Newb Druid. Is the class as bad as everyone says?

[Omsk]

Hey all. I've played EQ since the early days, with some dabbling in it off and on in live the past few years before I lost the taste for it's current state. I was a Shammy main in live until the end but I've always loved the Druid class and want to go that direction instead of Shaman this time around.

I have a mid teens Druid on p99 at the moment but everything I hear on the forums and elsewhere is that Druids are not very well loved in our current version and don't really have a place in current content. Are they really that bad? Is Druid really useless in our endgame right now?

[HeyNomad]

Yeah, druids don't get a lot of love here, but IMO it's mostly unjustified and anyway not as bad since the post-Velious changes (new buffs, heals, and debuffs). That attitude can make it hard to find a group while leveling, because it's true they're never going to be one of the "must have" classes. But druids aren't THAT low on the list of desired classes and they have good soloing options.

I think the problem comes from comparing druids with the other wis casters and expecting them to fill the same roles. Druids can't compete with the healing efficiency of complete heal or the ridiculous utility of slows, but they bring other things to the table. They're needed as patch healers in raids, they can out-dps rogues with a charmed pet, their damage shields and nukes are just about as good as a mage's, ports/evacs can help a guild mobilize for a target or save a raid from a wipe, PoTG is one of the best buffs in the game, etc. There are classes that can do some of those things, but none that can do all of them.

TL;DR I think the answers are no and no, if you like a kind of generalist class with a lot of (sometimes not obvious or glamorous) utility.

[Kowalski]

Helps if you are rollin' like this
http://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Daldaen

[damstraight4]

Think of druids as the jack of all trades, but master of none. They are definitely excellent soloers, but will find a difficult time getting a group because the other priest classes offer more (slows, CHeal). However, I personally believe druids make excellent duo/trio members. I prefer to have smaller groups, and as such am always looking for a druid to play with. I play Cleric/Necro/Enc

[isoka]

Velious brings a lot to druids, so the class is not that bad anymore. Used to be really bad in Vanilla and Kunark eras, so minds still have to change.

[Pyrion]

+1 for druids as a small group (or even duo) class. Druid + enchanter works really well (opens up fear kiting for all mobs). But actually druid can duo with any class.

[GreldorEQ]

You and your friends will decide what becomes of your class and your endgame experiences. Below are my pros and cons for adventuring as a Druid on p99.

Pros: (1) Druids are the epitome of quick fix solo adventures. I can travel anywhere quickly, checking camps, finding mobs, gathering TS materials. This is likely the single most reason why I continue to play the Druid. I don't always have the time and attention to devote to long stretches of play. I can immerse myself in a wide variety of adventures in a short period of time. (2) We have a TON of useful spells. These spells bolster the adventuring solo druid, a small or even full group in ANY circumstance. (3) At level 60 - you can kill any mob, or lock down any camp, without summoning mobs, with your epic and AE root and mana-regen self buffs. (4) My buffs are in constant demand on raids. I am always out of mana,

Cons: (1) I cannot solo almost all mobs that summon. (2) My spells are not efficient. (3) Being invited to groups in Seb, Velks, HS, ect. are not a common occurrence. (4) Limited solo opportunities at lvl 60 compared to a Shaman or Enchanter due to the summoning issue.

Necro and Druid content is similar, necros can solo a select few additional mobs/camps (like charming in CoM or HS) - but they do it MUCH faster. Shamans and Enchanters can solo camps with summoning mobs, which greatly increases the lvl 60 content available to the solo adventurer.

I find Druids to be very useful for raids and a lot of fun for adventures. Overall, they are fun to play but I wish I could adventure deeper into dungeons solo.

[poena.dare]

I went Druidical twice on Live. Doing it now on P99. I love it.

"Fun to play, not to level." is the way I look at it. I'm in my low 50s and I fart around, see the sights, do quests, farm a crapton of mid-level items. I'm in no hurry to hit 60.

Like GreldorEQ said: Ultimate quick fix. Port, run, kite, kill, port home. Fits my play style very well.

[Omsk]

Thanks for weighing in guys, I'm glad to see it's not all bad. The mobility and utility are definitely a huge plus, I'm not sure I could switch to a class that doesn't have on-demand SoW and I'm looking forward immensely to ports.

Looks like I'll be toughing it out!

[Bummey]

I still don't know what my druid's role is. I can port, I can solo, but in a group I can't really heal before 50 and even then Chloroblast is weak compared to Nature's Touch at 60, skin buffs don't stack with Heroic Bond, mobs don't last long enough for dots to do meaningful damage, nukes are like bixie stings... What I can do is cast strength, a damage shield which tanks click off anyways, and snare fleeing mobs.. Despite all this mediocre utility, I still find myself consistently low on mana, unsure what I spent it all on.

In a way, I made a druid because they're the exact opposite of a rogue. Rogues are wholly group dependent to do anything, while druids are the epitome of self sufficiency with little use for a group.

[RDawg816]

I still don't know what my druid's role is. I can port, I can solo, but in a group I can't really heal before 50 and even then Chloroblast is weak compared to Nature's Touch at 60, skin buffs don't stack with Heroic Bond, mobs don't last long enough for dots to do meaningful damage, nukes are like bixie stings... What I can do is cast strength, a damage shield which tanks click off anyways, and snare fleeing mobs.. Despite all this mediocre utility, I still find myself consistently low on mana, unsure what I spent it all on.
I've never had an issue healing on my druid.
Skin buffs not stacking with cleric buff is irrelevant. If you have a cleric in the group you are not the main healer, either.
I've never come across a tank that clicked off a damage shield unless it was at a raid. That is just odd to do.
If you're in a full group, you shouldn't be dotting (unless it's a rooted add and you are dps).
In a smaller group, dots can be efficient.
Snare is an awesome spell. Preventing adds and damage is good in any situation.

You can fill many roles as a druid. I've even had druids be the main tank and puller in groups.

[Nagash]

Versatility is the name of your game:
Harmony to help pulling in outdoor zones
Back up healing,
Regen to reduce the healing requirement
Skin
Str buff
Port
Snare (mandatory in most places)
Stun to interrupt casters (outdoor only)
Charm animal for silly dps
Direct damage spells (on par with mages if memory serves well)
These are all part of your arsenal. Are you the best at these? No but you are the only classes that can bring all this to the table at the same time. Remember, you are not recruited to DD mobs down, you are recruited for your versatility. The beauty with a druid is that your role will most likely be different in every group you join. In a way you are many characters in one so be schizophrenic today and go hug a tree!

[Pyrion]

There is one other way that a druid can take a lot of stress from a group when the main healer is low on mana or you maybe even don't have a tank: Aggro kiting. Druid has all the tools for it. You snare and flame lick a mob constantly (those spells barely use mana) and run around in front of it. The mob will never hit anybody so no heals are needed while everybody else (rogues especially) stab it to death.

[GreldorEQ]

Stun to interrupt casters (outdoor only)


We have a lvl 34 indoor stun via velious - lands on lvl 60+ on occasion.

[GreldorEQ]

There is one other way that a druid can take a lot of stress from a group when the main healer is low on mana or you maybe even don't have a tank: Aggro kiting. Druid has all the tools for it. You snare and flame lick a mob constantly (those spells barely use mana) and run around in front of it. The mob will never hit anybody so no heals are needed while everybody else (rogues especially) stab it to death.

If it doesn't summon, root lock with grasping roots for an infinite period of time.

[GreldorEQ]

Chloroblast is weak compared to Nature's Touch at 60

Chloroblast and NT have almost the exact same efficiency of heal-to-mana. With a GCD cooldown item like star of eyes or shrunken gob ear, you can cast 2 chloro's in a little more than the time it takes to cast 1 NT. You do not need lvl 60 to heal, you need lots of mana and you need to sit between heals.

When you are in a healing role - heals, mana free snares and sitting should be what you're doing. And saving bacon with roots if hell breaks loose, clicky regen if you have spare mana. Only DS the tank when you don't have a slower, otherwise its likely a waste of mana if you're the main healer. And if you're 50+ with no slower, you're in trouble anyways.

[Auvdar]

Partner up with a Shaman in PoH/PoF and charm some mobs there. You are now a top notch DPSer :)

Honestly, Druids aren't bad for raiding. You can patch heal easily. PoTG is a nice buff that a lot of people want. Snare/Root for some CCing if needed. You have both Ice and Fire nukes, which can help against some mobs. Indoor stun that sometimes will land on a lvl 60+ mob.

The thing about a druid in raiding however, is it can become boring. But that can be said about a lot of classes raiding.

If you play well, and fit into the role (or learn to adapt to a new role) people will like you. For groups, you're not unwanted, but people will take a lot of other classes over you. The big problem with druids is we really don't get great until late 50's. You don't offer leveling groups a whole lot compared to other classes.

But who cares, you can solo :)

[Bummey]

Chloroblast and NT have almost the exact same efficiency of heal-to-mana. With a GCD cooldown item like star of eyes or shrunken gob ear, you can cast 2 chloro's in a little more than the time it takes to cast 1 NT. You do not need lvl 60 to heal, you need lots of mana and you need to sit between heals.

When you are in a healing role - heals, mana free snares and sitting should be what you're doing.

I know this, but those 450 point heals are piddly and require a lot of spam to get someone back up. It requires lots of mana and lots of sitting, as you said, for an underwhelming result. That's what playing a druid in a group or raid boils down to. And I like my druid a lot. :|

[Cecily]

Druids are amazing dps healers for raiding. Clerics are busy with tank. Shamans don't understand that cblast is better than torpor. And Druid heals have way nicer range (200) than cleric heals. As a raiding rogue, druids are my go to healer forming a dps party.

[Tupakk]

I second that.

[Lucifer2000]

Interesting discussion. Back in 2000-ish My first character was a Magician. I never really got the hang of it, very well. My ex had a Druid, and it looked like fun. We split, and I quit for several years..returning for spurts. I think since my initial Magician, I've made one more, and I've made a couple other characters too. My last stretch that I've been playing..I have a 49 Druid(has been my favourite), and a 23 Necro, and a 6 Ranger, and 4 Wizard. I got so that I've been playing my Druid pretty much exclusively. I switched back to my Necro for a change, and went to go to a hot zone to get some good XP. I saw on the map that the Zone line was(East Cabilis, I believe), and it was just past a couple guards, and around a corner. Wasn't sure exactly if I was KOS, as I am a DE, Necro. Anyway..I thought I would run past the guards, and zone, and voila..right? Nope, I found out I was KOS and with one whack..I was dead. Anyway, that's a loooooong-winded way of reaffirming a statement on the first page of this topic..I don't really have any interest in playing a character where SOW wasn't available. I never quite realized how dependent I had become on it with my Druid. So, now that I have just discovered Project99, and am ready to play at the time I was fondest of it(2000-2001), my biggest dilemma is..Druid or Shaman?? Part of the reason I have enjoyed the Druid is the fact that I've done pretty much all my levels with very little or no grouping. Once I get to higher levels, I look forward, and really want to go on raids. But for now..I honestly don't care to group much. I like giving buffs away, and helping people out, but I like that I can go off on my own when I feel like. Kind of a 'catch-22' I prefer to solo, but want to group and do raids when I get higher levels. Thinking I may try a Shaman, if for nothing else than I've never tried one before. But..I AM a 'creature of comfort' and would kind of prefer a Druid, as it's what I know.
Does anyone else have any thoughts, that haven't been touched on??
Oh, and I don't man to hi-jack the thread..just want to express that I like playing a Druid, but wonder how it compares to a Shammy.
Anyway, thanks for reading everyone!! I can't wait to get back into Classic EQ in the next few days!
Take care

[Swish]

If nothing else guys you can always get into the habit of saying "do you want a SoW with that?" while working for Dial a Port <3

[Korrupt]

So I just started back on blue, went with druid as I have lvled one to 60 before. Can tell things have changed and not wanted in groups really. Of course I want to make another class but I figured this would be my first character back to get a lil change in my pocket and stuffs.

I know on red my druid can literally heal any group pretty much, just takes a lil awareness and skill. I can main heal any dungeon zone, seb, kael etc on him.

Finding spots to solo is kinda a pain at my level (17) but im sure it will get easier hopefully, if not ill find group in between maybe.

Population has went up since I even played so look forward to this adventure, any tips on where I should head out would be cool to open my view on spots.

Thanks

[Jimjam]

At 17 you can charm crocs in oasis and you are fairly likely to find a group. If Orc Highway wants you don't forget to take a croc with you ;)

[Lhancelot]

At 17 you can charm crocs in oasis and you are fairly likely to find a group. If Orc Highway wants you don't forget to take a croc with you ;)

I did that till 20, stayed in Oasis on my druid. Then Messed in UR, went to MM, found the groups obnoxious and so went back to soloing.

Think I was 21 when I went to OT and charm killed stuff around the little water pond. Cactus die really easily too, btw.

Then at lvl 23-24 I went to kill giants at Warslik Woods. Got one forest loop, and found that easy XP till 29.

From 29 to 34, I hit HHK till 34 with groups, not bad peoples in there.

From 34-37 or 38 I quadded Snow Cougars in Ice Clad Ocean.

And, the best spot I ever found from 38 to 44 was Tundra Yetis in DL right at the tunnel and outside of it, all through the snowy areas. They are easily quadded and great XP.

With these spots you will hit 44 pretty fast imo.

As for druids sucking?

Imo they are very self-sufficient and powerful outdoors until 53-54. Then, the spots you can quad get very limited, and XP just becomes extremely hard to get.

If you LFG as a druid at 53-54, most rather have a cleric or a shaman healing over a druid so it gets to be a drag trying to level druids after 53-54.

I suggest you make friends. They will invite you to groups and not mind that you don't bring as much to the table in a group as does the other healing classes.

Druids eventually at 60 become decent, but they will always be weak in dungeons as their spells are mostly geared for outdoors. They also have no slows like a shaman, and they lack the hugely efficient heal spells like a cleric so again, they are a bit weaker in a group setting than the other healers.

Also, they suck at dungeon crawling. With no slows, trying to solo stuff is really rough on druids. You aint taking any powerful named mobs solo indoors, not like a shaman can.

The druid is a fun class if you enjoy helping people, and like to be very self sufficient, never having to ask for ports to travel etc. it's a great class for buffing and helping lowbies out.

Anyway, that's my perspective on it. I think druid id my favorite class, but it's weaknesses can be very frustrating at times. :)

[Jimjam]

Good stuff there, Lhancealot.

When soloing on my melees something I'll sometimes do is try find an underlevelled druid to partner with me. All you need to do is keep DS/buffs fresh and top up hp and you'll be pulling your weight for the xp you take. Probably not the most interesting play style, but it will be easy xp.

At 29 you can duo with lvl 40ish (kobolds in sol B), and mid 30 with someone early 50s (bats and bugs, sol B). I suggest sol B as it is right next to a druid port, so you can check for potential duo partners even if they are anon.