Druids and Skills

[LackofCertainty]

It doesn't fit, imo.  Druids are more focused on casting, and then assuming a shape that fits their needs.  If they need to search for something, then they wildshape into a hawk or something fitting.


Plus if you argue that druids deserve a bonus to search/spot/listen in nature, then it's a neverending cycle.

"Class X deserves a bonus to detection skills in environment Y because that's their normal terrain."

Then, Fighters deserve a bonus to detection in town.
Then, Barbarians deserve a bonus to detection in mountains.
Then, Bards deserve a bonus to detection in Taverns
Then, Wizards deserve a bonus to detection in Libraries. :rolleyes:



Rangers get this specific bonus because it's part of their flavor.  They're stereotypically Woodland Scouts.  No  reason to dilute the classes more.

[Jayde Moon]

Then, Fighters deserve a bonus to detection in town.

Because all that dragon slaying, virgin rescuing, dark lord vanquishing, and army routing happens right there, in town square ;)

But I agree overall that dr00ds probably don't need more skill points in the awareness skills.  Much as my dr00d playin buds will ostracize me for it!

[putrid_plum]

no more buffs for Fipya

[Equinox]

erm, well im sorta on the fence with this one. Whilst i dont think give druids this perk would make them imba, or even slightly overpowered for the matter, I can understand why they actually need it.

Yes druids are wildmen and they should know just as much about the woods as anyone else including rangers. However, Haven't you notice druids get some awesome hide/ move silently buffs in the wild, that can make them better than ranger in that respect. One with the Land being a huge bonus that rangers do nto have readily available to them. Also in terms of skill points. Yes rangers can put skill points into hide/move silent but druid get other advatages and specialisations that make up for it. If you really are that bothered you could always dump 2 points in and level it anyway. As for spot and search, i think druids dont need it. like someone who i forget said, druids can shift, thats good enough for me.

stop bitching, druids are pwnage anyway. :)

[putrid_plum]

Rangers get One with the Lands and Camo, just to let you know.  Sure they can shift but ever tried to do something when you have like 4 strength?

I AGREE with what was said below me :)

[Sandstorm]

I like how all the people playing druids think this is a good idea, but the people who are not playing druids think it is a bad one. Druids are hardly 'pwnage', or 'caster focused'. They get less spellslots than any other casting class, have restrictions on armor usage, weapon usage, and variability of spells, and get many of the spells other classes get later, like cure serious wounds being a L4 spell instead of a L3 spell. They have forms-- many of which overlap and none of which are combat oriented. Not to say that they are bad forms, they are just not combat suitable. When you shift, all your gear gets taken away in a sense, so the moment you earn some sweet loot you could use in combat, you have to decide between using it, or morphing into a spider, because you can't have both. There are no forms with +search, but that might be a good suggestion to add in instead of this!
 
Saying that 'they shouldn't get +spot because they have giant +hide' doesn't mean anything, because taking hide is a choice a character has to make. It is not a druidic skill, so you have to cross class, usually also take feats for it, and combine that with one of the forms that gives you -10 str. Rangers have high stealth, but they also have higher HP, no armor restrictions, no weapon restrictions, higher AB, more AB vs their favored enemies, and have hide/ms as a class skill.
 
This does not make druids rangers or barbarians. It makes them druids- masters of the wilderness. This bonus is so minor that all it does is add in a 20% chance increase per turn to see a trap door or stealthed person, and in reality most druids do not have massive spot because that is not a class skill for them either, so the +4 will not aid them in any way except to see wilderness trapdoors easier.

[LackofCertainty]

If you want to pick out specific spells to prove your point with a druid, well, it's pointless.

Cure Moderate:
Level 3 Druid spell
Level 2 Cleric spell

Yes, they are worse at healing than a cleric, but you can easily pull spells that go the other way.

Flame Strike:
Level 4 Druid Spell
Level 5 Cleric Spell

And,

Hold Monster:
Level 4 Druid Spell
Level 5 Wizard/Sorc Spell



Giving Rangers a boost to their spot/listen/search -fits- the class, because they're designed to be excellent trackers/scouts.

Druids are designed to be subpar to rangers when it comes to scouting, tracking, hiding and so on.  That's why the skills relating to that are cross-classed for them.

And yes, they do get trackless step, which boosts their hide/ms, but that's really just a screwed up thing bioware did.  In PnP trackless step just did what its name implies, made it so druids and rangers could choose to not leave any trail, making them untrackable.




Back on topic though, I wholeheartedly agree with boosting a druid's detection skills when they use certain wildshape forms!  That's an excellent way of adding to the classes flavor instead of blandifying ranger and druid into an even more similar paste.

[Gullible Righteousness]

Remember that the Druid thing is all about the Balance, people. If Druids get too powerful, then the Balance is disrupted!
 
Edit:
 

Back on topic though, I wholeheartedly agree with boosting a druid's detection skills when they use certain wildshape forms! That's an excellent way of adding to the classes flavor instead of blandifying ranger and druid into an even more similar paste.

By the way, LoC, them druids already have a shape or two that give them bonuses to spot/listen/search.

[Equinox]

I play a druid in fact i play two. And i dont really care eaither way, i think that by giving out this perk will just cause a bucket load of bitching from rangers. so imo not worth it.

[RIPnogarD]

Contrary to popular belief, druids are not gods and do not get to do anything and everything they want just because they are standing next to a tree. Druids are more like tree hugging environmental protection agency nannies and although they can survive in the outdoors, they are not hunters, trackers or warriors. Or at least they are no more of a warrior than a monk, that isn’t allowed a dodge feat perk or a fighter that cant find or afford a healthy set of plate armor until he’s 6th level.

I think ya’ll been reading too many stories about Alanon or something. :rolleyes: