Squishy druid

[Donruss]

I spent my first 6 hours ever in the bear pits with a buddy. We had a blast!

However, the Bears taught me 1 thing. I am very very squishy. My gear has always been mediocre at best. I felt like I could charm bats in solB naked if I had to, but these bears are on a different lvl.

I need high LVL druid advice. Are the returns on stamina worth it? Or should I go for hit points mostly? Agi effects AC, but how much? What are some popular "battle druid" items? For example, I see ballers with a sarnak shield.

[Schwing]

They should only ever get a round or two of hits on you. Use chloro over regrowth, will top you off fast enough for cheaper. You should be at or near 100% health most of the time.

[Donruss]

I get hit more than I should. I am not THAT great of an eq player. Sometimes when I send a pet in against 4 and start rooting I miss one and am suprised by it when I break my pet. Or occasionally charm breaks before I am done rooting them all. I understand I shouldn't get hit, but IF I do. What can a druid do gear wise to minimize the damage?

I plan on trying to learn kedge some day too. There is lots of charming in my future and I know imma be taking hits.

[Schwing]

It wasn't meant as an insult at all. I take plenty of hits, too. I just don't know how efficient it would be to gear for it. You'll still want to play the same way and avoid the hits entirely, you still won't be able to survive 4 bears hitting you, and you'll still want to use your spells to recuperate.

That said, go for extra HP on your gear and try not to sacrifice mana. An extra couple hundred HP should increase your margin for error quite a bit.

[Daldaen]

Gearing for HP generally isn't a good use of your time and money. *generally*.

Those mobs hit for 140s~ right? Stamina returns for a druid are terrible (3HP per STA pre-115, half that over 115) and to account for just 1 hit of their swings you need to devote atleast 2 slots of raw HP gear. So something like 2 Fire Opal rings being 110 HP would save you from 1 hit. Is that worth 2 bag slots and swapping around rings mehh. Plus you really should be having a Goblin Gazughi Ring at that point IMO.

Instead of trying to gear towards being more durable just try to practice being more elusive. The early breaks on 4-bear rooms are almost impossible to recover from regardless of your gear. That is where you want a charged Leatherfoot Raider's Skullcap at all times. Your money/time is better invested in buying/questing a WC Cap and paying people to help you recharge it. That instant-port out of a sticky situation saves you an unnecessary death and the hassle of bribing a cleric to travel to Perma.

As far as charming/bear pits goes:

1. Always have a WC Cap to save yourself the hassle of death.
2. Get a Goblin Gazughi Ring. Having an instant charm break mechanism that is guaranteed is IMMENSELY helpful. Once you have one, you will wonder how you did it before.
3. ALWAYS keep everything rooted. Starting every fight, you want to root all enemy mobs. 56 helps a lot cause Engorging Roots is very efficient at this.
4. Glamour mobs after roots to ensure they stay rooted for longer durations.
5. Keep your best HP buff (SLN or Natureskin) and Regrowth on permanently. That 20~ HP a tick you regen will be a lifesaver more than once. It isn't something you will notice until you try to exp without maintaining these buffs.

[Technique]

Stamina returns for a druid are terrible (3HP per STA pre-115, half that over 115)There's no softcap on stamina.

[Synthlol]

There's no softcap on stamina.

I guess Daldaen has never actually tested STA returns. Disappointing.

[Schwing]

They're really bad. That's enough info for me.

[Donruss]

Right on. What about AC / agi. Could I be on to something there? The reason I don't mind losing a slot or two is because I plan on getting some vermiculated soon, and will have extra wis..

I do have a ring, and a hat. I cap'd out with 17hps left last night! Was down there for a couple hours. But sometimes charm just breaks at the wrong time

[Donruss]

I see some baller Druids with a sarnak battle shield. Is that a good place to start? 25 AC has to help at least a little bit right?

[mgellan]

Your money/time is better invested in buying/questing a WC Cap and paying people to help you recharge it.

Jeez, these are so easy to quest don't bother buying it or paying someone to recharge, just quest enough mats for 2:

- Sharkskins in Erudin harbour or 3 shark static spawn near sunken ship in Eruds Crossing
- PB skins in Everfrost newbie area (buy them from newbies)
- Grizzly Skins in NK
- Alligator skins in N of Innothule
- Kill Ambassador K'ryn in Ogguk for 100% dragoon dagger drop

drop one to a low level alt in RV somewhere no one generally goes near a vendor thats not busy, and self recharge. Sell your hat in off bot, camp, sell your hat in off main, buy main hat back, log in bot to rebuy hat, done in 2 mins. Drop jewels occasionally to refund the bot (93pp per recharge) and you've got a rechargebot of your very own. Very easy and super cheap. Just don't box, you *will* get caught.

Regards,
Mg

[Schwing]

Why are they "baller"? Try it out if you think it'd be a good fit for you.

[Donruss]

Guess I am just jealous of their epic and gear

[rafaone]

I see some baller Druids with a sarnak battle shield. Is that a good place to start? 25 AC has to help at least a little bit right?

Aside for the lols on the baller word, for me having the shield is totally worth it in terms of stats and resistances. I would only use the book of obulus while quadkiting or maybe soloing root/doting in order to have a larger mana pool.

Gav

[williestargell]

Glamour is broken! It seems to actually have the opposite effect that it's supposed to. Mobs that are glamour'd stay charmed LESS time than mobs that aren't. Check this out Daldaen!! Get it Fixed.

[Schwing]

If anything, from my extensive experience, I'd say glamour just doesn't really do anything. Definitely isn't detrimental.. But it's all RNG and really hard to gauge without actual parsing.