Druid
Creation
Guide
by Shayalyn
Archetype:
Arcane Caster
Primary Attributes:
INT,
WIS, VIT
Continents:
All
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The
Vanguard Druid is primarily an arcane damage dealer, although he also
brings a lot
more to the table. The Druid has buffs, utility spells, an
evac,
snares, limited heals, the ability to shape shift and more. The Druid
also possesses
amazing powers called Wonders and Calamities which can help turn the
tide in a battle, turning a losing scenario into a fighting chance.
Intelligence, wisdom, and vitality
are the Druid's primary attributes because a druid lives or dies by her
spells. Intelligence increases the potency
of her spells while wisdom increases her mana
style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> pool. Vitality
helps the Druid
regenerate energy faster in battle.
Building a good Druid takes some careful planning at the character
creation screen and requires you to learn a handful of tactics in the
lower levels.
style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">Selecting
the Right Race
Druids of all races start with the same attributes, but the
choice
of race can affect how many points the druid automatically gets placed
into its prime attributes.
Starting
Attributes
class="pn-content-page-body">
style="font-weight: bold;">
Each character gets 20 attribute
points
(AP) per level, starting at level 10. 6 of your AP are placed
for you automatically--one per attribute (STR, CON, DEX, VIT, INT,
WIS). 4 points are assigned to attributes based on your race if you are
not a human (humans are kojani, mordebi, qaliathari, and thestran).
You can
place 10 (14 for humans) wherever you want to within soft caps of 5 per
level.
Additionally,
characters get
racial bonuses to their soft caps. These
are called preferred stats and allow characters of a race to flesh out
in a way that reflects the traits of the race. Non-human races get 4
bonus points to soft caps (usually two or three attributes only) while
human
races get 6, 1 for each attribute. Thus, a human can be more balanced,
while a non-human becomes more specialized.
The table below shows the minimum-maximum attribute score rage
at level 50 (before
gear
and buffs) for
the Druid based on the race selected. We've highlighted the best
results for each of the primary attributes for you. Visit our
href="http://vanguard.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=535">attributes
statistics guide for more information on how to interpret
these charts.
src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/vanguard/gallery/albums/album32/DRU.jpg">
Racial Abilities
The other important factor to consider when picking the race for your
Druid is racial abilities. With their short durations and long recasts,
racial abilities are less important than attributes in the selection
process, but they can be used to pick between races that are otherwise
equal. The racial abilities are listed below.
style="font-weight: bold;">Thestran: Inspirational
Commands
You will have 3 inspirational commands at your disposal:
Inspirational Presence, Inspirational Wisdom, and Inspirational
Tactics. Each command is a group buff that will add either 2% to
mitigation, a 3% reduction to mana cost of all spells, or a 2% increase
in damage. You may only maintain one command at a time, however you may
have all 3 effects active at the same time. Recast is instant.
Human Ingenuity: + 10 bonus to all weapon skills, and dodge.
Crafting: +10 Ingenuity
Harvesting: +5 Lumberjacking
Halfling: Pride of the
Vael (WAR only) or Shroud of the Vael (all but WAR)
Pride of the Vael: This ability will add a vast
amount of hate to a single target, and apply a buff on the halfling for
30 seconds. All attacks during this time period will count for double
aggro. Recast is 15 minutes.
Shroud of the Vael: This ability will remove 99%
of aggro from a single target but keep the halfling in combat.
Additionally, for 30 seconds afterwards, any spell cast or attack made
will have its aggro reduced to 1% of normal as well. Recast is 15
minutes.
Small Race: 2% bonus to evasion
Crafting: +10 Reasoning
Harvesting: +5 Reaping
Lesser Giant: Strength of
Torsheim
For the next 30 seconds after this ability is activated, you will
increase your max hit points by 50%. Hit point regeneration increases
for 60 seconds. Recast is 30 minutes.
Large Race: 2% bonus to mitigation
Crafting: +10 Ingenuity
Harvesting: +5 Lumberjacking
Varanjar: Endless
Fortitude
For the next 30 seconds, this ability will cut the cost of all
endurance/energy spells by half while increasing your spell and melee
damage by 25%. Recast is 30 minutes.
Large Race: 2% bonus to mitigation
Crafting: +10 Problem Solving
Harvesting: +5 Quarrying
Vulmane: Spiritual Bond
This ability will apply an effect to every member in your group,
allowing 35% of all damage done by them to return to you in the form of
health for 20 seconds. Recast is 15 minutes.
Animal Reflexes: 10% bonus to run speed.
Crafting: +10 Problem Solving
Harvesting: +5 Skinning
Half Elf: Symbol of Jin
This ability will apply a rune to every member of the group for 60
seconds, which will mitigate damage by 15%. Recast is 30 minutes.
Human Ingenuity: + 10 bonus to all weapon skills, and dodge.
Crafting: +10 Finesse
Harvesting: +5 Skinning
Wood Elf: Form of Nature
When this ability is activated, you become and okami and all movement
impairing spells will be
stripped from you, and for the next 30 seconds your run speed will be
greatly increased. You will also be immune to all movement impairing
spells during this time. Recast is 30 minutes.
Elven Wisdom: 2% reduction in energy cost
Crafting: +10 Finesse
Harvesting:: +5 Lumberjacking
Mordebi: Curse of the
Ancients
This ability stuns the target for 8 seconds,
and reduces the aggro range to 0. The target will not assist/aggro
while
stunned, and the effect does not generate any aggro. Recast is 30
minutes.
Human Ingenuity + 10 bonus to all weapon skills, and dodge.
Crafting: +10 Finesse
Harvesting: +5 Reaping
Varanthari: Desert Skin
For the next 15 seconds after this ability is activated, you will
mitigate 35% of all damage, and every mob that attacks you has a 50%
chance of being stunned for 2 seconds. Recast is 30 minutes.
Large Race: 2% bonus to mitigation
Crafting: +10 Problem Solving
Harvesting: +5 Quarrying
Level 1-10 Tactics
You'll find the druid (as with most classes in Vanguard) very
solo-capable at levels 1-10. You shouldn't
have to stray far from your starting village to find suitable
quests and creatures to fight for each level. Before level 7, when you
begin to lose experience when you die, have a good time testing out the
early capabilities of the class. Push yourself by killing higher level
monsters than you think you should be capable of taking on. Experiment
with different battle tactics.
It goes
without saying that you should be buffed with Barbwood Talisman at all
times. At level 1 you're simply going to blast away with your one
direct damage spell, Lightning Strike, until you've killed the mob.
Starting with as much distance as possible between you and the mob will
help minimize the damage you take. Nuke early and often!
At level 2 you gain Piercing Roots. This spell gives you just a bit
more lead time before the mob charges at you and tries to bash your
head. Again, from as great a distance as you can manage (your spells
will gray out when you're out of range), lead off with Piercing Roots.
Once the mob is stuck firmly in place, fire away with Lightning Strike.
You stand a good chance of breaking the root with each nuke
you cast, but don't hesitate to blast away.
At level 4 you'll receive a damage over time (DoT) and a heal
over time (HoT) spell--one to take life, and one to give it. DoTs are
most effective when used early in a fight, since they do their damage
over a set period of time, so fire this one off right after your root
spell. (Yes, this spell can also break a root. You've been warned.)
Your HoT works best if used the moment you fear you're going to be
taking damage. It won't heal you fast, but it will buy you some time.
How to Work with Pets
At level 6 you'll be able to start having fun
with your Summon Earth
Elemental spell. This spell calls a pet to aid you. You won't be able
to control the pet, it will simply fight on your behalf until either
the mob you're fighting is dead or you are, whichever comes first.
Consider your elemental pet a visual DoT. While he looks like a pet,
what he really does is add damage over time to your combat.
When you cast your pet,
it will appear at the location of the mob you've selected as your
offensive target and immediately get down to business.
Your pet does not taunt and it will also die quickly if it happens to
get aggro (for instance, if you've rooted a monster right beside it).
If you continue to think of your pet as a visual DoT, then you won't be
surprised when it dies; look at it dying as the equivelant of your DoT
wearing off. Expect your pet to die if it's taking some of the heat for
you--Rocky isn't a tank.
If you're quick, you can make your pet more efficient by chaining mobs.
Once the first is dead, you have about 10
seconds to secure another one before your pet will vanish. Root another
mob in the vicinity and let your pet go to town. If the pet's health is
still good and you have enough energy to burn you may even be able to
squeeze in another kill before you need to rest. By doing this, your
pet becomes a DoT that lasts through multiple kills. Can't beat that!
A Word (or Two) on Kiting
Kiting mobs is a technique that requires you to slow or distract the
mob so that you're able to blast away at it without it damaging you.
Kiting is a necessary solo tactic for druids.
You'll be able to kite at level 8 when you receive Ensnare. This spell
reduces your target's movement by 60% for 30 seconds giving you 30
seconds to take it out (or re-snare it) before it catches you. The
trick with kiting is to keep distance between yourself and the mob--it
can't kill you if it can't hit you. (Unless it's a spellcaster, in
which case you're best off not kiting.) Basically, you'll snare, cast
DoTs (including your elemental pet, if necessary), and nuke until dead,
running away from the mob as necessary. This works best in open areas
where there are few roaming mobs. It's nearly impossible (and deadly)
in dungeons.
Check out
href="http://vanguard.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=569">Kiting
101 for more information.
Mind Your Surroundings
Too many adds, those monsters that attack you while you're trying to
take out
another one, will likely kill a young druid. It's important to know
what monsters
are around you at all times. I've occasionally gone into Vanguard
graphics settings and turned off the grass feature so that I can better
see the monsters around me while soloing. You'd be surprised what
you'll trip over in the high grass if you're not careful.
When you're soloing, it's important to take out the aggressive monsters
in an area first.
Look around and find those that will attack you on site, and those that
will only attack if you attack them first. Mobs with red names
above their heads will attack you as soon as they notice you.
Despite your best intentions, sometimes situations will come up.
Perhaps an aggro mob spawned right on top of you, or you didn't see
that mob hiding behind a tree. Some mobs are social, and will help
their friends if they're in the vicinity.
style="font-style: italic;"> No matter how you
acquire an add, always snare
it, even if you're
going to end up running away. A snared mob won't be able to catch up
with you and hit you from behind.
style="font-weight: bold;">Practice Makes Perfect
After a while, you should get the rhythm of kiting and have little
problems progressing quickly to level 10. While kiting isn't
necessarily the most exciting way to progress, nor the fastest
(grouping should get you where you want to go faster than soloing),
it's great for the player who likes a little alone time, or wants to
learn to play his class well before adventuring with a group.
Class Guide
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