Hi all! I’m new to dnd and could use some advice on my character. I want to play a hunter ranger with 2 levels of moon Druid.
This for the wildshape and some extra spells. Wildshape is mainly utility and flavour... my other option was playing a were-Panther but couldnt find any official rules on how to do that.
The ranger will be mêlee focussen with a longsword or rapier... this depending on how to spend the points...
how should i spread my points and what race ans levels should i pick? Is this a good idea to do this multiclass?
We aregoing to play raveloft (maybe this as some effect on choices :-))
Play whatever you want, just have fun. Stat priority for that would be in this order: Dexterity —> Wisdom —> Constitution —> whatever else if using finesse weapon. Replace Dexterity with Strength if Longsword. Any race would do but Wood Elf probably fits easiest assuming Dexterity.
You're looking at being a Ranger 1st, with a little bit of Druid.
2 lvls of Druid will give you some cantrips and faster caster lvl progression. I would probably recommend against much in the way of damaging cantrips, unless you're planning on using shillelagh on a club/staff and attacking with Wisdom instead of Strength or Dex. If you wanted to Polearm Master and shillelagh do work together on quarterstaves. (Sage Advice). That would give you a Bonus Action attack and a Reaction attack with a quarterstaff all attacking with Wisdom. This is good if you want to mono-stat and you keep your Dex at 14 for medium armor and focus on Wisdom.
Keep in mind 2 lvls of Moon Druid sets your Extra Attack feature back 2 lvls to 7th lvl. Which is quite a ways away.
By not taking Moon Druid to 6th lvl you will never get Primal Strikes so your beastmode attacks will never overcome damage reduction and will become less and less useful as you level up.
By not taking Moon Druid past 2nd, your forms will not increase. So while a CR:1 brown bear is pretty awesome at lvl 2, it's really not as useful at 5th lvl and because you're not keeping with Moon Druid you won't be getting better forms.
If the idea of a shape shifting ranger is cool for you, go for it. Because it is. I just wanted to make sure your concept feels what you want.
Play whatever you want, just have fun. Stat priority for that would be in this order: Dexterity —> Wisdom —> Constitution —> whatever else if using finesse weapon. Replace Dexterity with Strength if Longsword. Any race would do but Wood Elf probably fits easiest assuming Dexterity.
Other possibilities: Firbolg has 2 wisdom and 1 strength with some interesting traits for strength builds. Hill Dwarf, Loxodon, and Lizardfolk all have con +2 and wis +1 and have some nice defensive trait possibilities to go along with stat flexibility.
Loxodon does give the option of dual stat focus con/wis for def/off if shillelagh is taken with druid level and you use natural armor, allowing you to leave dex at 13 instead of the 14 required to max out medium armor. It's debatable if it's worth it and the race may not be available since your playing in Ravenloft instead of Ravnica, but it's worth considering at least.
how should i spread my points and what race ans levels should i pick? Is this a good idea to do this multiclass?
Obviously, DEX and WIS both 13 or higher, for the multiclassing prerequisites.
Since you won't be wearing metal armour, push DEX as high as you can.
I'd talk to the DM about the metal armor thing. If you started druid, I'd enforce that aspect, but if you started ranger, I'd talk to you about the concept and how much you would be leveling druid. I'd probably enforce it if your character sounded more druidic, and probably have the metal armor stay behind when you shape shifted if I let you wear it. Some DMs might strictly enforce it regardless, and others might handwave it completely. Best to be on the same page from the get go.
Here is a reason why druids will not wear metal armor. If a druid wears metal armor, other druids call him a heretic and hunt him down. Heat Metal solves that problem very quickly and permanently.
Here is a reason why druids will not wear metal armor. If a druid wears metal armor, other druids call him a heretic and hunt him down. Heat Metal solves that problem very quickly and permanently.
Is there a source for this within D&D lore? I could see druids of certain orders perhaps acting this drastically, but I certainly wouldn't expect it from all druids. Being a heretic certainly isn't the end of the world if that type of behaviour isn't pursued.
The druid armor proficiencies does say that they will not wear armor made of metal. However, there is nothing that says that a druid multiclass would adhere to that at all. This is part of the reason I'd want that conversation about the vision for the build, how the character sees themselves, and what the purpose for the multiclass was (related to the vision). This would help me understand exactly what type of a character it was and help me determine how it would fit in my world. Perhaps the full druids would be hostile towards the character. Perhaps they wouldn't think anything of it since they wouldn't see the character as a druid.
Nothing in D&D lore, just an observation that most religions through history haven’t been very tolerant of heretics.
The PHB says “they will not wear” not that they can’t wear. There must be a reason they will not wear it. That it goes against the tenets of their religion is a logical conclusion. If metal armor does not prevent them from doing the things that make them a druid then the reason they will not wear it is likely due to members of the religion enforcing the ban. Druids don’t seem like the “stern warning” types to me and Heat Metal makes an excellent statement about what happens if you do wear metal.
Remember that druids have a secret language that they will not teach anyone else. Don’t you think they are going to make sure their members don’t wander too far from the path? Otherwise you would have ex-druids who would be happy to teach you the secret language.
This is just my take on the whole druid thing, trying to take a few sentences in the PHB and using them to help create a world view and how druids fit in to it.
My problem with how you view "druids" is your view is monolithic. You argue that all druids, everywhere, from every culture and species share a single core value which they all enforce.
So clerics all argue about which goddess is best goddess, but druids have a single concept of "nature"? To me organization is the antithesis of "Druid" and if a Druid didn't want to be burned at the stake couldn't they just say "Oh? No man, I'm a nature cleric, your rules don't apply to me."
Also, Druidic is a "ribbon ability" like "thieves' cant" or are you arguing that Rogues also have a single monolithic culture and every rogue from every species shares the same thieves' cant?
In the end let people play their character. The rules don't "punish" metal armor anyone. The designers are just adding flavor text from older editions. That line is about useful as "Paladins are lawful good". If someone wants to play their Paladin that way great, but you don't have to.
I’m not trying to punish players, I’m just finding a logical reason why druids “will not” wear metal armor.
I’m not saying that any druid character will be hunted down the minute that they don a metal shield, but as a DM, I will roleplay the consequences of the characters’ actions. I will make sure the player understands the consequences of those actions before they make them. A rival may report the character for heretical behavior. The character’s actions may turn a NPC into an enemy. Religions aren’t monolithic, they will have all types of people in them. Even a good NPC may become an “enemy” because they think they are doing what is best for the PC.
Is my world a little cynical? Yes.
Is my world realistic? I don’t know.
Does my world make sense to me? Yes.
Is my world an interesting place for PC’s to explore? I hope so.
I think I may have to add a fanatical group of druids that have a problem with Nature Clerics. I have always thought that there should be some friction there.
Going for a Dex build and using a bow and rapier (or any finesse weapon) and light armour will ignore all the "no metal armour" problem.
If you do this I'd mainly bump up Dex and Con as it sounds like you are mainly going to be in human form when fighting so any Dex, Con or Wis races will work as well as human.
If you decide later on that you want more druid just remember it is your druid level that dictate you wild shape not your character level.
You could always ask your DM if you can play a Shifter, they are a race in the Eberron that can be reskinned to be a lycanthrope. There is also The Order of the Lycan Blood Hunter that has some shape shifting abilities but this would require 3 levels of multi-class instead of 2 but if you are not getting much from the druid other than flavour then the class features may fit better.
The druid multiclass is more harmonious and cooperative with nature thematically where as the Bloodhunter multiclass is maybe a bit more primal and bestial.
Thanks for the replays!! I am currently still trying to figure out what to do :-) the options om the table are lycanthrope, the bloodhunter, rang/Druid. It depends mostly on the GM :-)
it would be a cool feat for the shifter to be able to shift also to an animal form :-)
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Hi all! I’m new to dnd and could use some advice on my character. I want to play a hunter ranger with 2 levels of moon Druid.
This for the wildshape and some extra spells. Wildshape is mainly utility and flavour... my other option was playing a were-Panther but couldnt find any official rules on how to do that.
The ranger will be mêlee focussen with a longsword or rapier... this depending on how to spend the points...
how should i spread my points and what race ans levels should i pick? Is this a good idea to do this multiclass?
We aregoing to play raveloft (maybe this as some effect on choices :-))
All tips and suggestions are welcom!
Play whatever you want, just have fun. Stat priority for that would be in this order: Dexterity —> Wisdom —> Constitution —> whatever else if using finesse weapon. Replace Dexterity with Strength if Longsword. Any race would do but Wood Elf probably fits easiest assuming Dexterity.
You're looking at being a Ranger 1st, with a little bit of Druid.
2 lvls of Druid will give you some cantrips and faster caster lvl progression. I would probably recommend against much in the way of damaging cantrips, unless you're planning on using shillelagh on a club/staff and attacking with Wisdom instead of Strength or Dex. If you wanted to Polearm Master and shillelagh do work together on quarterstaves. (Sage Advice). That would give you a Bonus Action attack and a Reaction attack with a quarterstaff all attacking with Wisdom.
This is good if you want to mono-stat and you keep your Dex at 14 for medium armor and focus on Wisdom.
Keep in mind 2 lvls of Moon Druid sets your Extra Attack feature back 2 lvls to 7th lvl. Which is quite a ways away.
By not taking Moon Druid to 6th lvl you will never get Primal Strikes so your beastmode attacks will never overcome damage reduction and will become less and less useful as you level up.
By not taking Moon Druid past 2nd, your forms will not increase. So while a CR:1 brown bear is pretty awesome at lvl 2, it's really not as useful at 5th lvl and because you're not keeping with Moon Druid you won't be getting better forms.
If the idea of a shape shifting ranger is cool for you, go for it. Because it is. I just wanted to make sure your concept feels what you want.
Other possibilities: Firbolg has 2 wisdom and 1 strength with some interesting traits for strength builds. Hill Dwarf, Loxodon, and Lizardfolk all have con +2 and wis +1 and have some nice defensive trait possibilities to go along with stat flexibility.
Loxodon does give the option of dual stat focus con/wis for def/off if shillelagh is taken with druid level and you use natural armor, allowing you to leave dex at 13 instead of the 14 required to max out medium armor. It's debatable if it's worth it and the race may not be available since your playing in Ravenloft instead of Ravnica, but it's worth considering at least.
Obviously, DEX and WIS both 13 or higher, for the multiclassing prerequisites.
Since you won't be wearing metal armour, push DEX as high as you can.
I'd talk to the DM about the metal armor thing. If you started druid, I'd enforce that aspect, but if you started ranger, I'd talk to you about the concept and how much you would be leveling druid. I'd probably enforce it if your character sounded more druidic, and probably have the metal armor stay behind when you shape shifted if I let you wear it. Some DMs might strictly enforce it regardless, and others might handwave it completely. Best to be on the same page from the get go.
Technically there is no "requirement" druids can't wear metal armor. It just says they usually don't not they can't.
Here is a reason why druids will not wear metal armor. If a druid wears metal armor, other druids call him a heretic and hunt him down. Heat Metal solves that problem very quickly and permanently.
Is there a source for this within D&D lore? I could see druids of certain orders perhaps acting this drastically, but I certainly wouldn't expect it from all druids. Being a heretic certainly isn't the end of the world if that type of behaviour isn't pursued.
The druid armor proficiencies does say that they will not wear armor made of metal. However, there is nothing that says that a druid multiclass would adhere to that at all. This is part of the reason I'd want that conversation about the vision for the build, how the character sees themselves, and what the purpose for the multiclass was (related to the vision). This would help me understand exactly what type of a character it was and help me determine how it would fit in my world. Perhaps the full druids would be hostile towards the character. Perhaps they wouldn't think anything of it since they wouldn't see the character as a druid.
Nothing in D&D lore, just an observation that most religions through history haven’t been very tolerant of heretics.
The PHB says “they will not wear” not that they can’t wear. There must be a reason they will not wear it. That it goes against the tenets of their religion is a logical conclusion. If metal armor does not prevent them from doing the things that make them a druid then the reason they will not wear it is likely due to members of the religion enforcing the ban. Druids don’t seem like the “stern warning” types to me and Heat Metal makes an excellent statement about what happens if you do wear metal.
Remember that druids have a secret language that they will not teach anyone else. Don’t you think they are going to make sure their members don’t wander too far from the path? Otherwise you would have ex-druids who would be happy to teach you the secret language.
This is just my take on the whole druid thing, trying to take a few sentences in the PHB and using them to help create a world view and how druids fit in to it.
My problem with how you view "druids" is your view is monolithic.
You argue that all druids, everywhere, from every culture and species share a single core value which they all enforce.
So clerics all argue about which goddess is best goddess, but druids have a single concept of "nature"? To me organization is the antithesis of "Druid" and if a Druid didn't want to be burned at the stake couldn't they just say "Oh? No man, I'm a nature cleric, your rules don't apply to me."
Also, Druidic is a "ribbon ability" like "thieves' cant" or are you arguing that Rogues also have a single monolithic culture and every rogue from every species shares the same thieves' cant?
In the end let people play their character. The rules don't "punish" metal armor anyone. The designers are just adding flavor text from older editions. That line is about useful as "Paladins are lawful good". If someone wants to play their Paladin that way great, but you don't have to.
I’m not trying to punish players, I’m just finding a logical reason why druids “will not” wear metal armor.
I’m not saying that any druid character will be hunted down the minute that they don a metal shield, but as a DM, I will roleplay the consequences of the characters’ actions. I will make sure the player understands the consequences of those actions before they make them. A rival may report the character for heretical behavior. The character’s actions may turn a NPC into an enemy. Religions aren’t monolithic, they will have all types of people in them. Even a good NPC may become an “enemy” because they think they are doing what is best for the PC.
Is my world a little cynical? Yes.
Is my world realistic? I don’t know.
Does my world make sense to me? Yes.
Is my world an interesting place for PC’s to explore? I hope so.
I think I may have to add a fanatical group of druids that have a problem with Nature Clerics. I have always thought that there should be some friction there.
Going for a Dex build and using a bow and rapier (or any finesse weapon) and light armour will ignore all the "no metal armour" problem.
If you do this I'd mainly bump up Dex and Con as it sounds like you are mainly going to be in human form when fighting so any Dex, Con or Wis races will work as well as human.
If you decide later on that you want more druid just remember it is your druid level that dictate you wild shape not your character level.
You could always ask your DM if you can play a Shifter, they are a race in the Eberron that can be reskinned to be a lycanthrope. There is also The Order of the Lycan Blood Hunter that has some shape shifting abilities but this would require 3 levels of multi-class instead of 2 but if you are not getting much from the druid other than flavour then the class features may fit better.
The druid multiclass is more harmonious and cooperative with nature thematically where as the Bloodhunter multiclass is maybe a bit more primal and bestial.
Which ideas have you liked so far Crimlock?
Thanks for the replays!! I am currently still trying to figure out what to do :-) the options om the table are lycanthrope, the bloodhunter, rang/Druid. It depends mostly on the GM :-)
it would be a cool feat for the shifter to be able to shift also to an animal form :-)