Druids and the Elements

Hello fellow RPers of DBH, i have a question

Since i'm bored with healing with the same stuff again and again, i wanna try something else: Using water like shamans
Now i know druids possess some elemental skills like "Cyclone" or "Typhoon".
Is it possible studying elements and possess some elemental healing skills ?

Thanks

From my experience, here is how i see it.

The elements are not something you study, at least not like a mage. You are naturally attuned to them, and even then, not all; and if all, not with the same strength. A tauren druid might be slightly attuned to the spirits of water (or other elements), making it possible for them to communicate with the elements and channel their restoring attributes.
As far as night elves go, I would not see it possible. They are only attuned to the wilderness, not the elements. But this is RP, if you "learn" it, be sure to be careful how you do it. Let it take a few months until you get an effective heal out.

Shriukan wrote:From my experience, here is how i see it.

The elements are not something you study, at least not like a mage. You are naturally attuned to them, and even then, not all; and if all, not with the same strength. A tauren druid might be slightly attuned to the spirits of water (or other elements), making it possible for them to communicate with the elements and channel their restoring attributes.
As far as night elves go, I would not see it possible. They are only attuned to the wilderness, not the elements. But this is RP, if you "learn" it, be sure to be careful how you do it. Let it take a few months until you get an effective heal out.

Sure man i won't start as "super duper aqua druid with mightiest beard", i'll master in in time. Thanks for the info and the answer

No problem. That will be 1 /hug or 2 /ruffle's and a /cheer

/dance too

Druidism is a bit tricky. The different meaning of elements is even trickier...

My interpretation:
As you say it has some references to things like weather. It also have a number of references to the earth and the restorative powers of "earth".

So even if that is primarily a shaman element I'd say it would be viable for a druid to be into that. So basically nature (life) and earth would be the most viable elements for a druid, and water isn't that far fetched either IMHO.

A druid would be more interested in the elements as a part of the whole. For instance he would be more interested in the powers of earth itself and its meaning for life and Nature than trying to control elementals of earth or mess around with the elemental plane.

But as I said that is my interpretation and my view.
Hope it helps somehow.

A druid deals with living things, a shaman deals with inanimate (not-living) things. That's the gist of it.

There are a million ways you could make druid healing interesting without having to snowflake out into shamanism. Just think about the moonwells, lots of magical water in there. Could draw inspiration for that. I strongly advice against including shamanism in your druid roleplay, even though some Gilnean guilds out there seem to be under the impression that Gilneans have shamans.

You could also involve nature into your healing more directly. Use living plants, herbs, or even creatures. Who sais a Gilnean druid can't heal someone with leeches and other ye olde style doctorings.

Frostfeather wrote:Druidism is a bit tricky. The different meaning of elements is even trickier...

My interpretation:
As you say it has some references to things like weather. It also have a number of references to the earth and the restorative powers of "earth".

So even if that is primarily a shaman element I'd say it would be viable for a druid to be into that. So basically nature (life) and earth would be the most viable elements for a druid, and water isn't that far fetched either IMHO.

A druid would be more interested in the elements as a part of the whole. For instance he would be more interested in the powers of earth itself and its meaning for life and Nature than trying to control elementals of earth or mess around with the elemental plane.

But as I said that is my interpretation and my view.
Hope it helps somehow.

Thanks for the answer, but i don't intend to control elements, i just want to use the waters healing side nothing more

erwtenpeller wrote:A druid deals with living things, a shaman deals with inanimate (not-living) things. That's the gist of it.

There are a million ways you could make druid healing interesting without having to snowflake out into shamanism. Just think about the moonwells, lots of magical water in there. Could draw inspiration for that. I strongly advice against including shamanism in your druid roleplay, even though some Gilnean guilds out there seem to be under the impression that Gilneans have shamans.

You could also involve nature into your healing more directly. Use living plants, herbs, or even creatures. Who sais a Gilnean druid can't heal someone with leeches and other ye olde style doctorings.

Again, i don't want to be like a shaman, i mean i won't go to Earthen Ring and say "here have me as your student". -But moonwell stuff seems interesting-. Anyways what i want is using waters healing skills by trying to attune myself to the water element in some way.

You say herbs and such but all i'm doing is saying "Here, eat it/boil it/drink that leaf" after using some healing skills and it's starting to become boring. RPing out this thing seems fun to me and i wanted to ask your opinions that's all. Thanks for pointing out some stuff

You're a druid, make stuff grow! Why would you mash up and boil herbs, leave that to the alchemists and witch doctors.

What i am saying is that water is not a living thing. Druids are attuned to living things. I would advice you to try and expand on that and try to be a more interesting druid through druid stuff, rather then branch into another class and snowflake yourself into oblivion

What would you suggest, druid molester

Perhaps rather than attuning yourself to water overall, you could make use of mixing your own healing/growing abilities with water specifically found in moonwells? Maybe create healing properties and ways to mold it into your current spells?

erwtenpeller wrote:You're a druid, make stuff grow! Why would you mash up and boil herbs, leave that to the alchemists and witch doctors.

What i am saying is that water is not a living thing. Druids are attuned to living things. I would advice you to try and expand on that and try to be a more interesting druid through druid stuff, rather then branch into another class and snowflake yourself into oblivion

Druids are above all about balance. Water is not unimportant for the balance of nature or life. I do not see how it is so far fetched that a druid would be interested in the the element water and it's roll in life and nature.

And using herbs is very much in line with druidism.

Frostfeather wrote:And using herbs is very much in line with druidism.

Yes, but to give it that touch of druidism, you use them when they are alive.

Using water as a sort of reagent in your spells to grow life seems alright. Getting in touch with the element of water is something a Druid shouldn't and possibly couldn't do. It is an unliving material, druids work with things that are alive. It's the easiest and most clear distinction between a healing shaman and a healing druid!

Biterius wrote:What would you suggest, druid molester

I already offered a couple of suggestions in previous postings, so I'll just repeat those:
* Use alive materials. Use moss-growth to cover up wounds!
* Use the healing properties of living creatures! Maggot Therapy for axemple. Why would maggots have to be creepy and for forsaken! They are such versatile creatures!
* Use blessed water (if you insist on that water part) from moonwells and the like to enforce the growths you create, or to stimulate a persons own growth (regenerative power)
* Use creeping creatures, but water based! Let them be living in water! Hell, have your patients swallow them! Why not?
* Cure poisons with poisonous creatures! You're a druid, ask them to produce anti-venom for you! (I use a great deal of "hexed" creatures in Jahzeems healing RP and it's an endless pit of creative joys.)

erwtenpeller wrote:

Frostfeather wrote:And using herbs is very much in line with druidism.

Yes, but to give it that touch of druidism, you use them when they are alive.

Using water as a sort of reagent in your spells to grow life seems alright. Getting in touch with the element of water is something a Druid shouldn't and possibly couldn't do. It is an unliving material, druids work with things that are alive. It's the easiest and most clear distinction between a healing shaman and a healing druid!

Biterius wrote:What would you suggest, druid molester

I already offered a couple of suggestions in previous postings, so I'll just repeat those:
* Use alive materials. Use moss-growth to cover up wounds!
* Use the healing properties of living creatures! Maggot Therapy for axemple. Why would maggots have to be creepy and for forsaken! They are such versatile creatures!
* Use blessed water (if you insist on that water part) from moonwells and the like to enforce the growths you create, or to stimulate a persons own growth (regenerative power)
* Use creeping creatures, but water based! Let them be living in water! Hell, have your patients swallow them! Why not?
* Cure poisons with poisonous creatures! You're a druid, ask them to produce anti-venom for you! (I use a great deal of "hexed" creatures in Jahzeems healing RP and it's an endless pit of creative joys.)

I demand cross-faction RP !
And thanks for the advices, maggot therapy seems interesting

Ledgic Caan wrote:Perhaps rather than attuning yourself to water overall, you could make use of mixing your own healing/growing abilities with water specifically found in moonwells? Maybe create healing properties and ways to mold it into your current spells?

I don't know tenth doctor was better in my opinion

Frostfeather wrote:

erwtenpeller wrote:You're a druid, make stuff grow! Why would you mash up and boil herbs, leave that to the alchemists and witch doctors.

What i am saying is that water is not a living thing. Druids are attuned to living things. I would advice you to try and expand on that and try to be a more interesting druid through druid stuff, rather then branch into another class and snowflake yourself into oblivion

Druids are above all about balance. Water is not unimportant for the balance of nature or life. I do not see how it is so far fetched that a druid would be interested in the the element water and it's roll in life and nature.

And using herbs is very much in line with druidism.

*is already a herbalist*

Here is an idea, find the Light you heathen!

erwtenpeller wrote:Using water as a sort of reagent in your spells to grow life seems alright. Getting in touch with the element of water is something a Druid shouldn't and possibly couldn't do. It is an unliving material, druids work with things that are alive. It's the easiest and most clear distinction between a healing shaman and a healing druid!

That is over simplifying it in my opinion and quite frankly not correct.

There are several examples of druids giving quests that concerns elements or "unliving materia". If it effects life and nature it is their concern. So while I agree that life and nature would be the main focus of druids they are aware and have some knowledge about the elements.

There are also examples of druids wanting herbs. Herbalism and druidism goes hand in hand. I kinda think this is the common way to see it as well.

As I see it, the distinction between shamans and druids are not as "clear and easy" as I feel that you are trying to make it out to be. The may be focus primarily on different things but they are, in my view, overlapping.

But yeah, it comes down to personal preference and interpretation I guess.

I've said my piece. I'm trying to help him come up with ideas to roleplay a druid. Not a shaman. You have to draw the line somewhere.

erwtenpeller wrote:I've said my piece. I'm trying to help him come up with ideas to roleplay a druid. Not a shaman. You have to draw the line somewhere.

Again, i DON'T intend to roleplay a shaman -a worgen shaman ? come on-
http://www.wowwiki.com/Typhoon
Look we possess some elemental stuff, that's why i wanted to try some healing with the water. But i'll consider your suggestions too

Lexgrad wrote:Here is an idea, find the Light you heathen!

NO U !

Biterius wrote:http://www.wowwiki.com/Typhoon
Look we possess some elemental stuff

Yes, I know. Which makes my reasoning a bit dulled.

Then again, Both warlocks and mages toss fire around. This does not make them in any way "in touch" with the element of fire.

I've grown a big supporter of "sticking to your guns" I suppose. Choose something to roleplay, stick to it, and do it exceedingly well... Instead of branching out into other character concepts.

I'll be interesting believe me, i'm thinking to master it in a year with practicing a ton. But your advices gave me some inspiration, thank you

To be honest, Deli is right about the druid contra shaman line here. Druidic powers come from nature and life etc. whereas the shaman draws his powers from the elemental planes.

One could argue that druids can to some degree control the elements, what with our limited arsenal of wind- and water spells (Cyclone, Typhoon and Hurricane off the top of my head), and also the fact that Staghelm and his druids of the flame were able to manipulate fire; something druids normally can't do. However one could also argue that since Staghelm was empowered by Ragnaros(and were mostly located inside the plane of fire), the most likely explanation to this is that the Druids of the Flame were in wielding shamanistic powers rather than druidic and simply retained the name of druids because they were able to shapeshift, unlike shaman counterparts.

About traditional druidism, the way I always imagined it when playing Ixirar, is that druids don't create or conjure things (like a shaman would conjure fire to harm their foes or conjure water energies to heal their allies etc. etc.), but rather manipulate, accelerate/slow down and redirect the flows of nature (except for the obvious ones, moonfire, starfire, wrath where you're obviously drawing upon the powers of the moon to smite your enemies), so for example Cyclone you simply redirect the flows of the wind that is already there so it creates that vortex. Same with Typhoon, I imagine you'd be unable to use that if there wasn't enough water present, but given enough water you'd be able to manipulate it into a typhoon and launch it at your target.

Now for druid healing, which I figured to be the point of this thread. Now I'm pretty sure about how THAT works ICly (enough to claim that this is actually how it works). The druid doesn't "heal" the body per say, as in you don't actually heal the wounds. The druidic healing spells simply enhance the natural healing of your body. So, say, I'm cut by a blade and the wound would under normal circumstances take a week to heal. A druid casts a healing spell on me and instead of a week, my body is able to heal itself within a few hours.

This is mirrored in game mechanics if you think about it. Look at how shamans for example have their Earth Shield (They call upon the elements to protect their allies) and druids have that huge emphasis on Healing over Time effects. Whereas paladins and priests obviously have the holy light that I reckon is just your standard "I healed him with magic!" effect.


TL;DR: I reckon druids wouldn't use the elements in the way you described them.

Was about to say "too long didn't read" but meh,

I imagine you'd be unable to use that if there wasn't enough water present

Druid actually summons a wave, it's not like redirecting or bending as the avatar fans say

I see your point, makes sense but one can't do same things over and over again and doesn't get bored. I'm bored with the druid healing empowered with herbs because i'm doing it for a year now. It's time to try new things, i won't immediately start healing with water, Biterius will learn it in months and years.

And -this is probably off topic- if Ragnaros can grant those skills, couldn't Hydraxian Waterlords ?

Debri wrote:To be honest, Deli is right about the druid contra shaman line here. Druidic powers come from nature and life etc. whereas the shaman draws his powers from the elemental planes.

One could argue that druids can to some degree control the elements, what with our limited arsenal of wind- and water spells (Cyclone, Typhoon and Hurricane off the top of my head), and also the fact that Staghelm and his druids of the flame were able to manipulate fire; something druids normally can't do. However one could also argue that since Staghelm was empowered by Ragnaros(and were mostly located inside the plane of fire), the most likely explanation to this is that the Druids of the Flame were in wielding shamanistic powers rather than druidic and simply retained the name of druids because they were able to shapeshift, unlike shaman counterparts.

About traditional druidism, the way I always imagined it when playing Ixirar, is that druids don't create or conjure things (like a shaman would conjure fire to harm their foes or conjure water energies to heal their allies etc. etc.), but rather manipulate, accelerate/slow down and redirect the flows of nature (except for the obvious ones, moonfire, starfire, wrath where you're obviously drawing upon the powers of the moon to smite your enemies), so for example Cyclone you simply redirect the flows of the wind that is already there so it creates that vortex. Same with Typhoon, I imagine you'd be unable to use that if there wasn't enough water present, but given enough water you'd be able to manipulate it into a typhoon and launch it at your target.

Now for druid healing, which I figured to be the point of this thread. Now I'm pretty sure about how THAT works ICly (enough to claim that this is actually how it works). The druid doesn't "heal" the body per say, as in you don't actually heal the wounds. The druidic healing spells simply enhance the natural healing of your body. So, say, I'm cut by a blade and the wound would under normal circumstances take a week to heal. A druid casts a healing spell on me and instead of a week, my body is able to heal itself within a few hours.

This is mirrored in game mechanics if you think about it. Look at how shamans for example have their Earth Shield (They call upon the elements to protect their allies) and druids have that huge emphasis on Healing over Time effects. Whereas paladins and priests obviously have the holy light that I reckon is just your standard "I healed him with magic!" effect.


TL;DR: I reckon druids wouldn't use the elements in the way you described them.

I disagree. Once again I feel you guys are simplifying way to much.

Biterius wrote:Was about to say "too long didn't read" but meh,

I imagine you'd be unable to use that if there wasn't enough water present

Druid actually summons a wave, it's not like redirecting or bending as the avatar fans say

I see your point, makes sense but one can't do same things over and over again and doesn't get bored. I'm bored with the druid healing empowered with herbs because i'm doing it for a year now. It's time to try new things, i won't immediately start healing with water, Biterius will learn it in months and years.

And -this is probably off topic- if Ragnaros can grant those skills, couldn't Hydraxian Waterlords ?

Hydraxian Waterlords, like Raggy, are elementals and can grant those skills yes. Probably not in the same magnitude but yes.

Also, that makes you a shaman.

I disagree. Once again I feel you guys are simplifying way to much.

Ok.

Debir pls...