Class Quick Guides- Druid

After you’ve chosen a race, the next step is to pick a class. Or the kind of adventurer you want to be. These pages are just basic quick reference guides, if you are seriously looking at playing long term I highly suggest getting a copy of the Player's Handbook (PHB) by either buying a copy at: Player's Handbook on Amazon OR buying the online source materials at DnD Beyond

Also: When I was building my first character, I was reminded that Magic using classes are not particularly beginner friendly. Fighters, Warlocks, Rouges, and Barbarians are generally more player friendly for beginners. This is NOT a discouragement from playing magic users (Heck it’s my first go round and I chose to play a Druid.) This is just a note for those beginner’s who may be looking to start with something easy. I’ll label them as I go through them.

Druid (Magic User)

Druids have special bonds with Nature, this is where they draw their power from. This bond not only manifests as the ability to cast spells but also in the ability to take on beast shapes.

Class Traits

Hit Points:

1 d8 per druid level

Hit Points(HP) at level 1- 8+ Constitution Modifier

HP at higher levels- 1 d8(or 5) + Current Constitution Modifier

Proficiencies

Armor: Light and Medium armor, shields (Druids can not use shields or wear armor made of metal)

Weapons: clubs, daggers, javelins, maces, quarterstaffs, scimitars, sickles, slings, and spears

Tools: Herbalism Kit

Saving Throws: Intelligence and Wisdom

Skills: Choose two of the following, Arcana, Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception and Survival

Equipment: You begin with this in addition to the equipment outlined in your background.

- A wooden shield OR any simple weapon

- A scimitar OR any simple melee weapon

- An explorer’s pack, leather armor and a druidic focus

Druidic: the secret language of the druids, it can be spoken and used to leave secret messages. Anyone who does not know it can spot it with a successful perception check but can not decipher it without magical assistance

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Features

Ability Score Improvement:

At levels 4,8,12,16 and 19 you have the ability to do one of the following: raise any one ability score by 2, any 2 ability scores by 1. (You can not increase any ability score over 20) If you choose not to raise any ability score you can also take a feature to improve other parts of your characters abilities.

Wild Shape:

Starting at level 2, druids can use their action to take the physical form of any beast that you have seen before.

-This can be used twice between short or long rests

-At level 2 you can only take shapes of animals that walk on land, at 4 you can also take animals that swim and at 8 you can even take one that fly.

-You remain this way for a given number of hours (Half your druid level, rounded down), or you can use your bonus action to change back.

When in a Wild Shape:

-Player statistics are replaced by those of the beast you choose. You retain your personality as well as Wis, Int and Cha scores, and your proficiencies in addition to those gained in the beast form.

-In beast form you take on that beasts Hit Points and Hit Dice, when you change back your Hit Points stay the same as they were before you transformed with the exception of transforming due to reaching 0 Hit Points, in which the extra damage is taken from your standard form's Hit Points

- You can't cast spells, speak or take any action that requires use of your hands when in Wild Shape. This does not break concentration of spells you have already cast but does keep you from taking further actions.

-You retain any features from your class race or other source as long as the new form is physically capable of it. However this does NOT apply to senses like Darkvision unless the beast also has it.

-Equipment that is worn/carried by your character must either, be worn by the beast, merge with it, or drop to the ground when you transform. (Equipment does NOT change size to accommodate the new form so not all equipment can be worn.)

Timesless Body:

At level 18, druid's bodies begin to age more slowly. For every 10 years that pass, your body only ages 1 year.

Beast Spells:

At level 18, spells can be cast even when in Wild Shape. The somatic and verbal components can be completed but physical requirements still cant not be met.

Archdruid:

At level 20, you can use Wild Shape as many times as you would like regardless of rests.

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Spellcasting:

You shape the essence of nature to your will to cast magical spells.

Cantrips:

At level 1, you know 2 cantrips from the druid spell list, this number goes up as your druid level goes up. (This is specified in the Druid table in the Player's Handbook)

Preparing and Casting Spells:

The number of spells that you can prepare each day is listed in the Druid Table. To cast any spell you must use a spell slot for that level spell or higher. These slots are recovered after a long rest. Druids choose at the end of each long rest which spells they would like to have prepared after that.

Preparing spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation, 1 minute for every level for each spell you prepare.

Spellcasting Ability:

Wisdom is the ability Druid's use to cast spells. Your Spell save DC is calculated by -- 8+ proficiency bonus+ Wisdom modifier. Your Spell attack modifier is calculated by-- proficiency bonus + wisdom modifier

Ritual Casting:

If you have a spell prepared that is tagged as also being a ritual you can cast that spell as a ritual as well.

Spellcasting Focus:

You can use a druidic focus as your spellcasting focus for druid spells Some Druids use sacred plants or woods to create their focuses though this is not required.

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Druidic Circle:

At level 2, you choose a circle to denote what area of magic you focus in, you can choose from:

Circle of the Land- this circle focuses on the Spellcasting granted by the connection druids have with Nature, the additional spells that you are granted are dependent upon where you became a part of the circle.

Bonus Cantrip:

When you choose this circle you can add an additional cantrip of your choice to your prepared spells.

Natural Recovery:

At level 2, you can recover spell slot during short rests. The number of slots is equal to half your Druid level and none of them can be level 6 or higher. You can not do this again until you have finished a long rest.

Circle Spells:

At levels 3, 5, 7 and 9 you gain additional druid spells that are connected to the land where you became a Druid. These come in addition to the spells that you prepare each day. The areas that you choose from are -- Artic, Coast, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark

Land's Stride:

At level 6, nonmagical terrain does not cost extra movement for you. They do not slow you and you do not take damage from them. You also have advantage against magically created plants that are intended to keep you from moving

Nature's Ward:

At level 10, you can not be charmed or frightened by elementals or fey. You are also immune to poison and disease.

Nature's Sanctuary:

At level 14, animals become hesitant to attack you. If they do attack you they have to make a Wisdom saving throw. If they fail they must choose a different target or the automatically misses. If they are successful they are immune to this effect for 24 hours.

Circle of the Moon- this circle focuses on the Wild Shape feature of Druids. The Wild runs in the veins of these Druids.

Combat Wild Shape:

At level 2, You can use your wild shape as a bonus action during combat rather than just as the action during your turn. You can also use a spell slot to regain Hit Points based on the level of the spell slot you used.

Circle Forms:

This circle allows you to shape into more difficult Beast Forms. At level 2, you can transform to beasts with a challenge rating up to 1. At level 6, you can transform into beasts with challenge ratings as high as your Druid level divided by 3.

Primal Strike:

At level 6, attacks made while in Wild Shape are considered magical when it comes to overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Elemental Wild Shape:

At level 10, you can use both uses of your Wild Shape feature to transform into an air, water, fire, or earth elemental.

Thousand Forms:

At level 14, you can use the alter self spell at will.

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For another quick overview and some quick build tips check out Handbooker Helper by Critical Role: