The Spirit Realm

by **snakebane** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 10:27 am

The druid section of these forums seems to have very little activity and I can't remember the last time I ran into another Druid in the game. Disclaimer, I'm only lvl 68 so I'm not exactly hanging out in current zones. So the question is are there a bunch of us out there and just naturally solitary or has the druid population taken a real nose dive?

http://eq.magelo.com/profile/1357154 · by **Tanom** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 11:45 am

It has gone down, Devs are turning people off with the changes. Most don't want to be mini-clerics or just wait for the one thing to happen to finally quit the class or EQ itself. This forum itself does not have a lot of druids visit because most of the druids didn't follow Fenier when he called dead (When they closed the site down for a time in order to get money). You will only really find druids in raid guilds now as most don't try to get groups anymore, whole things of low dps, most classes has the same utility, and most groups will take clerics and shaman hours before considering druids (I'm not saying all groups are like this but this is the case and the druid community have this stuck in their heads now). I try to just play my class and help any one else with it, I don't worry about what the devs do anymore I just enjoy playing my druid that much.

by **knumhotep** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 11:42 am

Not to start an argument with you Tanom, but I think you are being extremely pessimistic. While I was off in my own world quite a bit yesterday, I did notice a lot of druids around. So, the doom and gloom sayers aren't exactly 100% right. Just like I noticed a TON of bards and monks running around lfg. Guess what, they were actually getting groups and one of the first people in my guild to get up to 82 (might have been 83 by the time he logged), was a monk... and he got it in a PUG.

So, yes, there are still druids in the game. No, all the monks and bards didn't quit in protest of the "nerfs". And yes, groups are still happening with real tanks and real healers (clerics, as well as druids and shaman). Yes, the mercenaries are great, but most prefer real players. For others, they are just a novelty for the time being. Some might use them frequently... like me

The sky is not falling and people can take off their tin foil hats, cause I think EQ will be around for another year... and many more after that

by **Tanom** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 1:41 pm

Having to max out xp again helps a little ......

by **knumhotep** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 3:51 pm

Website · by **Fanra** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 7:01 am

by **knumhotep** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 8:15 am

I've been around since back in '99. So, I'd like to think I've been around a while. I did take time off from Sony products shortly before DoN was released, but that had nothing to do with EQ actually. /shakes fist at Lucas Arts for ruining SWG.

I already said I am aware that we aren't in the 100's anymore, but that doesn't mean we are dead or even on life support. Judging the health of a class or a game for that matter, by the postings on a msg board is ridiculous. Most people I know, and actually, most people in general do not make use of msg boards. That's evident in the fact that when you log on and find that the majority of people are clueless that a patch or something else major has happened in game.

Also, assuming that the game is dead because of poor design is presumptuous. In my guild, we have had some that just can't afford to buy the new expansion, let alone pay for the monthly subscription. I know this is happening not only with EQ, but I've even seen it with some friends in WoW. This is all due to the economy being so bad. I don't know about you, but I'd rather have food on my table and a roof over my head than pay for this game or any other.

I'm sorry if I think our class is doing a little better than some others believe. I actually think the only time I really get depressed about the druid class is when I read msg boards. It seems that many have become overly pessimistic in the years I was gone and that's sad. I don't think the lack of postings by druids means they don't care about their class... I think it means they don't want to get caught up in the pessimism that has infected the druid class. I don't think it has anything to do with lack of skill or desire. Why come to the msg boards and get attacked by 100's of others that are intent on belittling you for enjoying the game and the class? I know it's wearing me down.

Anyway, good luck to you all.

by **Bigcat Daddy-o** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 11:27 am

meh. There'll always be a certain amount of crybabies. The 'vocal minority' as Brogh likes to call them.

Sometimes the crying is valid, sometimes it's just whining for more and bigger cookies. Don't let it get you down. The vast majority of the people that are satisfied and ok with things, are not likely to bother posting that things are ok. They're busy playing.

Don't let it get you down. I come to the boards to exchange information, learn, and sometimes to get a good laugh. (hmm. been a while since I have had one of those here though. Maybe you are on to something.), and to interact with the people that play the game I love. You seem an intelligent fellow and seem to be enjoying the game, so I hope you stick around here and continue to input in to this community. But if you don't, so it goes, and hope you continue to enjoy the game!

Peace

Website · by **Fanra** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 11:53 am

by **Tanom** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 12:40 pm

I was only trying answer Snakes's question as honestly as I could. I never meant to make you feel down on your class, I enjoying maining a druid. In fact he has been my main for years with alts being 20s-40s. I guess I may have push the post I made too much, but in truth that is what I think the community itself has come down to. But please don't let posts like this bring you down ......... and yes, I may be pessimistic as to the situation the druid community is at, but I am hopeful it will change.

by **Bolodox** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 1:11 pm

by **snakebane** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:21 pm

Well I didn't mean to start an arguement, and I'm for one still enjoying Playing my Druid but I've got to say that I miss being able to hit the boards and see what was happing in the latest expansion. Which I'm not likely to find out for my self for a while I'm only level 68 and it took me over a year to get from 60 to 68 with my schedule. (I am not complaining I've picked up quite a few AA's and had fun every minute of the way.). But still doesn't keep me from wanting to hear about what's in store for me down the road.

Fenier's work on debuffs and advice on CA/CS radically changed my survival rate and fun facter as finally I could tank CB orcs LOL. I miss being able to tap into that kind of experience and that is why I asked where have all the druids gone.

Website · by **Fenier** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:25 pm

I still lurk around.

Website · by **Allegretta** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 1:24 pm

I too am disappointed not to see any druidic info on the new expansion. There was a bit posted on the Druids' Grove, but it was colored with so much snark and sarcasm that it was difficult to glean the facts.

I would like to see an analysis of our new AAs, posts on new druid-friendly zones, and other info that we used to have available.

I'd also like to add that I have been playing a druid since 2000, and while there are a few things I'd change, I don't feel screwed over by SoE or the devs. I completely enjoy playing my class.

by **Tanom** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 2:12 pm

Well I wasnt in Beta so I cannot describe what we got. But from what I can see on data and what I have read/seen:

AAs Introduced:
Mental Fortitude - Makes you more resistant to charming, which makes sense from previous expansions concerning the discordings.
Armor of Wisdom - Increase Armor Class and get more Armor Class from armor.
Cascade of Life - Adds an extra heal to a Direct Heal.
Gate - substitution to our gate spell.
Gift of Amazing Exquisite Radiant Mana - Next level of Gift of Mana for 81-85 spells.
Mental Stamina - Increase Mana pool by 50 each rank.
Perfected Levitation - Levitation spells replaced unless you insist on using FoE.
Written Prayer - Get research cap increased by 10, You can get it up to 200 first without AAs.
Extend Swarm - Increase duration of Buu Buu summon by 1 second each rank.
Focus of Arcanum - Makes it so you dont get many resistances on detrimental spells for a time.
Forceful Rejuvenation - Resets you recast timers (More Survival of the Fittest/Felicitous).
Fundament of Wisdom - Increase mana pool by 10 and wisdom cap by 1. After getting 3 ranks you can get First Spire of Nature, after 6 ranks and getting the first spire you can get the Second Spire of Nature, after finishing Fundament of Wisdom and getting the second spire you can get the Third Spire of Nature.
Fundament: First Spire of Nature - Increase chance of doing critical strikes with spells.
Fundament: Second Spire of Nature - Increase heal power of spells you cast that are under 75.
Fundament: Third Spire of Nature - Increase Health pool of your group for 3 min I believe.
Hastened Lycan Soul - Reduces the cast time by 30 seconds of Spirit of the White/Black Wolf.
Hastened Nature's Guardian - Reduces the cast time of Nature's Guardian by 2 min.
Hastened Wrath of the Wild - Reduces the cast time of Wrath of the Wild by 10 seconds.
Mastery of Nature - makes it that your charm spells are less likely to break.
Spirit of the Black Wolf - Gives you a black wolf form for 2 min that reduces mana cost of detrimental spells and provides a mana regen
Teleport Bind - Ports your group to your bind point
Twincast - each ranks gives an added 1% chance to make your nukes a double cast (Nuke hits twice).

Spells Introduced:
Promised Reknit - 18 seconds delay heal of about 10-12k depending on rank.
Carve Whistle - Has an animal assist you from what I understand.
Spirit of the Resolute - Reintroducing the regen line.
Wild Growth - Increase HP of a target greatly for a short time and decreases with time.
Purified Blood - Poison and Disease single target cure.
Talisman of the Resolute - group version of Spirit of the Resolute.
Twincast - Splits your nuke spells for a short time.

Zones:
I have not explored I am doing levels atm. I dont believe there are any good charm spots with the state of the animals atm and they seem to be spread out. The mobs start hitting for 3-4k in Field of Scale.

That is all I know really, I don't participate in Beta and Yes I like playing my druid ........ I only state what I see and read.

Website · by **Allegretta** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 2:25 pm

by **Aldier** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 2:33 pm

I have been playing a druid since early 2001. It has been my main that whole time. I do not want to switch to another class because of all the time, effort, and work I have put into my druid.

The problem is... on a comparative level, the druid is falling behind in my opinion. Sure, we gained from where we were in SoF, but so did everyone else. Worse, they gained equal to or more than we did.

For soloing, mob hp has gone up. It makes soloing take longer not to mention the mobs can quad for 3k making it more risky if I do not keep my distance. I am sitll working on leveling, and am only 82 so I do not have all the new dots and nukes, but with Rk3 Swarm of Fireants, Rk2 Horde of Fireants, Rk3 Torrid Sunray, and Rk2 Sunsear... combined with Rk2 NBW, to root/dot a mob... or to have to nuke and kite a mob with Winter's Blaze Rk2, it takes me almost 30% of a 20k mana pool to kill 1 mob in Field of Scale. For charming, all animals have been marked "weak". This means that they are MORE resistant to spells. They have low hp and are designed to be soloed by melee easier than by casters.

Because of those things, the best places for druids to solo is in OLD content where we have already been soloing.

Spell breakdown
81:
new charm - standard upgrade
new stun (still outdoor only) - standard upgrade
new harmony (not as effective at reducing aggro radius, but works on higher level mobs, also outdoor only) - standard upgrade
new 3 wave cold dd - standard upgrade
new spell Carve Whistle - summons an uncontrollable pet that does about 50dps and looks like the animal you cast the whistle on. Utterly useless.
new fire dot + debuff - standard upgrade
new large ds, short duration - locked on a faction merchant, have not been able to see it yet

82: - Big boost for druids at 82 spellwise
new 3.8sec heal - decent upgrade over Puravida
new spell - Promised Reknit - promised heal spell. I found this very effective for main healing if you have a tank that can last a few rounds of melee. It is very fast casting, very low mana, and does 11k after 18seconds. Crit rate based on the person it is cast on.
new cold debuff - standard upgrade
new skin - standard upgrade
new low hp nuke - standard upgrade from Reaping Inferno
new ds - standard single target ds upgrade
new spell - Wild Growth - 2.5min duration 4400hp boost for a single target, decays over time...relatively low mana cost, long recast time

83:
new magic dot - standard upgrade in damage, reduced cast time to 0.5 with increased recast
new combo nuke - looks impressive but is locked on faction merchant, lower cast time, higher recast time
new fire dd + potential dd nuke boost - standard upgrade from Solarsliver/Dawnstrike line
new debuff fire dd boost - skin to XXX - standard upgrade
new self ac/ds buff - standard upgrade
new corruption buff - standard upgrade
new survival - standard upgrade, believe this is faction merchant
new anti-summoned nuke - standard upgrade in damage, faster cast time, longer recast time

84:
new fire dd - standard upgrade in damage, lower cast time, higher recast time
new group corruption cure - standard upgrade
new group regen - brought regen up to par with shaman
new reptile - standard upgrade, believe this is on a faction merchant
new curse dot - standard upgrade in damage, reduced cast time to 0.5 with increased recast
new cold debuff - lower cast time, resist mod added
new poison/disease cure - very weak upgrade over Pure Blood
new pbae - standard upgrade

85:
new cold nuke -standard upgrade in damage, lower cast time, higher recast time
new group skin - standard upgrade
new group heal - decent increase in healing power
new dd/dot - standard upgrade
new group ds - standard upgrade
new mask buff - standard upgrade
new adrenaline heal - standard upgrade
new spell - twincast - double casts dd/heal spells for 18seconds, long recast

by **Aldier** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 2:35 pm

by **knumhotep** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 2:12 pm

I don't have any problems with people on this msg board. I guess I might have even come off a little harsh because I've been ripped apart on the EQ msg boards for being "too optimistic". I've even been called stupid and told that I lacked common sense because of my optimism. So the msg boards have seriously given me some angst towards my fellow druids hehe.

I feel a lot like Bolodox. I use what I am given to the best of my abilities and hope that it gets the job done. I haven't had any complaints yet, so I must be doing something right.

So, druids are doing ok and yes, it would be nice to see some current info posted about the new expansion

by **Houwlin** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 6:46 pm

New to this board but will try to make the druid's presence known. Still playing my druid as my main, always will. With him I can do so much more that other classes and often get questioned on how i did something solo when the raid couldn't get it done. Sneaky druid.
I do notice that druid's don't seem to be as prevalent as years before. Friends that had druids prior left them behind to concentrate on other classes. No problem with this as most people playing druids are better able to go with what is available.

by **AbyssalMage** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:57 pm

Former Druid here, I voted with my feet!!!

I lurk around the forums waiting for the day to start my Druid again. I consider this one long winter, kinda like Narnnia, and one day we will be recued by a band of kids....errrr....developers who aren't afraid to give us something. Until that time comes, enjoy your "Cold Day in He......"

:twisted:

Website · by **Brohg** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 2:25 am

Dunno what you're waiting for, druids are awesome

by **Bigcat Daddy-o** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 12:11 pm

Fo sho.

Druid bumped my mage out of my 3 box group.

Druids
Awesome healing
Runner control via snares.
Excellent DPS
Fantastic emergency oops moments skills - Survival of the... and Exodus/succor
Incredible debuffs (at least for the content I am doing, with highest level mercs available.)

Druids bring a lot to the table.

Website · by **Unmei** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:08 pm

Lies! Druids live in mud huts and are regularly beaten with sticks by the Sony dev team!

Website · by **Kruzar** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:20 pm

I don't know.. I personally really like grouping with Druids. Our fellowship is a little odd, but we get a lot of things done. Our normal make up is Rogue, Warrior, Druid, Shaman, and Necro. We do every once in awhile pop out a merc if need be and we all have them for those oops moments or what have you. With our little mix, we do also bring in other classes as needed to play with us, and it allows our team to be flexible. This weekend we had awesome groups going in the Warrens, and substituted in just about every other class into our mix and things just kept on rolling. We group on a very regular basis with multiple druids, with one taking the healer type role and the other taking a strong DPS role.

I would say definetly that the druid class is not dead, and it is one of the classes that I love to have in my groups.

Website · by **Brohg** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:57 pm

How is that group odd? Looks super

by **Kalevalatar** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:46 am

Just wanted to make a post and say hello to everyone, as I am kind of lurker too

I rarely make any posts on druid forums, I guess its because while at work I am too busy and when I am home, I am busy playing! Still after 9+ years I love druid class and enjoy playing one. My server FV is a small one, but I see many druids around. Even my raid alliance has 6 active druids and just got another apping.

Like others here have mentioned, I would also love to see more posts about new expansions, spell, AA and zone informations. I guess I could make a new years promise and post atleast once a week here!

Website · by **Kruzar** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:48 pm

chuckles at Brohg... I think it is a great group... its just not the "holy trinity" type of groups. But then again...I really like grouping with druids, necros, and shammys..

There are so many tricks that these classes have that makes the grouping work really well.

Website · by **Allegretta** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:52 pm

My regular group has never had a cleric, so I've focused on maxing out AAs for healing. With a paladin and a beastlord as backup healers, we can do almost anything (even before we had the luxury of adding a merc healer).

Website · by **Unmei** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 3:52 pm

Website · by **Brohg** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:40 pm

Gates of Discord! Enchanter/Druid/Shaman trinity!

by **Bigcat Daddy-o** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:28 pm

SOD - Shaman, Druid, monk!

...

ok. that is just the 3 I am playing.

The holy trinity in Kunark was really a holy quadratic IIRC. Cleric,War,Chanter,Shm, also ran, also ran. IIRC, any group that I ventured in to Sebilis with contained those 3 ahead of me. The chanters almost always said to me 'thank god they found a shaman, so I don't have to slow'.

So, what were the holy trinities of the other expacs then Unmei?

Website · by **Ceniden** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:17 am

While I admit that I've seen a reduction in the sheer number of Druids running around, I have to say it's just a matter of perspective. I remember a time when Druid was one of two classes considered hands down the best soloer (Necro being the other). At that time, they were everywhere. You couldn't be within sight of the druid ring in WC without seeing three of 'em. They were more apparent because you'd hear them in OOC selling ports "for donations". I know coming up, I saw and encountered a whole lot of druids. I recall older Shaman advising me when I was littler not to be a "Druman" (i.e. a Shaman who loads up on WIS gear to the exclusion of all else. Wearing leather as a chain class is bad, I learned

).

I don't think the problem is with the class though. I think the problem (if you choose to call it that) is with the loss of so many so-called "hardcore" players. These were the folks spending 20 hrs a week in betas for expansions, digging through every little detail on their class's additions (and subtractions). These are the folks who gathered the data and presented it to the community, and debating amongst themselves the good and bad sides of everything. Yes, others contributed, but these were the folks who jumpstarted the discussions. Too many of them have moved on or just don't see the point in doing that anymore. It isn't just here, look at pretty much all the class sites. You see it ingame too. Personally, being a relatively low level (my highest are two 80s, main toons I play are 70-75), I know I don't see nearly as many people in my range and lower as I once did.

I can say that I love my druid and always have. I don't adhere to any of the "conventional wisdom" that gets thrown about though. My druid is not a healer (my clerics do that very well) and she's not DPS (wiz/rog/zerker/mage/necro/monk tend to outshine her). She's a druid, which means she can do all of that without BEING any particular one of them. Over the years, I've had several druid friends/mentors quit or shelve their druids because folks tried to paint them into one particular corner. Believe it or not, there are druids who refuse to be main healer in groups. That's not why they rolled their toons a decade ago. I know I rolled Ceni for two reasons: 1) After Jenen solo'd Lodizal during the Luclin era (bah, we still needed 1-2 full groups to kill that damn turtle at the time) and 2) After playing a betabuffed 65 during LDoN beta. I know if one day it was determined that I was now a 'healer' (largely to the exclusion of all else), Ceni would refuse to group with anyone who subscribed to that notion. I'm a Shaman. If you want a healbot, pay Xpp/15 mins for it.

Anyway, from my point of view, the sheer number of druids running around has definitely decreased. But I've seen this happening over time anyway. As their defining roles and abilities eroded, the compelling reason for playing one (as opposed to another class) went with it for many folks. The activity (or lack thereof) you see on class forums has more to do with the decreased population and a somewhat 'ho-hum' attitude than anything else. You look at the class forums/sites for other games that supposedly have just as many players as EQ1 (EQ2, LOTRO, CoH/V, WAR, etc) and the activity level is higher because the "ooooh shiny" feeling hasn't yet worn off. In "the old days", EQ had well over 50 active fansites, including at least one for every class (and several classes had more than one. Ranger, Druid, Shaman, Cleric, Mage, etc). That's no longer the case because there just aren't enough people to support that. So as people lost their preferred sites, they just stopped engaging in discourse. Also, many of EQ's current players are a lot more casual than they may have been in the past. Life (and babies and careers and spouses and...) changes everything.

So a lot of those folks just log in and play instead of visiting fansites and chewin' the fat.

Just my perspective. I think Druid has always attracted the more casual of players. The folks who didn't have the time to spend an hour LFG and wanted to still be able to get xp but didn't want to deal with the hassle of being "evil", rolled Druids. The folks who wanted to be able to do a little bit of everything without having to specialize, rolled Druids. Likewise, these were the folks most likely to vote with their feet when games came out that supported their playstyle better. There goes a quarter to a third of your druid population right there, in my view. It's not just the folks with the high post counts. It's also the lurkers who hit the Paypal link during donation drives but that no one's ever heard of. I don't think it's necessarily SOE's fault (besides them not working to keep EQ competitive, even after all these years or hiring less than adequate item & spell designers in a game that revolves largely around spells, effects, and GEAR). Hmm, okay, maybe it is. :p

Website · by **Unmei** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:26 am

by **Whitman** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 4:14 pm

Website · by **Unmei** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 5:07 pm

by **Whitman** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:22 am

Website · by **Unmei** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:31 am

by **Tanom** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 4:58 pm

Website · by **Unmei** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:34 pm

Something about what druids are good for (Kindling?) I think.

The Spirit Realm

Who is online