Druid Shapeshifting and Wildstrike talent worth it mid/late game?

I'm looking for advice from people who had a Druid in their party mid/late game. Did you find the Shape shifting still worth using? And did any of you pick the Wildstrike talents (the one which adds some elemental damage to the shape shift).

 

Thanks!

I'm interested in this as well. I heard that the Corrosive one was viable because of the rarity of DR against it, but the problem is, if you go to buff that damage with one of the elemental utility talents for purposes of buffing your own spells, I'm not sure how many Druid spells actually do Corrosive damage and/or how good they are. 

I'm interested in this as well. I heard that the Corrosive one was viable because of the rarity of DR against it, but the problem is, if you go to buff that damage with one of the elemental utility talents for purposes of buffing your own spells, I'm not sure how many Druid spells actually do Corrosive damage and/or how good they are. 

 

That's a good point re the elemental damage talents (EG. Scion of Flame). I've already picked the freeze and storm versions, I guess they will effect many of my spells. I'm really on the fence whether to take any telent which improves my bear shape shift or not. I've seen a couple of posts where people say they're not useful mid/late game. I'm guessing they won't scale well, as we can't add equipment to buff our shape shift, only buff via those talents.

Corrosive is probably the most viable of the talents.

 

Frankly? I don't think it matters much. There aren't many talents that the druid need -- you get a lot of your damage, utility, and overall strength from spells in the mid to late game. If you like playing in your wildshape form, embrace it and take a couple of the talents. If you find yourself keeping your druid to the back and not using it often, then don't bother. It does work even in the late game, just not as well as, say, a druid who decides to wield one of the powerful two-handed unique weapons that could be available to her if you replace the wildstrike talents with two-handed style or what have you. But your druid is always going to get the most work done as a spellcaster in the late game, not shapeshifted.

 

EDIT: Also, none of the elemental enhancing talents are worth taking except for burn and maybe shock, though I wouldn't recommend the shock one. Corrosive is probably the least effective at synergizing with the druid's spell. I think there's only one level 1 or 2 spell that does corrosive damage?

Edited April 4, 2015 by Lasci

Can't you cast while shapeshifted, though?

Yes you can, Druid would be **** if you couldnt cast heals or any other spell while shapeshifted. You cannot take potions as far as I know ( and tried) Bears hands arent good handling liquids inside bottles. Pretty fair.

Can't you cast while shapeshifted, though?

 

Yeah. And?

 

You have twelve seconds to use wildstrike if you're taking the talent. Make them count.

Corrosive is probably the most viable of the talents.

 

Frankly? I don't think it matters much. There aren't many talents that the druid need -- you get a lot of your damage, utility, and overall strength from spells in the mid to late game. If you like playing in your wildshape form, embrace it and take a couple of the talents. If you find yourself keeping your druid to the back and not using it often, then don't bother. It does work even in the late game, just not as well as, say, a druid who decides to wield one of the powerful two-handed unique weapons that could be available to her if you replace the wildstrike talents with two-handed style or what have you. But your druid is always going to get the most work done as a spellcaster in the late game, not shapeshifted.

 

EDIT: Also, none of the elemental enhancing talents are worth taking except for burn and maybe shock, though I wouldn't recommend the shock one. Corrosive is probably the least effective at synergizing with the druid's spell. I think there's only one level 1 or 2 spell that does corrosive damage?

 

Thanks for the info. Yeah, thinking about it, I'm more into the spell casting, so I'll leave the shape shift talents. But regarding your point "none of the elemental enhancing talents are worth taking except for burn and maybe shock...", are you talking about talents such as Scion of Flame? I've taken the freeze and storm versions because I thought they would increase the damage of my freeze and storm spells. Isn't that correct?

I got 30% freeze damage but because Im roleplaying and soloing, so I really need the extra damage. As a group druid I would get the extra spells Telmorial. Or spells to go tanky and gain accuracy and defensive stats.

Edited April 4, 2015 by LastSoloer

The freeze one only works for Blizzard -- that's the only spell that frost gets an advantage on. I don't think it's worth it. Hail Storm is crush damage, not frost. Taking a look at the damage from the storms, I suppose the shock damage is alright. You get about an extra 6 damage per hit, an extra 2 on the later one. 

 

I think the Burn one is still a bit better, though. Firebrand is very strong early, especially if you put Taste of the Hunt on it.

 

No worries. Like I said, druids don't really 'need' any talents when they're in a party.

Wait, Wild-Strike applies to spells?  

 

But even then, I'm not sure the loss of gear stats makes it worth it.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Parsong

Wait, Wild-Strike applies to spells?

 

... no?

 

Wait, Wild-Strike applies to spells?

 

... no?

 

 

Ahh, then to answer the OP both shift and its talents are complete junk.

 

 

Wait, Wild-Strike applies to spells?

 

... no?

 

 

Ahh, then to answer the OP both shift and its talents are complete junk.

 

 

No, spiritshift isn't junk. It's talents aren't bad, either. They're not stellar, but what else are you going to get with a druid? Spiritshift is great for the first half of the game, and by the time it falls off, you have a repertoire of spells to handle any situation.

I'd rather take the flame or lightening talents, won't feel like you wasted one out of six.

If you're min-maxing and looking to be more effective in late game you can ignore shapeshifting talents. Spend them on increasing your elemental damage, maybe running speed and such instead. Take all which give you more spells to use per rest.

Thanks for the replies all, very useful info. I'm now happy with my Druid build.

Now all I need to do is find a way of making some rings which increase the number of spells I can cast per rest, like those pesky Wizards and Clerics have!   I guess that will be a case of waiting for some clever people to make some item mods.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Telmorial

No, spiritshift isn't junk. It's talents aren't bad, either. They're not stellar, but what else are you going to get with a druid? Spiritshift is great for the first half of the game, and by the time it falls off, you have a repertoire of spells to handle any situation.

 

Gunner, Penetrating, Marksman, Weapon Focus: x ?

 

Because more dakka > mediocre dps or mediocre tank as shapeshifted druid. 

 

Gunner, Penetrating, Marksman, Weapon Focus: x ?

 

Because more dakka > mediocre dps or mediocre tank as shapeshifted druid. 

 

 

No, that makes no sense, either.

Druids, Priests and Wizards are reliant on their spells.

Especially because spells of level 1 and 2 transform into per encounter later on.

Therefore buffing a weapon that is rather mediocre without a Chanter is not that helpful.

Then there is the simple fact to consider that the needed chant got nerfed - and rightfully so.

 

Overall, if you are trying to be effective, it is better to invest in all four elemental talents (Heart of the Storm, Scion of Flames, Secrets of Rime and Spirit of Decay).

The last two talents should be applied to a bonus spell in level 1 and level 2, which ups your per encounter spells to 5 per the first two spell levels.

 

For priests, just leave the Spirit of Decay out and swap in Untroubled Faith... just in case.

In general, investing in talents like Weapon Focus or Gunner for wizards/priests/druids is not worth the effort, but should the level cap raised to 20 there would be room to invest in those too.

 

Mind you, optimizing is not really necessary to get through the game... maybe aside from the Path of the Damned.

So putting a talent here or there into something you think is awesome, even if it might not be that effective, is doable without crippling the character.

On 4/4/2015 at 5:21 AM, Lasci said:

 

Yeah. And?

 

You have twelve seconds to use wildstrike if you're taking the talent. Make them count.

Well, who can resist modding it? Just a little? https://www.nexusmods.com/pillarsofeternity/mods/19?tab=posts&BH=0

 

I do wonder, though, do all of those damage type enhancements stack up together?

Edited November 13 by Svartypops