Are Druids Useless for Groups and Raids?

[Ephirith]

When I first started here like a month and a half ago I really wanted to make a druid. But I read the forums a bit and I read that people generally roll druids and level them up so they can farm to gear up a character that they actually want to play.

I know very little about what it is actually like to be a druid at higher levels so I was hoping some of you could enlighten me. I read that a group would almost always prefer a shaman over a druid, which makes sense. Does that mean druids can never find groups?

I love the versatility and solo capability... being able to solo is pretty important to me with the time constraints I have coming up. But even then, I would like to be at least marginally useful in a group sometimes. My first character was a shaman and I loved it, but the only reason I rolled him instead of a druid was because of what I've mentioned here.

[Fountree]

There have been previous threads that have talked about this, but druids remain very useful and important in the high levels both in groups/raids.

Why would you want a druid in your group?

1. they have the ability to deal more damage (higher damage nukes)
2. they can evac/port group for better mobility
3. they have longer lasting root CC/snare ability
4. they have group FR/CR buffs as well as MR single cast buff.
5. they have the best single HP/AC all-in-one buff in the game (Natureskin, which also carries a nice HP regen component)
6. they can charm animals, adding greatly to dps in certain dungeons/outdoors
7. they have group regen spells, while shamans only have single cast regen
8. they have the ability to harmony outdoors (unresistable lull)
9. they have a nice Damage Shield capability, including a group DS (up to 32pt ds single at lvl 60, and 28pt group ds at lvl 60) which increases damage all around

For raids, they are excellent patch healers, buffers, and CCers. They also serve the function of helping to mobilize the raid force, which is obviously very important.

[Slave]

For experience, no. You do not want a druid.

For raids, yes.

[Samoht]

The deal with Druids is that they don't do anything that somebody else can't. They can heal, nuke, snare, invis, buff, DS, and so can a lot of other classes.

The benefit to a group or raid is the same: they're the most versatile class in the game.

[Vondra]

Originally Posted by Slave [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

For experience, no. You do not want a druid.

For raids, yes.

This.

Course you can say that about any class in a raid, it's better to have them along than not...mainly since this isn't WoW where you've got a set limit of a 10/25 raid force with encounters tuned for exactly that many people where max efficiency from each player is needed.

Here if you're raiding with 21 people...well why not bring along that druid as member 22. Doesn't hurt anything.




In 6 man standard exp groups versatility just isn't needed. Your tank can do all the tanking, your cleric can do all the healing, and your enchanter (or bard) can do all the CCing. Your only decision for the last three slots is whether you want to do monk/dps/dps, monk/shaman/dps, dps/dps/dps, or shaman/dps/dps...which is usually just decided based on who's LFG atm.

[Samoht]

Originally Posted by Vondra [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

In 6 man standard exp groups versatility just isn't needed. Your tank can do all the tanking, your cleric can do all the healing, and your enchanter (or bard) can do all the CCing. Your only decision for the last three slots is whether you want to do monk/dps/dps, monk/shaman/dps, dps/dps/dps, or shaman/dps/dps...which is usually just decided based on who's LFG atm.

This statement seems contradictory. It starts by assuming that a tank, healer, and enchanter/bard are always available, but then the last three spots are based on who is LFG. In the real world, enchanter/bards, clerics, and not even tanks are always readily available. That's where the druid shines. In most circumstances, they can effectively take the role of healer, CCer, or DPSer. And when all else fails, they can aggro kite.

They may not always be desired in a group but are often welcomed in the absence of alternatives.

[Snaggles]

Well, many things in life are preferable but you don't always get them. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

The druid is a pretty well rounded class. If you consider ports and track they are probably the best rounded in the game (for overall gameplay).

If you have an enchanter a druid vs shaman for healing isn't a big deal. Even if you have a bard slowing/cc'ing a druid can keep up with heals. Ultimately you need a tank, CC (sometimes), and healer...the rest are just dps and can be filled by many classes. I guess even a Druid can be group DPS but it's a pretty crappy spot for them, imho.

On raids, especially in Velious, they become backup healers saving DPS from dying and providing group buffs like thorns and resists.

Many people re-roll from a Druid main for another class. Part of being frustrated with not being the "best" at much for the little min-maxer in all of us.


Note: Realized after writing it that you all mentioned things I did. Too lazy to edit and make it sound brilliant.

[Happyfeet]

Many of you who think druids are useless have just never grouped with a good druid who uses his mana effectively to boost the efficiency of the entire group.

My main is a druid and has been since '99, but my alt is a monk and I've grouped with druids who simply have no idea what their role is because it can be so many things. That is the difficulty of the druid class, figuring out where you fit in with 5 other people to be the most effective. A lot of druids play the class as simply as possible, just DS the MT, dot each mob with vambs, then throw in nukes randomly. If the cleric is LOM constantly, you should be healing more, etc, etc.

Moral of the story, druids are crucial to raids and can be great in groups if played correctly.

[baub]

Druids are like my little brother when it came to playing contra or mario. He had a controller, it just wasn't plugged in.

[Snaggles]

If your cleric is running LOM your group is under-geared/leveled for the camp or someone is doing something very wrong.

If a druid is in the same group as a cleric his/her hands better be bright red with flames constantly. Same goes to any other caster dps. If not it's akin to a melee arming himself with splintered clubs to raise 1hb.*

* Unless the druid is chain pulling with harmony as mentioned.