Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 LordDreadman Jul 11, 2014 15:36:22	My friend is planning on running a 5E game in the next few weeks, and I thought it would be fun to play a Druid, but flavored like a primal wizard. (Similar to 4E, in that respect.)   I'm having trouble figuring out how to play a 5E Druid this way, though. The spells, by and large, don't seem suited to this idea ... like I have to be a healer, instead. There simply aren't many damaging spells and their damage is somewhat less than the Wizard can pull off. I don't mind being a bit less than optimal, but I'd like to be viable. I admit, the idea of playing a Druid healer is weird to me, so I can't bring myself to do it, and while I want to deal damage, but I definately don't want to be fighting as a cat or bear or something - that's never appealed to me.   Anyone have any suggestions for spell selection at 1st level to allow me to feel like a wizard of the natural world (as in, is there an aspect of these spells I'm missing?), or am I barking up the wrong tree and should just pick a wizard?   Ideas?   Thanks! Lord Dreadman
#2 LordDreadman Jul 11, 2014 18:51:46	Bump.   (Sorry. I hate doing that, but I could really use a hand.)   Lord Dreadman
#3 Lord_Ventnor Jul 11, 2014 19:07:49	I don't think we can help you much until we see the Druid in its final form when the Player's Handbook is released.
#4 bawylie Jul 11, 2014 19:25:05	Yes - at this point, unless we were to rewrite the spell list, you'll be stuck with basic re fluffing. Maybe all you need to do is write up a spell list instead.
#5 Nicodaudel Jul 11, 2014 19:43:31	Based on the Oct 14 playtest Druid, I think you're going to find it challenging to accomplish your goal until, at the very least, the PHB drops. The playtest spell list has nature-flavored spells galore, but many of them are control oriented (which for me would include Faerie Fire, etc.) or healing oriented. Shillelagh and Thunderwave are the big two beyond that for my money, but you'll never reach Wizard levels of damage on such a meager list. In that sense, I'm with bawylie - rewriting or refluffing are the two most direct options short of developing your own spell list, one that almost certainly includes reflavored damage-oriented Cleric and Wizard spells.
#6 Tony_Vargas Jul 12, 2014 0:11:39	The Circle of Oak Druid I played felt rather like what you describe.  Plenty of spells, some of them, like Call Lightning, quite potent.  Whether you heal much depends on the composition of the rest of the party.  If you have no one else with Cure..Wounds on their list, sure, you're stuck, otherwise, you can be strictly second-string, or even just not prep healing, at all.
#7 Litania84it Jul 12, 2014 18:40:25	What? Druids in the playtest have much higher damage potential than wizards!!! Moonbeam and Call Lightning for one, plus you get goodies like lighting bolt if you are a circle of the Land "mountain" druid, and ice storm and so on...
#8 Rastapopoulos Jul 12, 2014 19:38:06	If you don't want it to be a healer and want wizard-like spells...   Take the wizard class and rename it druid. Change the fluff of the class to your taste.   Until we see an actual druid in the PHB that's the best I can think of.