Should I mod the Druid spell list?

Arishal

I'm looking for opinions of experienced players and Druid players. I want to add a few spells to the Druid spell list, but I don't want to make the class OP.

I know some people hold the opinion that a personal mod in a single player game shouldn't matter, but maintaining game balance is still important to me. That's why I'm seeking your input.

Here are the changes I want to make to the Druid and Cleric spellbooks. They are mostly thematic changes, adding a removing spells that don't fit the class:

DRUID

- Level 1: + Protection from Petrification, + Grease, + Magical Stone, - Doom
- Level 2: + Glitterdust, + Aid (maybe + Hold Person).
- Level 3: + Remove Paralysis, + Zone of Sweet Air, + Clairvoyance (maybe - Rigid Thinking)
- Level 4: + Lesser Restoration, + Free Action (maybe - Defensive Harmony and - Negative Plane Protection)
- Level 5: + Flame Strike
- Level 6: + False Dawn
- Level 7: + Greater Restoration (maybe + Sunray)

False Dawn, Flame Strike, and Sunray are my biggest concerns. They are all pretty powerful, but elemental magic and the sun seem like fitting domains for a Druid. However, I don't want to break the game either.

I removed a handful of combat buffs and debuffs that don't seem very Druid-like.

CLERIC

- Level 2: - Barkskin, - Flame Blade
- Level 3: - Zone of Sweet Air
- Level 4: - Animal Summoning I, - Poison (or make it non-good only)
- Level 5: - Animal Summoning II
- Level 6: - Animal Summoning III, - Conjure Animals
- Level 7: - Earthquake

Basically just a straight nerf. At the same time, Clerics has a lot of good competition at each level.

What do you think?

elminster

Looks good. Druids actually get Sunray in IWDEE. While it works differently in that game I think it fits the class to have it. Plus druids already get a ton of good level 7 spell already and until level 15 you are pretty limited when it comes to level 7 spell slots.

Arishal

Here are the changes I ended up settling on:

DRUID

Level 1: ++ Protection from Petrification, Grease, Magical Stone, -- Doom, Bless
Level 2: ++ Glitterdust, Strength
Level 3: ++ Remove Paralysis, Zone of Sweet Air, Clairvoyance, -- Rigid Thinking, Strength of One
Level 4: ++ Lesser Restoration, Free Action, Polymorph Other, -- Defensive Harmony
Level 5: ++ Flame Strike
Level 6: No changes
Level 7: ++ Sunray

CLERIC

As per original post, except no changes were made to Poison.

The biggest change is adding Polymorph Other at level 4. As a very underused level 4 Wizard spell, I think it can find a good home in a Druid spellbook. Druids also lack good offensive options at level 4 - Cloak of Fear, Animal Summoning 1, Cause Serious Wounds and Poison. Even the Avenger kit is no better in this regard, gaining Improved Invisibility at 4.

I also opted for Sunray instead of False Dawn. Since False Dawn only affects Undead, I feel that makes it the domain of a Cleric. However, Sunray has non-Undead effects which can make it an interesting alternative to Nature's Beauty in Undead areas. While Sunray may be strictly stronger than False Dawn, it has tougher competition (spells and HLAs) for fewer spell slots.

Edit: Changed the Strength spells.

darkydoof

Welp

Arishal wrote: »

I'm looking for opinions of experienced players and Druid players. I want to add a few spells to the Druid spell list, but I don't want to make the class OP.

I know some people hold the opinion that a personal mod in a single player game shouldn't matter, but maintaining game balance is still important to me. That's why I'm seeking your input.

Here are the changes I want to make to the Druid and Cleric spellbooks. They are mostly thematic changes, adding a removing spells that don't fit the class:

DRUID

- Level 1: + Protection from Petrification, + Grease, + Magical Stone, - Doom
- Level 2: + Glitterdust, + Aid (maybe + Hold Person).
- Level 3: + Remove Paralysis, + Zone of Sweet Air, + Clairvoyance (maybe - Rigid Thinking)
- Level 4: + Lesser Restoration, + Free Action (maybe - Defensive Harmony and - Negative Plane Protection)
- Level 5: + Flame Strike
- Level 6: + False Dawn
- Level 7: + Greater Restoration (maybe + Sunray)

False Dawn, Flame Strike, and Sunray are my biggest concerns. They are all pretty powerful, but elemental magic and the sun seem like fitting domains for a Druid. However, I don't want to break the game either.

I removed a handful of combat buffs and debuffs that don't seem very Druid-like.

CLERIC

- Level 2: - Barkskin, - Flame Blade
- Level 3: - Zone of Sweet Air
- Level 4: - Animal Summoning I, - Poison (or make it non-good only)
- Level 5: - Animal Summoning II
- Level 6: - Animal Summoning III, - Conjure Animals
- Level 7: - Earthquake

Basically just a straight nerf. At the same time, Clerics has a lot of good competition at each level.

What do you think?

welp, 4 years laters i've arrived and i must say your idea sounds very cool.
Any chances to make it real, at least for the druid spells?

Pokota

There is the IWDification Mod, if your goal is to expand the Druid's spell list (unless you're already playing IWD* in which case Druids already have the expanded spell list that better represents their power.)

It's one of a handful of mods that I always use nowadays.

Skitia

A few I would straight up remove from the proposed Druid List: Restoration (All tiers)/Protection from Negative Energy/Aid. These all are really around the Cleric's Theme of Defensiveness and great divine power of miracles. Freedom of Movement on the other hand exists for later versions of druid, as does grease, and make sensible additions.

But otherwise if it was for a personal play-through with your own desired flavor, it would be pretty easy for a modder to do. If you don't want to use Pokota's suggestion for some reason, I could whip something up.