Melee druids

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I recently got this (finally) and was looking through the spells when I noticed an interesting trend for druids.

In BG2, a druid was basically a caster who could wear some (limited) armor and use scimitars. They were squishier than clerics due to the armor, and basically got the same spells. A fighter/druid was, much like a fighter/cleric, basically a fighter who could sling some spells before going into melee, maybe use a (usually group) buff or two, but not a terribly synergistic combo.

Now, looking at my druid spells in IWD, I see things like Beast Claw, Mold Touch, Moonblade, and Starmetal Cudgel and I have to ask, is it a better combo now? I know in BG2 a fighter/mage with Black Blade of Disaster could be, well, Disaster incarnate, and Mold Touch and Moonblade are really looking cool, but they'd require melee combat. Any input? Thoughts?

 

The main problem would be that pure Druids are still restricted to 1 attack per round at all levels, iirc. That should be enough reason not to go pure melee unless you intend to dual wield (absolutely not recommended).

Those spells are there because the Druid spell list lacks the refinement of the Mage spell list I think. The lack of class kits makes the Druid's situation worse. Since Wizards have spells like Magic Missile - and we very well can't give Druids Magic Missile - they have these weapon spells instead. Druids can make good use of them but their spellcasting should still take precedence over everything else.

Things would be very different for a Fighter/Druid (can reach more than one attack per round, possibly decent dual-wield, finds its way in melee more often than pure Druid).

 

Scythe - This is IWD1, how are you dual-wielding? Cheats?

NOG - I really liked my Fighter/Druid in IWD1. I would recommend eventually using Kuylok's IWD NPCs mod, it lets you customize some of the NPC's classes. Nella in particular, I used her as a F/D. She was a recking machine for me in HoW and the endgame. She would cast Shambling Mound and then follow her little Dirt Monster into Melee, cutting a huge swath thru big groups of Undead. I used the rest of the characters in support and it carried me thru most of the game. I would definitely recommend the Druid in this game, though Dualed or Multi Clerics are pretty awesome as well. I usually have one of each, with only one Pure tank in the party, who is usually a Pally. Even if your playing the game clean, no mods, druids are definitely worth taking. Pure druids in spell support, multi or dualled can handle both melee and spell support. They are excellent characters.

 

Yeah I forgot about it. Dual-wield is everywhere these days.

 

A dual-classed fighter-druid is quite good. Much higher hit points and multiple attacks per round (you can give your fighter at least *** in a weapon). I usually shift at either level 7 or 9.

 

I don't like dual-classing too much. I may do it early, especially for human mages and thieves (fighter 2->mage X) so they can use helmets and shields and, you know, real weapons, but that's usually it.

And yes, I just played through with the IWD NPCs. It was very fun. Except I kept Nella as a pure fighter and turned her into a necromancer!

 

I am currently running a 3 man team, F/D - Dualed at level 3, F/M/T and a Bard. I use the F/D as my tank and she kicks arse. Fun party, though a cleric would help with the undead, but otherwise magic-enhanced butt-kicking for my F/D.

 

NOG -- always dual to at least third level. That way you can get *** in a weapon (such as bow for your mage), +3 to hit and +3 damage are quite good. At seventh level you get another WP (two weapons with ***), at 9th level you pretty much max hp's. Those are the three levels I usually choose for shifting. 3rd level is good for a mage or thief (that +3 to hit and damage for a backstab is sweet), but the xp advancement for a druid just cries out for higher fighter levels (you get them back so quickly as a druid).

Blades, you have time to play???

I had a three man team which did quite well until my computer crashed -- Dwarf Fighter, Half-Elf Ranger/Cleric, Elfen Fighter/Mage/Thief. The dwarf was an absolute killing machine.

 

Yep, every night from 9-11, the wife and kids are in bed, I'm on 1st shift, the wife's on 2nd shift for the baby, so 2 hrs a night right now, not bad! Of course, I'm getting sleep-deprived, but WHO CARES! I GET TO GAME!!

I have tried your type of party, it kicks butt. I used a Pally instead of the Dwarf Fighter, but both work as well, I liked the Pally better for defensive purposes, but the Fighter will kill enemies faster.