Started my first druid...pure Fire

[Archangel Manael]

Started my first druid...pure Fire

I'm level 12 right now with 7 in Firestorm and 4 in MB and 1 in Fissure.

I got very noobish gear on...I think an axe that does 4 to 13 damage and equally noobish armor and shield and other stuff.

Hence why it takes me much longer to level up with new chars than anybody else

So far, I've been owning nicely, compensating with each level up on weak points, such as adding to vitality when I got nearly killed a few times due to low vit. Or adding to energy when I run out of mana after 8 seconds of full casting.

From some of my builds I post on this forum, you will find out I'm the type of person who likes to go for aesthetics and "fun skills" and enjoy the game that way rather than focus on pure perfection of build.

I also am very new and don't know much about anything, I try to use this forum as a guide though.

Anyways, Fire Druid needs to max all Fire skills, but thats 100 points and at the rate I go I'll never get past level 80, so that's of course not something to count on.

So that means I have to let go of some skills. It's been a tough choice, because Armageddon is the highest damage skill of the Fire Druid, and it benefits from Volcano, Fissure and FS.

However, Volcano doesnt benefit from FS I belive. FS doesnt benefit from anything but MB and Volcano I think.

So it's a tough decision. Also, is it best to put 1 point in something and max the other 4...or have 80 points spread across 5 fire skills since they are all syns of each other?

Last but not least, the only non-fire I was thinking was 1 point Grizzly and 3 prereqs to keep people off me as I cast my hellfire around.

I was thinking maybe get 8 points to wolves...just enough to get 8 wolves...to act as bait mainly...but then I think it might be a waste as they'd be slaughtered in NM and Hell.

Honestly, with this particular build, if it makes to it to Hell fine, if not, I'd be fine with it, as I'm in it for a fun build rather than a build that can make Hell.

But if it could be fun AND make Hell...they that'd be better

Anyways, I was thinking maybe keep FS at level 7 and MB at level 13.

or something along those lines, thoughts?

 

[Verashiden]

Max Fissure, Volcano, FS, and MB. Ignore Geddon unless you find a pelt with it as a staff mod. Get one point into Grizz and proceed to max Oak Sage after. For the initial build (1 point Grizz and Oak) that brings you to 85 points used, finished at lvl 73 (including skill quests). Use Fissure for large groups, Cano for Bosses and FIs. Boulder in cramped spaces against small enemies (bigger ones don't get knocked back by Boulder). Grizz is there to tank hold bosses still while Cano does its thing. Very Hell Viable >.>

 

[Zigot_HD]

If I go pure elemental fire druid, i'd do:

- max fissure
- max volcano ( for some physical dmg )
- max grizz
- oak
( Shaman build )

And have some pets : you cannot have 8 wolve: 3 dire or 5 spirit wolve only.
You'll meet fire immunity hell so you'll need a good merc/ pets to do the killing.
An oak sage for more life.
Raven are always useful to blind monsters.
Try to get gear that give skill.

Armageddon looks cool but very hard to aim....
Or have another synergy and less in summon... depend on your play style.

 

[Nest]

Firstly, http://strategy.diabloii.net/news.php?id=541 this guide discusses combinations of fire skills that synergize well.

On my own fire druid I'm just in act5 normal so can't speak from lots of experience. My plan is to max fissure for damage now and later add synergies as needed.
Against fire immunes I'm going to use summons, if not to cause damage then at least to distract em while the mercenary does his thing. (Volcano on its own didn't seem very effective on my former druids.) This guy is also hardcore, so anything to take the heat in hell is king.

PS: also, everything that the others just said ^.^

 

[inanefedaykin]

As Zigot said, go for a shaman build. Pure fire druids just don't do very well after nightmare.

 

[Archangel Manael]

Max Fissure, Volcano, FS, and MB. Ignore Geddon ...1 point Grizz and Oak...Very Hell Viable

As Zigot said, go for a shaman build. Pure fire druids just don't do very well after nightmare.

I guess different views are normal

I like your suggestions Varashiden. Especially since it's only a level 73 char, and I'm not enough of a hardcore D2 player to go much past level 80 anyways.

Also, any points past the first 85...would you put into grizzly or armageddon?

 

[Verashiden]

It'd really depend. I'd pump either Oak Sage or Dire Wolf. Reasoning is that the build I suggested uses summons as cannon fodder more than damage dealers. As such, their survivability is taken into consideration first. Oak benefits you as well, which makes it my first option. However, Dire Wolf is viable, especially if you want to use them to cover open areas while you work.

And a Shaman is much easier to use in Hell due to FIs.

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,

I just built a Volcano druid and went to level 80. Hell is not easy at all due to FI's. Otherwise, the damage is quite fine if you use your other skills. I went Firestorm, Boulder, Fissure and Volcano. I use all the skills mostly and it's fun. I went 1 point Oak--Let plus skills raise that. Maxing it would certainly give you nice life, but the % isn't going to be that super unless your actual life pool is already pretty nice. I find that base Oak +skills getting you a roughly 60% oak buff is great for the single point. You'll be at range mostly anyways, so no need to truly pump that life total like a melee/windy character who is going to be face to face often. Fire is ranged unless you're Geddon, so don't worry so much about having max life here. Summons are very helpful, but don't go beyond 1 point unless you build a hybrid Druid. If you want pure Fire, get a solid merc and summons are only going to be there to take hits and be meat shields.

You can get great gear with perfect gems. Save all the flawless & perfects and come back to the trade board. Get yourself a Jalal's, Vipermagi and spirit set or something for dirt cheap. It'll take you far.

As for the Shaman ideas, they're excellent too. I always loved my bears while cooking things with Fissure & Volcano! Resummonable summons means you're always set too--no body requirement like Necros. Great if you want to be able to get through the massive load of FI's you'll meet in Hell. This is less a problem if you play in parties often. If you solo, you will want a good physical merc & bear or dires though.

Cheers, :sunny: