Werebear Druid is a tank build that utilizes Shapeshifting and Summoning abilities to soak damage, CC mobs, and increase your team’s survivability. This build shines when a part of a party, especially DPS classes that are perhaps more fragile. With this informative guide, you’ll learn to master the Maul Werebear in most aspects of the sport, including like a viable solo adventurer when damage is balanced correctly. The tricky part is deciding the way you want to balance your damage while ensuring your utility like a tank/buffer is retained. This requires learning from mistakes and is determined by party size, party members, and farming locations.Do you wish to level up your game and decimate enemies effortlessly? MMOWTS has every d2r items for sale! IntroductionFirst, you must understand the weaknesses and strengths of the Werebear. This build has the great tanking capability for groups, providing high life on your own, your army along with other party members. You also have excellent crowd control with Shock Wave but lack substantial damage output. The primary skills with this build are Maul and Werebear. Maul is the primary attack which gives % extra damage per level to Shock Wave, most of your AoE stun ability. Put points into Werebear to improve your damage and defense. Lycanthropy increases your Life and also the duration of time spent in Shapeshift form.Maul:Maul is a power-up skill that increases damage and attack speed with each successful hit. Each attack grants a little green orb which grows with each hit and refreshes the timer around the duration of the power-up. The damage and attack speed bonus increases with each hit, starting at +20% damage and +3% attack speed at level 1 and reaching as much as +60% damage and +9% attack speed at level 3. The maximum quantity of charges that may be gained is based on the skill level, with level 1 using a limit of 3 charges and level 20 using a limit of 13 charges.Shockwave:Maul is a skill utilized by Druids which in turn causes damage to enemies inside a wide area surrounding them. The damage increases using the level of the skill. The size of the area of the result can be controlled by the player by clicking closer or farther away.AttributesStrength: Enough for GearDexterity: Enough for GearVitality: All remaining pointsEnergy: NoneIf you are being unnecessarily tanky, and pointlessly unkillable, then consider investing more into strength for added damage.SkillsRequired 1-point wonders and prerequisites: Hunger, Summon Grizzly, Werewolf, Feral Rage.Maxed Skills: Werebear, Lycanthropy, Maul, Shockwave, Heart from the Wolverine or Oak SageGearHelmet: Jalal’sJalal’s Mane is a unique Druid Pelt providing you with a bonus to any or all Druid skills, +30 to strength, and +20 to vitality. It also gives a bonus to Feral Rage and Werewolf Druid skills, which makes it a great choice for any Maul (two-handed weapon) wielding Druid.Armor:Fortitude (Damage) or Chains of Honor (Resistances)Fortitude is a runeword providing you with a large boost to break and gives some resistance. Chains of Honor is yet another runeword providing you with good resistance It also gives a bonus to all skills and damage reduction but unlike Fortitude, it doesn't provide a substantial damage boost.Weapon:Beast is usually recommended. Breath from the Dying, Grief, or Death may be used.The preferred option here's Beast for that Fanaticism aura. If you choose to not wield Beast, consider hiring an Act I Faith mercenary. BOTD would be the best option if so, offering great overall benefits and high damage. You can decide to wield a 2-handed weapon or perhaps a Berserker Axe and Shield. With the damage you will gain through the Phoenix Shield runeword, it is usually recommended you choose a one-handed weapon.Shield: Stormshield (DR and Block) or Phoenix (Damage and Sustain through Redemption)Stormshield will cap your DR with Verdungos and provide an easy road to max block (minimal dexterity requirement), while Phoenix will offer as much as 400% enhanced damage along with a useful Redemption Aura. The additional fire resistance in many cases is overlooked.Gloves: Draculs are great for Lifetap, otherwise Steelrends can be viewed as if you’re prepared to invest in more Strength that will also increase your damage output but reduce life.Boots: Gore Riders are recommended, Treks, Shadow Dancers or Goblin Toe are usable.Belt: Verdungo’s or Crafted Life Leech Belt. Verdungo’s is usually recommended unless more damage reduction is wasted.Rings: Raven Frost, Bul Kathos, or Angelic Set may be used. One supply of Cannot be Frozen (CBF) is extremely recommended. Given the AR and dexterity advantages of Raven, it is usually recommended as the best supply of CBF.Amulet: Highlords, Maras, Metalgrid, Catseye, or Angelic Set may be used. Use an IAS breakpoint calculator to ensure you get to the desired breakpoints. Use Highlords of Catseye as required.Charms: You will want your Anni, Torch along with a Physical Sunder given you're tanky enough. Shapeshifting life charms or FRW ought to be prioritized next. Life and survivability mods charm small charms, or Max/Ar/Life ought to be used to complete your build.MercenaryAct 2 (Might Mercenary or Defiance for Full Tank)Helmet: Anda riel's, GFace, VGaze, or Crown of ThievesArmor: Fortitude, Treachery, or Bramble. Bramble is usually recommended if you're going full tank build to synergize together with your high-life pool for added damageWeapon: Pride provides the most damage. Other niche options include Last Wish for Life Tap, Obedience, Tomb Reaver for Decrep, or Doom for Holy Freeze.You may think about a Faith Merc for additional damage output. Choose the Act I Cold Arrow and substitute Faith for that weapon. This will open BoTD runeword along with a ranged supply of DPS and CC, which is especially ideal for PvM. With the Werebear’s life pool along with a source of lifetap and regeneration, it's unlikely that there are going to be strong PvM burst threats that will surprise you.ConclusionWhether you choose to focus completely on helping your party and tanking (Oak/Life build) or opt into dealing more damage yourself (Wolverine/Damage build), this informative guide should provide you with a large number of options to ensure you’re a competent Werebear Druid. Your team will thank you.
