Druid or Cipher - more fun for the duration of the game?

[FranklinsTower]

I've read that these are two of the most interactive and useful classes and I like the abilities and play style of both (only a few levels in, on Hard mode.) I'm debating which to take through the campaign first though.

 

I enjoy the sheer versatility of the Druid and I can see myself loving the damage and battlefield control later in the game, while having fun being up front in shifted form early on. Also, the lore is a little more traditional and easier to play along with I feel.

 

The Cipher seems just as fun, if not quite as versatile. The appeal of not having to rest to regain your spells is obviously a major appeal. There's definitely more of a "cool" factor to the character but I'm not quite sure how to role play the class. It just seems a little newfangled and shiny to me.

 

For you guys that have played both, which did you have a more interesting experience with?

[Enoch]

The drawback of the Druid is the lack of a decent per-encounter ability between levels 4 and 9.  You'll spend a lot of fights plunking away with a missile weapon to conserve spells.  But he/she will be the party MVP in most situations where you know you can let loose with everything you've got.  (Well, maybe second to the Priest.)  And once you get per-encounter Sunbeams, fuhgettabowdit. 

 

Ciphers, on the other hand, are more consistently useful, but they also play the same in pretty much every fight-- CC the main threats, generate focus, and line up "beam" spells.  They also have more interesting things to do in conversations.  There isn't much druid-specific dialogue. 

Edited May 13, 2015 by Enoch

[b0rsuk]

I've read that these are two of the most interactive and useful classes and I like the abilities and play style of both (only a few levels in, on Hard mode.) I'm debating which to take through the campaign first though.

 

I enjoy the sheer versatility of the Druid and I can see myself loving the damage and battlefield control later in the game, while having fun being up front in shifted form early on. Also, the lore is a little more traditional and easier to play along with I feel.

 

The Cipher seems just as fun, if not quite as versatile. The appeal of not having to rest to regain your spells is obviously a major appeal. There's definitely more of a "cool" factor to the character but I'm not quite sure how to role play the class. It just seems a little newfangled and shiny to me.

 

For you guys that have played both, which did you have a more interesting experience with?

 

Druids ARE more versatile when it comes to spell choice, at least "How do I up these guys". Yet, almost all their spells are either cones or ball-shaped effects. Ciphers get some zany effects, like single target damage spell that targets an ally, a spell that creates a lasting, highly damaging beam zapping stuff between your two party members. Or a spell that targets an enemy and only hurts enemies in a cone behind it. Many strange or awkward targeting rules. You can drain stats from enemies, have strong single target buff (Pain Block), damage over time, single target debuff that targets will (Fractured Volition). While ciphers are psionics and that's not unheard of, they seemed to have went out of their way to make their abilities as non-traditional as possible (when it comes to mechanics).

 

Note that you can recruit both cipher and druid as companions in act 2.

 

How to roleplay a Cipher ? That's EASY. Start each of your sentence with "My mind...", just like the companion cipher does. She only knows two topics of conversation, and you can guess the other one from her name. She's like a 15 year who only talks about the size of his ****.

 

There is 1 (one) druid-specific dialog option in the game.

Edited May 13, 2015 by b0rsuk

[FranklinsTower]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm thinking I'll just main the cipher and use a companion slot for a druid.

 

Also, I love that username/avatar, Борсук

[roller12]

Sort of hijacking but how does the Wizard tunes in into this?, have one slot for a magic companion and deciding between Aloth, GM and the druid dude. i take it a druid is a no go until lvl9, but Aloth does have 2 times Arcane Assault and is currently the one with the most damage done in the party..

[OverTheHillGamer]

For this newbie to CRPG and PoE, I'm still having trouble understanding the cipher (Grieving Mother).  I just used the companion Druid in a successful bounty quest (Syl "CantRememberHIsLastName") and think I'm finally getting the hang of using and coordinating (which I'm coming to learn is key) his abilities in combat.  I just can't find ways to use the cipher, which I'm sure will come with time and experience.

 

So I guess my vote would be the druid at this time.  Take that for what it is worth.  

[MoxyWoo]

Sort of hijacking but how does the Wizard tunes in into this?, have one slot for a magic companion and deciding between Aloth, GM and the druid dude. i take it a druid is a no go until lvl9, but Aloth does have 2 times Arcane Assault and is currently the one with the most damage done in the party..

I have done multiple wizard parties and find them extremely fun and powerful at the same time. Wizards can go so many different ways it's awesome. And like you noted more arcane assault = multiplication benefits.

[Krausewitz]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm thinking I'll just main the cipher and use a companion slot for a druid.

 

Also, I love that username/avatar, Борсук

 

Both are fun, but I prefer the druid, myself.  As you said in your first post: it just feels a bit more traditional.

 

Anyway, best of luck with your game....may the four winds blow you safely home!

[Odd Hermit]

Cipher is more interesting to play for most of the game due to per-encounter nature of their abilities. Druids get spritshift per-encounter but it doesn't scale well enough espeically on harder difficulties- you're just too squishy and too low accuracy to be in melee most of the time.

 

Druid spells are also mostly pretty basic, not as many funky combos as a Wizard or Cipher that you can pull. Lots of simple AoE damage/debuffs.

 

On big fights / boss fights where you can let the insects fly the Druid is great though.

[FranklinsTower]

 

Cipher is more interesting to play for most of the game due to per-encounter nature of their abilities. Druids get spritshift per-encounter but it doesn't scale well enough espeically on harder difficulties- you're just too squishy and too low accuracy to be in melee most of the time.

 

Druid spells are also mostly pretty basic, not as many funky combos as a Wizard or Cipher that you can pull. Lots of simple AoE damage/debuffs.

 

On big fights / boss fights where you can let the insects fly the Druid is great though.

 

 

Yeah, I've stuck with the Cipher more now, and I'm definitely enjoying it more.  Still on Act 1, so looking forward to getting my hands dirty with the game.  Thanks again for all of the responses/opinions.  Awesome community!

 

 

 

 

Anyway, best of luck with your game....may the four winds blow you safely home!

 

 

[VahnXIII]

 

Sort of hijacking but how does the Wizard tunes in into this?, have one slot for a magic companion and deciding between Aloth, GM and the druid dude. i take it a druid is a no go until lvl9, but Aloth does have 2 times Arcane Assault and is currently the one with the most damage done in the party..

I have done multiple wizard parties and find them extremely fun and powerful at the same time. Wizards can go so many different ways it's awesome. And like you noted more arcane assault = multiplication benefits.

 

I second this. My main char is a wizard and I also have Aloth in my party. Sure, their spells are per rest at this point, but having 4 Arcane Assaults is amazing. Not too mention things die fast with having two wizards casting AOE spells like fireball and fan of flames. If things get hairy, you can change the battle easily with  slicken, spectacle and other CC spells. If you REALLY want to have fun, cast Alicrity before casting your offensive spells. Things go boom, then everything is dead.

 

My personal favorite is casting Arcane Veil then going to town with Parasitic Staff.

 

On top of this, once you're level 9 you can cast your 1st level spells as per encounter. At level 11 you can cast 2nd level spells as per encounter as well. 

 

Let's just say I'm looking forward to having 2 wizards once I get to that point. Fun times are ahead indeed.

[roller12]

Yep i ran with Aloth, but mainly out of convenience though, cba to go through yet another set of one-time selectable spells with ambiguous names. And Aloth is extremely convenient in this regard. Plus the "collect the spells" minigame is kinda fun too.

plus i kinda dont get the point of the cipher, he spends 1 round shooting, 1 round reloading and 1 round casting. His spells must be pretty powerful to negate that..

[VahnXIII]

Yep i ran with Aloth, but mainly out of convenience though, cba to go through yet another set of one-time selectable spells with ambiguous names. And Aloth is extremely convenient in this regard. Plus the "collect the spells" minigame is kinda fun too.

plus i kinda dont get the point of the cipher, he spends 1 round shooting, 1 round reloading and 1 round casting. His spells must be pretty powerful to negate that..

Before 1.05, it was more like casting mental binding, followed by casting mind blades, then one shot with the blunderbuss, afterwards you begin the cycle again and substitute in any other spells  til your heart is content.

 

Most fights are done before you even have to reload (except for boss encounters). The Cipher class is fun, but it can get a little repetitive. The Wizard class has so many other options and is ridiculously powerful at mid levels and higher. Multiply that by 2 (main character and Aloth) and you have a force to be reckoned with.