Vines hindering everything

[Halewijn]

The vines of the druid hinder everything of the opponent except flyers, this means that the druid has a HUGE mobility advantage over the opponent if she is using animals instead of plants. This is why there are so many druids running animals which is a shame. I've even heard people calling her "the better beastmaster"

So yesterday I thought of the following houserule: "vines hinder everything except the druid, plants (and maybe insects for future druids)"

That way the advantage of a druid using animals would be a lot smaller. I also believe this makes sense thematically; why would her own men/animals not be hindered by vines?

Seems like a good idea?

[Puddnhead]

Druid cannot use a spawnpoint to summon animals and must full cast them herself.  That's a liability enough for me.

[wtcannonjr]

Druid cannot use a spawnpoint to summon animals and must full cast them herself.  That's a liability enough for me.

+1

[Halewijn]

it should, but why are so many druids main creatures [mwcard=MW1C34]Steelclaw Grizzly[/mwcard], [mwcard=MW1C07]Cervere, The Forest Shadow[/mwcard] or wolves? It's only 1/2 ish full casts in an entire game.

The plant creatures are in many books more the "support" instead of the main threat. 

[Puddnhead]

it should, but why are so many druids main creatures [mwcard=MW1C34]Steelclaw Grizzly[/mwcard], [mwcard=MW1C07]Cervere, The Forest Shadow[/mwcard] or wolves? It's only 1/2 ish full casts in an entire game.

The plant creatures are in many books more the "support" instead of the main threat. 

Because Steelclaw Grizzly and Cervere are extremely good and they are in school for the Druid.  Same reason so many Forcemasters run those creatures.  Honestly, I've played enough games where the bear and the cat have not pulled their weight that I wouldn't run them as a Druid.  I'd rather run bridge troll.

The main drawback to plant creatures is that they aren't very mobile so they are going to necessarily be support creatures.

[jacksmack]

vines are extremely strong bordering OP against some strategies.

The druid is almost immune to aggro books because of treebond add in vines and in particular forcemaster and arraxian crown are fighting an almost impossible fight.

[ringkichard]

Agro must either make the Treebond irrelevant (usually by killing the Tree) or make the vines irrelevant (Teleport, Flying, ranged attacks, etc). If you let her play both her strategies you can't win a long game.

Also, I never see enough Deathlock.

[Halewijn]

vines are extremely strong bordering OP against some strategies.

The druid is almost immune to aggro books because of treebond add in vines and in particular forcemaster and arraxian crown are fighting an almost impossible fight.

I agree, and the design of the druid seems to be aimed without much movement: Thornlashers pulling, snappers snapping, tanglevine/stranglevine, vinewhip staff, spiders, ...

However, when ignoring her design you can have an extreme mobility advantage by using animals (or a troll or something like that).

While the opponent is ALWAYS hindered and has almost no way around it, you can give yourself mongoose agility and run around with your creatures with ease. I'm not saying the druid is OP at all, but I think it would be cool to let her own creatures be hindered as well. Also, I was just suggesting this for alternative play rules, nothing more.

[iNano78]

While the opponent is ALWAYS hindered and has almost no way around it, you can give yourself mongoose agility and run around with your creatures with ease.  ...

Um, doesn't the Elusive trait work against vine markers? Eg an opposing Cervere, or Slaknir's goblin friends, or Mongoose Agility/Panther Stealth, etc?  And then of course there's Force Push or Teleport, especially on a wand. Yes, the Druid could Dispel your Mongoose Agility or Dissolve your wand or Jinx/Nullify your Force Push/Teleport, but you at least have some options that the Druid may or may not be prepared for.

[Halewijn]

no, elusive does not work. force push/teleport works, but even in the zone adjacent you are probably hindered. Plus, force push/teleport cost mana and an extra action every time you use it. (Also I'm not a big-wand fan, but that's just my taste)

[Biblofilter]

Halewijn you need to stop telling people how good the Druid is
People want to believe that Wizards are overpowered.

Anyway I cried when Druid vs. Necromancer came out..

Played BM a lot but stopped after getting seriously wooped by Necro - both Bitterwood Foxes or Bridge Trolls didn't really work for me. But then I tried [mwcard=MW1C07]Cervere, The Forest Shadow with BM vs my first Druid encounter. Say what? is Cervere hindered??? 

Gave up BM for a long time.

And joined the dark side, now playing both Necro and Druids with Cervere  (she's back!)

On the more serious side I don´t think its fair to nerf Druid without also doing something with Wizard and Necros. Seriously Zombie Brutes - even Warlocks and Wizards use those.

[Biblofilter]

Tried to modify and remove underlining - its unintentional just wanted a pic of Cervere in the post!

[Halewijn]

On the more serious side I don´t think its fair to nerf Druid without also doing something with Wizard and Necros. Seriously Zombie Brutes - even Warlocks and Wizards use those.

I'm pro nerfing brutes and the tower  Let's nerf them all.

Anyway, I don't think the druid is OP at all (but she is crazy strong). I just think this might be a fun rule to try to force the druid more to play different than the beastmasters. I don't agree that beastmasters are weak though, especially the straywood bm has very good abilities. Johktari has improved a lot with kajarah.

[sIKE]

I agree though, plant based Spawnpoints shouldn't be popping out animals.

[iNano78]

I agree though, plant based Spawnpoints shouldn't be popping out animals.

... unless those "animals" are insects.

...

Hmmm... How about a Spawnpoint conjuration named "Hive" that targets a Tree conjuration (e.g. must be attached to a tree) that can only cast Insect spells?  That would be sweet as honey, so to speak.

It would have to be appropriately cheap, given that it could be destroyed by destroying the tree it's attached to, and that it has the prerequisite that there's already a tree in the zone, and those themselves aren't cheap.  And if it were Zone Exclusive, then the only tree it could attach to is [mwcard=MW1J15]Mohktari, Great Tree of Life[/mwcard]... or perhaps [mwcard=DNC18]Togorah, Forest Sentinel[/mwcard], but then what happens if he walks into a zone with another Zone Exclusive conjuration?  Of course, "Hive" doesn't have to be Zone Exclusive - and probably shouldn't be in order to keep it flexible and not underpowered.

Next we just need creatures: Army of Ants (Attack value = 4-X, where X is the amount of damage on Ants), Swarm of Bees (similar to ants, but with Flying), Killer Bee (Flying; low attack but d12 roll for Tainted), more spiders (legendary?), scorpions and beetles (see promos), maybe a legendary centipede (?).