I've never played a Druid in DnD before, so I'm not sure what circle to choose now that I'm level 2. Our campaign is basic rules only, as in only PHB (the DM has the DM book but we can't see/use anything from there) so no special or supplemental stuff. I'm the party's primary healer, a dragonborn, and my background is a researcher looking for the cure to a disease/curse that's afflicting my clan back home.
Since your two choices are Circle of the Land or Circle of the Moon, your better pick is Circle of the Land. That’s the one that gives you better Spellcasting abilities.
If you were using other sources, Circle of Dreams is the Circle that’s the most focused on healing.
Since your two choices are Circle of the Land or Circle of the Moon, your better pick is Circle of the Land. That’s the one that gives you better Spellcasting abilities.
If you were using other sources, Circle of Dreams is the Circle that’s the most focused on healing.
And here I was, all about to suggest you choose circle of the moon :-) Because, you get the cool animal shapes AND very viable spell casting as well :-)
Your abilities and tricks will easily scale with your DM's various encounters. Everybody states that "oh, the circle of Moon shapes are so OP at early levels, and soo underpowered later on". Pheewwddppf phhfepepfpfhp, I say! With the animal shapes I have seen from various publications of beasts for 5e, you will do fine in terms of raw damage. BUT, in all honesty - that is not the reason to choose the druid. You wanna go with the druid for multi-purpose roleplaying options. Yes, you can run up to a group of skeletons, throw thunderwave at 2nd level and bampf into a big-assed bear with a ton of HP for survival (not that many skellies would be left standing), but you wanna be the player character that slowly develops into the character that everybody turns to in times of trouble. You will become the group's oh-shit button tbh. Great spells are great - but great spells AND great animal shapes are even greater. My two cents :D
Edit: Also, I just read the OP again and saw "main healer" - does it change anything? From what I read around the webs about fighting in D&D 5e, you don't really try to outheal the damage...you stay alive as the healer long enough that you can bring people back from unconsciousness. In that regard, I think you may be better off being able to stay in the fray and help out as tank/ dps and then bampf in/out for a quick cure wounds or two.
Circle of the moon for ease, combat and weird fake hitpoint bins in animal form, but if you want to be a nature magician - go land its the no frills druid with some welcome spell customisation.
I would disagree with dreams for healing, Instead choosing to go Shepherd *XGtE (but only after your clear on how to make the most of your characters - they take some micro-management) better yet they evolve a second role past level 6.
Edit: Xtge also has healing spirit the hotly debated 'best healing' spell of 5th edition, without that you may want to consider Moon anyway to take the hits for the party on your animal form, because you technically shouldnt be able to out heal the extra hitpoints your animal forms will add to the party total HP sink
The only problem with Circle of the Moon is you can’t cast healing spells while you’re in beast form. I’m playing one right now and I love it, but the biggest healing spell that I use is Goodberry because it will get anyone from 0 HP to back on their feet including me. Yes, my DM lets us shove a Goodberry in someone’s mouth to heal them to one HP as an action.
I do use other healing spells sometimes, but not often because I’m a HP sink while the other party members do damage.
The only problem with Circle of the Moon is you can’t cast healing spells while you’re in beast form. I’m playing one right now and I love it, but the biggest healing spell that I use is Goodberry because it will get anyone from 0 HP to back on their feet including me. Yes, my DM lets us shove a Goodberry in someone’s mouth to heal them to one HP as an action.
I do use other healing spells sometimes, but not often because I’m a HP sink while the other party members do damage.
That is correct, but as stated in my post above, keeping up with healing in "real time" during battles is a lost cause, seeing as you can mostly (in low levels) heal one person at the time. In that scenario providing everyone with a stack of berries is a mighty fine solution as it is in essence an AOE heal, should everyone decide to quaff a handful of berries on their turn. Being able to soak damage with a sentinel feat instead could potentially be as "heal-effective" as letting someone squishier soak up a ton of damage with a questionable HP-pool and low AC (hi, wizard and some cleric-specs). Until lvl 5-7, i guess taking alchemy and providing the group with a steady flow of potions would also be a viable addition.
It's just when it comes down to it (the premise being that only PHB specs are allowed), the guides/reviews I read state that eventhough the casting is better in (some specs of) druid of the land (e.g. forest), the overall utility in the Moon-druid is superior in the long run.
The only problem with Circle of the Moon is you can’t cast healing spells while you’re in beast form. I’m playing one right now and I love it, but the biggest healing spell that I use is Goodberry because it will get anyone from 0 HP to back on their feet including me. Yes, my DM lets us shove a Goodberry in someone’s mouth to heal them to one HP as an action.
I do use other healing spells sometimes, but not often because I’m a HP sink while the other party members do damage.
That is correct, but as stated in my post above, keeping up with healing in "real time" during battles is a lost cause, seeing as you can mostly (in low levels) heal one person at the time. In that scenario providing everyone with a stack of berries is a mighty fine solution as it is in essence an AOE heal, should everyone decide to quaff a handful of berries on their turn. Being able to soak damage with a sentinel feat instead could potentially be as "heal-effective" as letting someone squishier soak up a ton of damage with a questionable HP-pool and low AC (hi, wizard and some cleric-specs). Until lvl 5-7, i guess taking alchemy and providing the group with a steady flow of potions would also be a viable addition.
It's just when it comes down to it (the premise being that only PHB specs are allowed), the guides/reviews I read state that eventhough the casting is better in (some specs of) druid of the land (e.g. forest), the overall utility in the Moon-druid is superior in the long run.
Just a reminder that players can only eat 1 berry as an action so 1 hp a turn, so no 'handfuls' of berries.
I agree that 'healing' in this version is just one aspect of 'support' which is what leads to success in this game. In a battle of raw healing vs damage the PCs are almost always going to lose. So mitigation and control are the name of the game. As a moon druid myself, I'm pretty squarely in the "moon is worst option for primary support role". I always have Healing Word for when my party gets into a pinch and the Bard can't keep up or gets surprise ganked, and I always have Healing Spirit for out of combat conga healing, but if I was playing primary support I think I'd have a hard time of it.
I think that most of the other caster sub-classes are strictly better at full party support. Land gets more options to control the field and protect their allies, Dreams because Balm of the summer court can be used instead of Healing Word AND they can still cast a spell in the same round, and Shepard because they can field a whole bunch of stand ins for the party to help control damage flow.
While a Moon Druid is probably capable of being a primary support, I feel that they'd often find themselves faced with the 'do I drop wild shape or do I bring my ally back/cast entangle/moon beam/anything else' dilemma extremely often and it's far more work to fulfill the healer role as a moon than the other sub-classes.
Those are all really good points. Our party does have a Paladin and a Bard as well, so I suppose I don't have to be focused 100% on healing do I? Is there a resource anywhere that I can look up a list of beasts able to be Wild Shaped into?
Those are all really good points. Our party does have a Paladin and a Bard as well, so I suppose I don't have to be focused 100% on healing do I? Is there a resource anywhere that I can look up a list of beasts able to be Wild Shaped into?
Paladins should be very viable backup healers as they are usually right up there on the frontline with the ones taking the brunt of the damage. The Bard should make a great fit too. Between the three of you you should find plenty of time and space to goof around in your wildshapes!
Those are all really good points. Our party does have a Paladin and a Bard as well, so I suppose I don't have to be focused 100% on healing do I? Is there a resource anywhere that I can look up a list of beasts able to be Wild Shaped into?
Editing: how do I choose Circle of the Moon on the character sheet here? All I have to choose from is Circle of the Land with various locations (arctic, desert, etc)
Seriously? Everything else in the PHB has been readily available, even magic items and stuff. But one of two basic choices for a level 2 class option you have to pay for? 🙄
With your background and what you'd have access to, I'd suggest a circle of the land.
One because you get that nature wizard feel to it that meshes with a researcher and
Two because at level 10 you become immune to poison and disease. If your background is looking for a cure to one then you have a bit more flavor to that and it allows you more time to be in the presence of those that have it in all stages without succumbing to it yourself.
I reply to threads as if I have plenty of gaming experience, whereas I really only love building characters (and druids are my favorite to build). With that caveat, my favorite circle of the land terrain is arctic. The circle gives a lot of great control spells, a few good damage spells, and no real stinkers. Some of the other terrain choices seem like they might make more thematic choices, but always end up having a spell or two that I just feel like I’d never cast.
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I've never played a Druid in DnD before, so I'm not sure what circle to choose now that I'm level 2. Our campaign is basic rules only, as in only PHB (the DM has the DM book but we can't see/use anything from there) so no special or supplemental stuff. I'm the party's primary healer, a dragonborn, and my background is a researcher looking for the cure to a disease/curse that's afflicting my clan back home.
Since your two choices are Circle of the Land or Circle of the Moon, your better pick is Circle of the Land. That’s the one that gives you better Spellcasting abilities.
If you were using other sources, Circle of Dreams is the Circle that’s the most focused on healing.
Professional computer geek
Which source is that from, just so I can look it up for the future?
Xanathar’s Guide
Professional computer geek
<3 thank you!
And here I was, all about to suggest you choose circle of the moon :-) Because, you get the cool animal shapes AND very viable spell casting as well :-)
Your abilities and tricks will easily scale with your DM's various encounters. Everybody states that "oh, the circle of Moon shapes are so OP at early levels, and soo underpowered later on". Pheewwddppf phhfepepfpfhp, I say! With the animal shapes I have seen from various publications of beasts for 5e, you will do fine in terms of raw damage. BUT, in all honesty - that is not the reason to choose the druid. You wanna go with the druid for multi-purpose roleplaying options. Yes, you can run up to a group of skeletons, throw thunderwave at 2nd level and bampf into a big-assed bear with a ton of HP for survival (not that many skellies would be left standing), but you wanna be the player character that slowly develops into the character that everybody turns to in times of trouble. You will become the group's oh-shit button tbh. Great spells are great - but great spells AND great animal shapes are even greater. My two cents :D
Edit: Also, I just read the OP again and saw "main healer" - does it change anything? From what I read around the webs about fighting in D&D 5e, you don't really try to outheal the damage...you stay alive as the healer long enough that you can bring people back from unconsciousness. In that regard, I think you may be better off being able to stay in the fray and help out as tank/ dps and then bampf in/out for a quick cure wounds or two.
Circle of the moon for ease, combat and weird fake hitpoint bins in animal form, but if you want to be a nature magician - go land its the no frills druid with some welcome spell customisation.
I would disagree with dreams for healing, Instead choosing to go Shepherd *XGtE (but only after your clear on how to make the most of your characters - they take some micro-management) better yet they evolve a second role past level 6.
Edit: Xtge also has healing spirit the hotly debated 'best healing' spell of 5th edition, without that you may want to consider Moon anyway to take the hits for the party on your animal form, because you technically shouldnt be able to out heal the extra hitpoints your animal forms will add to the party total HP sink
The only problem with Circle of the Moon is you can’t cast healing spells while you’re in beast form. I’m playing one right now and I love it, but the biggest healing spell that I use is Goodberry because it will get anyone from 0 HP to back on their feet including me. Yes, my DM lets us shove a Goodberry in someone’s mouth to heal them to one HP as an action.
I do use other healing spells sometimes, but not often because I’m a HP sink while the other party members do damage.
Professional computer geek
That is correct, but as stated in my post above, keeping up with healing in "real time" during battles is a lost cause, seeing as you can mostly (in low levels) heal one person at the time. In that scenario providing everyone with a stack of berries is a mighty fine solution as it is in essence an AOE heal, should everyone decide to quaff a handful of berries on their turn. Being able to soak damage with a sentinel feat instead could potentially be as "heal-effective" as letting someone squishier soak up a ton of damage with a questionable HP-pool and low AC (hi, wizard and some cleric-specs). Until lvl 5-7, i guess taking alchemy and providing the group with a steady flow of potions would also be a viable addition.
It's just when it comes down to it (the premise being that only PHB specs are allowed), the guides/reviews I read state that eventhough the casting is better in (some specs of) druid of the land (e.g. forest), the overall utility in the Moon-druid is superior in the long run.
Just a reminder that players can only eat 1 berry as an action so 1 hp a turn, so no 'handfuls' of berries.
I agree that 'healing' in this version is just one aspect of 'support' which is what leads to success in this game. In a battle of raw healing vs damage the PCs are almost always going to lose. So mitigation and control are the name of the game. As a moon druid myself, I'm pretty squarely in the "moon is worst option for primary support role". I always have Healing Word for when my party gets into a pinch and the Bard can't keep up or gets surprise ganked, and I always have Healing Spirit for out of combat conga healing, but if I was playing primary support I think I'd have a hard time of it.
I think that most of the other caster sub-classes are strictly better at full party support. Land gets more options to control the field and protect their allies, Dreams because Balm of the summer court can be used instead of Healing Word AND they can still cast a spell in the same round, and Shepard because they can field a whole bunch of stand ins for the party to help control damage flow.
While a Moon Druid is probably capable of being a primary support, I feel that they'd often find themselves faced with the 'do I drop wild shape or do I bring my ally back/cast entangle/moon beam/anything else' dilemma extremely often and it's far more work to fulfill the healer role as a moon than the other sub-classes.
Those are all really good points. Our party does have a Paladin and a Bard as well, so I suppose I don't have to be focused 100% on healing do I? Is there a resource anywhere that I can look up a list of beasts able to be Wild Shaped into?
Paladins should be very viable backup healers as they are usually right up there on the frontline with the ones taking the brunt of the damage. The Bard should make a great fit too. Between the three of you you should find plenty of time and space to goof around in your wildshapes!
You can use D&D Beyond to look up beasts:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters?filter-type=0&filter-type=2&filter-search=&filter-cr-min=3&filter-cr-max=3&filter-armor-class-min=&filter-armor-class-max=&filter-average-hp-min=&filter-average-hp-max=&filter-is-legendary=&filter-has-lair=&filter-source=2
Just make sure you choose a beast without flying and without swimming.
Xanthar's also had a pretty good list of 'starter' beasts based on the terrain your character is most familiar with.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/compendium/rules/xgte/subclasses#LearningBeastShapes
Thank you! Bookmarking this for later. =D
Editing: how do I choose Circle of the Moon on the character sheet here? All I have to choose from is Circle of the Land with various locations (arctic, desert, etc)
You have to pay to access circles other than Land
Professional computer geek
Seriously? Everything else in the PHB has been readily available, even magic items and stuff. But one of two basic choices for a level 2 class option you have to pay for? 🙄
The Basic Rules are free. More than that we have to pay for.
Professional computer geek
With your background and what you'd have access to, I'd suggest a circle of the land.
One because you get that nature wizard feel to it that meshes with a researcher and
Two because at level 10 you become immune to poison and disease. If your background is looking for a cure to one then you have a bit more flavor to that and it allows you more time to be in the presence of those that have it in all stages without succumbing to it yourself.
I reply to threads as if I have plenty of gaming experience, whereas I really only love building characters (and druids are my favorite to build). With that caveat, my favorite circle of the land terrain is arctic. The circle gives a lot of great control spells, a few good damage spells, and no real stinkers. Some of the other terrain choices seem like they might make more thematic choices, but always end up having a spell or two that I just feel like I’d never cast.