Dungeons and Dragons are one of the world’s most beloved fantasy role-playing games. It has captured the hearts and imaginations of people for nearly four decades now and shows no signs of slowing. Tournaments, matches, and games are held every month, in countries all around the globe.
If you’re new to Dungeons and Dragons, then the first thing that you need to familiarise yourself with is the class system. The class system determines your character’s role in the match.
In this article, you will find a comprehensive explanation of the druid class, one of the game’s least popular classes:
Dungeons and Dragons 5E
Before beginning, let’s first explain Dungeons and Dragons 5E. Dungeons and Dragons 5E is the game’s latest edition. 5E (which stands for 5th edition), introduced several new mechanics, which streamline play. In addition, multiple defence values have been removed from the game, returning to single defence armour classes. In order to familiarise oneself with the changes introduced to 5E, not only should you read this druid 5E guide, but you should also study every character class. Only through studying and researching these classes can one become a Dungeons and Dragons master.
The Druid Class
Druids aren’t the most exciting class in Dungeons and Dragons. Essentially, they are peaceful, servants of nature – they are sages and mystics. Druids in D&D are divine casters, unlike wizards and clerics who are full casters. This means that a druid’s magic is much more simple, which does not appeal to many players.
Druids, in Celtic lore, were healers and magicians who worked with nature. Their role is much the same in Dungeons and Dragons. It is essential that one researches the druid’s role in D&D, in order to familiarise oneself with their skills, weapons, and features for battlefield domination. If you don’t want to play as a druid, learning about them will still help you to best them in play.
Druid Strengths
Druids have many powerful spells that are available to them. These spells are entirely unique to druids. Unfortunately, however, these spells pale in comparison to a wizard’s spells. Even so, if one employs these spells effectively, one can easily dominate on the battlefield.
Druids also have various animal abilities. These animal abilities are extremely effective in combat and allow druids to track their enemies. Employing stealth is a very important component of a druid’s role. Druids are able to transform into many animals, from aggressive bears to cats, to sea animals. Druids are able to use their animal forms in combat. Druids however cannot gain animal companions like rangers.
Weaknesses
As one might expect, druids also have their weaknesses. One of a druid’s primary weaknesses is that they tend to choose not to wear metal armour, because of their connection to nature. Druids prefer to wear animal skins and wood protectively. This is because of their membership in the mystic druid order. Metal also interferes with a druid’s magic, which is entirely nature-based. For this reason, you will need to create an armour alternative for your character. As previously mentioned, one can wear armour constructed from natural items, such as wood.
Druids are, unfortunately, not proficient with good weapons. This means that druidic characters rely heavily upon their magic and animal form, but because they are unable to use armour, can be damaged very easily. In their basic form, druids can be defeated very easily because of their lack of armour and weaponry. With that said, druids in animal form can be vicious if employed correctly, which makes them a force to be reckoned with in the hands of the right player.
Ability Scores
Ability scores are the statistics by which a character’s abilities are judged. Ability scores determine how good one’s character is at performing skills. These scores are strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom, and charisma. When creating a druidic character, there are skills that are more important [and less important] than others.
- Strength is a skill that is not particularly useful for druids, because druids can transform into beasts with extraordinary strength almost instantly. This means that your strength is almost pointless for a druid.
- Dexterity is very important for a druid, particularly when one is in wild form. Dexterity can help a druid’s wild form to move around more freely.
- Constitution is also very useful for a druid. When in wild shape, druids soak up a lot of damage, but hit points are still necessary.
- Intelligence is not particularly needed for a druid, because druids only need wisdom for their skills.
- Wisdom is essential because a druid’s spells are based on their wisdom levels. It is important for a druid, with this in mind, to max out their wisdom over any other skill.
- Charisma is also extremely unnecessary for a druid. It has virtually no benefits for a druidic character.
Effective Spells
If you are playing as a druid on D&D 5e, you need to maximise your character’s efficacy by using the best spells. Some spells are only available to higher levels, so it’s important to work on your character in order to level up. Here are some of the best spells for druids:
- Shillelagh (Cantrip)
- Goodberry (1st level)
- Entangle (1st level)
- Faerie Fire (1st level)
- Pass Without a Trace (2nd level)
- Spike Growth (2nd level)
- Moonbeam (2nd level)
- Heat Metal (2nd level)
- Plant Growth (3rd level)
- Conjure Animals (3rd level)
- Call Lightning (3rd level)
- Polymorph (4th level)
- Reincarnate (5th level)
- Heroes’ Feast (6th level)
- Plane Shift (7th level)
Should You Play As a Druid?
Playing as a druid can be very fun, but it depends on the person. When one thinks of D&D, one thinks of brave adventurers wielding swords, battling orcs, not conjuring magical spells and making herbal medicines. Even so, a druid can be a very effective member of a larger team and has multiple benefits. If you want to try an unconventional, rather unpopular race, then druids are definitely worth giving some thought to. You won’t regret it.
Druids are a great class, often misunderstood. There is a lot more to learn about druids, so make sure to do further reading in order to learn as much as you can, especially if you intend on playing as a druid.
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