5e Druid Handbook - Land & Moon

[Tetrasodium]

Oh, i see.
Barkskin + Wild shape seems nice.
There's also the whole "you keep your proeficience and add any proeficience the beast shape has" that can't be said to the Polymorph.
And healing as a bonus action.

Nice, i think i'll go moon druid next.

Thanks! o/

very few beast type creatures have any skills, spiders/cats have stealth, but not too much else. With that said though, a well played moon druid can be a beastly addition to a group & that goes double if you have one or more rogue:assassin with poisoners kit proficiency to milk the druid's spider/toad/scorpion form. I highly recommend it

[Cassielyn]

Land 8
1: Entangle, Faerie Fire, Goodberry, Cure Wounds*/Healing Word*
2: Darkvision, Heat Metal*/Flaming Sphere*, Pass without Trace, Lesser Restoration

Moon 7
1: Detect Magic, Goodberry, Longstrider
2: Barkskin, Pass without Trace, Darkvision, Lesser Restoration

First off, huge thank you for this guide! It's been ridiculously helpful for me these last several months of playing! So thank you for all the time you've invested into writing and updating this!

Secondly, I'm wondering why, at level 4 and on, you have the land Druid getting an extra spell? I seem to be missing where that comes from.

[hymer]

First off, huge thank you for this guide! It's been ridiculously helpful for me these last several months of playing! So thank you for all the time you've invested into writing and updating this!

You're very welcome! I'm glad you've found it of some use.

Secondly, I'm wondering why, at level 4 and on, you have the land Druid getting an extra spell? I seem to be missing where that comes from.

I'm assuming that at level 4 the moon druid took a feat, while the land druid took +2 wisdom.

[Nilstec_Inc]

I'd also like to thank you a lot for this great guide!

I wonder if the Resistance cantrip is a bit underrated. You remark that it is a combat oriented cantrip and it doesn't really work in combat, and I agree. But isn't it very useful out of combat? When dungeon delving, in places where you don't stealth, you can continuously have this up, and get +1d4 on all saves vs traps. This is comparable to having proficiency in the early levels.

I find it more useful than Druidcraft or the attack cantrips. As a moon druid, wood elf, I really don't need the attack cantrips and snuffing out torches is really rare. So I chose Guidance and Resistance, and am dolling out +1d4 for many many checks.

[Tetrasodium]

I'd also like to thank you a lot for this great guide!

I wonder if the Resistance cantrip is a bit underrated. You remark that it is a combat oriented cantrip and it doesn't really work in combat, and I agree. But isn't it very useful out of combat? When dungeon delving, in places where you don't stealth, you can continuously have this up, and get +1d4 on all saves vs traps. This is comparable to having proficiency in the early levels.

I find it more useful than Druidcraft or the attack cantrips. As a moon druid, wood elf, I really don't need the attack cantrips and snuffing out torches is really rare. So I chose Guidance and Resistance, and am dolling out +1d4 for many many checks.

If you have a party pretty much entirely comprised of people with darkvision, the torch thing is useful. Moreso if you can convince your GM to give you a goodlight (think driftglobe on a string/clip that sheds 15-20 feet of dim light only)

[hymer]

@ Nilstec_Inc: You're very welcome.

With regards to Resistance, if it works for you, then great! Its usefulness can't help being rather dependent on the DM's choices regarding traps, which is why I try to spell out my reasoning where space allows. Then you can adjust your view if you think I'm wrong, or that my reasoning doesn't apply to your situation.
Personally, my druids aren't all that prone to getting attacked by traps (and traps don't all target saves for that matter). There's usually a designated trap finder in the party, and they usually do their job well. The rest of the traps are sufficiently hard to predict that I probably wouldn't know who to cast Resistance on.
I'd prefer to spend my Concentration on Guidance to help the trap finder. Or even better, some conjured minions. They may not help with the traps, but they'll help with more dangerous stuff.

[Albert_Newton]

slimy doom contaigion + acid splash. Stun means you automatically fail dex saves and slimy doom stuns you when you take damage. And acid splash is a dex save to avoid. You can take down almost anything in this way!

[SharkForce]

slimy doom contaigion + acid splash. Stun means you automatically fail dex saves and slimy doom stuns you when you take damage. And acid splash is a dex save to avoid. You can take down almost anything in this way!

dev clarification is that disease doesn't exist any more except as a plot-driving spell. (that isn't what they said, but it *is* what the words they said meant... you now must fail three saves against the disease before any of the disease effects take place, which means you would need to spend a spell slot and your concentration in the middle of a fight and then wait around at least 3 rounds before it has any impact on the fight at all)

[hymer]

slimy doom contaigion + acid splash. Stun means you automatically fail dex saves and slimy doom stuns you when you take damage. And acid splash is a dex save to avoid. You can take down almost anything in this way!

Oh, Your Grace! Fancy you turning up here. You aren't by any chance lost? Isle of Mist is only a Town Portal away.

Once Slimy Doom comes into effect, the target is pretty well screwed either way. Besides Acid Splash (which druids don't get for being druids; druid cantrips tend to be to-hit or Con save), your friends are likely to have dex-save targeting, or just hit once with anything dealing damage.

dev clarification is that disease doesn't exist any more except as a plot-driving spell. (that isn't what they said, but it *is* what the words they said meant... you now must fail three saves against the disease before any of the disease effects take place, which means you would need to spend a spell slot and your concentration in the middle of a fight and then wait around at least 3 rounds before it has any impact on the fight at all)

Indeed. I have the link to that decision where I talk about the spell, but I can out it in again for reference.

My suggestion for using Contagion in battle would be to try to hit the enemy with it before fighting starts in earnest. Druids have excellent stealth capabilities and access to some unusual movement modes via wild shape. So, like with Heat Metal, it may make sense to do some hit-and-run for greatest effect (maybe in conjunction with the assassin rogue of the party). It will be at most five rounds until the spell either takes effect or fails, so you won't have to delay long.
Of course, it won't work against just anyone.

[Captain Panda]

Sorry if this has already been asked, but will the guide be updated when Xanathar's comes out? As this is the best druid guide for fifth edition, I kind of hope so. :D

[hymer]

Sorry if this has already been asked, but will the guide be updated when Xanathar's comes out? As this is the best druid guide for fifth edition, I kind of hope so. :D

Thank you!

Yes, when I get Xanathar's Guide (I've ordered it already, so shouldn't be long after the official release date), and read and test and theorize on the material, I'll have to rebuild the guide. I plan to make a fresh thread with more posts reserved for the guide (and link to it first thing in this thread, which will be emptied), and move and rewrite as needed. Just how long that will take I don't really know. It depends not least on how much new material is in XGtE, and also on how busy I happen to be around the time when I get it. But I definitely intend to keep the guide updated, and if nothing else I expect a peaceful period between Christmas and New Year's. Odds are I'll be done before that, though.

[Snoochers]

Hi! Any update given Xanathar's release?

[E’Tallitnics]

Thank you!

Yes, when I get Xanathar's Guide (I've ordered it already, so shouldn't be long after the official release date), and read and test and theorize on the material, I'll have to rebuild the guide. I plan to make a fresh thread with more posts reserved for the guide (and link to it first thing in this thread, which will be emptied), and move and rewrite as needed. Just how long that will take I don't really know. It depends not least on how much new material is in XGtE, and also on how busy I happen to be around the time when I get it. But I definitely intend to keep the guide updated, and if nothing else I expect a peaceful period between Christmas and New Year's. Odds are I'll be done before that, though.

If you need any help DO NOT hesitate to ask me! You’re guide has served me well over the years and Id like to repay you.

I’ve 25 years publishing experience. I’ll totalky take a new template and reformat text to fit it.

[hymer]

Hi! Any update given Xanathar's release?

I received my XGtE yesterday (it's morning for me right now), and I've read through the druid circles and the druid spells. The circles seem pretty straightforward to judge (but I'm still going to run some numbers, particularly on the Shepherd to see just what it will do), but some of the spells will need some deeper thought and some experiments before I'll feel prepared to comment on them. Once that is done, I can start on actually writing the new guide. I won't do any work on it today, as I've got a session tonight.
I've been pretty busy, but there may just be a calm period ahead. I fully expect to be done before the year is out, and probably before Christmas.

If you need any help DO NOT hesitate to ask me! You’re guide has served me well over the years and Id like to repay you.

I’ve 25 years publishing experience. I’ll totalky take a new template and reformat text to fit it.

That's very kind of you! But I think I'm too much of a control freak to let it go, though I don't doubt you'd do a better job at formatting.
I'm glad you've found the guide useful.

[Snoochers]

Waiting eagerly for your analysis :) I joined up just to comment on this thread.

[hymer]

Waiting eagerly for your analysis :) I joined up just to comment on this thread.

Allright, I'll get to work already!
Thanks for the support. I appreciate it.

[Snoochers]

Allright, I'll get to work already!
Thanks for the support. I appreciate it.

No problem! Any updates?

[hymer]

No problem! Any updates?

I seem to be done with the reading, experiments and most of the comparative numbercrunching (but I expect more of those things will come up as I start the rewrite). So unless something comes up, I'll start the actual writing today. I have an RPG session in two days that I'll also need to get ready for, so there's only so much time I can dedicate right now. But I may be ready to put the rewritten guide up this weekend. It mainly depends on how much stuff, particularly on spells, I'll let myself reuse.

[Snoochers]

I seem to be done with the reading, experiments and most of the comparative numbercrunching (but I expect more of those things will come up as I start the rewrite). So unless something comes up, I'll start the actual writing today. I have an RPG session in two days that I'll also need to get ready for, so there's only so much time I can dedicate right now. But I may be ready to put the rewritten guide up this weekend. It mainly depends on how much stuff, particularly on spells, I'll let myself reuse.

I am especially curious about your thoughts on the new cantrips! If you can drop a few words on which you think are particularly useful, that would be helpful!

[hymer]

I am especially curious about your thoughts on the new cantrips! If you can drop a few words on which you think are particularly useful, that would be helpful!

Oh, well, I can just paste my notes on the two new ones. All the rest of the XGtE cantrips are already in the guide somewhere.

Infestation: Low damage, with the least reliable damage type, and an unfortunate delivery method (Con save). May grant the occasional spectacular success by making people run over cliffs or into lava (depending on the interpretation of ‘blocked’), but more unlikely than usual as you don’t control the control. Only has a small chance of breaking up enemy formations – first must miss save, then must roll a useful direction.
Main advantage is creepiness factor, if you like that sort of thing.

Primal Savagery: Acid damage is one of the better damage types (and not usual for druids), spell attack is a good delivery method, and the damage is quite good for a druid cantrip. But it sucks you have to deliver it in melee – generally speaking, caster forms do not belong within reach of enemy weapons. So PS would be for emergencies and perhaps mopping up.
Compared to Shillelagh, which serves a similar niche, PS is overall better out of the box, at least from level 5 on. But you can invest in Shillelagh to make it more worthwhile (using it instead of a shield bonus action use, getting a source of one or more additional attacks with it, etc.). PS doesn’t even benefit from Spell Sniper, because its range is Self. So you pick it to be done with it.

Edit: If you're looking for advice this specific, you can just start a thread on it. I'll probably notice, but if you want to be sure, you can send me a private message. Then you'll also benefit from the insights of other people on this forum.

[Snoochers]

Cool! I appreciate your insightful thoughts. I look forward to hearing what you think about Healing Spirit.

[skoriaan]

This is a great guide! I'm looking at a druid for my next character in a new (level 1 start) campaign coming up in the new year. The only thing I know so far, is that I won't be a Moon Druid (we already have a couple front line fighter types, don't need another in our party of 4). I'm curious to see how the new circles fit into your guide!

Thanks for putting this together!

[E’Tallitnics]

This is a great guide! I'm looking at a druid for my next character in a new (level 1 start) campaign coming up in the new year. The only thing I know so far, is that I won't be a Moon Druid (we already have a couple front line fighter types, don't need another in our party of 4). I'm curious to see how the new circles fit into your guide!

Thanks for putting this together!

Circle of the Shepard is awesome! I’m at 4th level and she’s soooo much fun to play. Can’t wait to get those conjuring spells...

[hymer]

@ skoriaan: Thank you for the praise! And I'm glad you're finding this useful. I hope you'll find the next version at least as good.

@ E’Tallitnics: To me the shepherd [edit: as summoner] doesn't feel much stronger than the average summoning druid, because the offensive potential remains pretty much the same. But (and it's a big, fat but) you get an added durability that makes a real difference between your totem spirits and your generally buffed animals. Some of the experiments I've run, particularly around level 6-7, the shepherd really throttled the opposition without seeming at all in danger, grinding on through several combat encounters with the same spell slot, or with just a little healing.

Regarding my progress, I've unfortunately been ill for the better part of a week, but I still have hopes of getting the new guide up before the 25th. I should be able to put twelve-sixteen hours in over the next few days, which should get me through the spells (which is the major part that needs doing).

[E’Tallitnics]

[…]

Regarding my progress, I've unfortunately been ill for the better part of a week, but I still have hopes of getting the new guide up before the 25th. I should be able to put twelve-sixteen hours in over the next few days, which should get me through the spells (which is the major part that needs doing).

Hymer ya gotta take care of yourself! Get better then get back to this.

[hymer]

Hymer ya gotta take care of yourself! Get better then get back to this.

Thanks, and I am better. I went and saw Last Jedi yesterday, and coughed less than most people there.