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Druids?

BlackfordBlackford Member
in General Discussion
So I really like playing Druids.
I play druids in DnD, and I play a druid in WoW. I used to play a druid in EQ as well.
It seems unusual that Ashes doesn't have the druid archetype since it's so very much a basic part of the fantasy genre.

Or is there something I'm missing. Could I make a nature based tank similar to my guardian druid in WoW, or a nature based cleric like my EQ druid?

I just really like the nature based MMO character, and prefer being the groups Druid-zilla if that's at all possible.
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Comments

  • VhaeyneVhaeyne Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Maybe in the first expansion when they add the "Transformer" Archetype. :D

    Real talk, I think some of the ranger and summoner combinations might satisfy your nature-based needs.
    We don't know for sure, but the many people on here speculate that classes will not be as deep with lore as WOW or EQ. 64 classes is a lot to have them all be lore rich.

    Maybe just play what play style you like with a nature-based outfit?
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    If I had more time, I would write a shorter post.
  • DygzDygz Member, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    I expect the Cleric/Ranger (Protector) to play like a Druid.
    What's in a name...?
  • tautautautau Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    You could make your family name 'Druid'. We get first and last names, right? Diablo Druid as a main, Gimli Druid as your dwarven alt.....
  • SmolSmol Member
    I heard they aren't adding any class that can transform into animals, therefore Druids don't exist.
  • MaezrielMaezriel Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Steven has said that he'd like to look into a Druid and Monk class possibly in a future expansion.

    This could possibly be in the form of a Shapeshifter and Martial archetype.
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    If I said something that you disagree w/ feel free to say so here.
  • SongcallerSongcaller Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    I love Monk in EQ2. A good solo character which could run to the end of dungeons, feign death and then solo the boss. Man I miss the Monk. Wouldn't have played Monk without Teras Kasi in SWG first though.
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  • KhronusKhronus Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    I love the idea of the druid class but I don't think we will honestly see it in game. Hopefully we see something in the future.
  • insomniainsomnia Member
    Also have in mind, with the augmentation system. How could it's abilites be augmentet from the various sources they can get augmentet. And how will other classes abilites get augmentet by picking it as a secondary class
  • McShaveMcShave Member, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    The original idea of "Druid" was a person that is very in touch with nature, not a shapeshifting person that can become animals. But ever since WoW, i guess the definition has changed. If it is a shapeshifting class, or a nature based class, I hope to see it in a future expansion.
  • YuyukoyayYuyukoyay Member
    They also said they'd like to avoid adding more archetypes in the short term because it adds so much content to the game just adding a single one. xD

    Rangers will probably have a nature skill tree of some kind. So it will probably add nature skills to every class they are formed into.
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    U.S. East
  • TacualeonTacualeon Member
    edited May 2021
    The druid from wow and eq2 is an invention from them.

    Merlin was the og mage. And he was a druid.
    Wise, nature magic, herbalism and shape shifting.

    I think you have a lot of options for a Druid. You don't need someone to stamp
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    the word Druid and tell you what it is :)

    The transformation feral druid experience would require niche mechanics from Intrepid though.
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  • VhaeyneVhaeyne Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Tacualeon wrote: »
    Melin and Arthur probably had the sickest 2v2 arena rating :D

    Good points, Nice graph!

    You know you can play Merlin and Arthur in the arena in SMITE right?
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    If I had more time, I would write a shorter post.
  • TacualeonTacualeon Member
    edited May 2021
    Vhaeyne wrote: »
    Tacualeon wrote: »
    Melin and Arthur probably had the sickest 2v2 arena rating :D

    Good points, Nice graph!

    You know you can play Merlin and Arthur in the arena in SMITE right?

    I deleted the majority of the post, it felt like an unnecesary information dump for someone who only asked if he could play a druid.

    I haven't played Smite it in years. Mythology is one of my favorite topics, I wanted to like Smite so bad but I didn't enjoy the flow of combat sadly.
  • BlackfordBlackford Member
    Thanks for all the replies.
    Great community!

    Hoping that Tank/ranger gives me what I'm after (a big beefy nature tank) even without a Bear-Form. I guess I'll find out once the NDA is up.
  • DygzDygz Member, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Well... after Secondary Archetype is implemented...which is probably not before next year.
  • VhaeyneVhaeyne Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Blackford wrote: »
    Thanks for all the replies.
    Great community!

    Hoping that Tank/ranger gives me what I'm after (a big beefy nature tank) even without a Bear-Form. I guess I'll find out once the NDA is up.
    I don't think this has been brought up in this thread, but anyone can do animal husbandry:
    https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Animal_husbandry

    While it might not make you command nature. Being able to befriend creatures form nature seems like a pretty naturalistic thing you could be doing. I feel that it adds a nature connection to any character that specializes in animal husbandry.
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    If I had more time, I would write a shorter post.
  • MaezrielMaezriel Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    McShave wrote: »
    The original idea of "Druid" was a person that is very in touch with nature, not a shapeshifting person that can become animals. But ever since WoW, i guess the definition has changed. If it is a shapeshifting class, or a nature based class, I hope to see it in a future expansion.

    Gary Gygax had said that his original idea for Druids came from Cesar's description of Gaulish Priests in the Commentarii de Bello Gallico and there are plenty of Celtic myths surrounding shapeshifters.

    Even Beorn from The Hobbit could be classified as a Druid since he was a "skin-changer" w/ no real mention of Lycanthropy.
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    If I said something that you disagree w/ feel free to say so here.
  • BlackfordBlackford Member
    Yeah they were an example of a "specialty priest" kit. Dropping things like armor proficiencies and turn undead for nature based abilities and some special restrictions to balance it out.

    The descriptions by Caeser and others are VERY different than the fantasy trope we have today, and the unfortunate truth is that all we really have to base them on are a few scattered accounts from conquerors and some artifacts and holy sites. The conquerors were very much motivated to romanticize their conquest (PUNS!) by playing up the druids as vicious barbarians who performed human sacrifices but were ultimately wrong and inferior to their own gods and priests.

    I don't think shapechanging is really NEEDED for a druid to work. I think every culture in the world had shapeshifters of some sort whether were talking Loup-Garou, very "aggressive" greek gods in the shape of geese, North-American Skinwalkers, or just plain European witches.

  • MahesMahes Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    I would say Protector is as close to the EQ Druid as you can get. Obviously you are missing some key things such as porting. No class gets porting as far as I know.
  • RocketFarmerRocketFarmer Member, Alpha Two
    Druids in the classical sense were more like shamans with a specialization in stargazing to determine the seasons and ways of nature. Also judges and advisors. The nature theme was due to their meeting in secret (hidden groves) since there was a belief that unearned knowledge was dangerous. So rather than any particular class it may be more of a mindset.

    For the RPG Druid, with the fantasy part thrown in, sounds like more effort would be needed there.
  • NagashNagash Member, Leader of Men, Kickstarter, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Dygz wrote: »
    Well... after Secondary Archetype is implemented...which is probably not before next year.

    Sad summoner noises
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    The dead do not squabble as this land’s rulers do. The dead have no desires, petty jealousies or ambitions. A world of the dead is a world at peace
  • oriondeanoriondean Member
    edited April 2023
    Maezriel wrote: »
    Steven has said that he'd like to look into a Druid and Monk class possibly in a future expansion.

    This could possibly be in the form of a Shapeshifter and Martial archetype.

    I love that Idea! then we could at least have werewolves in the game!
    I am not sure how vampires would exist in the game.
    I would understand though if everyone feels like something like a werewolf is more of a monster than a player. or more like a race than a class.
    I could also understand if a vampire is more like a monster than a player, and also more like a race than a class.

    I still like the idea of having a shapeshifter archetype, at least for druids that specifically turn into animals. I am not sure how druids as "nature casters" would fit in the current archetype system though. the explanation of the "ranger" archetype is "they use ranged weapons" but then if you do something like a ranger/fighter the fighter description says "they do physical damage" so my question is "does that mean melee?" because a bow is "physical damage" its just "ranged"? so doing a ranger/fighter should mean... they still use bows? so a ranger/cleric as our "druid" should... use bows to cast nature spells?
    you see how I am confused how the developers would make a "nature caster"; and mage/cleric doesn't seem like a "nature caster". It seems like just someone who blends arcane and divine principles. (I am not using any other IPs concepts of "arcane" or "divine" here, I am just going with the fundamental idea that "priests rely on their religion for the things they do" and mages "rely on obscure and intimidating knowledge for the things they do (in my mind meaning "arcane: known to a select group, secret, hard to find."))
  • FantmxFantmx Member, Phoenix Initiative, Royalty, Kickstarter, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    I was a druid as my first mmorpg character back in 1999. It is sad to not see it here.

    Beyond just the druid, not having classic support classes I think is very detrimental to play but that is personal preference I suppose. I will loosely accept the Bard as one but not having pure support like an enchanter or hybrids like the druid and shaman among others will leave things feeling bare in groups.
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  • SirChancelotSirChancelot Member, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Are we just not going to acknowledge the 2 year thread necro?
  • LudulluLudullu Member, Alpha Two
    SirChancelot wrote: »
    Are we just not going to acknowledge the 2 year thread necro?
    Sometimes it's better to just necro a post than making a whole damn new one. Especially if you only have smth to add to the already preestablished conversation.
  • RazThemunRazThemun Member, Alpha Two
    between all the archetypes being made. I am sure there will be something druid like as a class. Even if there isn't though... point of games is to do something different right? why go into a different game just to do the same classes. get some variety going
  • oriondeanoriondean Member
    sorry if I necro'ed the thread, I just got here today.
  • nanfoodlenanfoodle Member, Founder, Kickstarter, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    oriondean wrote: »
    sorry if I necro'ed the thread, I just got here today.

    Don't feel bad, as mentioned above it's better to add to an existing thread over making 100 threads on the same topic. And welcome btw :)
  • VeeshanVeeshan Member, Alpha Two
    probaly see more classes down the line with expansions and what not, same with weapons types
  • SirChancelotSirChancelot Member, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    oriondean wrote: »
    sorry if I necro'ed the thread, I just got here today.

    It's all good
    It's just always funny to me when I see such an old post come back.
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