinevon Apr 20, 2009 4:23:32	For LFR, I advise against a 20 stat. I usually wind up with 2 x 18s, instead. It lets me buy a bit more of other stats, and have more "good" skills. I was just building a Dwarf Druid, earlier, myself, and here he is: ====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ====== Thoradin, level 1 Dwarf, Druid Build: Guardian Druid Primal Aspect: Primal Guardian Background: Durpar FINAL ABILITY SCORES Str 12, Con 18, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 8. Starting Ability Scores Str 12, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 8. AC: 17 Fort: 14 Reflex: 12 Will: 15 HP: 30 Surges: 11 Surge Value: 7 TRAINED SKILLS Nature, Perception, Insight, Endurance. FEATS 1: Ritual Caster 1: Ferocious Tiger Form POWERS 1, At-Will: Savage Rend 1, At-Will: Storm Spike 1, At-Will: Pounce 1, Encounter: Frost Flash 1, Daily: Faerie Fire ITEMS Adventurer's Kit, Hide Armor, Implement, Staff RITUALS Animal Messenger, Create Campsite ====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ====== Note that this is my take on a useful Druid, not the be-all/end-all for Druids, even Dwarven ones.
#3 Bigfluffylemon Apr 20, 2009 10:17:17	For LFR, I advise against a 20 stat. I usually wind up with 2 x 18s, instead. It lets me buy a bit more of other stats, and have more "good" skills. I disagree. A 20 can be a mistake, but I've seen plenty of good characters with one. Putting an 18 into a secondary in this case is pretty unspectacular skills-wise, since only endurance keys off CON, and with a racial bonus this character is already good at endurance. I reckon a 20 is fine here, especially since the race has a bonus to the secondary AND wisdom is the most used 'skill' attribute. OP, in general that character will probably be absolutely fine for LFR. A couple of questions: Firstly, what background have you chosen? Secondly, why train athletics? Understand that I ask purely from a mechanical point-of-view. In LFR skill challenges are important, and the way they work you will rarely want to use a skill that you don't have both trained and a good attribute bonus in, because the risk of failure is too high. As such, I'd recommend that you train a wisdom based skill in place of athletics (I can't remember the Druid class skill list, but insight or heal are both potentially useful if you have them available. If not, you can gain access from the appropriate LFR background). Finally: Did you mean Implement Expertise (Staff) in the feat section? That said, the above is entirely cold and mechanical. If you have an RP reason for being trained in athletics, keep it and enjoy it.
#4 Hasdru Apr 20, 2009 11:02:54	Background is Durpar, as hailing from a nation besieged by monster sounds kind of cool for a druid, and mechanically-wise, I'll take +2 bonus to Perception any day. Athletics seems quite reasonable from a RP perspective. From a party design point of view, the characters most likely to take Athletics are also most likely to suffer a huge penalty to it because of heavy armor and shield (fighters, etc). I've witnessed too many burly fighters useless for a whole encounter because a trap fell down under their feet. Hence taking the skill to be able to provide the assist when needed. I could have settled on Heal instead, but I'd rather expect the Leader to have it (even though the Combat Medic feat is good). Yes, I was meaning Implement Expertise (Staff). I've also been toying with a variant of this build, based on a human. This is a more balanced version, has slighly lower chances to hit (at range only, it evens out when charging) but higher defenses and is more flexible. The downside is that you can't second wind as a minor action, but I'll have to live with that ^^ Human, Druid Build: Guardian Druid Primal Aspect: Primal Guardian Background: Durpar FINAL ABILITY SCORES Str 12, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 8. Starting Ability Scores Str 12, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 8. AC: 16 Fort: 14 Reflex: 13 Will: 16 HP: 28 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 7 TRAINED SKILLS Nature, Perception, Endurance, Athletics, Heal. FEATS 1: Ritual Caster 1: Implement Mastery (Staff) 1: Enraged Boar Form POWERS 1, At-Will: Savage Rend 1, At-Will: Pounce 1, At-Will: Chill Wind 1, At-Will: Flame Seed 1, Encounter: Cull the Herd 1, Daily: Faerie Fire Which version would you recommand?