Soloing a Totemic Druid

Arcane · Post by **Arcane** » Thu May 02, 2002 1:40 pm

Lots of people seem to underestimate druids. Sure the studded leather and very limited weapon selection can bring them to these conclusions but the druid is not a fighter (well not if he needs to), we are a (what i would like to call) 'thrash' class, we get pasted in melee but when it comes to us and our animals vs the enemy (the elemental princes and deva's come in mind) we can take almost any one on, probably except monks and sorcerors (thats later)-

Im soloing a totetmic druid right now:
Myr Ravenvail Half-Elf (SKed to elf because elves are supposedly nature lovers, no other SKed stats)
14
16
17
14
18
16
-uses picture on sabres avatar-

Irenicus' dungeon was 'easy as goblin pie' because all i had to do was send in -one- spirit animal to do my dirty work because none of them could be touched. The second level was especially easy because the spirit wolf (lvl drains) took out the mephit portal in one or two hits. Ulvaryl was easy (Bioware made it so all classes could take her i think, my lvl 8 sorceror was able to) and when I got out, I sold my stuff and got in the region of 5000 gold. Note that I was lvl 11 when I got out (even i was surprised at this, then I remembered that druids max out in SoA without ToB at lvl 14). Then I went to Mencar Pebblecrusher's gang, summoned a bear and two wolves (wolves are by far the best because of Spirit Drain [looked this up at bioware, its like lvl drain] it seemed strange to me that I kept on getting wolves but I went with it). So, three animals, 2 dryads. I had the wolves take the dwarf, wasted him in about 3 turns, my bear take Smaleuv, my dryad charm the theif and my elemental took the mages. In the end, my animals lived but the theif backstabed the dryad and my elemental but I survived and thats the important thing. I sold the stuff and got about 11000 gold afterwords. Then, I went to the slums, made the deal and did all of the slavers and skinner quests, I was lvl 12 and then I decided that I needed a trip away from the city and into the wilderness of Watchers Keep.

-Watchers Keep-
Made the deal with the Vigil Knights, went in, and got the mephits. I explored the place (first time actually, I never really bothered to get there with other characters) eventaully, I found out that my spirit animals were great fodder for some of the weaker monsters because they couldnt get harm and could not harm, while I got two fire elementals to hit on the monsters from behind. The two statues (the very first ones on the altar) were rather hard because I thought my animals would get them. Then I cleaned the first floor out with two elementals.

How disappointed I was when I found out I couldnt use Usano. WHY NOT? Whats the point of putting a point into scimitar/wakizashi/ninjato if you could only use scimitars?

Anyway, Im now in Trademeet (lvl 13) and Im on my way on becoming a great druid. Im going to keep up posting about my druid if anyone wants to hear from him more.

Cheers

Yshania · Post by **Yshania** » Thu May 02, 2002 3:09 pm

Keep it coming

My druid Avenger was pretty awesome by ToB, (though not soloed - I enjoy the dialogue and romance options) and I am replaying BG1 with a druid with better stats to see how she compares in SoA and ToB.

Bruide · Post by **Bruide** » Thu May 02, 2002 3:47 pm

Good post arcane. I would like to hear more about how you get on with your Totemic druid, a class I never played in all my runs through the game. Go for it mate, and keep us informed.

Coot · Post by **Coot** » Fri May 03, 2002 1:16 am

I'm thinking about taking a totemic druid next time. The greatest drawback is, maybe, that you'll reach lvl 14 pretty quick when soloing and then you're stuck at that lvl during SoA. Still, it'll be challenging.
And those spiritanimals sound a lot more useful than I gave 'em credit for.

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Fri May 03, 2002 4:07 am

They are very good indeed... but they cant hit creatures hit only by magical weapons. So they'll be rather useless after a while, which is sad. Druids suffer a bit from bad implementation.
Spirit animals should really have atleast weapons that count as +3 and so should greater werewolf.

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Fri May 03, 2002 8:36 am

Druid in general ROCK(see here) Shame they shaved off the main abilities, it's shape change, 3 anmals... WHA????

gnomethingy · Post by **gnomethingy** » Fri May 03, 2002 9:13 am

Druids annoy me... they can take massive amounts of stuff beating on them what with decent hp's iron skins and summons absorbing the damage.. but htf do you actually kill anything? Forgive my ingnorance, but if you ingore the lvl 7 spells I just cant see how druids can kill anything

No holy smite, flame strike, holy power, dahm or rightous magic
No turning or false dawn for them pesky undead
No bolts of glory for deamons ect
No silence
No greater command or restoration

As far as I can see the only offensive druid spell before lvl 7 is insect plague

None of these comments are aimed at the avenger however, this guys spell book is great.. as good as or better than any cleric
Infact I think the avenger will be my next solo.. web and insect plague / creeping doom is probably the single longest and foulest way to kill anything in the game

Khazad · Post by **Khazad** » Fri May 03, 2002 10:05 am

I have not played an Totemic Druid, but I have played a Shapeshifter...I like Druids quite a bit.

There are some pretty decent staffs and clubs for a druid to pick up. Also, excellent high level spells. From my experience, once you hit level 13 with a Druid you are officially a big time bad @ss.

The thing that I like about the Shapeshifter is that you can hit your apponent with all of your ranged spells and then when it comes to melee you can shift to werewolf (or greater werewolf at level 13)...Cast Iron skins and then shift to the greater werewolf and you are ready to do some big time whuppin' on someone...

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Fri May 03, 2002 10:12 am

Unless they are hit by only +3 or greater.

Arcane · Post by **Arcane** » Fri May 03, 2002 10:44 am

Originally posted by gnomethingy
Druids annoy me... they can take massive amounts of stuff beating on them what with decent hp's iron skins and summons absorbing the damage.. but htf do you actually kill anything? Forgive my ingnorance, but if you ingore the lvl 7 spells I just cant see how druids can kill anything

No holy smite, flame strike, holy power, dahm or rightous magic
No turning or false dawn for them pesky undead
No bolts of glory for deamons ect
No silence
No greater command or restoration

As far as I can see the only offensive druid spell before lvl 7 is insect plague

None of these comments are aimed at the avenger however, this guys spell book is great.. as good as or better than any cleric
Infact I think the avenger will be my next solo.. web and insect plague / creeping doom is probably the single longest and foulest way to kill anything in the game

you know gnomethingy, the work 'tank' comes into mind when you are arguing about nontank<-- characters killing stuff on their own. Of course druids cant kill stuff the way tanks do, they obviously do it a different way. You know, if you did read the title 'soloing a TOTEMIC DRUID ' i kinda wonder why you would even post something like you cant seeing druids killing anything. All druids get animal summoning and ELEMENTAL spells. The Totemic Druid simply spices the equation up. Send in a three elementals and 2 spirit animals and a couple of insect plagues, wait a few minutes and walk back into the room.

Also, we dont need holy strike and flame strike when our super buffed servants do the dirty work. Yes in the later lvls (underdark and stuff) druid servants kinda lose their edge. Also, we get lesser restoration which is good enough when taking on vampires. I do agree one the turn undead though, from a roleplayers point of view, those who rise up from the dead are defiling natures cycle. If we could just get a weaker turn undead it would be fine.

Keep in mind that we do get all clerical ToB abilities plus a few more. Elemental Princes and transformation, added with both fallen and good devas and that storm spell make a pretty devastating team.

Anyways I wanna steal a few hours from GB to the Windspear Hills. Wish me luck

Khazad · Post by **Khazad** » Fri May 03, 2002 12:35 pm

Originally posted by Bruce Lee
Unless they are hit by only +3 or greater.

Good point...Guess a druid better make sure that he is also packing the Staff of Rhynn and/or Blackblood...I usually get both...Hit 'em with the insect swarm and then cast Iron skins and spirit armor (or magic resistance) and wade in....Probably also need to summon some fodder animals....

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Fri May 03, 2002 1:48 pm

I have been thinking of soloing with a shapeshifter... if only their paws were +3 like they should be. With the binuses in hell and helm of the rock they should be immune to elemental damage or so... cool yes?

gnomethingy · Post by **gnomethingy** » Fri May 03, 2002 7:55 pm

Originally posted by Arcane

you know gnomethingy, the work 'tank' comes into mind when you are arguing about nontank<-- characters killing stuff on their own. Of course druids cant kill stuff the way tanks do, they obviously do it a different way. You know, if you did read the title 'soloing a TOTEMIC DRUID ' i kinda wonder why you would even post something like you cant seeing druids killing anything. All druids get animal summoning and ELEMENTAL spells. The Totemic Druid simply spices the equation up. Send in a three elementals and 2 spirit animals and a couple of insect plagues, wait a few minutes and walk back into the room.

Anyways I wanna steal a few hours from GB to the Windspear Hills. Wish me luck

What I said was I cant see how druids can kill anything, I didnt say they cant.. they just clash with my play style, clerics get the animal summoning spells to btw and they get Aerial servants in place of fire elementals (not the same, but still ok)

Oh and from a roleplaying point of veiw Druids shouldnt be able to turn undead.
When a cleric turns undead the power of there deity flows through them and either scares, controls or destroys the undead in question
Druids dont have deities which is why they dont have this skill

GNGSpam · Post by **GNGSpam** » Fri May 03, 2002 8:01 pm

Animate Dead which yields Skeleton Warriors. Im sorry thats easily one of the single most useful summons in the entire game. They are easily superior to any summoned animal, and I think from many perspectives are superior to the basic elemental summons.

Edit - Small note, The Druids do get one spell which is vastly superior to the equivlant Cleric spells, the third level Call Lightning. Easily the most powerful offensive spell available for a Druid or a Cleric at that low a level. Sadly, it only works outside.

Glod · Post by **Glod** » Fri May 03, 2002 8:21 pm

Originally posted by Bruce Lee
I have been thinking of soloing with a shapeshifter... if only their paws were +3 like they should be. With the binuses in hell and helm of the rock they should be immune to elemental damage or so... cool yes?

Helm is fighter only I believe but there are lots of lesser resist items to use, just will eat more slots up.

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Sat May 04, 2002 1:59 am

Clerics and druids can wear helmets aswell as fighters.

gnomethingy · Post by **gnomethingy** » Sat May 04, 2002 5:49 am

Originally posted by GNGSpam
Animate Dead which yields Skeleton Warriors. Im sorry thats easily one of the single most useful summons in the entire game. They are easily superior to any summoned animal, and I think from many perspectives are superior to the basic elemental summons.

Edit - Small note, The Druids do get one spell which is vastly superior to the equivlant Cleric spells, the third level Call Lightning. Easily the most powerful offensive spell available for a Druid or a Cleric at that low a level. Sadly, it only works outside.

Animate dead rocks, magic weapons 80 hp's and 90% next to swords deva/ planatar and greater elementals these guys are my favourite summon, though once again the druid canna do it

I agree about call lighting, it is powerfull.. but there are almost no hard fights outside in soa and while there are in tob, most rangers are at a lvl where they can cast it..so once again druids are redundant
Btw.. Druids and clerics both annoy the hell out of me, cleric ranger gives you the best of both worlds with better mellee skills

Yshania · Post by **Yshania** » Sat May 04, 2002 6:49 am

Originally posted by gnomethingy

Animate dead rocks, magic weapons 80 hp's and 90% next to swords deva/ planatar and greater elementals these guys are my favourite summon, though once again the druid canna do it

I agree about call lighting, it is powerfull.. but there are almost no hard fights outside in soa and while there are in tob, most rangers are at a lvl where they can cast it..so once again druids are redundant
Btw.. Druids and clerics both annoy the hell out of me, cleric ranger gives you the best of both worlds with better mellee skills

But the druid can summon elemental princes and devas

Aqua-chan · Post by **Aqua-chan** » Sat May 04, 2002 12:47 pm

I was so thinking about playing as a Solo Druid, but then I thought about Jaheira. I can't Solo worth beans, really. The last time I tried it I had to pick up Anomen and Aerie just because I couldn't hack it on my own. But if you can lend me some tips and tricks, maybe then I'll try Solo again.

So keep it all comin'. My Third charactor class is depending on you!...

~Aqua-chan

Glod · Post by **Glod** » Sat May 04, 2002 2:06 pm

Originally posted by Bruce Lee
Clerics and druids can wear helmets aswell as fighters.

Erm some helmets yes, but you said helm of rock. That one is fighter only.