Druids Are AMAZING: A 5e D&D Druid Guide - Levels 1-5

Druid is my favorite class so obviously this video is going to be biased. These are the tips are give to all the new Druid players. If you play the class and like it, tell me what you think in the comments below!

Dang, after you mentioned all of this it opened up like another class worth of featrues in the Druid, Thanks!

Incredible video, love the channel, this music is INSANE 😂

Thank you for this video. I just created a Druid as my 1st character after a 40 year hiatus. This video is the best Druid primer on YT

You can’t use a rogues sneak attack in wild shape, you need a finesse weapon for that and natural weapons aren’t finesse weapons.

ok really cool but why is this music on the back so sad

Can someone explain to my why a scimitar or short sword should be any better than the quarterstaff?
I am new to DnD and haven't read everything yet, but it seems that the quarterstaff makes just as much damage, has the bonus of being able to be used two handed and when combined with Shillelagh its much better than the scimitar (if you are going for a high wisdom)
Yes, you can use the scimitar with dexterity instead of strengh (which could be higher), but with Shillelagh that seems irrelevant.
Or am I missing something?

Druidcraft is one of my favorites. Find an acorn make a holy symbol spell focus druid claw. Armed and unarmed and holy/sacred weapon. Druidcraft can be used to almost kit a druid out. Make a highlander style backpack. Need a weapon use druidcraft. With the right skills one can craft vinearmor or armor of the druid. Finally a good use for weaving skill. I like lessor vigor in 3.5. Of course I mostly play a bard or druid or both. Decided I would go elemental druid with air elemental companion. The tip about fall damage on the squirrel is awesome. Espically if one can get floating weapon. I like live plant based armored and can always upgrade with awaken spell. Blinding spittle is a great retro attack for plant armor. Companion plant armor anyone? Elemental druids can turn and command elementals like a cleric with undead. Musical weapon instruments make great wondrous items. Put a whistle on the dagger hilt so you can summon it. Unseen servant to blow the whistle in case it gets stuck.

Spells like speak with animals almost always seem to be more of an RP mechanic to me than a spell. As a DM I almost never ask a Druid if they cast the spell first when they are talking with animals as it has lead to some serious to comedic moments at our table. I’m looking for ways to get the kiddos 3 of them (11 year olds) into the more RP aspects of the game rather than just the numbers aspect. They’re enjoying it, but it could be so much more for them.

In your opinion, what is THE BEST race for a circle of the moon druid? Asking as a new to D&D player excited to play Druid

Wow, that was so incredibly clearly explained. Can't wait to try some of this.

I am primarily a Paladin and Cleric player. I am trying to learn my counter parts of in the divine casters like druid and ranger.

I grab shele.. Sheliegh. I grab the magic Irish stick at first, then train it out later

Druid are amazing,but i'll always prefer wizard for both roleplay and fun in game. The sheer amount of spells and option are icredible.
Still druids are absolutly incredible

My druids, indeed ALL my PCs, NPCs and monsters have their own agendas governed by their ethics. They interact with other PCs ONLY when it serves to further their objectives. Thus, any PC or NPC is NOT on the campaign to support other PCs, the other members of the party are there to support THEIR agendas and all party members have agreed to join up with each other for an adventure ONLY because it is advantageous to all participating PCs to do so! Since ALL PCs (and NPCs) in a party have their own such agendas, the party remains intact ONLY as long as it is advantageous for its individual members to continue to do so. Thus, if your PCs are constantly disrespecting the ethics of other PCs and there are no conflicts or repercussions for doing so, you have a RPG that is geared to the creation of Murder hobos rather than actual PCs. Sorry, but in my opinion, that is not a RPG like D&D. PCs exist to interact with and shape the existing world, the world does not exist to serve or entertain them! To encourage PCs to role play, before each session, I ask them to summarize in one sentence what they believe is their mission is in the world. They also must summarize why and what their expectations are for joining the party and going on an adventure. I make note of any potential PC and NPC conflicts and when such a conflict arises in the course of play, I point it out and force the PCs to resolve it. As to their mission, if they say, “my mission is to kill as many monsters as I can and collect their loot and magic items so that I can be all powerful.”, I just smile, laugh and say “Fair enough”. Because that is exactly how my world will respond to THEM! It will try to kill and rob them in the most ruthless and cunning way that it can. When they complain (as bullies in the real world alway do when they feel that they are being bullied), I simply read back to them what they wrote on their session sheet. That is totally fair. Murder hobos don’t last very long in my world. “What goes around comes around!” As DM, I first warn them, then punish them and if that doesn’t work, I simply kill them.

Druids are supposed to be defenders and protectors of the balance of nature, thus they are unlikely to grow plants just to burn them as this would be exploiting another species or nature for your own selfish gain — the very antithesis of a Druid’s ethics. Druid’s in my campaigns who disrespect nature and act like this find themselves surrounded by a group of powerful Druid’s, ents, elementals or other powerful wild creatures who then punish the offending Druid in some way. Perhaps they use magic to have vines constrain them and then leave them for dead, or a Ent willow arrives drags them kicking and screaming to a nearby woodshed and thrashes their bare butt with a switch!😂

This is how I run Druids in my campaign. First, I ascribe to the school that limits Druidic shapeshifting powers to creatures that they have personally encountered. And by encountered, I mean interacted with and studied not just seen. They must know the creature intimately to transform into one. Having said that, I also assume that they have encountered several such creatures in the past from their childhood who live in the area of the world where they grew up. The PC and I then discuss their back history and agree upon a list of those creatures. Most, but perhaps not all, of these creatures, should be those that are commonly encountered in the area. Second, the Druid’s magic is derived from Nature. As they are most attuned to the ecological environments of their place of birth, their spells reflect that ecosystem. Both the kind, and the strength of spells are so affected. Thus a Druid from a water world landscape will have Druidic spells that effect the ecosystem components that prevail in that ecosystem and will not have spells that effect the ecosystem components that prevail in a desert ecosystem for example and vice versa. The strength of their spells is likewise affected. While in or near their homeland, their spells are more powerful, when far from their homeland, they are less powerful. When on or proximal to the ocean or another such water body (even if far from their home water world), the spells of a Druid who comes from a water world will be more powerful. When in the midst of a desert, less powerful - except in the oasis, where they are again more powerful. Such a Druid is not however powerless in the desert as wind is abundant in both ocean and desert ecosystems. Where water energy is concentrated, such as near flowing water, crashing waves, waterfalls, rapids etc., water spell-casting and shape-shifting power is greater. Where sand dunes are actively forming, or on the tops of cliffs and mountains or in constricted areas or during windy weather windy spells are more powerful. This is not to say that wind cannot be summoned on a calm day, it is however more difficult, takes more effort and takes longer to summon as it is not already present in the environment in that time and place. Only by spending time in other ecosystems can a Druid obtain more mastery over the ecosystems that prevail in those areas. Thus they are encouraged to venture into the unknown to gain experience and competence but are advised to do so with caution as they will be vulnerable while they are learning. While slightly more complex, this leads to a far more interesting, challenging, satisfying and I would say, realistic experience for the Druid as PC and for their party.

Lizardfolk for the AC bonus + natural bite outside of shapeshift that benefits from magic damage, not good, not awfull if your not so worried about wisdom / spellcasting dependent.

Tyranosaurus rex.
They're real animals, they exist in the world of the forgotten realms.

QUESTION: in the section on ability scores you mention that circle of the spores druid could use constitution more than wisdom, how come? With all the extra HP from symbiotic entity its surely their wisdom they need improving?

Also, whats the best gish druid build? Im considering either circle of the spores x / arcana cleric 1, or wildfire druid x / arcana cleric 1 - as a tortle

Love the channel ! :)

Ive been playing dnd for 9 and a half years at this point ive played druid twice and i didnt enjoy it either time my personal favorite class is bard because of the social aspect of the class and druid is by far my least which sucks becuase theme wise i should love it it has a great style and theme to it my issue is actually the same issue i have with cleric and paladin as well being prepared casters and too many options while being limiting in roleplay

Can't hear over the music 😢

Please, please, please, turn down the volume on your music, or pick something less jarring.

how can you prepare a spell "at anytime" genuinely curious

Im hobbit druid ❤

thank you very nice info you put out.. this will realy help my play. thanks again.

Druid is by far my favourite class ❤ My last Druid was a Changeling, it was amazing.

I just started playing DnD with my friends, and I decided to be a Tortle Druid with Circle of Stars lol. High wisdom, 17 AC from natural armour, and it just fits well lol.

Yes druid are so busted from level 2 onward. I'm surprised to learn they aren't a popular choice given there crazy power and versatility. Thanks for your overview and sharing your experiences.

I am convinced that heat metal is the reason druids don't wear metal

The moss disrespect is immeasurable in this video, I'm offended

I might be wrong but healing word can't bring someone back from 0hp, as you can't hear when you're unconscious... and healing word requires the target to hear you.

Edit: I'm wrong, I read a bad homebrew 🤡

I am so thankful for this video. It is my first time playing DnD and i couldn't resist to play a druid. ...I know it is not a easy start but I love the roleplay and the battlefield manipulation you can do. Thank you for the great guides.

thankyou so much for going into wildshape! I'm playing a level 4 druid and cannot figure out how to play as good as i hear druids can be played! I'm hyped for my next session to test this stuff out!

I really want to go over the information in this video but I cannot continue to watch it. Is there a version of this video available without the music? In some places the music is louder than the words.

Druids can make healing potions using Herbalism Kit profiency

Druids are so good at survival. In my current campaign we have 150 refugees that need feeding and looking after.
With a mixture of multiple goodberrys, and plant growth to turn land more fertile he is able to feed everyone especially using outlander back ground.
Also as a badger he can make a giant badger set for everyone to find protection in.

Druids aren't allowed metal armor tho?

Thanks for this guide. Any chance you would be willing to share a copy of your Google document with load outs?

lol plant growth and spiked growth is the reason I picked nature cleric

Lizardfolk wildfire druid here! Nautral armor, max wisdom and high con and a shield makes it hard for enemies to attack AND able to sling spells all over the place. It's great! Lmao

Watching this gives me an awesome idea for a Druid Monk multi-class. A “Druonk” I think it would be awesome to be a Tabaxi Druid Circle of The Moon and Monk Way of The Drunken Master. Starting off Druid for the first 2 lvls and then switching to Monk till getting the Drunken Master subclass. Or if you started at lvl 5 or above just starting with 2 lvls Moon Druids and 3 lvls Monk having both sub classes of the combo. It is already powerful at lvl5 because you have the ability to wildshape into an Ape while still retaining all the benefits of being a Drunken Master Monk. Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, Step of The Wind, Deflect Missiles and Drunken Technique. You can also cast Shillelagh on a staff (maybe on a staff that is both your Druid spell casting focus and also your monk dedicated weapon) to make your attacks with Wis instead of Str or Dex. But it only gets way more powerful as you get to higher lvls. You could at lvl 13 if you went up to Monk Lvl 6 and then took five more in Druid you could become a Giant Ape with reach and Stunning Strike as well as Primal Strike and both Quickened Healing and Combat wildshape features as healing while you are wildshaped. Oh and slow fall and Extra Attack. If you went heavy Druid till lvl13 instead you could become an Earth Elemental or a Giant Ape instead of a regular Ape. If I went heavy Monk I would probably actually go with other Monk options that really are even more powerful like Shadow Monk for Teleportation or Astral Monk for Wis instead of Str on grapple checks (Grappler Gorilla) plus reach or The Way of the Open Hand and a telescoping staff for some Son Wu Kong style flavor and massive utility in your attacks. I think the coolest by far would be Way of The Ascendant Dragon cause of the Draconic Strike and the Breath of the Dragon and the wings unfurled features being not only kinda OP when combined with wildshape, but also it is just so epically metal to walk into a dragon den as a cat person and just transform into a Eagle (or a Hummingbird 😂) and fly straight at it Breathing Acid or Lightning down on it and then flying away like a mystical avian dive-bomber. Or to go bare knuckle toe to toe with an Earth Elemental as an Ape and punch it with lightning dmg stunning strike before just obliterating it with a breath attack. 😌🤌🏾 Perfect

By 4th level, a druid can spend most of the day as a beast. If you are traveling, 2 times of 2 hours as a horse or elk allows 4 hours of movement. Short rest and repeat. Do it twice more and you end up being in travel mode (4x4 plus 4 hours) 20 hours...

Playing a Harengon druid named Dash for my first time, I love her. We just milestoned to level 2 and she is motivated to the Circle of Spores.

Druids don't use metal armor...

well there was a game that let you talk to a flower, however said flower was an asshole

Druid was my first character. Might not have been the best to start and roll20 doesn't let me access the entire spell list which is annoying but she's fun to play

This is THE most intuitive video I've seen.