Druids are the staunchest protectors of the wilds and nature in DnD, often forming Circles to band together and keep away anyone who would try to take advantage of or destroy it. They’re often immensely powerful and archdruids are as wise as the most enlightened of sages.
A druid’s main casting stat is Wisdom, so races that give an inherent boost to Wisdom would be the most optimal. Aarakocra, Wood-Elves, and Aasimar are all great choices for a druid but feel free to choose any race, so long as it fits your character.
Since the main casting stat is Wisdom, this means that the druid feels right at home taking skills that employ wisdom. Animal Handling, Medicine, Insight, and Survival are all also skills that a druid would be able to take full advantage of in the wilds, and would probably need. That said, feel free to also take skills like Stealth, Athletics, or Acrobatics that would also be beneficial.
A druid is an immensely powerful caster, and one of the best, if not the best, classes period. This is partially due to the spells a druid receives as part of their spellcasting. They get a wide variety of healing spells such as Cure Wounds, tons of transmutation spells to help with utility, and the biggest assortment of summoning spells in the game.
Action economy breaks the game, so if you really want to make your DM mad, take spells like Conjure Animals or Conjure Woodland Beings (you didn’t hear this from me.) Although keep in mind, with the rules as written you won’t get to choose what animals or beings you summon. Be sure to check with the DM before taking these spells, as they can be a little controversial.
Wild Shape gives the druid a lot of roleplaying ability, as being able to transform into an animal at will is pretty handy.
Unfortunately for most players, Druids really start to get overpowered around level 17 or 18, when they get 9th level spells, as well as extended life, the ability to cast spells while in Wild Shape, and at level 20, unlimited wild shapes.
For once, the majority of the class doesn’t rely solely on the subclass, although the Circle options available are flavorful and do add a lot mechanically. Druids who wish to focus on their Wild Shape are well-off taking the Moon Circle, whereas summoner druids would be best off taking the Shepherd Circle.
Druids can be a fun class to drive your DM wild, so be sure to check it out!
