Diablo Class Listings

Druid

druidOverview:
A druid is an interesting hybrid class, capable of training as a fire elemental caster, a ranged physical damage dealer, a tank-like were-bear, or a hard-hitting melee scrapper. This is quite unparalleled, as few other classes can viably wear so many hats. A Fire Elemental Druid can dish out the AoE death second only to a sorceress. Only an Amazon can deal superior ranged physical damage compared to a Wind Druid. A Werebear Druid is only matched in "tankiness" by the mighty Paladin. And finally, a Fury Werewolf Druid can come close to rivaling the power of a Barbarian when it comes to throwing down as a scraper. Don't forget the Summoning Druid, with his pack of wolves, bears, spirits, and creepy vines.

Of course, this "jack-of-all-trades, master of none" versatility is ultimately a Druid's weakness. While the character can train to play successfully as any arch-type, they are out-performed by the specialists in each area, often making a Druid player feel "weak" compared to the non-hybrid characters in direct match-ups. However, the Druid can summon several "Spirits" that offer unique damage and hit point buffs, guaranteeing them a useful role in any group.

Skill Recommendations:

Elemental:
• Tornado
• Hurricane
• Armageddon
• Fissure
• Cyclone Armor
Shape Shifting:
• Werewolf
• Werebear
• Lycanthropy
• Fury
• Fire Claws
Summoning:
• Oak Sage
• Heart of Wolverine
• Summon Grizzly
• Summon Dire Wolf
• Ravens
Top Skills:
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Primary Stats:
Primary: Vitality
Secondary: Strength
Tertiary: Dexterity

Recommended Mercenary:
Type: Nightmare Act 2
Aura: Holy Freeze (Defensive)

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Mercenary Armor:
• Vampire Gaze (Um)
• Shaftstop (Um)
Mercenary Weapons:
• Pride Runeword
• Insight Runeword
• Infinity Runeword
• Doom Runeword

Noteworthy Skills:
druidFury: Fury is similar to the Paladin skill "Zeal" in that it attacks all adjacent enemies close to the druid. It is both inferior and superior at the same time - it's damage bonuses vastly exceed that of the Paladin skill, however, if the druid is struck by enemies, it can be interrupted. This makes a shield or an aura like Holy Freeze very important to a Fury based druid.

druidOak Sage: This spell summons a wisp, which floats lackadaisically around the screen, providing a very very large passive life boost - what's more, it stacks with Battle Orders, making it a serious asset to group play. Monsters hate this spirit with a passion, and will go out of their way to target it - be ready to re-summon often.

druidTornado: This is an interesting magic spell - it is unique in that, instead of dealing elemental damage, it deals raw physical damage to enemies struck - fairly impressive amounts once properly synergized. This spell is the bread and butter of a Wind-Druid.

Equipment Suggestions:
druidDue to the sheer variety of options available to a Druid, "what is good gear" becomes a tricky question. In a nut-shell - all of it. If a Druid is specializing in magical attacks, they will wear nearly the same equipment as a Sorceress. A Werebear Druid will want to select the sorts of items a Paladin would carry. The one exception are the class-specific Druid helms - known as "Pelts." These can - although not always - out-perform some of the "general" uniques and Runewords used by other classes.

Tip:
Don't forget to keep summoning Oak Sages - they are prime enemy targets, and fairly fragile.


Primary Gear Recommendations:

Build Armor Helm Weapon Shield
Elemental Druid: Enigma Runeword Ravenlore Heart of the Oak Runeword Spirit Runeword
Fury Wolf Fortitude Runeword Jalal's Mane Grief Runeword Stormshield
Werebear Chains of Honor Runeword Jalal's Mane 2H Beast Runeword None
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