> > > Druids have a natural self-healing ability. All other classes need a Something Of Healing.
> >
> > Speaking of which, I wish I could find a few more Thingys of Emanation...
> >
> > > Don't forget that the druids are the only spellcasting class that has the ability to gain armor with a level-up.
> >
> > Ah, I didn't know that. But still, if they're in the back, what does it matter...? And anyway, I firmly believe in destroying everything before it gets a chance to try and dent my armor. *grin*
> >
> > I think Shion will be a Wizard as soon as Platina levels up a bit more, unless someone else has more to add. Anyone, anyone?
> >
> > --Jaime
> > whose cockatiel thinks her cough is his mating call or something... *cough* *tweet* *cough* *TWEET!*
>
> I know it was mentioned before, but the extra SP are prolly the main benefit to having a Druid on staff. Healing spells really take up a lot of SP. I once had a party with one of each class, and by the end of it my Druid had the fewest HP and the most SP of anyone.
>
> Anyway, it's your choice. Any caster will eventually amass arbitrarily many SP, and AC isn't all that useful in the back row.
>
> ^v^:)^v^
> FB

So the question remains, for me, is whether the Druid class is useful in a character progression?

Given that a Wizard or Sorceror gets all the spells at (ideally) level 17 and a Druid at 21, the quickest (level-wise) way to get all the spells would be to switch to a Druid as soon as possible, as long as you are able to do it before level 14. The disadvantage, of course, is that you have to go all that time without either class' high-level spells. Since experience is (in game terms) trivial to accumulate, it makes more sense to learn all the spells of one class before switching to either the other spellcaster or the Druid.

Disadvantages of the Druid are low HP and poor equipment => low AC (and WC but not worse than Sorcerors and not much worse than Wizards,) and low HP. (We'll discount the slightly slower learning as above.) Advantages are permanent innate AC increase and, it appears, fast SP gain.

The question is which is a better progression:

Knight -> [Wizard/Sorceror] -> [Sorceror/Wizard] -> Assassin

or

Knight -> [Wizard/Sorceror] -> Druid -> Assassin?

Specifically:
Does the SP advantage create a worthwhile difference once you've gained at least 20 or so Assassin levels?
Is the HP disadvantage significant enough to cause hardship on the way to becoming an Assassin?
Does the AC gain create a noticeable difference once you've gained at least 20 or so Assassin levels?
Is there an advantage in accumulating SP and/or AC in earning more Druid levels after you know all the spells?

Just thinking aloud.

sS