Solo druid?

nataben1314 · Tue, 29th Sep '09, 3:40am

Has anybody soloed as a druid?

If so, is it more fun than just ironskins+summons+nature's beauty+energy blades?

Do druids even get energy blades?

If they don't, how do you deal with things like demogorgon?

T2Bruno · Tue, 29th Sep '09, 4:15am

... download the shapeshifter rebalancing mod. The GWW form can take on anything.

NOG (No Other Gods) · Tue, 29th Sep '09, 4:50am

Without mods? Summons and luck. With mods, the Greater Werewolf really is overpowered IMO.

Scythesong Immortal · Tue, 29th Sep '09, 5:22am

Pure fighters have been soloed with difficulty mods, no reason why a Druid (a magic-using class and a bane of mages in BG2) would be any less successful.

Druids spells are pretty powerful. The class has severe item restrictions, but once you consider how much you already have access to then it's not that bad. If all else fails, equip a good spear and go melee.
Solo wizards have been known to use slings to survive worse.
In the druid's case summons would play a very important role for solo. Main problem would be the lack of Haste, imo.

You can probably go with "just ironskins+summons+nature's beauty+energy blades" at higher levels if you want. There are alternatives, of course, but you will want to experience the druid spells yourself to find out. Yep, they get energy blades.

nataben1314 · Wed, 30th Sep '09, 5:37am

Just started solo as an avenger... obscenely easy at this point (of course, its unmodded so no solo is hard).

By the time you complete the opening dungeon and the circus you have access to fire elementals, iron skins, and insect plague, so I'm sure early game will be super easy, even moreso than most classes perhaps.

Avengers are pretty much immune to mages immediately upon exiting waukeen's promenade for the first time, between improved invis, iron skin, chaotic commands, death ward, etc. Plus mages are easy to disable with insect plague, and with poison sword spider attack.

Only remotely forseeable hangup will be against heavy melee stuff before I get nature's beauty, but I'm sure it won't be a problem.

Angulimala · Thu, 15th Oct '09, 6:55am

Are you still playing the solo Druid game? Or have you switched focus to the ranged party?

I just started a solo Druid from BGtutu. I'm interested to see how your experience compares to mine. Insect plague really is the bomb! But I bet those fire elementals fall fast later in the game.

Scythesong Immortal · Fri, 16th Oct '09, 3:02am

That they do, when placed under heavy fire. They're still among the best summons tho since they can hit anything (even Kangaax). The Elemental Princes however are a lot more powerful than your average elementals.

T2Bruno · Fri, 16th Oct '09, 3:21pm

Strange, I didn't think fire damaged them, not even heavy fire....

Blades of Vanatar · Fri, 16th Oct '09, 3:32pm

I'm trying to watch my weight, so I prefer Lite fire. To many fat colories in Heavy fire....

Montresor · Fri, 16th Oct '09, 3:34pm

You don't think Heavy fire burns more calories?

Blades of Vanatar · Fri, 16th Oct '09, 3:36pm

Hey, i never thought of it that way. Do you think the same goes for Ice cream?

nataben1314 · Sat, 17th Oct '09, 2:47am

I'm still playing this character, but spending more time w/ my ranged party.

Its pretty easy so far, but I haven't faced any tough competition. Fire elementals are enough to get you through the early parts of the game, and I'm sure that nature's beauty + energy blades will kill basically anything later in the game (esp. when you buff yourself a bit and have summons running around).

Scythesong Immortal · Sat, 17th Oct '09, 6:17am

T2bruno strikes again. The rest was just corny heh.
What exactly were you expecting from a thread that (in a way) had been discussing falling fire, biological warfare, out-of-body predictions and a summons without a court?

Main challenge should still be non-access to the Haste spell. Some of the later battles can be very difficult without it.

Iku-Turso · Sat, 17th Oct '09, 1:12pm

Energy Blades haste well enough?

Doesn't a Deva have a haste in it's spell repertoire? Can't remember...

nataben1314 · Sat, 17th Oct '09, 5:05pm

My druid won't need haste because of energy blades... it would be nice to haste my elementals but there's no way it will be crucial to have them hasted.

Scythesong Immortal · Sat, 17th Oct '09, 7:30pm

No, I didn't say it was crucial. "Some of the later battles can be very difficult without it."

"Later" battles would include the ones you'll be fighting at levels 12-14 (xp required to gain levels starts to skyrocket), and perhaps a few ToB undead/dragon/bhaalspawn battles if you wanna fight "fair".

Haste on six people is basically 6 extra attacks per round (5 when you're busy) and that is easily worth more damage than the majority of nukes one can name in the game. Faster movement gives you back the few seconds your summons would have spent moving around, and in long battles this is equal to a few free rounds. Tactical possibilities with the spell is just frosting but no less important (having your summons run around while you cast spells/use your Energy Blades).

I'm not sure, if Devas had Haste it would help ease some of the difficulties you might encounter in ToB.

EDIT: Yes, Devas get Haste.

nataben1314 · Sun, 18th Oct '09, 3:23pm

...but druids don't get devas, do they?

henkie · Sun, 18th Oct '09, 5:03pm

... but they do.

Balle · Sun, 18th Oct '09, 8:30pm

but they don't get solars?

henkie · Sun, 18th Oct '09, 8:55pm

No-one gets solars (in an unmodded game, that is). Mages and sorcerers get planetars.

nataben1314 · Sun, 18th Oct '09, 10:47pm

I CLUA'd a druid to 8mil XP and casted Deva and it didn't have haste.

In any case, this is unmodded BG. No class is hard to solo.

Scythesong Immortal · Mon, 19th Oct '09, 2:41am

That's weird. I got the info from here. I reference the site often and the technical stuff had always been dependable thus far.

Balle · Mon, 19th Oct '09, 5:17pm

yes planetars! they are awesome

henkie · Mon, 19th Oct '09, 5:53pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scythesong Immortal

That's weird. I got the info from here. I reference the site often and the technical stuff had always been dependable thus far.

Yes, I usually find that site quite dependable as well. A never ending source of amusement and exploits. Summoning my own Deva, however, I get the following spell selection:

Remove fear
Cure disease
Dispel magic
Remove curse
Neutralize poison
Cure critical wounds
Chaos
Globe of blades

Quite a few too many from the spell reference site, it would seem.

T2Bruno · Mon, 19th Oct '09, 6:53pm

I believe deva's are hasted, but whether or not they cast haste is really immaterial -- all the party members have some sort of haste item by the time you can summon a deva.

Tue, 29th Sep '09, 3:40am	#1
nataben1314 Gems: 10/31 Latest gem: Zircon Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 356 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 1,341 Level: 12 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 45.49% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	Solo druid? Has anybody soloed as a druid? If so, is it more fun than just ironskins+summons+nature's beauty+energy blades? Do druids even get energy blades? If they don't, how do you deal with things like demogorgon?

Tue, 29th Sep '09, 4:15am	#2
T2Bruno SPS Account Holder The only source of knowledge is experience Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Chicago -- far west suburbs. Posts: 9,322 Like: 20 Liked 82 Times in 62 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 22,282 Level: 41 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 59.21% Daily Activity 99.51% Weekly Activity 96.05% Monthly Activity 47.64% Achievements Awards	... download the shapeshifter rebalancing mod. The GWW form can take on anything.
	__________________ “I have little patience with scientists who take a board of wood, look for its thinnest part, and drill a great number of holes where drilling is easy.”

Tue, 29th Sep '09, 4:50am	#3
NOG (No Other Gods) Going to church doesn't make you a Christian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 4,883 Like: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post vBActivity - Stats XP: 11,730 Level: 31 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 90.31% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	Without mods? Summons and luck. With mods, the Greater Werewolf really is overpowered IMO.
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Fri, 16th Oct '09, 3:21pm	#8
T2Bruno SPS Account Holder The only source of knowledge is experience Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Chicago -- far west suburbs. Posts: 9,322 Like: 20 Liked 82 Times in 62 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 22,282 Level: 41 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 59.21% Daily Activity 99.51% Weekly Activity 96.05% Monthly Activity 47.64% Achievements Awards	Strange, I didn't think fire damaged them, not even heavy fire....
	__________________ “I have little patience with scientists who take a board of wood, look for its thinnest part, and drill a great number of holes where drilling is easy.”

Fri, 16th Oct '09, 3:32pm	#9
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Tue, 29th Sep '09, 5:22am	#4
Scythesong Immortal Gems: 19/31 Latest gem: Aquamarine Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,111 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,698 Level: 16 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 94.03% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	Pure fighters have been soloed with difficulty mods, no reason why a Druid (a magic-using class and a bane of mages in BG2) would be any less successful. Druids spells are pretty powerful. The class has severe item restrictions, but once you consider how much you already have access to then it's not that bad. If all else fails, equip a good spear and go melee. Solo wizards have been known to use slings to survive worse. In the druid's case summons would play a very important role for solo. Main problem would be the lack of Haste, imo. You can probably go with "just ironskins+summons+nature's beauty+energy blades" at higher levels if you want. There are alternatives, of course, but you will want to experience the druid spells yourself to find out. Yep, they get energy blades.

Wed, 30th Sep '09, 5:37am	#5
nataben1314 Gems: 10/31 Latest gem: Zircon Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 356 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 1,341 Level: 12 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 45.49% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	Just started solo as an avenger... obscenely easy at this point (of course, its unmodded so no solo is hard). By the time you complete the opening dungeon and the circus you have access to fire elementals, iron skins, and insect plague, so I'm sure early game will be super easy, even moreso than most classes perhaps. Avengers are pretty much immune to mages immediately upon exiting waukeen's promenade for the first time, between improved invis, iron skin, chaotic commands, death ward, etc. Plus mages are easy to disable with insect plague, and with poison sword spider attack. Only remotely forseeable hangup will be against heavy melee stuff before I get nature's beauty, but I'm sure it won't be a problem.

Thu, 15th Oct '09, 6:55am	#6
Angulimala Gems: 2/31 Latest gem: Fire Agate Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Nor Cal Posts: 39 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 334 Level: 6 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 68.37% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	Are you still playing the solo Druid game? Or have you switched focus to the ranged party? I just started a solo Druid from BGtutu. I'm interested to see how your experience compares to mine. Insect plague really is the bomb! But I bet those fire elementals fall fast later in the game.

Fri, 16th Oct '09, 3:02am	#7
Scythesong Immortal Gems: 19/31 Latest gem: Aquamarine Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,111 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,698 Level: 16 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 94.03% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	That they do, when placed under heavy fire. They're still among the best summons tho since they can hit anything (even Kangaax). The Elemental Princes however are a lot more powerful than your average elementals.

Fri, 16th Oct '09, 3:34pm	#10
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Fri, 16th Oct '09, 3:36pm	#11
Blades of Vanatar Vanatar will rise again Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,565 Like: 39 Liked 43 Times in 31 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 9,804 Level: 29 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 57.24% Daily Activity 99.51% Weekly Activity 106.45% Monthly Activity 82.09% Achievements Awards	Hey, i never thought of it that way. Do you think the same goes for Ice cream?
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Sat, 17th Oct '09, 2:47am	#12
nataben1314 Gems: 10/31 Latest gem: Zircon Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 356 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 1,341 Level: 12 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 45.49% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	I'm still playing this character, but spending more time w/ my ranged party. Its pretty easy so far, but I haven't faced any tough competition. Fire elementals are enough to get you through the early parts of the game, and I'm sure that nature's beauty + energy blades will kill basically anything later in the game (esp. when you buff yourself a bit and have summons running around).

Sat, 17th Oct '09, 6:17am	#13
Scythesong Immortal Gems: 19/31 Latest gem: Aquamarine Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,111 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,698 Level: 16 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 94.03% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	T2bruno strikes again. The rest was just corny heh. What exactly were you expecting from a thread that (in a way) had been discussing falling fire, biological warfare, out-of-body predictions and a summons without a court? Main challenge should still be non-access to the Haste spell. Some of the later battles can be very difficult without it.
	Last edited by Scythesong Immortal; Sat, 17th Oct '09 at 6:32am.

Sat, 17th Oct '09, 1:12pm	#14
Iku-Turso Gems: 26/31 Latest gem: Diamond Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Schrödinger's box Posts: 2,393 Blog Entries: 15 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 5,691 Level: 23 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 43.09% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	Energy Blades haste well enough? Doesn't a Deva have a haste in it's spell repertoire? Can't remember...
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Sat, 17th Oct '09, 5:05pm	#15
nataben1314 Gems: 10/31 Latest gem: Zircon Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 356 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 1,341 Level: 12 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 45.49% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	My druid won't need haste because of energy blades... it would be nice to haste my elementals but there's no way it will be crucial to have them hasted.

Sat, 17th Oct '09, 7:30pm	#16
Scythesong Immortal Gems: 19/31 Latest gem: Aquamarine Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,111 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,698 Level: 16 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 94.03% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	No, I didn't say it was crucial. "Some of the later battles can be very difficult without it." "Later" battles would include the ones you'll be fighting at levels 12-14 (xp required to gain levels starts to skyrocket), and perhaps a few ToB undead/dragon/bhaalspawn battles if you wanna fight "fair". Haste on six people is basically 6 extra attacks per round (5 when you're busy) and that is easily worth more damage than the majority of nukes one can name in the game. Faster movement gives you back the few seconds your summons would have spent moving around, and in long battles this is equal to a few free rounds. Tactical possibilities with the spell is just frosting but no less important (having your summons run around while you cast spells/use your Energy Blades). I'm not sure, if Devas had Haste it would help ease some of the difficulties you might encounter in ToB. EDIT: Yes, Devas get Haste.
	Last edited by Scythesong Immortal; Sat, 17th Oct '09 at 7:41pm.

Sun, 18th Oct '09, 3:23pm	#17
nataben1314 Gems: 10/31 Latest gem: Zircon Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 356 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 1,341 Level: 12 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 45.49% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	...but druids don't get devas, do they?

Sun, 18th Oct '09, 5:03pm	#18
henkie SPS Account Holder Hammertime Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,147 Like: 2 Liked 17 Times in 16 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,706 Level: 16 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 96.43% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 9.36% Monthly Activity 9.87% Achievements Awards	... but they do.

Sun, 18th Oct '09, 8:30pm	#19
Balle Gems: 19/31 Latest gem: Aquamarine Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 1,173 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,943 Level: 17 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 59.05% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	but they don't get solars?

Sun, 18th Oct '09, 8:55pm	#20
henkie SPS Account Holder Hammertime Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,147 Like: 2 Liked 17 Times in 16 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,706 Level: 16 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 96.43% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 9.36% Monthly Activity 9.87% Achievements Awards	No-one gets solars (in an unmodded game, that is). Mages and sorcerers get planetars.

Sun, 18th Oct '09, 10:47pm	#21
nataben1314 Gems: 10/31 Latest gem: Zircon Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 356 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 1,341 Level: 12 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 45.49% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	I CLUA'd a druid to 8mil XP and casted Deva and it didn't have haste. In any case, this is unmodded BG. No class is hard to solo.

Mon, 19th Oct '09, 2:41am	#22
Scythesong Immortal Gems: 19/31 Latest gem: Aquamarine Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: US Posts: 1,111 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,698 Level: 16 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 94.03% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	That's weird. I got the info from here. I reference the site often and the technical stuff had always been dependable thus far.

Mon, 19th Oct '09, 5:17pm	#23
Balle Gems: 19/31 Latest gem: Aquamarine Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 1,173 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,943 Level: 17 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 59.05% Daily Activity 2.43% Weekly Activity 2.43% Monthly Activity 2.04% Achievements	yes planetars! they are awesome

Mon, 19th Oct '09, 6:53pm	#25
T2Bruno SPS Account Holder The only source of knowledge is experience Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Chicago -- far west suburbs. Posts: 9,322 Like: 20 Liked 82 Times in 62 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 22,282 Level: 41 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 59.21% Daily Activity 99.51% Weekly Activity 96.05% Monthly Activity 47.64% Achievements Awards	I believe deva's are hasted, but whether or not they cast haste is really immaterial -- all the party members have some sort of haste item by the time you can summon a deva.
	__________________ “I have little patience with scientists who take a board of wood, look for its thinnest part, and drill a great number of holes where drilling is easy.”