Druid

From Duels Content

Paths > Path of the Staff > High Path of the Druid

Contents 1 OPENERS I 1.1 Ironwood Thorns 1.2 Slow 1.3 Feline Ferocity 1.4 Gaze of the Basilisk 2 OPENERS II 2.1 Insect Swarm 2.2 Roar 2.3 Shakes 3 OPENERS III 3.1 Nature's Embrace 3.2 Ice Storm

[edit] OPENERS I

[edit] Ironwood Thorns

1. When hit for damage greater than (Your Level * 4.5), your armor hardens by the amount of damage you took for the next attack, and thorns strike your opponent for 22% Int damage.
2. When hit for damage greater than (Your Level * 4.5), your armor hardens by the amount of damage you took for the next 2 attacks, and thorns strike your opponent for 44% Int damage.
3. When hit for damage greater than (Your Level * 4.5), your armor hardens by the amount of damage you took for the next 3 attacks, and thorns strike your opponent for 66% Int damage.
4. When hit for damage greater than (Your Level * 4.5), your armor hardens by the amount of damage you took for the next 4 attacks, and thorns strike your opponent for 88% Int damage.
5. When hit for damage greater than (Your Level * 4.5), your armor hardens by the amount of damage you took for the next 5 attacks, and thorns strike your opponent for 110% Int damage.

One of the lesser used openers due to the ease in which the opposite player can control it, however if they cannot, or are not controlling their damage it is very effective.

[edit] Slow

Type: Opener (Tier I)

1. Subtracts 10% from your opponent's Dodge, Hit and Critical strike chances for a number of Turns equal to your (Intelligence + Perception) divided by 50.
2. Subtracts 20% from your opponent's Dodge, Hit and Critical strike chances for a number of Turns equal to your (Intelligence + Perception) divided by 50.
3. Subtracts 30% from your opponent's Dodge, Hit and Critical strike chances for a number of Turns equal to your (Intelligence + Perception) divided by 50.
4. Subtracts 40% from your opponent's Dodge, Hit and Critical strike chances for a number of Turns equal to your (Intelligence + Perception) divided by 50.
5. Subtracts 50% from your opponent's Dodge, Hit and Critical strike chances for a number of Turns equal to your (Intelligence + Perception) divided by 50.

Instruction

Basically, this skill makes the opponent whiff every time they try to hit you for a certain amount of turns. It is resistable, but not all or nothing. Say you have 600 INT, this would give you 10 turns of effect. Now you're opponent can resist this effect to a certain point. Once Slow takes effect (i.e. is not resisted) it can't be resisted again. Kind of confusing, but it makes it a very dependable skill.

Strategy

This a very neat defensive opener for use against Path of Sword and Wand Slingers. Since these players typically rely on hits to deal damage to you, making them whiff and generally inhibiting their ability to do so can give you an early damage boost and make your lead insurmountable. However, this skill is not effective at all versus the higher tier defensive openers (Roar, IP, FA, NE). So choose this skill wisely.

Items

It's all about the INT. Max it out for full effect from the skill. Pyromantic Focus and Earthmender Staff are great purple alternatives to legendary staffs for this skill.

[edit] Feline Ferocity

Type: Opener (Tier I), Entry, Direct Damage, Nature

Duration: Instant

The Druid assumes the ferocity of a cat and dealing direct damage to opponents.

1. Increases the damage from all but Wand attacks by 22 * (1 - (Current Health / Max Health))%
2. Increases the damage from all but Wand attacks by 44 * (1 - (Current Health / Max Health))%
3. Increases the damage from all but Wand attacks by 66 * (1 - (Current Health / Max Health))%
4. Increases the damage from all but Wand attacks by 88 * (1 - (Current Health / Max Health))%
5. Increases the damage from all but Wand attacks by 110 * (1 - (Current Health / Max Health))%

Instruction

Rawr! Feline Ferocity is an offensive first tier Druid skill that packs a frontloaded punch. It's not too tricky to understand-- for the first three turns of combat, all your attacks will land (i.e., no misses, resists, or blocks) and do an additional damage component equal to a portion of your Intelligence. At maximum ranks in the skill, the extra 100-200 damage per hit will quickly take your opponent down to size! Beware, though, that attacks don't occur aren't capable of hitting; that is, if you're stunned somehow or lose attacks through an action, you're out of luck. To help you counter the devastating effects of stuns, however, Feline Ferocity also grants a sizeable bonus to your Resistance.

Strategy

The sheer offensive nature of Feline Ferocity generally requires your opponent to adapt to you, and not the other way around. The actions played during the first turns of the duel can make or break your match: carefully-placed stuns, for instance, can neutralize your entire opener. Consider using actions that grant extra attacks during the first three turns, as they'll receive the Feline Ferocity bonus and really put the hurt on your foe. A downside to this skill, though, is how tough the battle can get for you if your opponent makes it to Turn 4 when your offensive output drops significantly. Carefully prepare action sets to prevent the tide from turning.

Good Items to use

There are several ways to make Feline Ferocity work for you, but the most common is to efficiently stack Intelligence in your loadout. Consider Alren's Pyromantic Focus, a relatively inexpensive purple wand, as a starter weapon. If you're a little more well-off, you may want to purchase and use a Rose of Yumeria, a powerful wand with an Intelligence bonus to really do some harm. Crimson Candescence or Earthmender gear will help on the armor end.

Alternatively, you may want to play a more defensive game by focusing on Stamina or Resistance (which, remember, is supplemented by the opener). Although Ordalis Spellbreaker gear is more popular, the Intelligence bonuses on Spellweave gear may help you through difficult times.

Enjoy the skill, but don't claw the furniture!

[edit] Gaze of the Basilisk

Type: Opener (Tier I), Entry

Duration: Instant

1. Decreases your opponents highest attribute by their Absorb to a minimum of 1.
2. Decreases your opponents highest attribute by their Absorb * 2 to a minimum of 1.
3. Decreases your opponents highest attribute by their Absorb * 3 to a minimum of 1.
4. Decreases your opponents highest attribute by their Absorb * 4 to a minimum of 1
5. Decreases your opponents highest attribute by their Absorb * 5 to a minimum of 1

Attribute points are: Strength, Speed, Intelligence, Perception, Stamina or Resist. Caster regains lost attribute points over time. Can't be resisted and treats negative Absorb as 0.

[edit] OPENERS II

[edit] Insect Swarm

Type: Opener (Tier II), Beast, Debuff

Duration: Instant

Unleash a swarm of insects at your opponent causing damage and limiting their ability to hit.

"No locusts I've ever seen could match THOSE bugs!" -- Farmer Dillert

1. Does Absorbable damage equal to 25% of your Perception. Does Resistable damage equal to 15% of your Intelligence. lasts 5 turns.
2. Does Absorbable damage equal to 50% of your Perception. Does Resistable damage equal to 25% of your Intelligence. lasts 5 turns.
3. Does Absorbable damage equal to 75% of your Perception. Does Resistable damage equal to 35% of your Intelligence. lasts 5 turns.
4. Does Absorbable damage equal to your Perception. Does Resistable damage equal to 45% of your Intelligence. lasts 5 turns.
5. Does Absorbable damage equal to 120% of your Perception. Does Resistable damage equal to 55% of your Intelligence. lasts 5 turns.

NOTE: While this Opener can not be absorbed it can be RESISTED. Druids who exclusively use Slow & Insect Swarm will experience problems against high resist avatars. -- Saaran II

A powerful opener that enables druids that have stacked intelligence to do large amounts of damage over the first 5 turns. Considered to be an important addition to slow druid skill trees due to its high damage ability against mages and other druids. Due to the recent changes, only part of insect swarm can be resisted, making it a viable opener against even some high resistance avatars.

[edit] Roar

Type: Opener (Tier II), Beast, Debuff

Duration: Instant

Shouting a fierce challenge can startle your opponent and cow them into submission.

"A meow just doesn't have the same effect." --Pierre Latrobe, hunter

Contributed by Shetani:

1. Reduces opponent's weapon damage by 5% and increases your damage by 5%.
2. Reduces opponent's weapon damage by 5% and increases your damage by 10%.
3. Reduces opponent's weapon damage by 10% and increases your damage by 15%.
4. Reduces opponent's weapon damage by 15% and increases your damage by 15%.
5. Reduces opponent's weapon damage by 20% and increases damage by 20%.

Instruction

This skill reduces the damage you take from an opponents weapons attacks. It does not reduce the damage from physical actions or magical actions. It does not reduce the damage from openers.

Strategy

Roar is a very versatile skill. It is possible to use it with an aggressive load out to do more damage to kill foes faster or to use it with a defensive loadout to get the most out of magus blood since unlike nature's embrace, it doesn't stop that from working. This skill works well against foes who use mostly weapon damage as well as against foes with too many hp to just burst to death with feline ferocity.

Roar benefits from a huge array of actions because of the versatility of the skill. The best thing to remember is to tailor the actions to best suit the intension of roar. If you are using it to live longer, use more defensive actions. If you are using it to kill faster, use damage actions that favor your highest stat.

Good Items to use

This is pretty much up in the air. A high damage wand and staff are great for this. The rest of your gear can be high stamina or high intelligence. You can even use this skill with high strength gear if you so chose and can make an action set to match.

Roar is a hard skill to use because of the versatility. Changing your loadout and your action set to foil your foe is the key to success with it.

[edit] Shakes

Type: Opener (Tier II), Debuff, Decay

Duration: Constant

The Druid forces a target into fits of trembling and twitching.

"It 'minded me of the dancing disease, without the rhythm like that." --ramblings of an old spectator

1. Your opponent loses (Intelligence / 22) points from Absorb for (Perception / 250) rounded up when shakes is not resisted. If Shakes is resisted the lose (intelligence / 100) points from Absorb instead.
2. Your opponent loses (Intelligence / 22) points from Absorb for (Perception / 125) rounded up when shakes is not resisted. If Shakes is resisted the lose (intelligence / 100) points from Absorb instead.
3. Your opponent loses (Intelligence / 22) points from Absorb for (Perception / 83) rounded up when shakes is not resisted. If Shakes is resisted the lose (intelligence / 100) points from Absorb instead.
4. Your opponent loses (Intelligence / 22) points from Absorb for (Perception / 62) rounded up when shakes is not resisted. If Shakes is resisted the lose (intelligence / 100) points from Absorb instead.
5. Your opponent loses (Intelligence / 22) points from Absorb for (Perception / 50) rounded up when shakes is not resisted. If Shakes is resisted the lose (intelligence / 100) points from Absorb instead.

A very uncommonly used except in long duels, due to the fact that it doesnt effect the large amount of magic damage done in battles by most druids.

[edit] OPENERS III

[edit] Nature's Embrace

Type: Opener (Tier III), Nature, Buff

Duration: Instant

The Druid calls upon nature's power and insight to help them in battle, becoming a hardy and quick-witted fighter.

"He only looked like a feeble old hermit, but he was as tough as a rhino and as sharp as a raven. He took out a score of my men before one of our mages was able to bring him down." -- Petras Towerstone, Felshian Captain.

Contributed by Shetani:

1. Increase health by 5%, resist by 4%, and armor by intelligence.
2. Increase health by 10%, resist by 8%, and armor by intelligence multiplied by 2.
3. Increase health by 15%, resist by 12%, and armor by intelligence multiplied by 2.
4. Increase health by 20%, resist by 16%, and armor by intelligence multiplied by 2.5.
5. Increase health by 25%, resist by 20%, and armor by intelligence multiplied by 2.5.

Instruction

This skill reduces the damage you take both from magical attacks as well as physical attacks. Be warned that the boost to your hit points will make magus blood not work until you have dropped back below maximum hit points.

Strategy

Nature's Embrace is a fairly subtle skill that actually can work best when used in a way that may seem counterintuitive at first. I find that it works best with a loadout that focuses on intelligence first followed by stamina. This works well paired with intelligence based actions that do damage over time since the longevity boost buys time for them to do their work at a higher damage than they normally could.

Actions like outbreak, tornado, and talisman of death (early in the fight) are great damage dealing actions to compliment nature's embrace. Mend and Healing potion also pack quite a punch since they heal you based on your current hp.

Good Items to use

A Trident of Tides is pretty much ideal for your main hand, and any high damage wand can work well in your off hand. You can either aim for high resist and stamina on a wand or just go for plain intelligence. The Yumeria item set, sea knight windbringer's serpentskin line does quite well with this build as well.

In the end, remember that this skill works far better as a way of adding longevity to a bruiser than it works as a way of outlasting a foe in a long battle. If you are a heavily defensive build with more stamina than int, you probably would be better suited with Roar.

[edit] Ice Storm

Effect: Direct Damage / Negate

Duration: Instant

Rime and frost coalesce out of thin air, accompanied by biting winds and the chill of the Karthan Sea. The frostbite penetrates nonmagical armor and the resulting stiffness in the target's limbs makes it difficult to generate the speed and force necessary to launch an effective attack.

"My nose is blue!!!" --Viktor Schenko, knife fighter

1. Damages you and opponent by (Stamina/4) + (Intelligence/5)
2. Damages you and opponent by (Stamina/3.5) + (Intelligence/4.5)
3. Damages you and opponent by (Stamina/3) + (Intelligence/4)
4. Damages you and opponent by (Stamina/2.5) + (Intelligence/3.5)
5. Damages you and opponent by (Stamina/2) + (Intelligence/3)