D&D 5E druid support?

[korelius]

So I need help... Í created this lovely cookie crunching halfling who's been curled by her adoptive elf father since baby years. She's in the circle of stars. I have this thing that i'm challenging myself with, that my goal is that she will have a kill count of 0. Stupid, I know. But here I am, with her not being able to be the healer since another player is already really good at that, but I don't really know how I should spec her to good in fights with the dps-ers beside her. They're just turning lvl 8 now. I've been super creative and that is really fun, but I want to be helpful for the party too. Do you guys have any spells or other ways to go about this? the killing thing stands, so creatve answers only! Thanks

 

[jgsugden]

Can you give us a bit more?

How does she feel about buffing her allies so that they can kill better? If she casts Darkvision on an archer ally and that allows the ally to target an enemy and kill them ... is she ok with that?

What about summons killing things?

What about undead, constructs, elementals, fiends, etc...? Is she ok killing them?

If she were to knock out a humanoid bad guy rather than kill them, and that bad guy was going to continue to do bad once they wake up, what does she want done with that bad guy?

Why doesn't she want to kill? Religious beliefs? Moral beliefs? Legalities?

 

[korelius]

buffing/weakening is the general thought I've had so far. She has accidentally killed two undead but I aim not killing anything as the goal the reason I think is mostly how pure and good her father has told her she is her whole life, so her fear of not living up to his standards, to be abandoned and guilt is what drives her to not kill :O

 

[CreamCloud0]

Given what you’ve told us I’d probably lean hard into support, control and tanking but stealth is also maybe a possibility, I’d start with the Ghostwise halfling(sword coast adventures handbook) personally, +1 wis if you’re playing with fixed ASI and that 30ft telepathy would give wildshape a way to communicate without shifting back.

I might use one of my ASI increases on a feat, either Metamagic Adept offers some good options(Extended, Subtle or Twinned Spell most likely) or if you take the starter equipment wooden shield to use the Interception or Protection fighting styles from Fighting Initiate feat (druids can use scimitars so already pass the proficiency with a martial weapon requirement)

Spells i would probably go with some of(starting with cantrips and going up from there): You already get Guidance from Stars subclass, Resistance, Produce Flame, Mending, Mold Earth, Absorb Elements, Charm Person, Entangle, Faerie Fire, Speak With Animals, Cure Wounds Goodberry and Healing Word are still useful to have even with an existing primary healer, Fog Cloud, Guiding Hand, Augury, Beast Sense, Enhance Ability, Enlarge/Reduce, again Healing Spirit and Lesser Restoration useful even with a healer, Hold Person, Pass Without Trace, Summon Beast(and all the other summoning spells in general), Warding Wind, Aura Of Vitality, Dispel Magic, Elemental Weapon, Plant Growth, Protection From Energy, Revivify, Speak With Plants, Charm Monster, Confusion, Divination, Grasping Vine, Guardian Of Nature, Stoneshape, Stoneskin.

Dex, Con and Wis are probably going to want to be your highest scores, Maybe some Int in there too...

I don’t really know enough to pick out an appropriate background, outlander or sage seems appropriate, noble possibly? Urchin gives alot of benefits to where your character might want them but I don’t know if it really fits them properly?

 

[Fanaelialae]

Druids have numerous non-lethal spell options.

Ignoring utility spells (since they have no bearing on lethality) you have many ways to buff allies and debuff enemies:

1st: Entangle, Faerie Fire
2nd: Gust of Wind, Hold Person, Protection from Poison
3rd: Plant Growth, Protection from Energy, Sleet Storm, Wind Wall
4th: Confusion (assuming that them attacking each other isn't a violation of her ideals), Freedom of Movement, Grasping Vine, Hallucinatory Terrain, Polymorph, Stoneskin, Wall of Fire (depending on her ideals, since this can be used defensively for area denial)
5th: Antilife Shell, Wall of Stone
6th: Heroes Feast, Move Earth, Wall of Thorns (depending)
7th: Mirage Arcane (ie, impersonating enemies to get the drop on them), Plane Shift, Reverse Gravity (depending)
8th: Earthquake (depending), Feeblemind
9th: Foresight

Sprinkle in a few healing spells (because IME it never hurts to have a backup healer) and you've got yourself a good support caster that never has to (directly) kill.

The biggest issue is whether this will be enjoyable or not. A lot of these spells are concentration based, so after you cast your support spell you might be stuck mostly using the Dodge or Help actions. As long as that isn't an issue for you, best of luck!