First time Druid- wanting feedback!

[Ravepig]

DEFENCE
regen 2 > regen when guarding
fire +2, hydro immunity < aegis 1 (although hydro immunity might get better in november  )

What happens in November?

[Puddnhead]

Projected release time for Paladin vs Siren.  Siren is rumored to be a water based mage which suggests some new hydro attacks.

I would like to point out, however, that Hydro Immunity means that you cannot hit Togorah with a Surging Wave.  Surging Wave is mostly used to get rid of guard markers and does work on Guardian Angel.  Also Rooted means you can't force push him either which is another way of getting rid of guards.  So his guard marker is much more potent than other creature's guard marker.

[Kaarin]

If You add eagleclaw boots and astral anchor then your mage and Togorah almost become Siamese siblings.

[Ravepig]

Projected release time for Paladin vs Siren.  Siren is rumored to be a water based mage which suggests some new hydro attacks.

I would like to point out, however, that Hydro Immunity means that you cannot hit Togorah with a Surging Wave.  Surging Wave is mostly used to get rid of guard markers and does work on Guardian Angel.  Also Rooted means you can't force push him either which is another way of getting rid of guards.  So his guard marker is much more potent than other creature's guard marker.

But if I pay the two mana to uproot Togorah, then he can be forced push, correct? Also, if I don't pay the 2 mana to uproot, and decide to teleport Togorah, I assume he is then still rooted in the new zone?

[Puddnhead]

Uproot is only active during his action.  Once his action is over he is rooted again.  If you teleport him he remains rooted as well, yes.

[leggybl0nde]

Druid is absolutely my favorite mage.  A strategy that I find very effective is running several plant creatures - I personally prefer vine snappers and thornlashers - with an altar of the iron guard.  I normally pack one or two larger nature creatures as well.  Having a garden of guarding plants can be very aggressive and intimidating and cost effective with the vine tree! The thornlashers are obviously used to pull the enemy creatures closer to you or away from you while the vine snappers deal the heavy dice damage. Plus your plants regenerate so if you pack a few brace yourselves you are increasing their staying power and effectiveness. I like to include five tanglevines because they are such a great spells- you are essentially giving your enemy something to deal with instead of pursuing his main strategy which is killing your mage. Plus if you have a guarding plant in the zone with a tanglevined creature - that creature is forced to deal with your plant and can't attack the tanglevine.  I don't think that a battle forge is necessary if you utilize the in--school enchantments such as rhino hide, brace yourself, regrowth, or bark skin as well as your treebond.  My druid likes to hide in the background until forced to attack. Another effective attack for the timid druid is burst of thorns which bypasses blocks, reverse attacks, retaliates, etc.  Its better than you would imagine. Since the druid is able to use level 1 water spells, I also find that is important to include a couple rusts and acid balls to really break the enemy down and make them easier to deal with. And then the corrosive orchid is the best way to dissolve armor and bypass nullifies.  I have been very successful utilizing this strategy and hope it was helpful. 


 
 

[Puddnhead]

@leggyblonde  A creature may always attack itself which means that the creature that is tanglevined may always attack the tanglevine that's attached to it.  other creatures in the zone must deal with your guard first, of course.

[leggybl0nde]

@leggyblonde  A creature may always attack itself which means that the creature that is tanglevined may always attack the tanglevine that's attached to it.  other creatures in the zone must deal with your guard first, of course.

Thanks for info puddnhead! I'm still forcing the opponent to deal with things other than my mage which is key to my strategy. It usually takes two hits to kill a tanglevine.

[Puddnhead]

@leggyblonde  A creature may always attack itself which means that the creature that is tanglevined may always attack the tanglevine that's attached to it.  other creatures in the zone must deal with your guard first, of course.

Thanks for info puddnhead! I'm still forcing the opponent to deal with things other than my mage which is key to my strategy. It usually takes two hits to kill a tanglevine.

Very True.  Packing that many tanglevines is probably extremely irritating to the opponent.  What is your usual counter to flying creatures?  I've found that only Thornlashers is not enough.

[leggybl0nde]

@leggyblonde  A creature may always attack itself which means that the creature that is tanglevined may always attack the tanglevine that's attached to it.  other creatures in the zone must deal with your guard first, of course.

Thanks for info puddnhead! I'm still forcing the opponent to deal with things other than my mage which is key to my strategy. It usually takes two hits to kill a tanglevine.

Very True.  Packing that many tanglevines is probably extremely irritating to the opponent.  What is your usual counter to flying creatures?  I've found that only Thornlashers is not enough.

What I had previously failed to mention is that I usually play a Gorgon Archer in my garden as well as carry a Kralathor who has reach to address the flying creatures. The weak conditions are great against aggressive mages and Kralathor is a perfect counter to undead creatures. Also my spell book has about 4 hurl rocks and a few burst of thorns (which are ranged attacks) for the mage to assist in attacking the fliers

[Ravepig]

Druid is absolutely my favorite mage.  A strategy that I find very effective is running several plant creatures - I personally prefer vine snappers and thornlashers - with an altar of the iron guard.  I normally pack one or two larger nature creatures as well.  Having a garden of guarding plants can be very aggressive and intimidating and cost effective with the vine tree! The thornlashers are obviously used to pull the enemy creatures closer to you or away from you while the vine snappers deal the heavy dice damage. Plus your plants regenerate so if you pack a few brace yourselves you are increasing their staying power and effectiveness. I like to include five tanglevines because they are such a great spells- you are essentially giving your enemy something to deal with instead of pursuing his main strategy which is killing your mage. Plus if you have a guarding plant in the zone with a tanglevined creature - that creature is forced to deal with your plant and can't attack the tanglevine.  I don't think that a battle forge is necessary if you utilize the in--school enchantments such as rhino hide, brace yourself, regrowth, or bark skin as well as your treebond.  My druid likes to hide in the background until forced to attack. Another effective attack for the timid druid is burst of thorns which bypasses blocks, reverse attacks, retaliates, etc.  Its better than you would imagine. Since the druid is able to use level 1 water spells, I also find that is important to include a couple rusts and acid balls to really break the enemy down and make them easier to deal with. And then the corrosive orchid is the best way to dissolve armor and bypass nullifies.  I have been very successful utilizing this strategy and hope it was helpful. 

Thanks for the reply! What are your thoughts on the use of Togorah?

[Kelanen]

A strategy that I find very effective is running several plant creatures - I personally prefer vine snappers and thornlashers - with an altar of the iron guard.

Thornlashers can't attack under Iron Guard and Vine snappers only get their weak attack...

Personally I'd say after the Vine Tree and Barkskin, Battleforge is the most important card in a Druid book. I'd swap the Dragonscale Hauberk for something else though. Chitin Armour if you have it, otherwise Stormdrake Hide?

[rant]

Thornlashers can't attack under Iron Guard and Vine snappers only get their weak attack...

They might not be able to hit back, but they sure can take a punch.

[leggybl0nde]

Thanks for the reply! What are your thoughts on the use of Togorah?
[/quote]

I prefer to use a creature heavy build to give my opponent more to deal with. Mana management is key for this to be successful and Togorah is much too costly for me.  Plus a few fireballs from a warlock could really hurt this guy quickly. Perhaps end game he could work but I rarely have 21 mana to spare and would prefer to just throw a couple.of cheaper boulders to end the match.

[Ravepig]

Now that the match has been declared, thought I would post the outcome. So, there were two unplanned variables that changed the nature of the game. 1) my buddy brought a Beastmaster book when I was expecting a Warlord book, and 2) he brought a friend with a wizard book asking if we could play a 3 player arena match. Fortunately, I had changed my strategy from my original posted book and went with a garden-variety druid. Lots of plant and vine creatures. Much less focus on equipment. I stayed back in a defensive position expanding my garden and doing some serious damage with plant combos. The wizard thought he was being clever by casting poison gas cloud in a zone where I had three of my strongest plant creatures. I snatched both enemy mages into that zone and held them there with all my stuck, tanglevine and snatch abilities. With regen and vampiric traits, my plants had no issue with the poison- it wound up hurting the beastmaster more than anything. When all was done and said, I made easy work of the beastmaster within an hour of play. The wizard was a little more difficult- between sapping mana, and upkeep costs, I was basically down to channeling 4 mana per turn, but by that point I had a massive garden in place. His hydra who stole my bear strength caused some problems, but in the end, the druid is just ridiculously hard to kill. I am still undecided on Togorah- though he is ultimately what rid the board of the hydra (actually they rid the board of each other).

On the flip side, I think Kralathor is my new favorite creature- holy cow that thing is crazy strong. The Beastmaster did take him out, but with the effort it took, it freed up my smaller plants to focus soley on his mage.

The wizard finally decided to call it. Druid is bad a$$ and maybe my new favorite mage! Thanks again for all the suggestions!

I do have another match scheduled for Tuesday. I plan to tweek the book a bit more and give the druid a second play.