Druid/Cleric usefulness

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Is there any point to having a druid as one of the PCs? Do they get offensive spells which are more of use than a cleric?

Do I really need 2 clerics or cleric and druid for healing?

I've been bored the past little while and decided to give this a go. I have the #2 patch from SP installed.

[ August 30, 2005, 22:51: Message edited by: Taluntain ]

 

I do not have a druid in my party. Didn't think one was necessary. I have a cleric and a bard for healing.

 

I had a cleric (rather Undeads-go-poof specialist) and a Druid (Summoner extra-ordinaire) who both could do some healing. I always had 2 healers in my party, for when one gets stuck/disabled. Don't really need 2 clerics or a cleric and a druid. An agile person (to avoid AoO's, preferably with good tumble skill) or tank with some potions might be able to heal some damage as well, but is a bit more expensive.
Or a bard, indeed.

 

Druids are even better than fighters for combat.
Because as a druid you get an animal companion.
It fights great for free and if it should die or you want a different one, you can always call a new one after resting.
The summoning spells are also great, especially if you have the augment summoning feat.
You will also miss the nice animations some animals have without a druid.

 

I'm not much for summoning, either as a druid or magic user. Will Entangle be of much help in the early stages - moathouse - or should I stick with the Sleep spell?

If I can get by with cleric for most of the healing, I'll keep that. I forgot bards get some cure spells.

 

Actually, entangle can be pretty good. Just like web. Entangle and web work on practically everything while sleep becomes quite useless against undead (but then turn undead works for that). Entangle or web combined with missile weapons help the early going in any d&d based game.

 

IIRC, druids don't get spontaneous casting of healing spells. However, they get all the healing spells clerics have. I believe the difference is in stat distribution, fighting style (leather and DEX or plate and STR) and skills and abilities (turn undead and get domain powers and domain spells or get animal companion, animal handlings skills and wildshape). Perhaps it could be a good idea to get one level of cleric for domain powers for a druid, but I'm not sure it's worth lagging behind on spells. Slightly off-topic, but if your druid is Lawful Neutral, you can get a level in the monk class. WIS modifier added to AC might benefit you better than the armour a druid can wear and there's also Evasion.

You can make it with one healer, you don't need two. It might be nice to have two divine casters for the whole range of divine spells, not just the healing. I had a priest of Pelor in my party but no druid. There was also a paladin in the party for some additional minor healing.

 

Druid spell selection is more offensive. Summonings (yes clerics get them too, but not the quanity of later quality, ie elementals) are very useful in this game. Thief needs someone to flank an apponent for free backstab, summon something. Can't get to those archers in the back, summon something next to them. Attacks of opurtunity when they fire at range, or keep them occupied until you reach them.
The druid shapechange is good, but unless you have a cap remover, you don't get the good ones in this game.

 

Also, healing spells comes at higher levels for druids. they have more difficult to get healingspells.

 

In fact, one could easily replace a druid by a cleric of obad-hai with fire and plant as domain spells.
You still get entangle + turning plants which is quite useful against fungi in the temple.
Besides, you have very interesting offensive spells from the fire domain.
But if you still think that the animal companion (I guess the wolf is the best) makes the difference, then just change from the druid to the cleric class just after level 1 and you will keep the animal afterwards. With magic armor on it just before a battle, it is even better.