Shaman Vs. Druid

[shmee51]

Shaman can use the revitalizes and health, major health, minor health, group health and regrowth. With 1000 base nature shamans can use imp. revitalize V double teched.

Okay... shamans can use ALL healing spells... but only get nature skill, so we can only use revit and imp revit for direct heals as a solo class, BUT if you multiclass shaman with cleric, you bump yourself up to 9 augmentation per level of cleric, extra shield skill, 10 life per cleric lvl, 1 extra armor use, as well as +2 str +1 foc with cleric.

That being said, pure shamans get 4 heals... revit, imp revit, instant heal, and regrowth, as well as the stun suite from nature spells, and a host of nerfing spells. So, if you multiclass cleric, you're looking at a hefty rating ping (we already get screwed by the 20 druid 20 spiritist requirement) for not that much of a boon.

Multiclass cleric is very useful, but has some nasty drawbacks... so in all honesty I'd wait until lvl 60 or so shaman before you start to really multiclass... not to mention, if you're THAT interested in more heals... why not just continue spiritist or even go bloodmage for more power and focus, as well as theft of life and ethereal leech/paroxysm? I mean... just really think about which you want to do... druid classes always have been nasty when you try to join a prestige and multiclass... so just put a lot of thought into what you need and not what you want.

[Tarran of Chaos]

More accurately, it is 'damage shield adjustment' or 'damage shield nerf' because CoT won't be the only thing affected. On the positive side, if this is what it takes to get people thinking about druids' general viability (and lack thereof), good. If a class is considered worthy only because of single ability, something must be very, very wrong with it on conceptual level.

Agreed. Without cloak of thorns druid would not be a viable class. There is so much you turn down to take the class in the first place.

[IvyMindFlayer]

Not a viable class? Honestly druids may need some damage adjustments if CoT ever gets changed, but not a viable class? Ever heard of Field of Growth one of the best HOT in the game. How about Forest Mist one of the best defensive abilities in the game. Take monk to 100 to support druid and you become near unhittable for awhile. They also get a 3 sec stun, numerous AOE spells, a nice damage booster that is masterable, Hillside Bastion is nice. I really don't see how they are not viable. If you take Mage to 100 for max Power and some more AOE spells you are a damage machine against multiple mobs. Oh I forgot Shocking Blast, Thunder Cloud, etc. which are stun spells and are very nice. So taking Monk and Mage to support Druid helps make them very powerful indeed. This game is about multiclassing, I am sorry but honestly a single class player is making that choice themselves to play that way and shouldn't cry because they are not doing as much damage as other single classes or multiclassed characters. Again Druids could use some damage adjustments, but they are a very viable and versatile class.

[Svayvti]

or you could just play a Shaman who gets comparable defense with far superior offense.

Honestly I took up Shaman and there is no comparison now. Druids might be "viable" but they certainly aren't Balanced to be equal to other nature classes.

and while multi-classing is a nice option for further character development, it shouldn't be mandatory on the part of one class to make that class useful.