Baldur's Gate 3: The Unwritten Rules of Playing a Druid…

Summary

Half-Orc is the recommended race for Druids in Baldur's Gate 3, with unique passives that enhance their Wild Shape form and survivability.
Choosing the Folk Hero background grants Druids proficiency in Animal Handling and Survival, aligning them thematically and enhancing their play style.
The Circle of the Moon subclass is the best choice for Druids, allowing them to transform into a Bear for increased damage and access to the Lunar Mend skill for healing.

As a title renowned for its world-building and story-telling potential, Baldur's Gate 3 is a fantastic game for RPG fans excited about diving deep into the role-playing aspects of a game. Part of what makes Baldur's Gate 3 so popular is the attention to detail and level of customization available for players to tune their experience precisely to their liking. However, there are some general guidelines the community has developed for players intent on playing as a Druid that they should abide by in order to have the best Baldur's Gate 3 experience.

In Baldur's Gate 3, Druids are the class most in tune with nature and their abilities revolve around manipulation of the natural world, including the animals that live in it. Wisdom is the primary stat Druid players will want to focus on, but most Druids can be competent as both spellcasters and melee fighters. There are a lot of elements to consider when playing a Druid in Baldur's Gate 3, including character creation, combat, and narrative decisions that each come with their own set of unwritten rules that players are suggested to follow.

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By Shayna Josi

Unwritten Rules for Creating a Druid in Baldur's Gate 3

Half-Orc Should be the Race of Choice for a Druid

Any run of Baldur's Gate 3 starts with character creation, assuming the player is choosing to play as a custom character and not one of the Origin Character options. When creating a custom Druid character, there are a variety of races that can work well for the class, but Half-Orc is generally considered to be the best choice. Half-Orcs have access to two unique passives: Savage Attacks and Relentless Endurance, which are perfect for Druids who primarily fight in their Wild Shape form, since they will gain more powerful Critical Hits and can survive a fatal blow once per long rest.

Folk Hero is the Ideal Background Choice

Another option players will have to select during the character creation process is their character's background, which details the character's history before the game and grants them access to specific traits. For Druids, the Folk Hero background is usually the recommended choice since it gives the character Proficiency in Animal Handling and Survival, two skills that make thematic sense for a Druid and can be useful for their play style later on. Animal Handling increases the success of Skill Checks involving animals, and Survival increases the success of Skill Checks that involve hunting and tracking in the wilderness.

Circle of the Moon is the Best Subclass Choice

When Baldur's Gate 3 Druids reach Level 2, they will get the option to choose between one of three subclasses that can change how Druids play. Of the three, the best option for many Druids is the Circle of the Moon, which allows players to transform into a Bear as a Wild Shape option and gain access to the Lunar Mend skill, which can be used to heal while in Wild Shape form. Being able to transform into a Bear is a fantastic option when paired with the Half-Orc race since it allows Druids to deal even more damage in their Wild Shape form.

Unwritten Rules for Combat as a Druid in Baldur's Gate 3

Halsin and Jaheira Should Stay Out of the Party

An important part of a successful Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough is having a party composed of different classes that can support one another in battle. If playing as a custom Druid character, players are going to want to avoid using Halsin and Jaheira in their party since they are both Druids as well, and there are better party member options that don't have overlapping classes. It's still important to recruit these characters for the best story outcomes in Baldur's Gate 3, but Druid players will ideally leave these two back at camp when out adventuring.

Multiclass with Ranger for the Best Results

One of the best parts of character building in Baldur's Gate 3 is the option to multiclass and invest in skills from two different classes. Adding Ranger as a secondary class is a must for Druids, since Rangers have access to animal companions, which gives the player even more options for controlling animals and is fitting for a master of the natural world like a Druid. Having the Circle of the Moon subclass and Ranger multiclass can even allow Druids to transform into a Bear while having one as a companion, doubling the number of Bears in battle.

Unwritten Rules of Roleplaying as a Druid in Baldur's Gate 3

A close up of the Druid Kagha and the Pale Oak in Baldur's Gate 3

Save the Druid Grove in Act 1

To complete the optimal role-playing experience as a Druid in Baldur's Gate 3, players will want to make sure they make the appropriate narrative choices that would be most fitting for a Druid. The first major choice they will need to make is to save the Emerald Grove from the impending threat of goblins who plan to attack it in the name of the Absolute in Act 1, since this grove is an enclave of Druids dedicated to the Treefather, Silvanus. As a part of this questline, players should also be sure to investigate Kagha and convince her to turn against the Shadow Druids, ultimately leaving her fate up to Halsin as any good Druid would.

Spare the Owlbear and Save the Owlbear Cub

Another encounter that players can have in Act 1 is with an Owlbear and its cub, whom players can find in a cave near the Blighted Village. While it might be tempting to engage this creature in battle to claim The Oak Father's Embrace armor located by its nest, the gentle Druid would respect the injured creature and its cub and flee the encounter. Later, the player can encounter the Owlbear cub at the goblin camp where Krolla is using it for a cruel game, and the animal-loving Druid can use this opportunity to condemn the goblins and free the Owlbear cub.

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%

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Released: August 3, 2023
ESRB: M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
Developer(s): Larian Studios
Publisher(s): Larian Studios
Engine: Divinity 4.0
Multiplayer: Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
Cross-Platform Play: Full cross-platform play.