Things on the Druid that really need work:
1: Hunger
2: Arctic Blast
3: The Vines, especially Carrion and Solar
4: Spirit of Barbs
Hunger: I can think of two options.
Option A: Make Hunger Always Hit. That would allow it to be used with Crushing Blow, and combined with the extremely high life leech it might be viable as an Uber killer?
Option B: Replace Hunger with Ice Claws. Basically, Fire Claws, but Ice instead. Make Hurricane the synergy. I think this is the option I prefer. Especially if you combine the Fire Claws synergy to one synergy (for double the damage increase) which should be Armageddon.
Arctic Blast: Make it so Arctic Blast can pierce Cold Immunes. I’d suggest doing by having each ice shard that hits an enemy reduces that enemy’s Cold Resistance by -1%. Allow that to stack, and if it hits enough times it can break the immunity. Second, make it freeze enemies instead of chill. Those two changes ought to make it a viable skill.
Vines: These are all really weak. They need an ability that makes it worth investing in them. Since the Spirit skill branch is all about buffing your party, how about making the Vines branch about debuffing the enemy? Second, the vines need some kind of defensive ability for the vine itself, making it survive longer. Finally, the Carrion and Solar Vines need a synergy.
Poison Vine: Add an aura to the vine that Slows Enemies by 1%, with each point in Poison Vine increasing the Slow effect by 1%. Add a Chance Monster is Stunned When Struck effect to the vine, starting at 1% and increasing by 1% per a point in Poison Vine, with a duration of 2 seconds. Thus, level 20 Poison Vine would have a Slow Enemies 20%, and 20% Chance Monster is Stunned When (the Vine is) Struck. Both of these abilities would work well with poison damage.
Carrion Vine: Since Carrion Vine restores life; I think we should aim to make it work well with Shapeshifter builds. Add an aura to the vine that reduces Enemy Attack Rating by -2%, and Enemy Damage by -0.5%. Each point in Carrion Vine further reduces Enemy Attack Rating by -2%, and Enemy Damage by -0.5%. Add a Chance Monster Flees When Struck effect to the vine, starting at 1% and increasing by 1% per a point in Poison Vine. Thus, a level 20 Carrion Vine reduces Enemy Attack Rating by -40%, and Enemy Damage by -10%, with Monster Flees (from the Vine) When (the Vine is) Struck 20%. As for synergies, how about each point in Carrion Vine grants 2% Open Wounds to both Feral Rage and Maul (thus giving both wereforms access to it).
Solar Vine: Since Solar Vine restores mana I think we should aim to make it work well with Elementalist builds. Add an aura to the vine that reduces Enemy Resistances (Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison) by -1%, and allow this effect to break Immunities. Each point in Solar Vine further reduces Enemy Resistances by -1%. Add a Chance Monster is Blinded When Struck effect to the vine, starting at 2% and increasing by 2% per a point in Solar Vine. Thus, a level 20 Solar Vine reduces Enemy Resistances by -20%, or -4% against Immune Monsters, with 40% Chance Monster is Blinded When (the Vine is) Struck. Even if you got the vine up to level 50 (max realistically possible), that would still only grant -10% Enemy Resistances to Immune Monsters.
Spirit of Barbs: Since the Spirit of Barbs is about dealing damage when attacked, it seems to me that the best thing to pair with this is a high defense, so that the attacks don’t hit very often. That also fits with the theme of Spirits buffing the party, and it makes sense that barbs on your armor not only damages attackers, but makes those attacks less effective. Add effect of increasing party Defense starting at +10% and increasing by +10% per a point in Spirit of barbs.
With the above changes to Carrion Vine and Spirit of Barbs, I could see a high defense Werebear Maul build: 20 Points in Werebear, 20 in Maul, 20 in Carrion Vine, 20 in Spirit of Barbs, and then probably 20 in Grizzly Bear.
