Hey, all... My Deep Gnome Druid Lellighg Wetleather has just reached level 8, and I'm weighing my options. I haven't really min/maxed his stats, so he's currently sitting at 13 CON (+1) and 16 WIS (+3). The Resilient feat would increase CON to +2 and CON saving throws to +5, which could go a long way as my party's primary spellcaster to help maintain concentration. (There are three of us; me plus an Elven Ranger and a Human Rogue.) Wisdom ASI would of course let me prepare an extra spell and increment my spellcasting modifier to +4, spell attack to +7, and spell save DC to 15. I'm leaning toward Resilient, but maybe because it sounds a little more exciting than the ASI? Is the Wisdom power up statistically more important?
The risk with keeping your primary spellcasting stat at 16 as you head into level 8 territory is that your debuffs and attacks will be failing to land more often (I guess this isn't too much of a problem if you're mostly buffing/healing allies, though). If your main goal for Resiliance is maintaining concentration, you're probably better off getting the Warcaster feat - you'll lose the extra HP from the extra CON, but you'll gain advantage on all concentration checks and the ability to use certain spells as opportunity reactions.
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Player: "Wait, it can't do that in the Monster Manual statblock..."
Thanks for the advice. You know, I'd considered War Caster, but then realized that in the first 7 levels of play, I've almost never been in a situation to take advantage of a reaction, so I ruled it out.
Thanks for the advice. You know, I'd considered War Caster, but then realized that in the first 7 levels of play, I've almost never been in a situation to take advantage of a reaction, so I ruled it out.
That's fair! I play mine a bit more melee, so I tend to get semi-regular AoO. Even discounting the AoO enhancement, I'd still prefer War Caster over Resilience just for the permanent advantage for concentration checks...I guess it depends on how valuable those extra hit points would be to your playstyle!
Either feat would give you some solid spell concentration defense at any rate, so this is a case of "you can't go wrong". Something else to keep in mind is that Resilience will grow in effect overtime as your proficiency bonus goes up.
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Player: "Wait, it can't do that in the Monster Manual statblock..."
How did you tend to play? Mostly summoning spells?
Circle of Moon so mostly concentration spells and then wild shape.
Obviously AOs in wild shape cannot be spells until 18th level so War Caster would not have helped there. Resilient CON mathematically is superior once you reach a certain level (think it is somewhere around 8th).
Advantage is on average worth about +4. Resilaint con will increase your saves by that at level 8 (+3 proficiency and +1 from increased con) and go up another one at level 9 when your proficiency increases to 4 so from a concentration point of view resiliant is better.
Resiliant works for all con saves so it helps if you are fighting exhaustion or resisting poison or any number of other things your DM might throw at at but war caster only works of saves for concentration.
Therefore you only really want to take warcaste if either
You are struggling to perform the somantic components of spells because tyour hand are full for example if you have a shield in one habd and your focus in the other and your DM rules that you can not cast a VS spell because unless you drop your focus. (There are some ways to partially get round this using object interaction but in my expericance most DMs waive this)
You are getting regular op attacks and want to cast spells when it happens (shouldn't be the case for a shepherd druid)
Thanks for that analysis... good to know exactly where each would give the most benefit. For now, I've opted to go with the ASI, for all the boosts that it will give me across various skills in addition to the spellcasting benefits. My plan is to just wild shape into a bear for the higher CON save, or just hide, and see how that works out for me. My DM has offered to let me play a couple sessions as a test run, and swap later if it doesn't work out for me. I'll check back in if I decide to do so.
Being a bear does not really help with concentration. The higher save is negated by having a lower AC so you need to make saves more often.
Hiding is an option but it is usually better to be a productive member of the team an risk the concentration. Whether that is casting heal8ng word on an ally or casting frostbite to damage and debuff the bad guy.
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Hey, all... My Deep Gnome Druid Lellighg Wetleather has just reached level 8, and I'm weighing my options. I haven't really min/maxed his stats, so he's currently sitting at 13 CON (+1) and 16 WIS (+3). The Resilient feat would increase CON to +2 and CON saving throws to +5, which could go a long way as my party's primary spellcaster to help maintain concentration. (There are three of us; me plus an Elven Ranger and a Human Rogue.) Wisdom ASI would of course let me prepare an extra spell and increment my spellcasting modifier to +4, spell attack to +7, and spell save DC to 15. I'm leaning toward Resilient, but maybe because it sounds a little more exciting than the ASI? Is the Wisdom power up statistically more important?
He's a Circle of the Underdark Land Druid, btw.
The risk with keeping your primary spellcasting stat at 16 as you head into level 8 territory is that your debuffs and attacks will be failing to land more often (I guess this isn't too much of a problem if you're mostly buffing/healing allies, though). If your main goal for Resiliance is maintaining concentration, you're probably better off getting the Warcaster feat - you'll lose the extra HP from the extra CON, but you'll gain advantage on all concentration checks and the ability to use certain spells as opportunity reactions.
Player: "Wait, it can't do that in the Monster Manual statblock..."
Thanks for the advice. You know, I'd considered War Caster, but then realized that in the first 7 levels of play, I've almost never been in a situation to take advantage of a reaction, so I ruled it out.
From my play as a Druid, I found that I would not be using many AOs....so Resilience CON was better.
How did you tend to play? Mostly summoning spells?
That's fair! I play mine a bit more melee, so I tend to get semi-regular AoO. Even discounting the AoO enhancement, I'd still prefer War Caster over Resilience just for the permanent advantage for concentration checks...I guess it depends on how valuable those extra hit points would be to your playstyle!
Either feat would give you some solid spell concentration defense at any rate, so this is a case of "you can't go wrong". Something else to keep in mind is that Resilience will grow in effect overtime as your proficiency bonus goes up.
Player: "Wait, it can't do that in the Monster Manual statblock..."
Circle of Moon so mostly concentration spells and then wild shape.
Obviously AOs in wild shape cannot be spells until 18th level so War Caster would not have helped there. Resilient CON mathematically is superior once you reach a certain level (think it is somewhere around 8th).
Advantage is on average worth about +4. Resilaint con will increase your saves by that at level 8 (+3 proficiency and +1 from increased con) and go up another one at level 9 when your proficiency increases to 4 so from a concentration point of view resiliant is better.
Resiliant works for all con saves so it helps if you are fighting exhaustion or resisting poison or any number of other things your DM might throw at at but war caster only works of saves for concentration.
Therefore you only really want to take warcaste if either
Thanks for that analysis... good to know exactly where each would give the most benefit. For now, I've opted to go with the ASI, for all the boosts that it will give me across various skills in addition to the spellcasting benefits. My plan is to just wild shape into a bear for the higher CON save, or just hide, and see how that works out for me. My DM has offered to let me play a couple sessions as a test run, and swap later if it doesn't work out for me. I'll check back in if I decide to do so.
Being a bear does not really help with concentration. The higher save is negated by having a lower AC so you need to make saves more often.
Hiding is an option but it is usually better to be a productive member of the team an risk the concentration. Whether that is casting heal8ng word on an ally or casting frostbite to damage and debuff the bad guy.