Let Druids and Priests Choose Spells

[Bazy]

Wizard can change around Grimoire pretty much whenever, so you can tinker - although you don't have the full arsenal available every battle admittedly.

 

Chanter and Cipher are more limited, true, but they've got a different, more hybrid feel to them, having to build up to their spells rather than playing like pure casters. Versatility seems like an intended strength of the other casters.

 

Druids/Priests are the prototypical hybrid class. Yet wizards have more limitations than they do. Versatility should come, for example, from shapeshifting in and out of different forms. Not from being able to cast 50 different spells. 

 

 

Generally druids use their aoe on group pulls, and on the occasional tough fight use their other spells. But for the vast majority of their time they stand in the back and auto attack. This doesn't seem like versatile gameplay. It appears that because druids are such strong pure casters, that spiritshifting currently sucks.

Edited February 14, 2015 by Bazy

[lychee26]

 

Wizard can change around Grimoire pretty much whenever, so you can tinker - although you don't have the full arsenal available every battle admittedly.

 

Chanter and Cipher are more limited, true, but they've got a different, more hybrid feel to them, having to build up to their spells rather than playing like pure casters. Versatility seems like an intended strength of the other casters.

 

Druids/Priests are the prototypical hybrid class. Yet wizards have more limitations than they do. Versatility should come, for example, from shapeshifting in and out of different forms. Not from being able to cast 50 different spells. 

 

 

Generally druids use their aoe on group pulls, and on the occasional tough fight use their other spells. But for the vast majority of their time they stand in the back and auto attack. This doesn't seem like versatile gameplay. It appears that because druids are such strong pure casters, that spiritshifting currently sucks.

 

Well, technically in this game, druids and priests are pure casters rather than being hybrid classes.

 

My biggest concern is that all other classes have some level of choice when it comes to their class abilties. Druids/Priests (mainly druids) on the other hand feel a lot more limited in their choices (limited to talents you pick) - druid talents mainly revolve around their wildshape and that's pretty much it. Priests are better 'cos they get more varied talents but still.

[Sensuki]

It's too late to do anything about it now. The game is being releaed in like 5.5 weeks - Say something about it for the expansion.

[lychee26]

It's too late to do anything about it now. The game is being releaed in like 5.5 weeks - Say something about it for the expansion.

Yeah I get that. I'm not actually expecting it to change or anything. It's mainly wishful thinking, just dreaming of this druid that only has access to corrosive-ish spells and pretty much nothing else. ('cos the druid is one of favourite classes, idea-wise)

Edited February 15, 2015 by lychee26

[Bazy]

Well, technically in this game, druids and priests are pure casters rather than being hybrid classes.

Spiritshifting is supposed to be THE hybrid mechanic of all hybrid mechanics. Theoretically you should be able to shift into whatever form is most useful depending on the situation. 

 

However spiritshifiting is terribly under-tuned so druids just end up being powerful jack of all trades casters that don't do anything else. 

 

I'm actually suprised more people don't seem to notice that druids in POE are not druids. They are wizards. Wizards without blast :/

Edited February 15, 2015 by Bazy

[Osvir]

It's too late to do anything about it now. The game is being releaed in like 5.5 weeks - Say something about it for the expansion.

 

Everything I (we?) say is wishful thinking for the future. Be it in 5.5 weeks or in 5.5 years.

 

 

I'm actually suprised more people don't seem to notice that druids in POE are not druids. They are wizards. Wizards without blast :/

They are inspired by the Infinity Engine/D&D Druids. They are very similar (in terms of spell gain and a lot of their spells too). They are Druids in this sense, but personally wished Obsidian would've done something more with them. Or that they will do more with them.

 

So, in light of what Sensuki said:

A Growth Druid Class, but with a better name, maybe an "Entkeeper", or an "Elementalist", or... "Lorekeeper" or... an "Apprentice Druid", a "Spirit Druid"... something that makes sense.

 

A "Druid" that uses the elements of nature in one way or another to eventually turn into a specialized Druid (A Spiritshifting Druid, or an Elementalist Druid... or a Summoner Druid). Essentially a Druid that allows you to build it and customize it.

 

It might be possible to mod the spell gain per level too, and make some Druid-only scrolls/objects (tree branches/trunks/barks, earthly objects) that they could learn more spells from... Sensuki or Bester, you know anything?

 

EDIT: Essentially, copy+paste a Wizard scroll, but attribute it to a Druid Spell, make it a "Druid Only" Item as well as changing the Object type (switch the Scroll icon with something else... a stone with a rune on it, or a branch, or a bottle of water, etc.)

 

Some future class ideas:

 

Alchemist (Druid inspired) - Drinks potions, throws potions, brews potions, using the natural elements to create natural chemical reactions. An artificial Druid. Jekhyl and Hyde (transforming into a weaker, shorter duration, Wildshape). The Alchemist would get to pick from Druid spells per level, and it'd be abstracted that the Alchemist is always automatically finding new ingredients.

 

Or it could even be a resource, "Ingredients" resource. Infinite, like the "Wounds" of the Monk or the "Focus" of the Cipher or the "Chants" of the Chanter, "Ingredients" for the Alchemist would also have some resource accumulation. Perhaps it could be a time-based resource in-combat, the Alchemist "mixes" ingredients to accumulate resource, being not able to do anything but use a "Mortar & Pestle" to create some resources to then be able to cast spells using those resources.

 

The Alchemist would be able to be built into different variations of a Druid. A Spiritshifting Druid only, or a spell casting Druid only. What I've been talking about in this thread.

 

Doctor (Priest inspired) - A Doctor can heal wounds (Health), but only a slight amount of it. Stitching, using medicine, ailments and generally doctor-type class abilities. Apart of it's own mortal techniques, as a Class of the art of mending wounds, the Doctor would get a few Priest spells to pick from each level.

 

And then my mind went blank... or rather... I started thinking "Hm, a Doctor could use Alchemy as well so... could these two classes be merged into One? But then... it'd be a Priest/Druid, gah!" and that's how my brainstorm ended xD

Edited February 15, 2015 by Osvir

[Bazy]

They are inspired by the Infinity Engine/D&D Druids. They are very similar (in terms of spell gain and a lot of their spells too). They are Druids in this sense, but personally wished Obsidian would've done something more with them. Or that they will do more with them.

They were.... Spiritshift used to last the entirety of combat, and wildstrike used to work all the time. This was a step in the right direction....

 

But now spiritshift lasts like 10 seconds. The shapeshifted abilties are still weak. And wildstrike only works while spiritshifted.

Edited February 15, 2015 by Bazy

[Sensuki]

Yeah those changes weren't necessary IMO. Druids were OP but it was more because of their spells having way too much damage, way too long duration, way to wide AoE etc

 

Shapeshifted forms don't even do good damage, or attack quickly - better off using a Quarterstaff.

Edited February 15, 2015 by Sensuki

[Whipstitch]

 

Druids/Priests are the prototypical hybrid class. Yet wizards have more limitations than they do. 

 

Some form of spontaneous casting or independent cool down is practically a necessary design feature if narrow and reactionary spells like the "Prayer Against" line are ever going to see much action. Things like damage and accuracy buffs are broadly applicable and thus more attractive on a strategic level even if narrow spot fix spells may occasionally be more powerful on a tactical level.

[wanderon]

Unless they implement some way to have clerics and druids learn spells other than only choosing X number of them at level up I much prefer the current system for it's additional tactical and even RP advantage (using spells the character is attracted to at times vs always going with the most powerful yet keeping the most powerful available when necessary) 

[Bazy]

Unless they implement some way to have clerics and druids learn spells other than only choosing X number of them at level up I much prefer the current system for it's additional tactical and even RP advantage (using spells the character is attracted to at times vs always going with the most powerful yet keeping the most powerful available when necessary) 

1. Are wizards, chanters, ciphers lacking in "tactical advantage?"

2. Druids currently have over 50 spells. Is this more than necessary to have a "tactical advantage?" Isn't there some room to give?

3. Do you feel that because druids/priests have become such do-it-all casters that more traditional aspects of being a druid/priest have been compromised? (shapeshift/diety specific abilities/bonuses)

4. Would you do anything with your druid/priest other than stand in the back and cast spells? Does this feel tactical or compelling?

Edited February 16, 2015 by Bazy

[wanderon]

 

Unless they implement some way to have clerics and druids learn spells other than only choosing X number of them at level up I much prefer the current system for it's additional tactical and even RP advantage (using spells the character is attracted to at times vs always going with the most powerful yet keeping the most powerful available when necessary) 

1. Are wizards, chanters, ciphers lacking in "tactical advantage?"

2. Druids currently have over 50 spells. Is this more than necessary to have a "tactical advantage?" Isn't there some room to give?

3. Do you feel that because druids/priests have become such do-it-all casters that more traditional aspects of being a druid/priest have been compromised? (shapeshift/diety specific abilities/bonuses)

4. Would you do anything with your druid/priest other than stand in the back and cast spells? Does this feel tactical or compelling?

 

 

1. Wizards have the grimoire function and are not limited to the number of spells they choose on level up. Both ciphers and chanters are new types of class and I am currently deferring to the devs to create them as they see fit before deciding whether or not they work as planned.

 

2. Druids and clerics currently have about the same number of spells as they did in the IE games altho the number of spells is not as much the issue to me as having to choose only a limited number and no I do not want to see that form of choosing for these classes I prefer the current version so no there is no room to give.

 

3. I have yet to see a shapeshift handled in such a way as to make it worthwhile for me to use in any game so nothing new to see here and how is casting NOT a traditional aspect for these classes.

 

4. I have always done more than just stand in the back casting with these classes and even in battles where the casting becomes more important than other forms of offenses/defenses yes I do feel it is both tactical and compelling - particularly when you have a large range of different types of spells at your disposal and it is less so when you restirct the number and types of spells - especially in a new game with a new system where you have little or no knowledge of what works well and what doesn't - what are you supposed to base your spell choices on? Intuition? Coin flips?  

[Bazy]

You answered questions that I didn't ask. 

Edited February 17, 2015 by Bazy