Druid Feedback Thread

[andrew]

Post your feedback on the early release booklet content after doing some playtesting

[tshober]

I don't have much here but I was on a roll posting for the Blacksmith and Angel of Death so I thought I'd drop my first impressions.

Test Play Group & Approach
- Norn + 4 players (average FOTNR experience 2 years)
- Mostly readthrough at this point. Haven't had time to pre-gen too many variants.
- We have yet to add it to our weekly game. I'm concerned about adding too many of the new alpha archetypes to our weekly game because then we cannot compare them to the established 6 as a baseline (I include the Blacksmith as the 6th).

General Player Feedback
- Mostly popular with my players.
- It oozes unique flavor with powers and skills, setting it apart from the other archetypes.
- Despite player petitions, I won't be adding it to our weekly game just yet (reason above).

Mechanics Feedback
- The Inner Sanctum skill just pops out as broken (too powerful). We didn't test it in a campaign, but at first read the mobility just makes it insane!!!
- Alkas everywhere! If you don't like alkas this isn't for you. Verwandlung and alka beads seems like it will be a lot of fun to play. How will this play with the no-mini no-hexmat version? We'll try and test it.
- At first glance Wyrd and Focus alkas seem crazy, but again we need to test it.

Power/Skill Board Layout Feedback
- Looks tight and well thought out

General Suggestions
- Needs to go into Denizens of the North because it shares a few item related rules with the Blacksmith

Summary
- We just started analyzing it and we'll need a few weeks to get you some real feedback here.

[andrew]

Thanks for the feedback Tshober. For everyone else, the archetype was uploaded to DTRPG yesterday. We appreciate every bit of feedback.

The one tweak we did as a result of some story/campaign testing was to nerf the Inner Sanctum mobility a bit. Let us know if it's enough.

[andrew]

New version of the Druid is going to be uploaded today:

Change-log
==========

- New Passive power added and swapped into the board
- Sacred Wood binding changes
- Small Sacred Grove adjustments

[andrew]

Change-log
==========

- Beckon Vanagard sacrifice costs have been adjusted to be more severe, but requiring less runes so that low level dwellers could use it effectively.

[theRajjj]

You just posted the new Druid and my eyes popped out of my head at the changes!!!
I took 10 minutes and made an absolutely twinked level 10 to prove my point.

Druid (Fylgia into Ulfhednar)
Child of Stars
Level 10
Essence 8
Destiny 1

ACTIVES
Beckon Vanagard
Forest's Gaze (Apples of Idunn)
Oyenstikker
Power Over Stone
Chant of Skuld
Invigorate Spirit
Raging Charge
Raging Attack


PASSIVES
Bestow Illumination
Alka Mastery (during cleanup do a major sacrifice 1 to replenish)
Unbreakable Body
Felowship of the Silver Shields
Resistance to Degeneration
Companion in Destiny
Nature's Child
Constitution

SKILLS
Not important for this build

The build has tons of power, tons of Wyrd capabilities and abuses Rage... all at ultra-low levels (oh bro it also works at level 8).
Important are the 2 draw powers, 2 rage powers and 2 heal powers. The rest are the sprinkles on the ice cream.
Alka Mastry just makes all future turns that much more fun because you get to keep your Void rune!

Turn 1:
- Play the Void rune to Beckon Vanagard
- Rune that was drawn to move through 4 spaces (if you drew Raging Charge you become Thor instantly)
- You Wyrd 3 and major sac 3 (at level 12 you wyrd 4 and maj sac 4, becoming more powerful than Thor) and sac the rune you moved with for the cast min sac 1
At This point you are getting +4 move, DF and P PF (at level 10!)
Worst possible draw? You can use one of your 2 heals and then Chant of Skuld the rage you need.
Otherwise you contingency your heals for end of turn and you're ready for the next round

Turn 2:
Destroy everything???? Ya Man!
Want to buff yo team? Slam the runes drawn into Chant of Skuld baby!!! Companion in Destiny also buffs all allies per rune drawn!
Also make use of Verwandlung magic when healing and standing next to your own Alkas

Peace!

[andrew]

LOL are you kidding me??? I didn't even have a chance to log off- Rajjj YOU ARE FAST!!! I'm going to read it over right now. To give you a little context, we had the Minor Sacrifice +2 at cast and Moderate Sacrifice +2 on pickup to discourage solo pickup. However we noticed that the low level campaign (no Fylgias) even allies had trouble picking these up with their rune economies. So we had a spot adjustment for the power last week. Perhaps it was too hasty, let me look over what you have. You staying logged in?

[theRajjj]

Bro I see your point, but my take is you need to abolish an Alka that grants Wyrd. Ya I'll stay logged in... I'll post my playtest results for Vigridr while you read over my monstrosity hahahaha

[andrew]

Hmmmm I see your point and will need to mull it over some more.
However the build is 1 level higher because of the Fylgia and becomes more pronounced at level 13... but at that level enemy combatants will be able to mess with the build more than at level 8 or 10. I don't know if you noticed but your build also insta Bloodies itself gaining some nice bonuses.
If you manage to sac your heals, then you're left with a slow road to recovery with Constitution alone. You will have 4 runes in Death which on the middle Wounds track means a needed heal of 20... what would you be healing? 2? This dweller would be begging the Blacksmith to get him an accessory with Offering to Hel.

All in all a very sweet build for 10 minutes of work with no planning- great job! I'd play it!

[theRajjj]

You and me both bro!

Ya u'r right about the Fylgia, I missed that... and the bloodied, bitchen!! For the heals, if I had more levels I would go get Guyser of Living Waters. I think I can slip this build into our test plays at high level, this way I can get the accessory. I can tell you all about it in a battle report... you know... just how shocked and awed my group will be hahaha

Peace