Dipping Druid 2 for Archers (Unearthed Arcana)

[jaappleton]

Druid - Circle of the Shepard level 2 ability

Spirit Bond

Hawk - You and allows have advantage on ranged attack rolls against targets within 30ft of where you place this aura - Bonus Action

(You designate a point and it radiates the benefit from that point.)

This ability refreshes every short rest. Sharpshooting archers rejoice!

Plus, you now have first level Druid spells. Like Faerie Fire in case this goes down.

My question is, what class can take advantage of this the most? Fighter / Druid? Ranger / Druid? Rogue / Druid?

[tomato]

It's definitely good. Bonus action advantage for standing in an area? Fantastic.

Personally, I don't expect that Circle of the Shepherd will see publishing as it stands now, though. The sheer quantity of free bonus healing conferred through the Wolf Spirit that it gets completely overshadows what the Life Cleric and other dedicated healing specializations can do. I saw one DM rule that each individual goodberry consumption activated the healing aura, similar to how Jeremy Crawford ruled the goodberry benefits from the bonus healing from Life Cleric. He quickly ate his words when the level 5 druid healed 20 hp per party member with 4 party members each eating a berry - not even half a level 1 spell slot.

[Ovarwa]

Hi,



My question is, what class can take advantage of this the most? Fighter / Druid? Ranger / Druid? Rogue / Druid?

Warlock with EB likes this a lot. Druid2/Warlock18 can forgo Foresight in favor of True Polymorph. Second ranged attack comes online at character level 5. 3 extra level 1 spell slots are nice for a Warlock, as are more spells known. (Druid18/Warlock2 also works... but bumping Cha just for EB seems wasteful.)

Anyway,

Ken

[Sans.]

Hi,



Warlock with EB likes this a lot. Druid2/Warlock18 can forgo Foresight in favor of True Polymorph. Second ranged attack comes online at character level 5. 3 extra level 1 spell slots are nice for a Warlock, as are more spells known. (Druid18/Warlock2 also works... but bumping Cha just for EB seems wasteful.)

Anyway,

Ken

Eeek. MADness...

[jaappleton]

Eeek. MADness...

Not as much as you might think. You'd only need 13 Wisdom to MC out of Druid. And you can utilize Druid spells that don't require any roll or DC. The Goodberry spell will benefit from the Wolf benefit if its cast and used while Wolf is active. Detect Poison & Disease and Detect Magic are decent picks, and it'll free you up from taking the Warlock invocation.

[Ovarwa]

Exactly: Not very MAD at all.

13 Wisdom for the MC, which you'd need anyway for any archer. Ranger, Fighter, whatever: Wisdom 13 plus attack stat, which isn't likely to also be wisdom because, you know, OP wants archer, so Dex 20.

Wisdom isn't a dump stat for anyone either: Will saves are too important.

Now, Cha isn't as good a stat as Dex, not nearly, but Druid2/WarlockX doesn't need any other stat at 20: Cha does it all. Druids also get Medium Armor, iirc, so Dex need not go above 14. (And then just reinterpret your old druid oath based upon your new, deeper understanding of the true nature of nature.)

Anyway,

Ken

[Foxhound438]

I do like the feature, but on reading it I always felt that it's better as a support ability. You're the divine caster, the rogue thanks you profusely at the end of every combat

Plus the fact that you can't move the area, so it's hard to use effectively unless you have a really sticky sentinel fighter or something in that area.

[jaappleton]

I do like the feature, but on reading it I always felt that it's better as a support ability. You're the divine caster, the rogue thanks you profusely at the end of every combat

Plus the fact that you can't move the area, so it's hard to use effectively unless you have a really sticky sentinel fighter or something in that area.

Not being able to move it is a bit of an issue. Still, I do think it's very much worth considering for ranged attackers; Sun Soul Monks, Warlocks, and any Archer.

The fact that it grants advantage to yourself, all allies, costs only a bonus action, and doesn't require Concentration, and works without anyone making a saving throw?

Even if you only get three or four attacks with it, I think it's better than most ways to utilize a bonus action, and its superior to most spells that offer similar effects. Faerie Fire shows invisible targets, yes, but only if they fail. And technically... Wouldn't this cancel out the disadvantage on attack rolls against invisible targets? (Though I don't see any DM really falling for that, though I think it technically does do that)

Lv5 VHuman Fighter with Crossbow Expert & Sharpshooter.
Bonus Action - Drop the Hawk ability
Two attacks, with sharpshooter
Action Surge
Two more attacks, with sharpshooter

Now let's say enemies scatter, since you just put some arrows through peoples necks.

What is better in that scenario? Using the Hawk ability, or one attack with Crossbow Expert?

[Foxhound438]

Wouldn't this cancel out the disadvantage on attack rolls against invisible targets? (Though I don't see any DM really falling for that, though I think it technically does do that)



technically yes, but I could definitely see a DM ruling that after so far out you have to guess the target's location

And faerie fire still has the advantage of always being active regardless of where they go, so there's that.

[jaappleton]

technically yes, but I could definitely see a DM ruling that after so far out you have to guess the target's location

And faerie fire still has the advantage of always being active regardless of where they go, so there's that.

Oh, it doesn't replace Faerie Fire. Faerie Fire, or Ke$ha's Glitter Bomb as it's called at my table, still requires an action, though.

There's benefits to both.

Plus, let's be honest: Any Archer of any kind wants a decent Wisdom. And this Druid dip means you get access to Faerie Fire anyways.

[Foxhound438]

Plus, let's be honest: Any Archer of any kind wants a decent Wisdom. .

not really? a battlemaster fighter doesn't really have to care, both arcane tricksters and eldritch knights are going to prefer int, and valor bards care way more about charisma.

[jaappleton]

not really? a battlemaster fighter doesn't really have to care, both arcane tricksters and eldritch knights are going to prefer int, and valor bards care way more about charisma.

Perception. I'm not saying to make it secondary, but they certainly shouldn't be dumping it.

[Knaight]

Perception. I'm not saying to make it secondary, but they certainly shouldn't be dumping it.

If hidden targets or very long ranges aren't routine the wisdom as perception bit doesn't really matter.

[tieren]

Is it really much better than just taking magic initiate for an owl familiar to fly by and give you the advantage instead?