[Top 5] D&D Best Druid Builds That Are Fun To Play

Updated:

04 May 2024

Secretive yet undeniable, primal magics run wild throughout the landscape, ready to be tapped by those capable of hearing its call.

Forgoing metal armor and sprouting healthy far beyond the confines of civilization some of the mightiest adventurers can be borne, just as untamable as the elements they command.

Breath of the Wild.

With the temper of a volcano, a leaf-clad shape shares its primeval wisdom to calm down the rumbling of the earth.

Allies to all things wild and masters of nature, the Druid is one of 5th edition Dungeon and Dragons’ iconic classes, these primal spell-casters shake down the earth with their ability to fit any situation they need.

Shielding the lands from all who would threaten them while making sure all the gardens in the kingdom have the right amount of water can be a daunting task.

After all, druids are all-rounders who can give as much as they take, but worry not, for today we pick the right mushrooms in our moonlit grove to unravel the mysteries of druidic power with some fun builds to come back with a bite!

These are by no means prescriptive builds, but rather guidelines that you can tweak and modify to fit all your role-playing needs. I’ll be using options from the Player’s Handbook (PHB), Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (XGtE), and Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (TCoE).

1. The Wildkin.

The Wildkin is a mix of tooth and claw that rips through its foes like an animal!

More comfortable in the skin of a beast than its own, our druid found its true calling amongst the denizens of the forest. They remember the person they once were, but civilization has long stopped being its home.

The “Wildkin” build focuses on making the most out of the wild shape feature with the Circle of the Moon from the Payer’s Handbook. Becoming a moon druid gives our wild shape a notable buff that keeps it competitive in all tiers of play.

Since you’re still a druid, you can bring the powers of the elements to bear with your spells whenever you’d like to step out of your animal skin.

What the Wildkin Excels in.

More powerful wild shapes: Circle forms let you transform into more dangerous animals. Thanks to 5th edition’s bound accuracy, you can turn from an inconspicuous bystander into a ferocious Dire Wolf!
Excellent durability: Because of 5th edition’s wild shape rules, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form, meaning you have several pools of hit points to burn through.
Maintaining concentration: Since beasts tend to have good constitution scores, you can cast a concentration spell before turning into a beast and rely on its superior resilience to keep your spell going.

Build Details.

Ability Scores: With the standard array we’ll get the following: 15 Wisdom, 14 Charisma, 13 Intelligence, 12 Constitution, 10 Dexterity, 8 Strength. Since we’ll spend most of our time in animal form, physical abilities are secondary for the Wildkin.
Race: Starting as Firbolg will bump your Wisdom to 16. Since you retain any features from your race while in wild shape, the Firbolg’s ability to turn invisible for one turn can prove invaluable.
Background: Choose one that fits your character concept or grants proficiencies that you want. Hermit or Outlander are pretty good choices.
Details: For this build, you’ll need only level up in the druid class.
At level 2, you’ll gain the wild shape feature and a druid circle. Choose the Circle of the moon. Now your circle grants you the ability to transform into higher CR beasts.
Additionally, your spell slots will serve as fuel to keep you going! Now you can spend them to recover Hit Points.
Every time you gain an Ability Score Increase, make sure to increase your Wisdom by 2 until you reach a score of 20. If your game uses feats, take Resilient (Constitution) if you had not already acquired it.
As your bond with nature strengthens and you grow in level, you will gain the following:
- With tooth and claw! At 6th level your attacks in beast form count as magical.
- Embody the power of the elements, now you can turn into an elemental with your Wild Shape feature.
- Adaptable and deadly, you can now alter your shape at will!

Spell Selection.

Spellcasting is a central part of the druid class, however, Wildkin druids are at home when wild-shaped. Most of your spells in combat will be destined for self-healing.

Once you level up enough and find a concentration spell that you like, make sure to cast it before transforming so you can rip and tear it at ease.

Build Overview.

Ability Score Priority: Wisdom > Everything else is interchangeable.

Race: Firbolg.

Class: Druid (Circle of the Moon).

2. The Constellation.

Clad in a mantle of stars, the Constellation serves as a beacon for their allies.

Once an astronomer, our druid found solace far beyond the sky’s rim. Now one with the starlit patterns that draw the universe, they harness the powers of the cosmos

The “Constellation” is a powerful all-rounder build that has both offense, defense, and support packed into a powerful spell-caster that dominates the battlefield with the Circle of Stars from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything.

If you enjoy supporting your party and throwing spells left and right, the “Constellation” is the right build for you.