Could use some Druid help

[NZV]

Hey there. I recently started playing P1999, and have been enjoying myself thus far. Prior to this I hadn't touched EQ since the Luclin days, so it's a pretty great nostalgia trip.

Anyways, I decided to make a druid since they seem pretty self sufficient, and am now level 11. I've never really played a druid before though, and I'm not entirely sure what I should be doing. In a group, for example, what role should I be taking? Should I just be saving all my mana for heals and buffs? Should I even bother trying to melee? Should defensive buffs be up on everyone in the group, even if that means a long med break every ~30 mins? Is it worth trying to dot/nuke or just a laughable waste of time?

What about soloing? I'm not bothering with kiting until I hit 14 for SoW, but when I do reach that level, am I supposed to be using DDs or just letting my dot slowly do all the work? Should I be using root, or just snare?

And are there any specific items I should be looking for, either to purchase or to acquire out in the world? I'm still rocking a cracked staff and I don't even have a shield, but I'm really not certain what I should be aiming for. I don't exactly have a ton of money, but if there are any cheap/moderately easy to get pieces of equipment out there that won't bankrupt me to the point that I can't afford spells anymore, I'd be interested in hearing about them. Even something a little more long term that I can reasonably save up for.

On a related note, what about decent ways to make money? All I've really done for cash so far is sell CB belts, but group exp in in Crushbone is starting to get fairly poor sans throne room, which has been nothing but a death trap. And I certainly can't go off soloing legionnaires.

Any assistance around those lines or just some misc. tips would be wonderful.

[Harrison]

<20 melee damage is significant enough to warrant you doing so. (as long as people aren't dying, then heal)

It's situational like anything else.

Buff, primarily, because a shitty DS is better than no DS. (best buff in classic, ever.)


But, don't overlook root as a crowd control mechanic. It's powerful. etc. etc. etc.


It would take a book to write what you should be doing, even through the mid levels.

[atropine]

It would take a book to write what you should be doing, even through the mid levels.

Very true!

A druid's role is very situational... dependent on group makeup and where you are fighting. With experience, you will get used to what spells are best for what you are doing / who you are fighting with. :)


~ Kerrilea

[Humerox]

Hey there. I recently started playing P1999, and have been enjoying myself thus far. Prior to this I hadn't touched EQ since the Luclin days, so it's a pretty great nostalgia trip.

Anyways, I decided to make a druid since they seem pretty self sufficient, and am now level 11. I've never really played a druid before though, and I'm not entirely sure what I should be doing. In a group, for example, what role should I be taking? Should I just be saving all my mana for heals and buffs? Should I even bother trying to melee? Should defensive buffs be up on everyone in the group, even if that means a long med break every ~30 mins? Is it worth trying to dot/nuke or just a laughable waste of time?

If you're the primary healer...medding is ALL you should be doing. You're a poor man's cleric here...which pretty much sums it up for any grouping you do as a druid throughout your career. You CAN keep a group alive, but the group needs to understand that pulls are going to be slower, and med breaks are a regular necessity. As the primary healer, the group needs to understand you can't buff them to smithereens AND keep them alive. Some groups will never understand that. If you can toss a buff every now and again, cool...but your job is healing.

If you're not the primary healer... ALWAYS DS the tank - forget the low-level dots. Mobs shouldn't last long enough for them to be mana-effective. Nuking is your best damage. Always reserve mana in case the primary healer has an "oh-shit" moment, and also in case HE needs heals. If you have two non-cleric healers in the group...watch each others backs.

Melee is never your game past level 5 or so.

Pro Tip: Never underestimate your ability to ghetto crowd control. Root adds and tell the tank to back up - it's commonly known as "root parking". (Don't dot them while rooted, either...you'll be in for a nasty surprise when root breaks, and your tank has a tough enough job as it is.) That's one HUGE difference between a good and a great druid. You can heal, nuke, dot, and ghetto CC. Not bad. Later on you'll also have the "get the group the frick out of trouble" card. Woot!



What about soloing? I'm not bothering with kiting until I hit 14 for SoW, but when I do reach that level, am I supposed to be using DDs or just letting my dot slowly do all the work? Should I be using root, or just snare?

You really won't be able to effectively kite until 19. You CAN at 14, don't get me wrong, but it's ungodly painful. Snare kite with Dots until you can safely nuke 'em down. This holds true till you can quad. Snare, Dot...run a ways out, sit and med until the mob needs to be resnared/dotted...rinse/repeat. In classic this is torture. You kill a mob, then wait 30 minutes on your mana pool. Bring a book. Or forget soloing and GROUP. :)

Root dot works for a while, but at some point mob HP far outstrips your ability to root dot and/or nuke down. Can't remember what that point is. You'll figure it out. You only need to root dot in confined places. Your best bet is to go to open areas and snare kite. After 19 you can hit the Karanas, et al.



And are there any specific items I should be looking for, either to purchase or to acquire out in the world? I'm still rocking a cracked staff and I don't even have a shield, but I'm really not certain what I should be aiming for. I don't exactly have a ton of money, but if there are any cheap/moderately easy to get pieces of equipment out there that won't bankrupt me to the point that I can't afford spells anymore, I'd be interested in hearing about them. Even something a little more long term that I can reasonably save up for.

Here's an oldie but goodie:

Gear Thread (http://www.project1999.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2208&highlight=gear+thread)

On a related note, what about decent ways to make money? All I've really done for cash so far is sell CB belts, but group exp in in Crushbone is starting to get fairly poor sans throne room, which has been nothing but a death trap. And I certainly can't go off soloing legionnaires.

Until you can port...one tip. AVOID Oasis. Go to Unrest...drops you need are there, some good items drop that can be sold for decent plat at that level, too. Zombie skins for rogue poisons, bone chips for necros...bunch of other good stuff.


I'm sure I'm missing a bunch...been a long time since I played a druid, but it's a fun class, and well worth playing. Planar guilds need droods to help kite all the Fear adds the chanters can't handle...and be port hoors for raid calls. So you're needed.

;)

[guineapig]

Couple other things. Later on your group wolf form will add a nice ATK boost to your party. If you are outdoors or in the Planes you should be using it. In groups your dots are generally not efficient but your nukes on the other hand are at least as good as mage nukes. On long fights use the insect line, nearly unresistable and low agro.

Until you can effectively and efficiently quad kite (which doesn't happen till you get your second targeted AoE lightning spell) kiting really isn't the most efficient way to solo. Root rot is usually the way to go. Use your lowest level root that will stick and meditate as much as you possibly can. There is absolutely no reason why you would have to kite a solo mob around when you have access to root.

I see druids doing it to solo hill giants and it makes no sense to me at all. Root rotting will usually net you an extra kill per mana pool (more if you are killing low HP mobs).

[Humerox]

Root rot is usually the way to go. Use your lowest level root that will stick and meditate as much as you possibly can. There is absolutely no reason why you would have to kite a solo mob around when you have access to root.

I defer to this...I was prolly doing it wrong, lol. Maybe I just did it so I didn't fall asleep at the keyboard...watching a giant slow-boat and then all of a sudden bust ballz towards ya is kinda fun. sorta. meh.

:D

[Ravhin]

Gear suggestions:

http://wiki.project1999.org/index.php/Druid#Gearing

The only druid "guide" on the wiki right now:

http://wiki.project1999.org/index.php/Druid_Guide_by_Geaus

If someone wants to extend this / elaborate on certain parts that would be great.

[Rasah]

There is absolutely no reason why you would have to kite a solo mob around when you have access to root.
Depends on the resistance of the mob. GrimFeather does not stay rooted long. I do agree that you should use your DoTs. But in classic there is no penalty for DoTing something moving. So stack up the insect line and run. Sit every 6 seconds and it's as good as root rotting.

You can melee until 20. Head to EK, skin up and cast your damage shield. Melee and cast nukes to finish them off while tanking. The damage shield will kill them fast. Bonus is you keep your defense maxed. Use Tree Form while medding, as it will quickly regen the health lost so you don't need to heal yourself.

[NZV]

Depends on the resistance of the mob. GrimFeather does not stay rooted long. I do agree that you should use your DoTs. But in classic there is no penalty for DoTing something moving. So stack up the insect line and run. Sit every 6 seconds and it's as good as root rotting.

You can melee until 20. Head to EK, skin up and cast your damage shield. Melee and cast nukes to finish them off while tanking. The damage shield will kill them fast. Bonus is you keep your defense maxed. Use Tree Form while medding, as it will quickly regen the health lost so you don't need to heal yourself.

Why EK in particular? I don't really think I can run there, since I hear kithicor is always night on this server, which seems quite dangerous. I'd kind of rather avoid asking for a port as well, since I don't have much cash and feel bad giving away some pathetic waste of time amount of money to whoever did it for me.

Maybe I'll give EC/WC a go, since crushbone isn't really working out anymore. Do greater lightstones sell decently, and are people actually buying them? I seem to remember pawning those off to humans quite a bit way back in the day while killing commonlands wisps.

[Rasah]

EK because it isn't too heavily camped, and there is a constant stream of things to kill all around the same level. It's great for 15-20. You could do it other places, but I found that EK is the fastest and safest.

[Darkrainhunter]

EK Crag spiders are awesome solo exp for many many levels!

What is your Druid's name I don't mind talking shop while I am soloing or sitting in EC :cool:

[NZV]

Druid's name is Enzee.

The treeform/DS advice was great, by the way. I'm not using all that much mana at all as enemies slowly kill themselves for 6 damage at a time. Didn't go to the karanas, but I am killing minotaur slavers in steamfont and it's going pretty well. Do people still buy these mino axes? What about black pearls?

[Ritley]

I found it faster to DS yourself up and melee and then heal yourself up until ~20.