# Druid feats....what do I take?



## Funkthis (Jan 28, 2007)

I'm about to start a new character from lvl 1 and I've decided on a druid.  I haven't played one at all and I can't make up my mind a feat progression.

Obviously you take natural spell at 6 but other than than I'm just not sure.  I'm playing a human and with the 2 feats at 1st lvl I can't make up my mind...  Do I take both Spell Focus (Conjuration) and Augment Summoning at 1st; or do I take Skill Focus (Concentration) and some other feat; or some combination of the above?

Besides core we can use all the complete books, PHBII and Stormwrack.  So if anyone who has or is playing a druid could give me suggestions on what feats to take and when it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks


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## SteelDraco (Jan 28, 2007)

What do you want to do? Heal? Blast? Shapeshift? Summon? Druids can do any of these, particularly shapeshifting and summoning. The feats for a druid who intends to get into melee as quickly as possible in animal form will be pretty different from someone who intends to stay in the back, summon animals, buff them, and stay out of direct combat.

I like Track for a druid, if there's not a ranger in the party. You'll probably have a good Survival skill, and it's useful for someone in the party to be able to do it.


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## Legildur (Jan 28, 2007)

I agree with Steeldraco that Track is a very attractive feat.  Although it is competing with a lot of other very attractive feats.

I'm currently running an elven druid 15 with Spell Focus (conjuration), Augment Summoning, Natural Spell, Sudden Extend, Sudden Maximise and Fast Wild Shape.

Spell Penetration (and the Greater version) would be nice, but not strictly necessary when relying on summoned allies.

Sudden Extend was taken to qualify for Sudden Maximise, but is used daily on Barkskin buff or a top level summons (like Greater Earth Elemental).

Improved Initiative is always solid.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with Skill Focus (conjuration).


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## Moon-Lancer (Jan 28, 2007)

the best feats i think, are dragon wildshape. Its a very nice feat, but minimum level 12. Its in draconomicon. may take you a year to get.

Summoning is very powerful. If you can, take that summon feat in ebberon. ashbound? if you cant do that, why not, go with augmented summoning? their are also good feats in book of exalted deeds for druids, if your into the roleplay challenge. VOP works very nicely, exalted wildshape is pritty good too. I have yet to find a really good 3rd level feat for druids though. Track is nice but it dosent pop !awesome!... You will find that most of the good druid feats are actually at level 6. I think this is to take away from natural spell. theirs a feat called steady concentration that lets you take 10 on concentrate checks. its in races of stone. improved natural attack is also a good feat if your going to brawl in wildshape.

*edit* sorry, dident see your book list.

I would go with augment summoning (and its pre req), then steady concentration, then natural spell, then something from complete divine/improved natural attack, then plead with your dm to let you get dragon wildshape


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## SteelDraco (Jan 28, 2007)

Just for comparison's sake, here's the feat progression of my 15th level dwarf druid, at Druid11/Nature's Warrior 3/Fighter1.

Char 1 - Track
Fighter 1 - Power Attack
Char 3 - Brew Potion
Char 6 - Natural Spell
Char 9 - Natural Bond (+3 level for purposes of animal companion progression, from one of the Complete books.)
Char 12 - Oaken Resilience (spend a wild shape to gain Plant immunities for a while, including Critical Hits and Stun. Very handy for a combat machine to have.)
Char 15 - Frigid Spell (The equivalent of... I think it's called Scalding Spell, from the desert terrain book. Lets you bypass cold resistance with your [Cold] spells)

The character had a simple play style - cast a battlefield control spell or two, then turn into the biggest bear I could and tear people apart. He wasn't complicated, but he was a lot of fun.


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## Harm (Jan 28, 2007)

Feat from complete divine that lets you convert spells to heals like a cleric is very good.  If you're going to be the only healer in the party the feats that add +2 per spell level to amount healed or that let you convert a spell into a mass vigor spell are also very nice.  Elephent Hide for +7 natural armour is nice.  Those are the main ones I'd take over the normal metamagic ones like maximize etc.


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## Quartz (Jan 28, 2007)

How about Scribe Scroll?


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## shilsen (Jan 28, 2007)

Quartz said:
			
		

> How about Scribe Scroll?



 That would be my pick. Druids have lots of spells that are very handy in emergencies, but which you won't have prepared, so Scribe Scroll can be invaluable.


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## Nifft (Jan 28, 2007)

Obvious and excellent:

*Natural Spell* -- "Dude, you're gonna get Natural Spell."

*Scribe Scroll* -- so many Druid spells are highly situational.

*Improved Initiative* -- winning this roll gets more important as you level up.

*Skill Focus (Concentration)* -- better than Combat Casting, especially as you level up.

*Craft Wondrous Item* -- well, unless someone else already has it.

Cheers, -- N


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## pallandrome (Jan 28, 2007)

Might I suggest spending a feat on Spontaneous Healer from complete divine? You'll need to spend four skill points into Knowledge: Religion, but then you can spontaneously convert a number of spells equal to your wisdom bonus into cure spell that are on your spell list. It essentially means that you'll never need to memorize another cure spell at the expense of your utility and blasting power, ever again. It is also really nice for dumping Cure Criticals into undead baddies...


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## Funkthis (Jan 28, 2007)

*Thanks for the replies*

Great suggesstions ... thanks.

I'm a little torn now cause I'm not sure what kind of Druid I'm going to be.  For one I don't even know if there is going to be a cleric in the party so that Spontaneous Healer feat might come in quite handy and probably will take it for my 3rd lvl feat if there are no Clerics.

The two paths I was originally considering for my first 2 feats were Track + Skill Focus (Concentration) or the Spell Focus (Conjuration) + Augment Summoning.  As I thought both make sense...guess I'll flip a coin or something.    

Thanks again for the input.


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## Lonely Tylenol (Jan 28, 2007)

Funkthis said:
			
		

> Great suggesstions ... thanks.
> 
> I'm a little torn now cause I'm not sure what kind of Druid I'm going to be.  For one I don't even know if there is going to be a cleric in the party so that Spontaneous Healer feat might come in quite handy and probably will take it for my 3rd lvl feat if there are no Clerics.
> 
> ...



The problem with Spell Focus (Conjuration) is that it's essentially useless, and Augment Summoning isn't worth two feats.  So stay away from that progression.


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## ThirdWizard (Jan 28, 2007)

A spirit shaman in a game I play in has made great use of Augment Healing from Complete Divine, and spirit shamans use the druid list. The druid cure spells are often a level behind, so an extra +2 hp/spell level really gives you quite a nice boost to your healing.


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## Votan (Jan 28, 2007)

I kind of like Improved Toughness, actually, especially with the new wildshape rules.  Extra hit points are never a bad thing and this is a rare feat that scales with level.  Druids have a d8 hit die and need to invest in Wisdom -- having some extra stying power isn't bad.  

Spontaneous Healer (as previosuyl suggested) is, however, also surprisingly nice.


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## Darklone (Jan 28, 2007)

Think about the two UA variants. One gives you barbarian rage and fast movement for your animal companion, the other one monk WIS to AC and other stuff for wildshape.

The druid archer option (best for elves) hasn't been mentioned yet. It goes great along with a summoner.

Old thread about building a druid:
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=184082

Not mentioned in that thread: Animal Growth doesn't work on the druid in wildshape.


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## Hypersmurf (Jan 28, 2007)

I favour the 'swift and deadly hunter' variant druid from UA, myself, which gives up Wildshape... so Natural Spell isn't one of my top picks!

Natural Bond, on the other hand, _is_... though it depends on whether your DM considers Druid's Level -3 +3 to be less-than-or-equal-to the Druid's hit dice or not!

-Hyp.


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## Darklone (Jan 28, 2007)

I think combining the two UA variants will net ... something pretty sick. Barbarian rage, Monk AC, Fast movement of barbarian and monk, rangers favored enemy plus tracking. 

Loses: Animal companion, wildshape and spontaneous summoning...

Yet gaining the Monk bonus to AC but losing wildshape (when it's really useful) isn't that great.


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## Legildur (Jan 28, 2007)

Dr. Awkward said:
			
		

> The problem with Spell Focus (Conjuration) is that it's essentially useless, and Augment Summoning isn't worth two feats.  So stay away from that progression.



I disagree on Augment Summoning.  I've got plenty of mileage out of the summoned allies and having them boosted by the feat is like casting Bull's Strength AND Bear's Endurance as a free action on multiple targets any number of times per day (that you summon).

Admittedly, Spell Focus (conj) has limited utility.  However, it has seen some use where I have been using cure spells to deal damage to (particularly incorporeal) undead. Clutching at straws, I know.


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## Legildur (Jan 28, 2007)

Darklone said:
			
		

> The druid archer option (best for elves) hasn't been mentioned yet. It goes great along with a summoner.



I created a 1st level elven druid (now 15th level) for exactly that reason (mainly to increase his contribution for when spells ran out).  But by the time I got past the low levels, the available offensive spells and ability to wildshape into effective (if not devastating) animal forms saw the bow pretty much being stowed away (as wasn't willing to invest in the necessary feats).


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## Darklone (Jan 29, 2007)

Elven druids often don't have great hitpoints and don't need many feats if they don't plan a melee build. 3 or four feats for archery (PBS, Rapid Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus bow) is more than enough if your Dex is decent, one good bow with an energy enhancement and you're set. 

At higher levels the druid rather uses spells, but many of these spells are ground control which go along nicely with archery (Wall of fire, Entangle and others). And the big boon of the archer druid IMC: She always contributed pretty well to the fights and still had a few big hammer spells left for emergency cases even if it was the fifth or sixth fight that day. Healing wasn't a problem either.


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## Votan (Jan 29, 2007)

Darklone said:
			
		

> Elven druids often don't have great hitpoints and don't need many feats if they don't plan a melee build. 3 or four feats for archery (PBS, Rapid Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus bow) is more than enough if your Dex is decent, one good bow with an energy enhancement and you're set.
> 
> At higher levels the druid rather uses spells, but many of these spells are ground control which go along nicely with archery (Wall of fire, Entangle and others). And the big boon of the archer druid IMC: She always contributed pretty well to the fights and still had a few big hammer spells left for emergency cases even if it was the fifth or sixth fight that day. Healing wasn't a problem either.




One of my favorite characters was an elven Druid.  The high wisdom makes spot and survival high so you also end up with a pretty good wilderness scout if you also go with a decent INT score.  It's one of the few ways to a play in elf in D&D 3.5 where you cna capture the flavor of the race and not be terribly penalized by a poorly designed race.


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