Talk:Druid/@comment-8506165-20190610213334/@comment-210.19.183.214-20190613040250

It might be because Beamdog is not allowed to change the existing components. I agree with you there that Druids are weak. The only druid abilities that stand out are a few druid spells (Insect spells, Nature's Beauty, Fire Seeds). The rest of his portfolio can be replaced by cleric/mage spells and warrior combat abilities.

Shapeshifting is bad because you can't cast spells while you're transformed, you lose your weapons, and the stats you gain in exchange are unremarkable. The kit with the shapeshifting specialty loses armor too.

I did some buffs to make them stonger. You can try them too:

1. Druid's experience scale like clerics - Mages warrant a slower experience progression because their high level spells are powerful. Druids only get elemental resistances and poison immunity which are just nice to have. Priest spells in general are weaker than mage spells. Letting them reach level 40 to give them more spell slots and HP is fair.

2. Added Avenger mage spells to Totemic Druid kit - In my opinion, only Totemic Druid and Avenger kits are worth using since they avoid shapeshifting. Individually, the advantages of either kits are minor (Totemic's summons are just Fire Elemental alternatives with more immunities but half HP, Avenger's mage spells just supplement your party mage). Having them both is not overpowered.

3. Allow Druids to be partially neutral, not just True Neutral - Druids can be part neutral in 3rd edition, I believe. Jaheira should really be Neutral Good and Faldorn should be Neutral Evil. And Druids are limited to light armor. If they are Neutral Evil, they can at least wear the best leather armor there is, the Human Flesh armor.

4. Try dual classing Wizard Slayer to Druid and use Fire Seeds - Both Wizard Slayer and Druids are not spectacular so it's best to combine them so you don't have to allocate 2 party slots for meh kits. Fire Seeds go through Magic resistance and spell protections. With the Wizard Slayer's miscast magic effect, 4 hits from Fire Seeds would shut down liches and other mages alike.

I changed Cernd to a Neutral Evil Totemic Druid with Avenger spells and he's great to use in my party now.