@sandmanCCL Yeah, you're right. With BG:EE, Druids are gonna become way more viable. But in vanilla BG1, I would say they were probably the class needing the most love by far. Now that they have BG2 spells without having to suffer from level 14 silliness, they're gonna be pretty solid.
I'd only disagree on 3rd level spells. Holy Smite is the bomb - provided you're not evil-aligned, lol. Call Lightning is a sticky one. Even in BG1 I don't really think there's too many difficult outdoor battles. The only one that really stands out is that cult ambush when you get back from Durlag's Tower. That one was kind of a pain, what with all those backstabbing jerks. I feel like all the really difficult battles are indoors, though.
And I love on some Zone of Sweet Air. Personally, I was getting bombarded with Stinking Clouds and Cloudkills all the time in my recent BG1 playthrough, but as I had SCS installed I'm not sure if that was a thing in the original game or is a product of that mod. If the latter, then I'll gladly concede that ZOSA is situational at best.
Yeah, level 4 is where Druids start to ramp things up. I personally disagree with you on playstyle, though. Load your Cleric up with stuff like Poison (a surprisingly effective spell) and Flame Strike and you can easily work as a caster Cleric.
Druids are probably more suited to being casters, though, you're right on that.
The game is CERTAINLY playable with druid as your only divine caster. Druids are rougher to start (Unless there is a kit involved) but heal even better than clerics (re: more, higher level, spells). Clerics will be infinitely more useful in combat situations at level 4 or lower, but druids start to catch up after. If you plan to take it slow, you might enjoy clerics more. If you plan to level up as fast as you can, Druids will get a chance to shine before you get fed up with them.
@sandmanCCL Even better, Dryads get Cause Serious wounds, not cure. Instead, they get -mass- cure. So nifty. When on TOSC Druid runs, it's the only 4th level spell I get for the majority of the game. While I dislike the scripts they seem to use when I summon them (SCS, I suspect), who am I to complain if they spam those holds and dimension door up to inflict some serious wounds?
As for Miles Flamestrike is overrated, I find, when a wand of heavens is just as viable (And cheap!) for as long as Flamestrike is remotely useful...A wand of insect plague is sadly lacking. I for one would prefer a wand of the heavens for either class any day...especially since they are shapeshifting-friendly.
I made a lot of game plays with only Jaheira or Crend as my divine caster, there's no problem with that, as later what will make the difference, are the heal spells more or less.
The only loose you have are if i'm not wrong the rigid thinking lvl 5 spell that agains mind flayers is an panacea.
I agree completely. It could be easily remedied by implementing spells from IWD: HoW such as Sunscorch (Lvl 1), Alicorn Lance (Lvl 2), Smashing Wave (Lvl 4), Thornspray (Lvl 4) and Wall of Moonlight (Lvl 4).
2nd Edition is also fundamentally flawed in that it didn't give druids access to the Sun sphere, which is a design oversight, in my opinion. Druids should have access to Sunray.
I think adding some low level and mid level Druid spells would help a lot. It would add flavor to the Druid without stepping on the cleric toses yet nor just being a cleric change forms. I think a self buffed cleric is really similiar to a Druid form minus duration.
For the shapeshifter kit maybe start a level 1 with a wolf form, level 10 werewolf form, and level 20 greater werewolf. I think with the Druid giving up spell casting when changing it should be able to be good in melee. Not on par with a well equipped warrior class (fighter, paladin,etc) but something with some teeth on it (literally and non literally).
Entangle is lacking as a spell? Say what? That damn spell remains useful through the entire saga. Can't say the same about many other level 1 spells. Crowd control is pretty much king especially in big hugely huge fights. It's not the most reliable one because guys can save vs. the effect pretty regularly but it still helps a ton.
Early in BG, it's seriously good. Toss it on a group of wolves, unload quivers of arrows. Profit.
Comments
I'd only disagree on 3rd level spells. Holy Smite is the bomb - provided you're not evil-aligned, lol. Call Lightning is a sticky one. Even in BG1 I don't really think there's too many difficult outdoor battles. The only one that really stands out is that cult ambush when you get back from Durlag's Tower. That one was kind of a pain, what with all those backstabbing jerks. I feel like all the really difficult battles are indoors, though.
And I love on some Zone of Sweet Air. Personally, I was getting bombarded with Stinking Clouds and Cloudkills all the time in my recent BG1 playthrough, but as I had SCS installed I'm not sure if that was a thing in the original game or is a product of that mod. If the latter, then I'll gladly concede that ZOSA is situational at best.
Yeah, level 4 is where Druids start to ramp things up. I personally disagree with you on playstyle, though. Load your Cleric up with stuff like Poison (a surprisingly effective spell) and Flame Strike and you can easily work as a caster Cleric.
Druids are probably more suited to being casters, though, you're right on that.
@sandmanCCL Even better, Dryads get Cause Serious wounds, not cure. Instead, they get -mass- cure. So nifty. When on TOSC Druid runs, it's the only 4th level spell I get for the majority of the game. While I dislike the scripts they seem to use when I summon them (SCS, I suspect), who am I to complain if they spam those holds and dimension door up to inflict some serious wounds?
As for Miles Flamestrike is overrated, I find, when a wand of heavens is just as viable (And cheap!) for as long as Flamestrike is remotely useful...A wand of insect plague is sadly lacking. I for one would prefer a wand of the heavens for either class any day...especially since they are shapeshifting-friendly.
The only loose you have are if i'm not wrong the rigid thinking lvl 5 spell that agains mind flayers is an panacea.
I agree completely. It could be easily remedied by implementing spells from IWD: HoW such as Sunscorch (Lvl 1), Alicorn Lance (Lvl 2), Smashing Wave (Lvl 4), Thornspray (Lvl 4) and Wall of Moonlight (Lvl 4).
2nd Edition is also fundamentally flawed in that it didn't give druids access to the Sun sphere, which is a design oversight, in my opinion. Druids should have access to Sunray.
For the shapeshifter kit maybe start a level 1 with a wolf form, level 10 werewolf form, and level 20 greater werewolf. I think with the Druid giving up spell casting when changing it should be able to be good in melee. Not on par with a well equipped warrior class (fighter, paladin,etc) but something with some teeth on it (literally and non literally).
Early in BG, it's seriously good. Toss it on a group of wolves, unload quivers of arrows. Profit.