Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Build Discussion Is it accurate to say that Circle of the Moon plays like a different flavor of Barbarian?

I have yet to actually use it in practice, but when I was leveling up Jaheira this was the impression that I got. Obviously Druid will have more support options than the Barbarian, whereas the Barbarian's rage will have more immunities than wildshape.

But other than that, I feel like they're more similar in nature than first impressions would have you believe.

Personally, I don't think so and find the moon druid a very distinctive class to play (though with its frustrations, as outlined in the thread at https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=886939).

Though I guess to some extent that might depend on what wildshape is picked as some do have barbarian-adjacent abilities, or I guess barbarians have animal-adjacent abilities, so I can kind of see why you make the connection.

Kind of yes, if you play it in accordance to the consideration of (druid) subclass comparisons.

Moon druid is basically the "screw spells, I just want to be a beast and use animal form at all times" subclass. So you can use spell slots to heal beast form in order for them to not be wasted by you never being in human form to actually cast spells.

Barbarian activates rage, runs in, and spends the whole fight melee while maintaining their buff.
Mood Druid activates wildshape (or already has it up), runs in, and spends the whole fight melee while maintaining their form.

Some people have been complaining about interactions between spells and wildshape, but my take is;
if you're using spells as a moon druid in the first place, you're doing something wrong, because it's the no spells - beast mode subclass. Like a barbarian.
If you're gonna use your druid spells &/or be in human form, use one of the other two subclasses.

My favorite EA run was with two Tav’s- a wildheart barbarian and a moon druid.

There is a definite thematic similarity, and I enjoyed watching them rage and bear-rage next to each other.

This kind of where I was going with it. It sounds fun, I just wanted to make sure I understood correctly as I building it.

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Yeah, they complain rightly, since you should still be able to get full use out of any concentration spell cast prior to shifting. Plus there are lots of bugs in the interaction with your equipment too, including items often stopping to work after wild shaping until you remove and equip them again.

Why choose? My first playthrough was as a Bearbarian, level 5 druid (moon)/ level 7 barbarian (wildheart). I used bear rage in the first round, attack-attack (using special moves like cleave or lacerate which won't be available in bear form) second round wildshape and beast attacks. Resistance to everything but psychic and plenty of new hp pools to pull from and Lunar mend to use those spell slots to keep healing while attacking. Particularly once you can use the owl bear form it gets nuts what is possible. And the bear wildheart option at barbarian 6 made my carrying capacity incredible.

The playstyle is very different. Moon Druid can turn into a beast and go into melee but you won't hit as hard or be as tanky as a barbarian while doing it.

Think of Moon Druid more as a control and support melee character. You can drop your powerful battlefield control spells like Spike Growth to hinder large groups of enemies as a caster. Then as a beast most of your forms are loaded with control options to lock enemies down so your allies can wail on them or keep enemies off your squishies so they can cast unhindered.

Owlbear has a lot of knockbacks and fear available. Saber-tooth Tiger and Earth Elemental have knock-prone auto attacks. Dilophosaurus has a lunge to knock enemies prone too.

That is mostly how I played in my campaign. I'd drop Spike Growth to slow down and deal massive damage to large groups of weaker enemies as they try to run through, then charge the biggest threat in the room and try to lock it down by making it fall prone every round while Karlach tore it to pieces.

Moon Druid also has incredible access to summons which further diversifies your capabilities. The Dryad and her Woad Warrior can both spam Entangle to restrain groups of enemies while the Earth Elemental can knock enemies prone just like your own form can. With summons the druid probably greatly outpaces the barbarian as a tank too, as there are now multiple bodies on the field eating hits that would otherwise go to a party member.

The best part is summons don't need concentration. You can roll in with up to five summons, six if you count the giant vine, that can swarm the field and distract whole groups of enemies while you concentrate on Spike Growth to bog down a whole flank. All the while using focused control effects on enemies in melee with your beast attacks.

You absolutely should not ignore your spellcasting as a moon druid. Even if you're in beast form for most of the fight you can still have massive battlefield influence through spells you don't need to keep casting every round.

Druids are kings of battlefield control. Moon Druid is too. They just do it by turning into something big and bullying the boss the entire fight.

Fully agree with this. My Moon Druid is lvl 10. It fits a really good supplemental role in the party. Right now It's my Druid, Shadoheart, Karlach and Wyll (or Gale). We pretty much have every need covered for a balanced party with the exception of good lock picking. I just have Karlach smash the doors/chests instead lol.

Also worth noting that the Dryad can cast spike growth by herself, which frees up your Druid for using a different concentration spell, which is huge.