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Druids in Baldur's Gate 3 are a way to play the game from an entirely new perspective: the animal perspective. Entrenched in the natural arts, the Druid is a magic class that knows how to humble even the most skilled sorcerers. They excel at support, utility, and as medium damage dealers.

RELATED: Baldur's Gate 3: Complete Guide To Rangers

Thanks to their sheer versatility and the usefulness of all their skills, you can overlook their downsides for this exceptionally balanced and fun class. With great multiclass potential as well, they are a class most worthy of your attention and time. And who wouldn't want to be a spellcasting badger?

Druid Overview

Druid Using Wild Shape Wolf Howls Over Harpy Body

"Whether calling on the elemental forces of nature or emulating the creatures of the animal world, druids are an embodiment of nature's resilience, cunning, and fury."

The Druid is primarily a spellcaster who balances utility and support while in their human form and as a damage-dealer in their Wild Shape. Shapeshifters with exceptional versatility in any situation, their lack of feats is made up for in their variety of beasts to transform into.

Their unique backgrounds and access to spells like Speak with Animals open a plethora of unique roleplaying opportunities.

Level

Proficiency Bonus

Feats

Cantrips Known

Spells Slots per Spell Level

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1

2

Spellcasting

2

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

2

2

Wild Shape, Choose Druid Circle

2

3

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

3

2

Spellcasting Level 2

2

4

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

4

2

Ability Score Improvement or Choice of Feat

3

4

3

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

5

3

Spellcasting Level 3

3

4

3

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

Skills, Proficiencies, And Starting Equipment

Druid Looks At Leather Armor During Nautiloid Tutorial

A slightly squishy class, the Wisdom-based spellcaster generally sees low investments in their physical stats and has a starting health pool of 8 + their Constitution modifier. At every level past the first, Druids receive 5 + their Constitution modifier for their HP.

Their talents are all rooted in mental skills with many of them leaning toward magical and natural knowledge.

  • Saving Throws: Intelligence and Wisdom
  • Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Religion, and Survival
  • Proficiencies: Light armor, Medium armor, Shields (not made of metal); All Simple Weapons except bows, crossbows, greatclubs, and handaxes
  • Starting Equipment: Druid's Leather armor and Quarterstaff

They also begin with one of the coolest and most unique armor sets among the classes for that #FashionRolls element.

If you're not happy with that gear, there are very few armor sets you'll be able to wear and a limited number of weapons open to you. This is due to the Druid's limited weapon proficiency pool and the stipulation that Druids cannot wear metal armor.

Feats: Wild Shape

Druid Wild Shaped As Cat Runs Across The Druid's Grove By Volo

Druids, strangely enough, don't operate in the same way other classes do. Rather than be given a range of feats they are given throughout their levels, druids are primarily given one feat: Wild Shape.

Wild Shape allows you to transform into beasts for a number of hours equal to half your druid's level (rounded down). The number of times and the types of animals you can transform into will depend on your subclass.

Your Wild Shape charges are separate from your spell slots and recharge with short rests. Each animal has its own abilities and skills, meaning you'll want to get a feel for all the animals you can inhabit.

While Wild Shaped, you can automatically speak with animals without needing to cast the spell.

All Wild Shape Animals And Abilities

Illithid Feats

Druid Spells

Druid Selects Cantrips To Learn At Beginning Of Character Creation

The Druid spellcasting class is unique, having its own spell list to choose from and dabbling here and there within the Cleric and Wizard classes. As a Druid, your spellcasting ability is Wisdom. As such:

  • Spell Save DC = 8 + Proficiency bonus + Wisdom modifier
  • Spell Attack Modifier = Proficiency bonus + Wisdom modifier

Druids are a Prepared Caster class, this means that you must prepare a certain number of known spells. The number of spells you can prepare at a time is equal to:

Prepared Spells Total = Wisdom modifier + Druid level

You can prepare and move spells at any time while you are not in combat and not moving by selecting your Spellbook in your Character Sheet and pressing Prepared Spells.

Druid spell slots are regained after a Long Rest.

Full Spells List

Subclass: Circle Of The Moon

Circle Of Moon Druid Walks Wild Shaped As Polar Bear

"Druids of the Circle of the Moon are fierce guardians of the wilds... Changeable as the moon, a druid of this circle might prowl as a great cat one night, soar over the treetops as an eagle the next day, and crash through the undergrowth in bear form to drive off a trespassing monster."

As a Circle of the Moon Druid, you gain benefits to your Wild Shape abilities. As a subclass that prefers to stay within their wild forms, the player of a Druid from this circle will likely spend more time as beast than man or elf.

Those who prefer shapeshifting will enjoy this class the most.

Level

Wild Shape Boons

Boon Effects

2

Combat Wild Shape

You can now use your Wild Shape as a Bonus Action rather than a full Action.

6

Primal Strike

Your Wild Shape attacks count as magical.

Subclass: Circle Of The Land

Druid Wild Shaped As Wolf Walks Through Gate Into Druid's Grove

"The Circle of the Land is made up of mystics and sages who safeguard ancient knowledge and rites through a vast oral tradition."

Unlike the Circle of Moon, Land Druids prefer to retain their humanoid form over their beastly ones. They also prefer to use spells far more often than their subclass counterparts, and for that reason, the Land Druid receives the boon: Natural Recovery, allowing you to replenish your spell slots without the need of a Long Rest once per day.

Additionally, Land Druids receive a list of spells unique to their circle. This has deviated slightly from the original Player's Handbook.

At the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th levels, you will earn the right to choose between which land your mystical connection is shared, and that will affect the spells you are capable of learning. These spells will always be ready and do not need to be prepared.

You do not need to choose one to stay with the whole time. You can take the Coast for a Land at level 3 and then Arctic at level 5.

Circle Of Land Spells

Subclass: Circle Of Spores

Myconid Colony Dances To Celebrate Nere's Death

"Druids of the Circle of Spores find beauty in decay. They see within mold and other fungi the ability to transform lifeless material into abundant, albeit somewhat strange, life. These druids believe that life and death are parts of a grand cycle, with one leading to the other and then back again. Death isn't the end of life, but instead a change of state that sees life shift into a new form."

The Circle of Spores Druid is a complicated subclass which will have an excess of feats compared to its companions and a list of unique spells. This class specializes in poisons and disease-like effects to deal damage, as well as the zombie-like control of their deceased enemies and the unaware.

This class is not available in the early access and will be further expanded upon in future updates with the game's official release.

NEXT: Baldur's Gate 3: Complete Guide To Clerics