2nd Edition Fighter revisited

Having recently written about the Pathfinder changes to the3.5 version of the Fighter class, it got me thinking about how these character classes evolve over time.  RPG’s seem to be constantly changing in both theme and mechanics, to the point that there is even a semi recent trend of retro style games. Have the martial classes always been outclassed by the magic users? Has the Fighter ever been anything other than a guy in armor, or was he originally imagined to be more? So I decided to go back and check in on the 2^nd edition version of the Fighter and see what the signature armed combatant of the D&D world looked like in the late 80’s/early 90’s, back when I started gaming. And what I found was a class that fills the melee role better than the later versions does. 

Like all 2^nd edition characters, the Fighter has a lot less going on than it’s 3^rd edition successors.  The entire entry in the PHB is barely a page, and the vast majority of it is a chart that shows the types of followers that they can attract when they become 9^th level (a “Lord”). The main benefit of the class is the ability to use any weapon and armor and some additional weapon proficiencies.  I like that just because the Fighter is allowed to use all the weapons, that they don’t automatically know how to wield every instrument of death that there is.  This is a 1^st level character, they probably haven’t had the opportunity to use military picks, all swords, as well as the guisarme-glaive and man-catcher.  The amount of weapon knowledge that characters have in 3.5 has always seemed a bit ridiculous.  A young rogue off the street is trained to use well over a dozen weapons effectively. That seems unlikely.

Reflective of their martial nature, all Warriors (which includes Fighters) have the most favorable THAC0 progression in the game and also have percentile Strength (with an 18 they get bonuses above what a non-warrior receives) and a better hit point bonus from a high Con.  I’m fine with all of this. Does it make sense that a Cleric can never be as strong as the strongest Fighters? Not really, but lots of things in fantasy roleplaying don’t make sense, like monks falling from ridiculous heights but not taking damage if they are sort of close to a wall.  I really don’t know what that is about.  I feel that hurting things through brute force is the domain of the warriors of the game and they should excel at it.

The thing that really sets the Fighter apart from just any old person with a bastard sword is Weapon Specialization, an ability that I feel makes the 2^nd edition Fighter superior to the versions in the other incarnations of the game.  Weapon Specialization allows the Fighter to be a legit expert with a specific weapon type (it costs two proficiencies, so the Fighter can continue to add to this list as they gain proficiencies, there is no limit to their mastery). It’s also an ability that is only available to Fighters, not their brethren in the Warrior group (Rangers and Paladins).  Specialization with a weapon gives the Fighter +1 to attack, +2 to damage, and a significant increase in the number of attacks with the given weapon.  Additionally, specializing in a bow also grants the use of a Point Blank category that gives another +2 to hit on close ranged attacks.  For example, a 1^st level Fighter with a 16 Strength specializing in the long sword is going to have a +1 to attack and a +3 to damage, and also attack three times every two rounds. Chances are that none of the non-warriors in the party are going to have any damage bonuses (in 2^nd edition a 16 is needed in Str to get any sort of bonus), nor can they attack more than once a round. This long sword wielder is going to be doing significantly more damage in melee than anyone else.  It definitely serves to more clearly define the role of each character type. It you want to have a pretty consistent damage dealer in melee, the Fighter is going to be your man.

I think it would sadden the 2^nd edition Fighter to see what became of him in the 3^rd edition.  In an effort to streamline rules and make multiclassing and customization more accessible, the Fighter lost the edge that he had.  (Sure, there is still Weapon Specialization in 3^rd but it sort of sucks.)  And I’m not even one of those people that feels that the Fighter in 3^rd edition is horrible. But because of all the crazy spell options, the rogues sneak attack, classes like the Duskblade and even the Barbarian, the Fighter somehow lost his way as the master of combat and instead became a foot soldier better served to be cutdown by a PC, rather than a warrior of legend.  In 2^nd edition you can still see the badass that he was meant to be. Or at least a warrior that isn't overshadowed by those around him.

Pathfinder Fighter

The 3.5 Fighter has taken a lot of flack for essentially failing at the one thing that it is supposed to do.  Fight.  I agree with this in theory. Yes, it’s totally possible to build a better warrior with just about any other class, but it is also completely realistic that a fighter can be the best damage dealer in most non-uber powered games and a player can enjoy the class.  I’m not too concerned about it.  Fighter, you’ll always have a spot in my game.  However, I’ve recently had the chance to check out the Pathfinder Fighter and I must say that I really like the small changes that they’ve made to the class.  A couple minor tweaks have made the Fighter feel like more of a skilled warrior, which is what they should be. 

Most of the basics of the class remain the same.  Base Attack, saves, skill points, and hit die all remain unchanged.  The skill list has changed a bit.  They have Knowledge (Dungeoneering) and Knowledge (Engineering) as class skills! Who knew that the Fighter could actually know something? What a remarkable development.  Still no Perception (Spot/Listen) though, which is sort of silly.  All that time spent reading engineering books has left them with their head in the clouds, apparently.

The Achilles heel of the fighter (especially in theoretical matchups on internet message boards) has always been their low Will save.  Coupled with a (most likely) low wisdom, they are easy targets for spellcasters. Well, the Will save has not improved, but with the 2^nd level ability Bravery they now get a Will bonus against fear effects! I guess that’s cool.  It’s better than not having it.  I feel like every other character class has a bonus of immunity to fear, so at least the Fighter won’t feel so left out.  Though with all of these immunities flying around, why would any casters bother using fear spells?

Armor Training is a nice ability, maybe my favorite of the new stuff.  It begins at 1 and gradually gets up to 4 (at 17^th level). Each point of it reduces the armor check penalty and increases the max dex of worn armor by that amount.  I like it because it allows the fighter a little bit of diversity and the chance to take advantage of some skills.  Fighters always have high strength, but none of them are ever any good at climbing or jumping because the plate mail ruins it for them. This helps with that a little bit. I’d actually like to see the number get a little higher, but it’s something. In 3.5 if you want to make a lightly armed combatant you are most likely to be anything other than a fighter, maybe a two level dip for some feats.  Armor Training lets you put on the chain shirt and still be able to jump and climb a bit, but have all the combat resources of the fighter. If this ability also applies to shields it is even better (the rules are a bit vague on this).

Weapon Training is the new signature ability for the Fighter.  It allows the Fighter to select a weapon group (Bows, Heavy Blades, etc…) and gain a +1 to attack and damage with any weapon in that group.  It begins at 5^th level and every fourth level they can add a new group and the previous bonuses increase by another +1.  Not bad.  It’s nice that the bonus applies to an entire grouping of weapons and not just a single one, that’s always been the problem with Weapon Specialization.  “I decided at 4^th level that I was all about great axes, but then I found this really awesome magical flail. Oh well, I guess I just have to waste one of the few resources that I actually have.” My favorite grouping is definitely the Close group, it contains the sap, punching dagger, spiked shield, and several other awesome choices.  I assume it’s the most popular among players, easily outdistancing Heavy Blades and Axes.  The cool thing is that it shows that the Fighter, more so than any other class, really knows weapons. And they should! These are the mercenaries, soldiers, and gladiators of the world. They know how to excel with more than just a longsword.  I really like the idea that a medium level Fighter can pick up a bunch of different weapons and not just know how to use it, but to really kick ass with it. 

There are also two high level powers that the Fighter obtains at 19^th and 20^th level, they are Armor Mastery and Weapon Mastery.  Armor Mastery is simply damage reduction 5/- whenever the Fighter wears armor (which I assume is going to be all the time, everyone knows that adventurers sleep in their armor).  I do think it’s odd that this is not a gradual ability that starts lower in the Fighter’s progression, but something that just appears at a pretty high level.  Personally I’d like to see this power just rolled into the Armor Training ability, it’s all sort of the same subject matter of using armor well. Weapon Mastery is the final bit of expertise that the Fighter will get.  At 20^th level they can choose a single weapon type (not group) and with that weapon they automatically confirm critical hits, the critical multiplier increases by one, and they can never be disarmed while wielding this weapon type.  The disarm stuff is mediocre, but the critical aspect is pretty badass.  Is it a reason to take 20 levels of Fighter rather than multiclassing? Probably not, but it’s nice to see that there is something waiting at the end of the long road of battle. 

The Pathfinder version of the Fighter is certainly a more fearsome opponent than the 3.5 version, though I suspect it still lags behind a bit in overall power level compared to other characters. (It seems like everyone got a bump up with Pathfinder). I do like what they’ve done with it.  Before this the Fighter literally did not get a single class feature other than bonus feats, and with the very small exception of some Fighter-only feats there was really nothing that these guys could claim as their own.  Now they’ve got Bravery! Joking aside, this seems like the framework of what could be a very component martial combatant with a large range of options and looks.  I dig it. 

Knight base class

There are not many classes in D&D that focus on defense. Usually defensive prowess is obtained through feats, items, and spells; not the class itself. The knight from Players Handbook II seems to be the exception to that, with a plethora of options and abilities focused around keeping himself and his allies safe from harm. There is certainly a role for this type of character in most parties, especially if there is another warrior type to really focus on dealing damage. I also like that there is a class that is the archetypical armored and mounted warrior that does not have the rigid moral and religious code of the paladin, though the knight does have his own code that he must adhere to.

The basics of the class are a pretty nice assortment; full Base Attack, d12 Hit Die, 2+ skill points, and a good Will save. It seems a little better than the standard array for martial classes mainly due to the d12 and that the one good save is Will, which is probably the most useful save to have and will cover up for the low Wisdom that the knight probably winds up with. The skill list is fairly typical, the only notable exception being Knowledge (Nobility), but the knight probably won’t have too many skill points to spread around.

Many of the knight’s abilities stem from it’s Knight’s Challenge class feature. Usable a number of times a day equal to half the knight’s level plus their charisma modifier, the challenges available to the knight increase as they gain levels. By yelling out to opponents on the battlefield the Knight is able to get an edge for himself and his allies. One of the best aspects of the Challenge is that it is always used as a swift action, making it very easy to find spots to apply it and still being able to take other actions. The fighting challenge allows the Knight to mark a target, granting them a +1 to attack, damage, and Will saves against that opponent. This increases to a total of +4 by 19th level. It’s an okay ability and it gives the Knight the luxury of focusing on defense with their feats, knowing that they can fall back on the fighting challenge for a little offensive boost. Other challenges give the Knight the ability to draw enemies to them, give allies a chance to reroll saves versus fear effects, reroll a failed mind affecting save, cause weaker opponents to become shaken, and continue to fight for a little bit after going past -10 hit points.

At 2nd level the knight gets Mounted Combat as a bonus feat, which is pretty much feast or famine. If you plan on fighting from horseback than it is obviously an essential feat to have, however if you don’t it really has no uses at all. The thing is that it is going to take a bit of work to make the knight a good horseman, so I’m not sure how useful it is. For starters it is going to be based on Ride, which the knight has very few points to spend on. And Ride is Dex based, another area that the knight is going to be deficient in. As a DM I would have no problem allowing the Knight something different here. My suggestion? Combat Expertise. That’s a great feat for the Knight, for both mechanical and flavor reasons it fits the class really well. Due to the Int 13 requirement the Knight may never be able to obtain it otherwise, so I think it’s a good option. The other 2nd level ability is shield block. This gives the Knight an additional +1 shield bonus to their AC against one opponent. It is essentially Dodge with a shield. It increases by 1 at 11th and 20th level. Not a bad ability but it sort of dictates the style that the knight is going to be using in combat, making them a sword and board type of warrior.

At 5th, 10th, and 15th level the Knight gets a bonus feat that comes from a list. Most of the mounted feats are on the list so the knight can continue to pursue that, though it’s a long time to wait for some of them. I think that you would probably want Spirited Charge before 15th level if that was your thing. The list is not the greatest feats in the game, but there are certainly enough viable options than any Knight will wind up with something decent. Vigilant Defender (also at 5th level) is sort of a nifty ability. Any Tumble checks to avoid attacks from the Knight have the Knight’s level added to the DC.

My favorite Knight ability is Shield Ally, obtained at 6th level. As an immediate action Shield Ally lets the Knight take half the damage dealt to an adjacent ally, making him an excellent flanking partner for a rogue or any other hit point needy friend. At 14th level they can absorb all the damage to an ally, though they are limited to doing this once a day.

At 17th level the Knight gets the bizarre Impetuous Endurance. The fighting spirit of the knight is so great that he no longer fails a saving thrown automatically on a roll of one. Really? That’s a 17th level ability? They may not automatically fail, but they will probably fail anyway. A 17th level Knight has a base Will save of +12. Let’s give him a +1 Wisdom, and assume that he has Iron Will (which is on the bonus feat list). We can even say that he has that feat that uses Cha for Will saves instead, so let’s make that a +4. That is a +18 Will save, with the rolled 1 that is a total of 19. I suspect that most casters fighting 17th level characters are going to have DC’s higher than 19. And the Fort and Will are going to be even worse. Totally stupid ability. They have such a remarkable fighting spirit? How about a reroll on failed Fort or Will save instead? That gives them a more realistic chance of actually using the ability.

If I was making a Knight I would put my best stat into Con, followed by Cha and Str. Shield Specialization also seems like a good feat for them, or anything that can jack up their AC. If they can get Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm or Trip also seem to be good options. I can’t imagine that there is a better “tank” class among the melee classes in the game. Lots of hit points, a shield, defensive abilities. The Knight is really a support character, their job is to keep the squishier characters alive while they sneak attack or cast spells. It also mixes well with the Dwarven Defender, making the ultimate in party protection. One of the best aspects of the class is that all the Challenges and the Shield Ally ability are swift and immediate actions, so the Knight can still go about fighting, moving, or whatever else they want. Their best features don’t seem all that powerful, but when you consider that they are essentially free to use (action wise) it makes them much better.

The other interesting feature of the Knight is the code that they must adhere to. All Knights have to be lawful, but they also have to follow a code of conduct. The description talks about honor and being righteous, but the end of the entry spells out exactly in game terms what the code means. Sort of an interesting approach to controlling conduct, but it seems to work. Knights may not gain a flanking benefit in combat, though allies they are flanking with still gain the +2, Knights never attack flat footed opponents, and they never deal lethal damage to helpless foes. I like it. None of them are crippling to the Knight, but they have enough substance that it’s not a total throwaway. The flanking one is the biggest disadvantage, since Shield Ally means they will frequently be in flanking situations.

I would put the Knight on par with the better melee classes in the game. It can fight a little and has a ton of survivability, and the moral code makes it good for roleplaying. I think that my biggest complaint is that most Knights are going to resemble one another. They are all going to be horse riding, shield wielding, damage absorbers that greatly endear themselves to their teammates. You can do worse.

The Dragon Shaman

The Dragon is the most iconic figure in the pantheon of D&D lore, so it makes sense that there are numerous classes, prestige classes, items, spells, etc… that all incorporate this mightiest of creatures into their flavor. From the Players Handbook II comes the somewhat bizarre, but sort of cool Dragon Shaman. At this point I would love to be able to sum it up in a sentence and say what it does, but really this class is all over the place. It has such a varied skill set that I hesitate to classify it as anything other than a non caster, since it has no spells I can safely say it does not fill that role. But what does it do? Well, it sort of fights, has some healing ability, can buff the party, and some other strange little tricks. And a breath weapon. And can fly (granted, at 19th level).

I guess the best place to start are with the vitals of the class. Base Attack as a rogue, two good saves (Fort and Will), and d10 Hit Die. I am pretty sure that it is the only class in the game with a d10 that does not have full Base Attack, and that sort of sends mixed signals. However, it also means that they can survive on the front lines, they just don’t necessarily have to be fighting things. The Shaman can wear up to medium armor and shields, which only adds to their survivability. Then again they are limited to simple weapons so they probably won’t be doing much damage. Honestly, I think it is sort of a interesting mixture of traits. The worst part, however, is the 2+ skill points. As a jack of some trades they should really have some skill points to throw around. And they just don’t really have any. Their class skills are pretty weak, but they do get additional ones based on the color of their dragon totem (see below).

It is said that some classes, like monks and rangers, are MAD (multiple attribute dependent). Dragons Shamans might be the only class that is NAD (no attribute dependent). What does the highest roll go into? I have no idea. They get a breath weapon with a CON based save, and some CHA based healing. Other than that it is sort of up in the air. STR seems like a waste since they are going to be pretty limited in combat due to the BAB and weapon selection. I think I would go CON for the hit points, or maybe DEX for AC and Reflex. I could actually see any stat other than WIS. In a way it’s sort of cool that the attribute selection for the class is so wide open, it allows for a pretty large range of shamanic types, which I like.

The signature ability for the class is the Draconic Aura, which is essentially a field of energy in a 30’ radius around the shaman that affects them and all allies. Shamans know a bunch of these (by 9th level they have learned all 7 of the auras), they can only have one active at a time but switching to a new one is a swift action. I’m not sure what this has to do with dragons but some of them are pretty good. The bonus for the aura begins at +1 and increases by +1 at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th (when it becomes +5). Some of them give the appropriate bonus to damage, some DR or energy resistance, some social skills. I think that the best one might be Vigor, which provides fast healing but only affects characters at less than half their total. That is actually really useful for the post battle cleanup and lets the cleric save cures for an emergency. As long as you survive a battle you are going to wind up with half your HP. Not bad. And since the range of the aura is 30’ I see why it is important that they can hang with the meleers in the front, since they will benefit the most from most of the auras. Since it is dragon based it would be neat if there was a fear effect aura.

The other 1st level ability is the choosing of a totem dragon. The color dragon is chosen at this point and figures into some abilities later on, such as the type of breath weapon and some other stuff. They also get a couple of extra class skills, too bad they have virtually no points to spend on them. The skills are reflective of the nature of the dragon (i.e. red dragons gets appraise, bluff, and jump. Are red dragons known for jumping? I have no idea. I thought they flew). Later on the shaman is also given a skill focus in each of those skills (at 2nd, 8th, and 16th level). At third level they also get an ability based on their dragon color. Some are cool, like the bronze dragon’s water breathing at will. Some are not, such as the white dragons ability to walk across icy surfaces without making a balance check.

At 4th level comes the breath weapon, which is the most draconic thing that happens to this class. Unfortunately it is just not very good. 2d6 damage, plus 1d6 every two level. Con based Reflex save for half, usable once every 1d4 rounds. Cooler than it is effective. The idea of being able to spit acid at someone is pretty rad and is sort of a good way to start off a combat, especially when negotiations break down.

Touch of Vitality is the 6th level ability and will further endear the Shaman to his fellow party members, especially the ones frustrated with his lack of useful combat abilities. Each day they can heal twice their level x CHA bonus of hit points. 10th level shaman with a 14 Cha can heal 40 points a day. Once 11th level is reached they can also spend healing points to cure ability damage, negative levels, and other conditions. Combined with the Vigor aura this actually makes the Shaman a pretty good healer.

As they progress in levels they do not get many new abilities, mainly just a scaling up of the ones that they already possess. Some AC bonus, wings at 19th level, some energy resistance, and the ability to cast Commune once a week. Mediocre. I would like to see something at higher levels that allowed the Shaman to have more than one aura at any given time, that would make a huge difference at higher levels when the class seems to be pretty overshadowed by most others in terms of damage and overall usefulness.

All in all I don’t think the Dragon Shaman is horrible and there is certainly a place for them in a party, as a second fighter with some support abilities they should be okay. Give them Improved Trip and a reach weapon and stick them behind the fighter and they can make some contributions.

Swashbuckler base class

The swashbuckler is a pretty standard archetype of fantasy and historical literature. Musketeers, pirates, really any sort of dashing and charming fighting type fits the bill. Even in core D&D it’s not very hard to make a character that is capable of these things. Take some rogue, maybe a little fighter or bard, flavor accordingly and there you go. Despite this workable build I was pleased to see the Swashbuckler gets it’s own base class in Complete Warrior. I’ve been wanting to try one for a while and I just started up a new campaign and I decided, at the last minute, to go for it. I’ve only played a couple of adventures with my NE human swashbuckler and I like him very much, but looking ahead the class itself seems very underwhelming, but more so than that it seems like it is fraught with missed opportunities to do what this type of character class is supposed to do.

The vitals of the class are on par with any of the better martial classes in the game. Full BAB, d10 HD, 4+ skill points, and one good save (Fortitude). It’s really in the class features and skills that it falls flat. The description of the class says that Swashbucklers rely on Dexterity primarily but also on Intelligence and Charisma. DEX and INT make sense, but not so much Charisma. There are only two CHA based skills on their list and not a single class feature related to the stat, which sort of strikes me as odd. If a Paladin can have all sorts of abilities based on Charisma, why can’t the Swashbuckler, a character who supposedly gets by on their charm? Also missing from the skill list are appraise, search, spot, and listen. This is the pirate type class we are talking about, yet they are unable to use appraise or search? Would it be so broken if they could? Their list is mainly physical stuff like climb, tumble, and jump. All good skills and a necessary part of the dashing class, but some other options would be nice.

At first level the Swashbuckler receives Weapon Finesse for free, which is an excellent feat and most likely will dictate the fighting style of the character for their entire career. The problem is that they also get all martial proficiencies, none of which work with weapon finesse, essentially limiting them to a rapier. So why even give them those options? What sort of swashbuckler in going to wield a greataxe? Rather than the martial weapons I would like to have seen a progression of abilities related to light weapons. Maybe a free Weapon Focus, Improved Disarm, an AC bonus when wielding a light weapon. Something that reflects their mastery of that sort of finesse weapons instead of wasted knowledge of falchion swords. Plus, they can only wear light armor so they are really never going to be front line types, more a dash in and out type of combatant, so something to help them survive a bit would be nice.

At second level Grace is awarded to the class, giving them a +1 bonus to Reflex saves. Lame. How about just giving them the good progression of Reflex saves, which makes total sense based on what the character is supposed to be. Instead they get a crappy bonus that they receive again at 10th and 20th level. I think that should have the good Reflex save and Grace should be some sort of initiative bonus.

Insightful Strike comes on the scene at third level and, for my money, is the best feature that the class has. When using a weapon that works with Weapon Finesse the character gets to add their INT modifier to damage. That’s pretty cool, nothing overpowering, but cool nonetheless. I like that this is a reason to make a smart fighter, a vehicle to allow brains to triumph over brawn every once in a while. It unfortunately makes the class great for a three level dip as well, since the features that come after it are generally garbage. Improved Flanking is very nice, as is Lucky. Both are versatile and demonstrate something unique about the class. Dodge is okay, but it’s really just a feat. But six dead levels out of 20? That’s right, six levels the Swashbuckler receives nothing other than what the standard HD increase brings. I think what this character really needs is a combat feature related to Charisma. Maybe it’s just a smite type ability giving CHA to damage or attack a couple of times a day, or an AC boost. Something. Survivability seems to be a concern of the class. With the full BAB the temptation to be in the frontlines is there but the light armor make them vulnerable. Sure the D10 is nice but CON is going to be very low on the attribute list so Hit Points will be at a premium.

The build that I have tentatively worked out for my new character is Swashbuckler 3/Bard 3/Dread Pirate X. This gives him some competent fighting capabilities, the ability to inspire allies (which will stack with the Dread Pirates similar ability), the bard skill list will make him much more pirate like since he will finally be able to appraise, and the 1st level spells means he can heal himself (which seems important since he is not getting on very well with the party cleric). Plus I will only be losing one point of base attack, keeping me on pace to take Improved Critical when I get a feat at 9th level.

The Druidic Myth

There is a school of thought amongst the message boarders and internetters of the world that the Druid is one of the very elite base classes in the world of D&D. They turn into animals! They cast spells! They have an animal companion! They resist the lure of fey! These things are all true, yet in the end I find that the character really lacks in power when it comes down to it. I still like the druid a lot and there is a ton of fun stuff one can do with it, but this myth about it’s absurd power levels needs to stop. The druid does a lot of things, but none of them all that well. (Ironically, the bard is much maligned for those same reasons.) Sure, a 20th level druid with all sorts of neat tricks is an impressive character indeed, but in the games I play in that druid had to be a 1st level druid initially and in the lower levels they really struggle. At it’s best the druid should be sending their companion into the fray to do some damage, while they hang in the back and support the party. Of course, at higher levels they are quite capable in combat, but even then survivability remains an issue.

It’s vitals are pretty good; medium Base Attack, D8 hit die, 4 skill points (with an okay skill list), and two good saves. Add full casting to that and you’ve got the start of a really good character. An animal companion too? What could be wrong with this? Well, for starters the druid does not have the Armor Class or the Hit Points to stand on the front line with the fighting types. At low levels they can mix it up for short periods and come out okay, but they don’t have the staying power for a prolonged fight. The equipment is probably looking something like Hide Armor and a Scimitar, and chances are that Strength and Dexterity are not going to be too great (most druids pump up INT, WIS, and CHA in anticipation of Wild Shape). This forces them into a support role in combat for the lower levels. Cure spells are nice (though the progression of them is slower than the clerics and they can’t be cast spontaneously), Entangle certainly has it’s uses, Heat Metal is handy, etc…The point is there is not a Glitterdust or Hold Person in the bunch. The summonings are totally outclassed by the wizards Summons, and many of their spells are environment dependent. A druid in the city is at a large disadvantage (the converse, the wilderness druid, is at an advantage certainly). The animal companion is pretty good at low levels. A wolf can certainly hold it’s own in a fight and makes an excellent flanking companion for the party’s rogue, a riding dog is good as well. Birds are best left as familiars. It’s also useful for spells that the druid casts on himself can also affect the companion, but they end if they are more than 5 feet apart from one another, essentially tethering the two to one another. Not so useful. So what is our low level druid doing in combat each round?

At 5th level the druid receives it’s signature ability; Wild Shape. Now they can turn into mighty creatures and rip their foes apart! Sort of. At 7th level they are still limited to medium and small creatures of 7HD or less. The list (in the Monster Manual) isn’t pretty. A crocodile is probably the best option with it’s 15AC and +6 melee attack doing 1d12+6 (with Improved Grab, which is real good). In comparison the party barbarian of the same level is probably attacking at +12 melee and doing way more damage if they throw in some power attack, and getting a second attack on top of it. The animal companion is actually going to be a much better fighter than the druid at this point, but they are all going to suffer from low AC. How long is the Brown Bear going to last with a 15 AC? Barkskin can help the druid last longer, but that ape is screwed. Of course, Wild Shape has a ton of non combat uses as well. Flying, swimming, and climbing all have a lot of applications but some of the animals best abilities (scent, low light vision, blindsense) it is denied. Plus the druid is now also denied the ability to talk to his fellow party members, which a DM should play up for all it’s worth. Natural Spell is a required feat, essentially denying the druid the feat for 6th level. The spells are getting better, but still a step behind the cleric and two steps behind the wizard. Though Giant Vermin is super cool and very awesome. Dispel Magic is pretty much a staple of any spellcasters arsenal, though druids get it at 4th level compared to 3rd for Wizards and Clerics.

Things get noticeably better at 8th level when Wild Shape can take on the form of large animals, but the problem is surviving that long.

Druids also seem to be one of those classes that greatly benefit from the inclusion of non core material, specifically extra Monster Manuals that greatly expand the Wild Shape arsenal of the druid. And for a class that is all about the natural world they are also very dependent on magic items (especially AC boosters). So in games where magic items are readily available (to the point that one can assume they will obtain them as they progress in levels) building a druid is considerably easier.

All in all I like druids a lot. I think the chaotic eco-terrorist druid is a lot of fun (a great villain also), as is the lawful forest warden type. They have a bunch of different options available to them and wilderness campaigns obviously suit them very well. I just don’t think they are one of the more powerful characters in the game.