Druids are one of the most, if not the most, versatile classes in Diablo 2. Whether they are using powerful elemental spells like Hurricane or Molten Boulder, melee-focused transformations like Werewolf and Werebear (alongside boosts to those skills), or summon skills like Oak Sage or Heart of Wolverine, the Druid is capable of being built in many different ways. Because of this wide versatility, however, Druids do tend to require specialization, but a well-tended build with the right skill allocations and gear can be absolutely devastating, with the Wind Druid build proving to be the most popular, with Fury Werewolf and Beastmaster builds coming in as distant seconds.
Starting Attributes
- Strength: 15
- Dexterity: 20
- Vitality: 25
- Energy: 20
- Hit Points: 55
- Stamina: 84
- Mana: 20
Attribute Point Effect
- 1 Vitality point gives 2 Life
- 1 Vitality point gives 1 Stamina
- 1 Energy point gives 2 Mana
Increases Per Level
- Life: +1.5
- Stamina: +1
- Mana: +2
Playstyle
Your playstyle as Druid will depend almost entirely on which build you are going for. If you are running an elemental build (like Wind or Fire druid), then you will have to play defensively, standing back to use your spells either before enemies reach you, or using allies and some summons to guard you. Similarly, if you focus on Summoning, then you will be focused on summoning and tactically deploying a variety of beasts, utilizing their lack of skill cooldown to resummon them quickly. It should be noted that, unlike Necromancers, a Druid’s summons are smaller in number but heartier, requiring more precision in placement. Lastly, if you focus on Shape Shifting, then you will be essentially playing a melee build with some nice magic buffs and will be at the forefront of combat, deviating from the spellcasting playstyle of the other two trees.
Skill Trees
Class Tips
- The ideal way to start the game is as an Elemental Druid, starting with Fire skills before using a respec to move into Wind skills. This is the best way to level a Druid before you respec again into your endgame build.
- Even more than other classes, Druids benefit from hyperspecializing, investing the bulk of their skill points into as few skills as possible. Typically, you will focus on only one skill tree, only branching out slightly in order to boost your main tree.
- The Elemental Wind skills (Twister, Tornado, and Hurricane) actually deal physical damage instead of Elemental damage, which is part of what makes them so powerful.
- But, he is still limited by Mana, which will be perpetually in short supply for an Elemental Druid, who should look out for Mana-boosting gear.
- Carrion Vine is an underrated summoning skill that can give the Druid some much-needed survivability.
- The effects of gear equipped when transforming into a Werewolf or Werebear is transferred over.
