Druid Question

Remove all ads!

I'm gonna start a new game on Bg2 and want to try a new class and was thinking of druid shapeshifter, does anyone know what particular advantages/disadvantages there are with werewolf and greater werewolf?

 

If you're gonna go druid, either go with the True Class or the Avenger kit.

I can't go on about particular advantages/disadvantages to the shapeshifter kit (I'm at the office and don't have my BG stuff up here), but the lack of armor HURTS, especially later in the game. And in my opinion, while the werewolf/greater werewolf shapeshifts are powerful (especially early on), they aren't nearly powerful enough towards the end of the game.

The Avenger, on the other hand, has some nice extra spells (Chromatic Orb, Web, Lightning Bolt, Improved Invisibility, Chaos, and Chain Lightning, iirc) and also has some nifty shapeshifts such as a fire salamander and sword spider. The -2 to STR and CON may seem like a lot, but there are plenty of items in the game to fix that little problem.

 

From the Ease of Use mod, it appears that the Shapeshifter kit was nerfed; one of the mod components (#20) restores it.

 

IMHO, though, the shapeshifter rebalancing takes shapeshifters from nerfed to overpowered.

 

Which is why Avengers are the way to go.

 

The Shapeshifter can actually wear the Shadow Dragon Scales (though I'm not sure if that's been changed in later patches?).

I'd also go with the Avenger - STR doesn't matter and you can still get 16 CON. The extra mage spells really make a difference.
Don't take a vanilla druid. The normal shapechanging ability is useless (both the Shapeshifter's and the Totemic Druid's abilities are usefull in early- and midgame).

Anyways, it's all about having fun - and all druid kits are great fun...

 

Agreed!!! Just pick up the Avenger and make your way through the game. The Shapeshifters just aren't that nice.
Good luck!

 

Heh, thats how it is... un-modded Shapeshifter is too weak and modded one is too Uber.
Aint nice.

Aye.. Avenger is the second way to go (Shapeshifter is still my favourite). Penalities dont matter much - str = belts, con = no extra hp between 16 and 18 anyway.
Plus it has some rather nice shapeshifts. Nothing really powerful, but fun. Sword spider with lots of attacks (5 iirc), fire salamander - can breathe fireballs And there's nothing like good ol' fireball

 

All druids must be True Neutral and they all gain spells from the Nature section.

Totemic Druids are druids that call upon animals, the animal is chosen randomly between Bear, Wolf, Lion and Snake. The player can summon a spirit animal once for every five levels. but cannot shapeshift.

Shapeshifters, however, are lycanthropes who have learnt to control it, able to shift into a werewolf/greater(lvl13->) but cannot wear armour.

Avengers are my favourite, they can shift into the normal creatures but also Sword Spiders, Baby Wyverns/Frostbites( ) and Fire slamanders. They cannot wear armour better than studded leather and have a -2 penalty to constitution and strength but get bonus spells, on per level up to level 6, they are, in order - Chromatic Orb, Web, Lightning Bolt, Improved Invis, Chaos and Chain Lightning.

hope this helps.

 

Ide go multi or dual class. Regular druids are alright...... but multi and dual are 10 times better.

I like multi the most, but Dual is alright, Druids level up rather quick.

 

I like single-class Druids better. They have a much more deep role-playing feel to them.

Also, going with the flow here, I'd say Avenger is the best kit. The penalty is useless because who the hell makes a druid with 18 in STR and CON? That's like making a mage with high STR and CON.

A fighter/Avenger dual-class is a really cool character. You have to play through BG1 with a Druid with 17 STR and 15 CHA then import it and selcect Avenger for your kit. You can dual it now because you got rid of the penalty

 

Avenger or Totemic Druid.
Avenger if you like to wade into combat every once in a while, Totemic Druid if you'd rather hold back and cast spells.
If you want a Shapeshifter, you can just get Cernd.

---->
About the patch, though I agree with un-nerfing the Werewolf/Greater Werewolf forms, the other bonuses only serve to seriously unbalance the game.
If the druid has the right to gain these powers, then Sorcerer should also be given better THAC0 progression and Bards should be given free access to Wild Magic for obvious reasons.

 

well thanks for all the tips guys i imported a druid (with the überpatch) to one of my old multiplayer games and buffed him up to lvl 13 to check out greater werewolf and that guy is really REALLY overpowered so i will probably go for avenger in my new game

 

Yeah I'd go with an Avenger, very enjoyable to play with, and with a little care its possible to solo with them, although very time consuming this was a while ago but i seem to recall it had less armour restrictions than its counterparts. Could be mistaken though

 

I playes a shapeshifter and he was cool. The WW and GWW benefit from the single weapon proficiency and gain the bonus to AC when in those forms. I used WW all the time except the tough battles when I used GWW.

This was a great fun character, especially as I had been playing a DiabloII Druid at the time and wanted to run around as a WW.