Let’s make a non-Moon Druid

[jaappleton]

So after I made a topic in which the community was awesome and amazing in showing me the great utility toolbox that Wild Shape is (Really, thank you all!), I’ve decided to make a Druid.

What Circle? Any non-Moon Circle is Open. However, I don’t want Circle of the Shepard; I know Summoning spells can be a massive strength, especially with that Circle, but honestly, I don’t want to deal with that level of micromanagement. So Land, Dreams, and Harvest are all applicable.

What I envision this character as is.... He’s honestly borderline evil. This is a very selfish character, only helping the party because the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And anyone else powerful that can oppose him is an enemy. This isn’t some goody nature Mage to defend the Land, this is someone abusing power for personal gain. This is a Druid in name only. Druid May be his Class, but it’s not his Job, y’know?

A complaint I’ve seen about the Druid spell list is the lack of AoE and damage dealing spells. Between Moonbeam, Erupting Warth, Blight, Ice Storm, Wall of Fire, etc., I’d say things are covered on that front.

But that’s all I got. And that’s why I need help.

Before I continue, at my table, rules are a little... Generous. Let me explain.


Start at Level 7

Two Rare items (Though one is spoken for, as a +2 Spell Focus, adding +2 to my Spell DC and spell attack rolls)

One Uncommon item

Place the +2 and +1 bonus in any stats of my choice, but keep all other Racial features (I could be a Half Orc with +2 Wis and +1 Dex, for example)

Any Racial spells are actually ‘learned’ and can be cast with Spell Slots, if your character has them



Now, as you can imagine, this opens up a world of possibilities. Githzerai Druid could actually cast Shield with Spell Slots. Warforged for +1 to AC.

So...

What Circle?
What Race?
What magic items?

All books and UA available.

[SaA]

ive done non-moon Druid its fun

Go Specifically For CC and Summons

get a land circle that has Web, web is amazing

Every combat should have you dropping a big Concentration spell from the Start.

Controlling the Field is more important then doing direct damage, and in many cases with how much the Land Druid can control the field more effective

Race Wise i went for Forest Gnome cause it was thematic and it gives you Minor Illusion

But Forest Gnome really isnt optimal

Firbolg on the other hand can turn invivislbe for Free , once per short rest, so you could get the sneak on someone to drop a large aoe cc into an enemy group before they notice you.

Lizardfolk gets a 13+dex racial if not wearing armor which is great since you cannot wear heavy metal armor, 15 AC at the start , 17 with a sheild

whenever you do a summon always summon max number

8 Cows >>> any single CR 2 animal

[Aett_Thorn]

Well, with your +2 Spell Focus, Land Druid is an obvious choice, and you'll probably stay at range.

And since you get some freedom with your stats, I'm going to say the following:

Black Dragonborn Swamp Druid. Because why not? You get a bit of extra AoE,and it's something that you certainly don't see every day.

[Honest Tiefling]

If you have a non-evil party, go Circle of Twilight. Sure, you're evil and you really don't give a hoot about them or the environment, but it'd be easy enough to fluff it working with any group. Also, speak with dead as an evil character is usually a bit more useful, as you can murder as many people as you need to. Sometimes it's just awkward asking for directions, yanno?

Dragonborn are a little weak with only a single use breath weapon and a single resistance. Otherwise I'd double down on the Black Dragonborn Swamp Druid, that's a really nifty idea.

A stealthy party can use a Wood Elf, due to their Mask of the Wild trait, but that requires being outdoors a lot. If I had to pick an elf subrace, I'd go Drow to get those lovely bonus spells. I assume they'd basically count as extra prepared spells?

[EvilAnagram]

Does anyone else feel like a Wood Elf Land Druid is just stupid good? All the land options are just so fun, and the stealth and mobility boosts are very nice. It's a pretty complete package.

[Ogre Mage]

Does anyone else feel like a Wood Elf Land Druid is just stupid good? All the land options are just so fun, and the stealth and mobility boosts are very nice. It's a pretty complete package.

I am playing a Wood Elf Land Druid (Grasslands) who just hit 9th level. Between Goodberry, Pass Without Trace, Invisibility, Haste, Conjure Animals and Conjure Woodland Beings, she has been a powerhouse of summoning, support/healing (conjuring dryads to cast even more goodberries) and stealth. Conjured wolves have swung more than one combat.

[JellyPooga]

I've had an absolute blast playing as a Svirfneblin Land (Underdark) Druid before. It was only a low-level game, but it was thematic and the control options available far outweigh any perceived lack in the damage department.

For an evil Druid, though? I'd go Circle of Land (Swamp) for the creepy factor and for Race I'd go Half-Orc. Gender; female. Play up the exiled half-breed schtick and be a swamp-hag. Look into grabbing Magic Initiate (Warlock) for Hex and be a Witch. Take the by-the-book bonuses to Str and Con and boss it in melee; sure, Land Druids are usually best played as support/control, but you've still got access to decent AC and melee options and with Half-Orc racial features, you are surprisingly tough and your crits hurt.

[Vaz]

Druid (Coast). He's on the evil side, embodying its destructiveness without being out and out edgelord. He's uncaring and unfeeling towards those who trust in civilisation rather than the strength of nature. Plus, I love the concept of weather druids (exceeding past simply lightning). Wind and Sea are among my favourite.

You could also match with the new Aspect of Nature Barbarian for when you do go animal form, while providing tripping etc.

[Astofel]

I'd go with Land Druid (Arctic), and use the Levistus tiefling from the most recent UA for the race. You're from a cold, harsh land where the only person who you can rely upon for survival is yourself. You've learned to take what you can get when you can get it, and when the cold reality of life strikes someone down, you do not mourn. For magic items I'd try to pick something that suits the theme, say a Ring of Warmth for the uncommon, and since I personally love wands I'd grab one of those, maybe Fireball or Fear.

[Aymon]

Half elf (drow variant from scag), with the +2 in wisdom.

Coast

[SharkForce]

just to be clear: is that +2 spell focus explicitly included in your DM's houserules? because i'm pretty sure it doesn't exist anywhere else that i've seen (only pretty sure, because i haven't read through every adventure, nor have i actually seen XGtE yet).

for example, if you're thinking it's like the wand of the war mage... well, that only gives a bonus to spell attack rolls. not DCs.

for increased spell DC, the only official options i know of are:

- books that increase your stat and max stat.
- the robe of the archmagi.
- rod of the pact keeper (warlocks only).
- an ioun stone that increases your proficiency bonus.

[Beechgnome]

Earth Genasi Land (Mountain) Druid (give him/her +2 con, +1 wis)
Son/daughter from a lost line descended from a greedy but powerful Dao, you seek to regain your rightful wealth, particularly from those theiving dwarves, who you despise.

Stats (standard array, +2 Wis at 4th): Str 10 Dex 13 Con 18 (with Belt of Dwarvenkind) Int 10 Wis 18 Cha10
If you get bonus feat at 1st, take Magic Initiate: Wizard for Find Familiar, Message and Mage Hand.

Magic items: your +2 thing, plus a Belt of Dwarvenkind for +2 constitution, plus bonus to talking to dwarves, darkvision (a key ingredient missing from earth genasi), and poison resist/save bonus.

With your consitution you'll have 66 hp.

Your racial spell, pass without trace, will come in handy. But even better is your ability to ignore difficult terrain on earth, making some of your spell choices (earth tremor, erupting earth) particularly effective.

Possible spells:

Cantrips: Shillelagh, Mold earth, Guidance, Thornwhip
1st Charm Person, Earth Tremor, Faerie fire, Healing word, Detect Magic, Absorb elements
2nd Spider Climb, Spike Growth, Heat Metal, Enhance Ability
3rd Lightning bolt, Meld into Stone, Erupting Earth, Plant Growth
4th Stoneskin, Stoneshape, Freedom of movement, Polymorph

You'll have great damage spells in Heat Metal, Lightning bolt and Erupting Earth, good battlefield terrain spells to slow your opponents in Earth Tremor, Spike Growth, Plant Growth, Erupting Earth while at the same time you and an ally with Freedom of Movement potentially ignore those problems. Detect magic, enhance ability, stoneshape give great exploration utility

For wildshape I would choose thematic mountain dwellers like panther, mule and something small, then add things like bats, giant spiders, giant crabs. Good spells to maintain in these forms are Heat Metal (maybe the best), Stoneskin, Polymorph (for an ally), Faerie fire.

But if you can find a way to boost your AC, you can be a tank in combat in genasi form. With stoneskin and your hp you'll be hard to take down, your constitution and wisdom saving throws are solid, and absorb elements can mitigate damage from failed dex saves. Combine it with your use of shillelagh to fight and you should be effective. Then you drop earth tremor to knock the bad guys prone and let your allies do mop up.

What do you think?

[jaappleton]

Some really kickass suggestions so far.

Like the Dragonborn idea, especially with a Periapt of Health or maybe the Belt of Dwarvenkind to boost Con for Breath Weapon. Dragonborn are so awesome, lore-wise, and have such a badass appearance, and my DM's generosity regarding stat allocation allows for some unique Race / Class combinations you wouldn't normally see. So this works.

The Tiefling options from the Fiendish Options UA are intriguing as well, since the spell they know would basically be Druid spells for me.

I'm not quite sure why Wood Elf has received so much love; Is it because the Mask of the Wild would be useable by my animal forms?

[EvilAnagram]

That, absolutely. Also add +2 Dex and+1 Wis, Darkvision, Perception, and Longbow proficiency. Plus, the rare case a Fey tries to charm you, you have Avantage. Those all harmonize with the class really well.

Gods, that bow proficiency is nice. Who needs cantrips?

[jaappleton]

Gods, that bow proficiency is nice. Who needs cantrips?

Oddly enough, I actually prefer cantrips unless I get a 2nd attack.

I like the riders of cantrips. Frostbite and Ray of Frost are good examples.

[lunaticfringe]

Because being maneuverable is awesome on a Druid, Wood Elf=Fastest Race barring Tabaxi. You will have to reposition to Control at some point.

And now for something Different.

Githyanki GOOlock 2/Land Druid 5. Why? Repelling Blast & Telepathy. You aren't a Moon, infinite Wildshape costs an Action for cr1 beasts, eh... With Repelling & Thorn Whip (or Grasp Invocation) you can knock Bitches around, like into one of the Many, Many AoE Concentration Effects Druid have access to. Yanks get racial Misty Step, excellent for repositioning to Maximizing Control and it's Free 1/LR (Eladrin might Work too). Jump can also assist with that.

Oh No it's a bit MAD! Yeah well you have a +4 to Your Casting Stats Item, get weird. Renegade Gith also fits your Prick Personality.

Just the direction I would go.

[jaappleton]

Because being maneuverable is awesome on a Druid, Wood Elf=Fastest Race barring Tabaxi. You will have to reposition to Control at some point.

And now for something Different.

Githyanki GOOlock 2/Land Druid 5. Why? Repelling Blast & Telepathy. You aren't a Moon, infinite Wildshape costs an Action for cr1 beasts, eh... With Repelling & Thorn Whip (or Grasp Invocation) you can knock Bitches around, like into one of the Many, Many AoE Concentration Effects Druid have access to. Yanks get racial Misty Step, excellent for repositioning to Maximizing Control and it's Free 1/LR (Eladrin might Work too). Jump can also assist with that.

Oh No it's a bit MAD! Yeah well you have a +4 to Your Casting Stats Item, get weird. Renegade Gith also fits your Prick Personality.

Just the direction I would go.

Emphasis mine.

THERE'S a thought!

So I'd get a choice of a cantrip, and Fey Step every short rest.

And Fey Step would work with an animal form, right? It's not a spell. In the new UA for them, it's not casting Misty Step anymore, its a unique racial action.

Iiiiiinteresting... I could be a Panther and pretend to be a Displacer Beast

[Beechgnome]

Emphasis mine.

THERE'S a thought!

So I'd get a choice of a cantrip, and Fey Step every short rest.

And Fey Step would work with an animal form, right? It's not a spell. In the new UA for them, it's not casting Misty Step anymore, its a unique racial action.

Iiiiiinteresting... I could be a Panther and pretend to be a Displacer Beast

Take Land Druid Desert and you'd get Blur as a bonus spell. Now you really are a Displacer Beast.

[lunaticfringe]

Yup but wasn't sure how often your group rests so I went with having Misty Step as a Known Spell. You could go Coast for it but I like Arctic, Mountain, and Grassland myself. Though always having Water Breathing & Walk can save your party. Suprise Aquatics is Death.

[jaappleton]

Yup but wasn't sure how often your group rests so I went with having Misty Step as a Known Spell. You could go Coast for it but I like Arctic, Mountain, and Grassland myself. Though always having Water Breathing & Walk can save your party. Suprise Aquatics is Death.

I'm a pretty big fan of Arctic. Shame the only two good exclusive spells on there are Slow and Cone of Cold. I could feasibly pick another Circle besides Land and still thematically be an Ice based caster through my spell preparation.

How would you guys rate Circle of Twilight and Circle of Dreams?

Twilight is certainly thematic for my character, given the evil bend. But the actually features of it are.... not great, in my eyes. Pretty weak.

Dreams is pretty neutral, as even evil people need to keep their cronies alive. Having an extra healing resource is always great. The lv10 feature is pretty cool and versatile.

Circle of the Land is... OK. Not particularly in love with anything about it, but it works.

[EvilAnagram]

Oddly enough, I actually prefer cantrips unless I get a 2nd attack.

I like the riders of cantrips. Frostbite and Ray of Frost are good examples.

I understand that completely, but if my options are to either go out of my way to get a strong damaging cantrip or just take the race with bow proficiency, I'm leaning toward the latter, especially because it otherwise meshes so well in other ways. Cantrips with riders are still better to have in your bag, but the standard damage at range is taken care of.

[jaappleton]

One quick question on Circle of Twilight.

Specifically, Reaper's Scythe, the level 2 feature.

"If you kill one or more hostile creatures with a spell augmented in this way, you or an ally of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you regains 2 hit points per die spent to increase the spell’s damage, or 5 hit points per die if at least one of the slain creatures was undead."

It doesn't really state it clearly to me, so I'll ask:

If I kill multiple creatures, is it 2HP per creature?

If I'm level 7, I cast Moonbeam at 2nd level, and increase it with 3 dice. I kill 4 creatures. Do I heal 6HP, or 6HP per creature, for 24 total?

[EvilAnagram]

One quick question on Circle of Twilight.

Specifically, Reaper's Scythe, the level 2 feature.

"If you kill one or more hostile creatures with a spell augmented in this way, you or an ally of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you regains 2 hit points per die spent to increase the spell’s damage, or 5 hit points per die if at least one of the slain creatures was undead."

It doesn't really state it clearly to me, so I'll ask:

If I kill multiple creatures, is it 2HP per creature?

If I'm level 7, I cast Moonbeam at 2nd level, and increase it with 3 dice. I kill 4 creatures. Do I heal 6HP, or 6HP per creature, for 24 total?

There's no language tying the healing to the number of creatures toy kill, so you would just heal 6hp.

[jaappleton]

There's no language tying the healing to athe number of creatures toy kill, so yoy would just heal 6hp.

Sadface.

Man, Twilight had so much more potential.

Ah, well. It's looking like Dreams is the one for me, unless I can find a homebrew that I like. 5E Circle of Blight?

[Saggo]

Oddly enough, I actually prefer cantrips unless I get a 2nd attack.

I like the riders of cantrips. Frostbite and Ray of Frost are good examples.

Grassland Druids can Haste themselves for a second attack, a good buffer Land too. It's a decent build.

[jaappleton]

Yeah, the idea is really cool, but the execution is so underwhelming. And...Necrotic damage, on a class that hunts Undead? Wha?

RIGHT?! That part made zero sense to me, frustratingly so. I was scratching my head, saying "Are you serious here?"

I don't love Twilight's lv6, but it's certainly thematic. If the lv2 feature were just a tiny bit stronger, it'd be totally worth it. I still MIGHT pick it only because its certainly the most thematic, but I'm not excited about it.

In fact, none of the Druid Circles excite me. But I LOVE that spell list. Moonbeam, Erupting Earth, Spike Growth, Pass Without Trace, and my favorite spell in the game, Sunbeam. I adore the spell list.

But none of Circles excite me at all.

Like if I look at Barbarian subclasses, I think "F--- YEAH, I'M EXCITED TO PLAY THIS!"

Not getting that here. I like my character concept, but that's independent of the archetype.

[Chugger]

Be a Tortle. With a shield you get AC 19. Then go with whatever circle you like. T's also get, iirc, a wisdom buff. The str boost is wasted on a druid - I'd rather have a con buff - but that AC is killer.

[lunaticfringe]

The specific Racial Ability increases are meaningless as stated in the 1st post. So a Half Orc could have +2 Wisdom & +1 Dex. I personally love this style of character creation and feel not enough people try it out. It's super handy in All The Same Race Campaigns.

[jaappleton]

The specific Racial Ability increases are meaningless as stated in the 1st post. So a Half Orc could have +2 Wisdom & +1 Dex. I personally love this style of character creation and feel not enough people try it out. It's super handy in All The Same Race Campaigns.

Yeah, I'm a super huge fan of this style. Allows for 'against the grain' type of characters without being penalized for it, and I've always been for that.