Druid - 2018 by beargeist

Play style
- Great Offlane utility, and great at holding solo lane.
- late game options for pseudo support or off tank with dmg flex for both, or full bruiser.

This was Originally a very Multi-class focused Kit; it attempted to get around a lot of the varian-esque issues by granting a functionally basic version of an (R) power early. Just the way varian is set up for his - shield wall v charge. And moving his ability ult style structure to T1 and T2, the way the rework did.

I don't call him a Multiclass anymore, but he has great directional changes from 10-20. This is partly achieved by tying his T3 to functional changes. And always ensuring that his builds work in the solo lane. (unlike varian)
_____________________________________________

Solo lane v TF dynamics 1-10

T1
Molten bolder: is great for zoning the lane, and knocking out towers for an Xp edge on maps like cursed hollow. its also good at dealing with oncoming pressure (vs basic dives like Greymane/varian/etc)

Hurricane: is better at dealing with pressure/rotations that are already ontop of you (tyrael/anub), and maps with dangerous solo lanes like dragon shire/sky temple. while offering peel and choke control in the TF.

---

T2&T3&T4
Vine vs Raven: while both have purpose in solo lane, the self sustain vine has obvious match up and comp strengths/relief.

Spirit Barb: while useful as a front liner for raw dps and match ups where you can be poked often, there is a great functional advantage come lv 10. With the ability to abathur out your sage spirit, for a more clean up role in the offlane (infernal shrines).

Dire maul: while more dedicated to the 1v1 in all situations, the functional advantage of using the lv 10 knockback as peel makes it useful for a TF off tank.

Barb vs Maul: there are no synergies that provide additional dmg or CD, that don't come directly from the talent chosen. The synergies for these powers are presence and position, with knockback and global range. allowing you to mix the T3 and T4 with consideration to raw numeric value.
_____________________________________________

T5&T6&T7

Later Tiers move into very staple archetypes that try not to show too much bias for prior talents. Maintaining the principle of synergy as presence/ function, and not multiplying numeric.

Pseudo support / mage / frontline.

T1 - pick (W) ability
Molten bolder
Hurricane

T2 - pick (E) ability
Carrion vine
Raven


T3
Dire Maul (Q) - hitting one target with Maul reduces the cooldown by 2s and cost by 15 mana.

Spirit of Barbs (R) - enemies that attack sage spirit's host within a range of 5, suffer 130 dmg over 3.5s (does not stack, refresh dot)

Nature's Son (active/E) - gain the ability to toggle between both summons from tier two. Raven or Carrion Vine.


T4
Werebear (D)
Heart of The Bear (R1)


T5
Loyalty (active) - For 4s you absorb 50% of the damage dealt to a targeted ally's HP pool at 50% reduction. Cd 30s, target must be in a range of 4 to be affected by loyality (.5 x.5 = .25)

Ogre Maul (passive) - Basic attacks deal 15% additional dmg, and each consecutive basic attack vs the same target, deals an additional 15% damage, up to 45%.
1(15%), 2(30%), 3(45%).

Elementalist (W) - shapeshift no longer reduces the cooldown of your spell slot. while in human form your spell gains 25% ability cooldown recharge


T6

Heart of the Wolverine (R) - Sage spirit causes all nearby ally heroes, to deal 15% increased heroic dmg.

Evocator (active) - gain the alternate Spell as a secondary active ability. separate 30s Cd, no cost, cannot be used while shapeshifted.

Strike Fear (active) - Mark nearby enemy targets with "fear stricken" for 3s. If marked targets take dmg equal to 20% life, they are feared for 1.5s. Cooldown 60s, Can only be used while shapeshifted.


T7 - Cooldown 70s, duration 12s.
Companions follow you closely and have a strong preference to attack on your auto target.

Call Companion: Grizzly (active) - Hp: 1300, 60 dps - Area control
attacks cleave for 100%, every third attack against the same target stuns for 0.75s. cleave hits count toward the stun count.

Call Companion: Dire wolf (active) - Hp: 1000, dps 60 - threat & culling.
Attacks with one of two potential bonuses, the bonus is determined by the current greater value. Either deals bonus dmg equal to 1.25% max hp, or 3% of their missing health.

Call Companion: Spirit Wolves (active) - Hp: 680 x2, dps 40 x2 - Summon two wolves - Utility support.
spirit wolves heal nearby allies for 14hp/sec each. When spirit wolves die or expire they heal nearby allies for 290hp and 80 mana. Wolves receive 100% bonus healing from one another.

The druid has his basic attack Damage a little artificially inflated on purpose.
I didn't want the shapeshift to be a clearing tool or feel like a requirement to melee DPS.

Instead i wanted it to feel like; what the Druid could do with a giant maul and extreme effort, the werewolf could do with ease.
So the difference in DMG is really in the ease of application. The wolf can dart in and out completing tasks, that the druid has to stick his neck out for and be mechanically superior to min/max.

ex: the druid has to swing short(1.2) to keep his attack rate quick and powerful, the werewolf would have the longest melee range in the game(so far as i know)

When there are multiple hero threats targeting you and/or your team is pressing for a kill, being in shapeshift becomes invaluable.