What happens to druids at level 15?

I was having a look at the BG 2 FAQ on the interplay site at my lunchbreak today and it said stuff about it being hard to pull off and it was half or nothing ect,

2 things:

Are the level 14 druids weeds or do they get loads of bonuses and stuff?

and what is so hard to do in an engine that can do cool looking dragons?

-Sep

[This message has been edited by Septic Yogurt (edited November 14, 2000).]

Druids don't get to level 15...
14 is max in BG2. But I'm sure Bioware will come up with something to compensate in the expansion.

From the FAQ

Q: What is the level/XP cap for BGII:SoA?
A: The current XP cap is set at 2,950,000, resulting in the following maximum levels for single-classed characters:

Fighter: 19th
Paladin: 17th
Ranger: 17th
Wizard: 17th
Cleric: 21st
Druid: 14th
Thief: 23rd
Bard: 23rd
Q: Why does druid only get to level 14?
A: Because at level 15 and onwards, druids will gain many new extremely powerful abilities which are very difficult to implement properly. We do not want to put in a "half feature", it's all the way or nothing. Maybe in a possible expansion pack...

I wanna know what is so hard to impliment.

-Sep

[This message has been edited by Septic Yogurt (edited November 14, 2000).]

At level 15 and beyond, Druids start to gain Planar Travel abilities. Obviously, there is no way for them to implement this into the game in a reasonable way (because they'd have to build planar areas for the Druid to travel to).

There are other abilities which I think they could have implemented, such as unlimited shapeshifting (they could have just limited the forms like they did with Polymorph Self) and huge resistances, but I think they felt that taking the Druid any higher would unbalance the game.

To qute the handbook -

The Grand Druid and Hierophant Druids
The highest ranking druid in the world is the Grand Druid (15th level). Unlike great druids (several of whom can operate simultaneously in different lands), only one person in a world can ever hold this title at one time. Consequently, only one druid can be 15th level at any time.

...

Beyond 15th level, a druid never gains any new spells. Casting level continues to rise with experience. Rather than spells, spell-like powers are acquired.

16th level: At 16th level, the hierophant druid gains four powers:
Immunity to all natural poisons.
Vigorous health for a person of his age.
The ability to alter his appearance at will. Appearance alteration is accomplished in one round. A height and weight increase or decrease of 50% is possible, with an apparent age from childhood to extreme old age. Body and facial features can resemble any human or humanoid creature. This alteration is not magical, so it cannot be detected by any means short of true seeing.

17th Level: The character gains the biological ability to hibernate.

A 17th-level hierophant druid can also enter the Elemental Plane of Earth at will.

18th level: The character gains the ability to enter and survive in the Elemental Plane of Fire.

19th level: The character gains the ability to enter and survive in the Elemental Plane of Water.

20th level: The character gains the ability to enter and survive in the Elemental Plane of Air.