Druids?

I can't seem to figure out how to get druids, I meet the requirements they say but it won't let me make them... According to the Civolopedia making them only requires a Grove built in the city and the Commune with Nature tech... I have both, but most times they still can't be made in any city, why is that? I think I read somewhere you have to be neutral to make them? Is that right? I can't find where I read that now so I don't know if it's true, but I went neutral this time and I was able to make them... It might be coincidence... But is Neutral also a requirement?

Now even though I am able make them, I can't upgrade my Priests of the Leaves into them, they are supposed to be able to upgrade into them, but the option doesn't appear, what's with that? If they need a certain level they are like level 7, that should be enough? What am I missing to upgrade them? Druids seem like good healer units, one of the few accessible disciple units to get Channeling III so they can actually get heal. I like them, and I want some to heal my stacks and such, but I can't seem to figure them out... someone help?

I think I read somewhere you have to be neutral to make them? Is that right?

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Yes .

I wouldn't swear to where it say requires Neutral Alignment - I don't have the Civilopedia or my Ljosalfar game either with me - but you do need it. There are some alignment tricks whereby you get your Alignment limited units and then switch; assuming they then don't desert you. I'm fuzzy here mainly cause when I change alignments; which isn't that often, it's before alignments make issues like this.

Well, alright, the alignment necessity isn't too bad, but then why can't I upgrade priests of the leaves into them? They're supposed to be able to upgrade...

Upload your save and maybe we can see what's wrong, because that upgrade is supposed to be possible.

You say that you can now make Druids but can't upgrade Priests of Leaves to Druids, right? So, have you already built Druids?

Druids are national units, with a limit of 4. If you've built regular Druids, and if you already have 4 Druids, then you won't be able to upgrade your Priests of Leaves to Druids unless and until you lose one or more of your Druids.

Ah, I had a thought, and the problem was it had to be in the city, it was in the city's borders, I thought that was enough, my bad. I was fairly certain that was how it worked, but apparently not in this mod. Anyway. I notice Druids and Priests of the Leaves and such can learn all level 2 spells, but they can't learn level 1 spells? It's cool they can learn those... but... does that mean... in order for them to get them... you have to create them while in possession of 3 of one mana for them to have a level 2 spell on creation? That kinda sucks... Is there a way to access that magic for them without stocking up mana?

Wolfswift said:

Ah, I had a thought, and the problem was it had to be in the city, it was in the city's borders, I thought that was enough, my bad. I was fairly certain that was how it worked, but apparently not in this mod. Anyway. I notice Druids and Priests of the Leaves and such can learn all level 2 spells, but they can't learn level 1 spells? It's cool they can learn those... but... does that mean... in order for them to get them... you have to create them while in possession of 3 of one mana for them to have a level 2 spell on creation? That kinda sucks... Is there a way to access that magic for them without stocking up mana?

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As they are no arcane units they will never learn any level 1 spells. You need Govannon to teach them, just capture him from the Amurites.

How would one capture the Amurite's Govannon? An archmage with the Domination spell? Because as a war unit, wouldn't he fight to his death and not convert?
Also, being that druids and priests of the leaves and such can't learn level 1 spells, would he really be able to teach them? Teach Spellcasting only says it teaches applicable units all the level 1 spells he knows, are they applicable? They can't learn level 1 spells according to their promotion chart, which leads me to believe that the only way to get them any of these level 2 spells is to have 3 of the mana when you create them. Is that right? It almost makes this seemingly awesome ability to cast level 2 and higher spells useless since they can't learn them through any normal or easy means...

I was thinking I could maybe use disciple units like druids, priests of leaves, high priests of leaves, and Yvain and such as healers and casters, but it looks like having them as spellcasters in any way is too annoying to be bothered with, bah. If anyone can correct me, I'd be happy.

I have captured some world/national units with command and dominations (especially that singing Lunan), but they have to be alive (as in not undead, elemental, demon, etc) to do so and the chances of doing so are lowered. I have gotten over 6 paladins doing so. So line up a bunch of arch mages with domination and get at it. Chances are you will loose a few dominations but one of them should get him...

Pile up on nature mana to get the most bang out of Yvain as he has + 2 nature affinity (that is he gets +2 attack/defense for EACH nature mana you control). Nice with the good elves and FoL shrine thats +4 damage w/o using nodes.

Actually, stocking manas would not help priests and high priests to cast arcane spells.
AFAIK, that feature only applies to arcane units, and the only man capable of making such disciple units to cast arcane spells is the great teacher Govannon, as suggested by someone67.

However, druids can be enabled to cast tier III divine spell of any religion, as long as the alignment stays neutral.
For example, you can 1) train Empyrean priests under Empyrean as a state religion, 2) upgrade them to druids, and then 3) turn the state religion back to FoL AND retain druids who are capable of casting crown of brilliance, one of the most powerful offensive spells.

Btw, I think the second and third procedure can be moved back and forth; IIRC, only national and world religious units would abandon a civilization upon a change in state religion.

Too annoying? It's never been a big deal and quite useful to have Vitalize or Entanglement spells cast by Druids. Additional mana helps start at a higher level and makes spells stronger.

It should also not be a difficult to get the Disciple or Priests the March promotions for healing as you mentioned you intended; it comes with their leveling up promo options. The Priests, iirc, in particular have a Svartalfar desirable Poisoned Blade spell for Recon units.

You've not mentioned Adepts or their upgrades Mages - or did you, I didn't doublecheck - which have access to all sorts of Level 1 spells depending on what you've researched and your mana nodes, I would think a Svartalfar or Ljosalfar would want Maelstrom or Fireballs.

JonathanStrange said:

Too annoying? It's never been a big deal and quite useful to have Vitalize or Entanglement spells cast by Druids. Additional mana helps start at a higher level and makes spells stronger.

It should also not be a difficult to get the Disciple or Priests the March promotions for healing as you mentioned you intended; it comes with their leveling up promo options. The Priests, iirc, in particular have a Svartalfar desirable Poisoned Blade spell for Recon units.

You've not mentioned Adepts or their upgrades Mages - or did you, I didn't doublecheck - which have access to all sorts of Level 1 spells depending on what you've researched and your mana nodes, I would think a Svartalfar or Ljosalfar would want Maelstrom or Fireballs.

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No, I didn't mention arcane units because the point was, figuring out a way to use disciple units to replace them, so they could heal and cast. They are apparently capable of learning level 2 spells, but how is the point. Without learning level 1 spells, it seems overly difficult. Obviously I could just make more arcane units and use them for spells, but I wanted multi-use disciple units, I was also thinking that maybe I get a spiritual leader and use disciple units as casters too using their potency promotion. Problem being they can't readily learn the spells they supposedly have "access" to without a great deal of effort to get them to learn them, making the strategy to use them in replacement of arcane units(aside from an adept or two to build nodes) moot.

I just thought it might be cool to have spellcaster disciples, but that seems overly complex and now mostly a waste of time. Yeah, they get divine spells, but other than that, no learning those level 2 mana based spells without a ton of effort. Blargh.

EDIT: I tested Govannon, he can teach level 1 spells to most units, apparently not heroes tho, Yvain refused to learn or something, and I'm assuming it's because he's a hero. But Govannon is neat, he can make swordsman and archers and druids and priests and stuff cast spells, which is cool. I won't depend on getting him as part of my strategy, as that would be silly he might not even be in a given game. But if I see him, I will certainly try to get him. I am also noticing that Druids can't cast heal as I thought they could being as they are channeling III disciple units. Apparently I'm finding they need medic III, which they do not have, I am now wondering, can they get it somehow?

I don't thing Yvain can, because he is elemental and not living... might be wrong

Wolfswift said:

EDIT: I tested Govannon, he can teach level 1 spells to most units, apparently not heroes tho, Yvain refused to learn or something, and I'm assuming it's because he's a hero. But Govannon is neat, he can make swordsman and archers and druids and priests and stuff cast spells, which is cool. I won't depend on getting him as part of my strategy, as that would be silly he might not even be in a given game. But if I see him, I will certainly try to get him. I am also noticing that Druids can't cast heal as I thought they could being as they are channeling III disciple units. Apparently I'm finding they need medic III, which they do not have, I am now wondering, can they get it somehow?

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Govannon can teach heroes; I just used him to teach Bambur lots of spells. As civ_king suggested, it might be because Yvain isn't alive.

Druids used to be able to cast heal, but that was removed a few patches back. As of now the only units than can cast Heal are High Priests (unless Sphener/Yvain can do it too...I don't think they can). And, of course, Mimics which steal Medic 3 from high priests. I think this change was made because otherwise Druids would be equal to or better than high priests at EVERYTHING.

Yeah, I think y'all are right, Yvain is an elemental which means he isn't alive, that must have been why. Also, Yvain can cast heal. So I guess I understand about druids not casting heal, they are still pretty cool. I suppose I will give up on having spellcaster druids and such now, they are pretty good anyway. Thank you guys for helping me understand about druids, this topic can be considered closed now, I'm completely satisfied about druids. Thanks.