How to Druid?

[xDIABOx]

Hey folks,

I've been here before with another nickname (xJEDIx) but I lost access to my old e-mail account... and I also was a bit distant from the game, but this weekend I've played a serious game in 2 years after lots of demo games in-between.

It's a bit of a shame but I lack players in my zone. I've been supporting this game since it came out (my edition is the 1st one ) even without players. It's the best PVP game I've played, comparing to both card games and miniature games but it's really a shame to not have enough arguments to encourage more players to dive into Mage Wars.

But alas, the topic,
I have spellbooks/lists built for all Mages (excluding the double-versions) minus two: Forcemaster and Druid.

I'm a bit bored with the Beastmaster style of play so I wanna try something different, the Druid.
But I look at the Druid and a huge ? fills my brain.
What kind of approach do you do with the Druid? A more control approach or full aggro/rush? Are plant-based creatures > normal creatures with this mage? What support spells to take with it?

When I look at a Mage I think of a build for it, Beastmaster Aggro or Beastmaster Rush or Warlock Tank or Warlord Ranged or Temple Priest... but for this specific Mage when I tried to build a spellbook I assemble a lot of Plants/Vines but then... I can't see a big picture for it.
I tried to work into a more control based spellbook or a more restrained/lock kind of book but then I think I miss something.

I've also heard the podcast about the Druid and also the one about Control. Both of them give great advice but not a main idea to work a spellbook out.

So... needz helpz, pleez... 

[Puddnhead]

Hi Diabo!

One of the best tips I've heard for Druid is to choose a tree with which to Treebond as the basis of your spellbook.

The standard control Druid will run Vine Tree to cover the map with hindering vines and then use Thornlashers to pull enemies through Bloodspine Walls into some Mangler Caltrops.

I've seen some successful aggro druids that run Mohktari and a battleforge to get about 8 armor and regenerate 4 life per turn...even one who combined that with Bear strength+Lion Savagery+Cheetah Speed+Guardian Angel.  Those things were a PAIN to deal with.

The three Fs of Druid foibles (weaknesses) are Flying Creatures, Finite Life and Fire.  Remember, you're still a nature mage so you can pack all of those Grizzlies as well.

An important note on Vine tokens is that they hinder Elusive creatures since Elusive only circumvents other creatures.

I'm sure some more experienced mages have much better insights, but I consider these the basics for Druids.

Pick a Tree and maximize it.

[V10lentray]

the druid is my favorite mage.

I play a bit of both a control with an agro build.  The druid can control the board using vine markers to hinder everything.

also I have a lot of raptor vines and other creatures and a butt load of enchantments to buff them to be more aggressive.

I love Tangle vines and Strangle vines, and use them quite often in my druid build.

[xDIABOx]

the druid is my favorite mage.

I play a bit of both a control with an agro build.  The druid can control the board using vine markers to hinder everything.

also I have a lot of raptor vines and other creatures and a butt load of enchantments to buff them to be more aggressive.

I love Tangle vines and Strangle vines, and use them quite often in my druid build.

Do you plan a play around a specific Tree or you'll play as the game flows with Creatures and stuff?

And what do you think of the Staff of Rousing Beasts in a Druid build?

[V10lentray]

I play with Vine tree because it can gum up the board the fastest.

And are you referring to a mage wand with rouse the beast? I play rouse the beast, either 1 or 2, usually just to use on Kralathor so he can get the bonus the turn he comes into play.

[xDIABOx]

Yup, I was talking about the Staff with Rouse the Beast to mitigate the "summoning sickness" of plants since they're Rooted and you have to make every attack count.

[V10lentray]

Even with rouse the beast you still have to pay the mana to move them.

When I get a chance i'll send you my most current druid list.

[ringkichard]

Mage Staff of Rouse the Beast should probably just be 3 Rouse the Beasts instead. It's less mana, less actions, and less prone to disruption.

Also, when playing Rouse the Beast, be sure that you couldn't just play the creature a turn earlier, instead.

[silverclawgrizzly]

I fight against a druid every now and then. They are amazing at a few things

1. Armoring up. They're the only mage that can cast two Enchantments that give +2 Armor. So you add that 4 with the 5 you can easily get from equipment and a Veterans Belt....yeah it sucks trying to hurt them when they can also heal 4 damage a turn with their magic tree out.

2. Stripping you naked. Between paying cost for Dissolve and Acid Ball, plus getting Corrosive Orchids it is an absolute nightmare keeping your gear working around a Druid.

They get some really neat tricks like the Burst of Thorns as well. The Vine Tree does let you clog up the arena in a hurry which slows down pretty much everything that doesn't fly.

They are vulnerable to fire obviously since everything they got is made of plant matter. However you're a Nature Mage. Cervere and a Grizzly are very good ideas. You also get access to all those awesome Nature Enchantments in cost so keep that in mind too.

Tanglevines, don't forget they're awesome. You no doubt had some fun with them from the Beast Master, well you still get them with the Druid and tying people down so your plants can beat on them is great. It's even worth a few Stranglevines. The Etherian Life Tree makes these things stronger.

Now your biggest weakness with your plants is they're all squishy. Seriously Raptor Vines are awesome but they have no armor. None of your plants do. So again maybe put in a few beefy animals to rock with.

You can play control early on with a druid while bulking up then go extremely aggro in an instant. It's all about the timing with a Druid.

[echephron]

The easiest way to druid(according to me) is:
Vine tree in starting corner turn1
Heavy enchantments on your creatures/self: mostly the nature level 1 stuff. Enchanters ring! From turn 2 on, I'm talking one enchantment every. single. turn.

Creatures: rouse them whenever possible.
Some raptor vines
Kralathor if they swarm


And remember to bring the basic counterspells with emphasis on dissolve & acid ball. I encourage some purge magic. A reach weapon(mage staff, vine staff) if they use too tough of air creatures for Kralathor.

If you only do the above, I can see it taking less than 80 spellpoints. fill the rest in with whatever fun you like.

[Obsidian Soul]

My druid builds tend to revolve around endurance and attrition.  Remember that you need to have Mongoose Agility to allow you to selectively kill enemy creatures but, if you build her right, she can take incredible amounts of damage.  I have been swarmed by two Orc Butchers, two Minotaurs, two Dwarven Panzergarde and a fully equipped Orc Warlord and managed to keep them off for an hour.  Druids really need to mix animals and plants though, as the plants do not have any durability.

[echephron]

Druids really need to mix animals and plants though, as the plants do not have any durability.

Enchanted plants have great durability. Not to mention their inherent healing. Rhino Hide, bulls endurance, and maybe an emergency brace yourself will keep plants around forever.

[zorro]

I like using druid as a fast mage.

Casting a a bonded vine tree first turn, grants her a cheap fast advantage first turns: 10 channeling, spawnpoint which can deploy creatures or tanglevines around the board, 2 innate regen, plus cantrip armour+ regen really cheap at short term.

Using druid agressively early enought is my usual approach, either attacking opponet mage directly, or destroying his key build up items.

[xDIABOx]

Humm... I was looking into a more tempo/control approach since I have several other aggro/rush builds but I guess I will try the "Vine Way". 

[Obsidian Soul]

You are playing with a more polite crowd than I am if you are able to keep your tree alive longer than the third turn.  Our group tends to turn the spawnpoints into rubble by the third turn, so I have learned to avoid depending on it early game.  Since Druids do not have an easy interceptor (Gargoyles or Guardian Angels are six spell points each), I just wait to cast my tree until I need to additional life recovery.  Otherwise, it will just be turned into kindling before I get my mana out of it.