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Serpentine
2010-10-12, 10:07 PM
I mentioned in my Magma Druid thread that I was thinking of doing a variety of different druid-types. I've recently had a reason to start work on another one, so I figured I may as well start the thread.
This thread isn't just for me, though. If anyone else has an extra druid, or anything Druid-related, to offer, by all means do so!

edit: A note, for the purposes of critiquing what I do. I'm aiming for around Tier 2-3 - substantially less powerful than Core Druid, but still useful, fun and interesting.

The one that started it all, the Magma Druid:
Magma Druid

http://th05.deviantart.net/fs21/PRE/f/2007/232/0/6/Vulcan___Magma_Elemental_by_HoiHoiSan.jpg

May not subterraneous fire be considered as the great plough (if I may be allowed the expression) which Nature makes use of to turn up the bowels of the earth?

— Sir William Rowan Hamilton

Magma Druids represent and draw power from the raw, primordial force of volcanoes, the primeval mix of fire and earth that forms the very foundation of the earth.

Alignment
Any.

Hit Die
d8.

Class Skills
The druid’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (planes), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis).

Skill Points at 1st Level
(4 + Int modifier) ×4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level
4 + Int modifier.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h287/serpentine16/Table-Magma-Druid-1.gif

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the druid.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Magma druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with the natural attacks of their Volcanic Form.
Magma druids are proficient with light and medium armor and shields.

Spells
A magma druid casts divine spells, which are drawn from the magma druid spell list, below. She is considered a druid for the purpose of using items such as wands and scrolls (e.g. she can activate a wand of cure moderate wounds as though she were a druid of the same level), but can never activate a spell with the Cold, Water, Air or Electricity descriptors. A magma druid must choose and prepare her spells in advance (see below).
To prepare or cast a spell, the magma druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a magma druid’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the druid’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a magma druid can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Magma Druid. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. She has access to the Earth and Fire domains, like a cleric.
A magma druid prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though she cannot lose a prepared spell to cast a cure spell in its place. A magma druid may prepare and cast any spell on the magma druid spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Magma Druid Spell List
0th level:
Know Direction
Read Magic
Ground Smoke
Ram’s Might
Acid Splash
Horizikaul’s Cough

1st level:
Endure Elements
Summon Nature’s Ally I (creatures with the [earth] and/or [fire] types only)
Produce Flame
Sand Blast
Magic Stone
Raging Flame
Slow Burn
Stonemantle
Iron Guts
Corrosive Grasp
Hail of Stone
Orb of Acid, Lesser
Orb of Fire, Lesser
Orb of Sound, Lesser
Summon Monster I (creatures with the [earth], [fire] and/or [magma] types only)
Burning Hands
Horizikaul’s Boom
Fist of Stone

2nd level:
Earthen Grace
Fire Trap
Resist Energy
Summon Nature’s Ally II (creatures with the [earth] and/or [fire] types only)
Flame Blade
Flaming Sphere
Heartfire
Wracking Touch
Animate Fire
Barkskin
Bear’s Endurance
Blindsight
Bull’s Strength
Burrow
Earthfast
Heat Metal
Mountain Stance
Soften Earth and Stone
Blades of Fire
Igedrazzar’s Miasma
Melf’s Acid Arrow
Summon Monster II (creatures with the [earth], [fire] and/or [magma] types only)
Aganazzar’s Scorcher
Battering Ram
Cloud of Bewilderment
Combust
Fireburst
Flame Dagger
Furnace Within
Scorching Ray
Earthen Grasp
Pyrotechnics
Sonic Weapon

3rd level:
Protection from Energy
Resist Energy, Mass
Cure Moderate Wounds
Dust Storm
Summon Nature’s Ally III (creatures with the [earth] and/or [fire] types only)
Phantom Plow
Tremor
Greenfire
Screen of Heat
Energize Potion (fire or acid only)
Fire Wings
Meld Into Stone
Quench
Stone Shape
Thornskin
Walk the Mountain’s Path
Eradicate Earth
Bands of Steel
Mestil’s Acid Breath
Stinking Cloud
Summon Monster III (creatures with the [earth], [fire] and/or [magma] types only)
Detect Metal and Minerals
Fireball
Flashburst
Resonating Bolt
Shatterfloor
Flame Arrow
Stony Grasp
Tremorsense

4th level:
Land Womb
Summon Nature’s Ally IV (creatures with the [earth] and/or [fire] types only)
Desert Burial
Energy Vortex (Fire or Acid only)
Flame Strike
Rusting Grasp
Spike Stones
Stone Metamorphosis
Blast of Flame
Orb of Acid
Orb of Fire
Orb of Sound
Summon Monster IV (creatures with the [earth], [fire] and/or [magma] types only)
Explosive Cascade
Fire Shield (warm only)
Burning Blood
Ghorus Toth’s Metal Melt

5th level:
Stoneskin
Energetic Healing
Summon Nature’s Ally V (creatures with the [earth] and/or [fire] types only)
Wall of Sand
Commune With Earth
Wall of Fire
Fireward
Inferno
Stone Shape, Greater
Transmute Mud to Rock
Transmute Rock to Mud
Ironguard, Lesser
Cloudkill
Mestil’s Acid Sheath
Summon Monster V (creatures with the [earth], [fire] and/or [magma] types only)
Vitriolic Sphere
Fire Shield, Mass (warm only)
Firebrand
Fireburst, Greater
Shroud of Flame
Stone Sphere
Beltyn’s Burning Blood
Passwall
Shape Metal

6th level:
Energy Immunity
Fire Seeds
Stonehold
Summon Nature’s Ally VI (creatures with the [earth] and/or [fire] types only)
Wall of Stone
Find the Path
Stone Tell
Fires of Purity
Miasma
Bear’s Endurance, Mass
Bull’s Strength, Mass
Burrow, Mass
Crumble
Move Earth
Stone Metamorphosis, Greater
Touch of Adamantine
Acid Fog
Fire Spiders
Summon Monster VI (creatures with the [earth], [fire] and/or [magma] types only)
Tunnel Swallow
Wall of Iron
Acid Storm
Disintegrate
Flesh to Stone
Hardening
Stone Body
Stone to Flesh

7th level:
Summon Nature’s Ally VII (creatures with the [earth] and/or [fire] types only)
Fire Storm
Changestones
Master Earth
Ironguard, Greater
Summon Monster VII (creatures with the [earth], [fire] and/or [magma] types only)
Delayed Blast Fireball
Emerald Flame Fist
Great Thunderclap
Statue

8th level:
Repel Metal or Stone
Bombardment
Summon Nature’s Ally VIII (creatures with the [earth] and/or [fire] types only)
Earthquake
Earth Glide
Incendiary Cloud
Summon Monster VIII (creatures with the [earth], [fire] and/or [magma] types only)
Heart of Stone
Excavate
Iron Body

9th level:
Elemental Swarm (Earth, Fire or Magma only)
Summon Elemental Monolith (Earth, Fire or Magma only)
Summon Nature’s Ally IX (creatures with the [earth], [fire] and/or [magma] types only)
Nature’s Avatar
Cast in Stone
Undermaster
Imprisonment
Summon Elemental Monolith (Earth, Fire and/or Magma only)
Summon Monster IX (creatures with the [earth], [fire] and/or [magma] types only)
Meteor Swarm
Transmute Rock to Lava
Bonus Languages
A magma druid’s bonus language options include Ignan and Terran. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.
A magma druid also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level magma druid. Druidic is a free language for a magma druid; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids.
Druidic has its own alphabet.

Planar Sense (Ex)
A druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (planes) and Survival checks in desert, hot plains, hot mountainous and volcanic terrains and the planes of fire and earth.

Planar Empathy (Ex)
A magma druid can improve the attitude of an elemental and creatures with the fire and earth types. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The magma druid rolls 1d20 and adds her magma druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the planar empathy check result.
To use planar empathy, the magma druid and the elemental must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an elemental in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
The magma druid gains a +2 bonus to her check when influencing earth, fire or magma elementals.

Burn (Su)
From 4th level, the magma druid’s flesh becomes incredibly hot to the touch. She deals an extra 1d4 fire damage when she hits with her natural weapons or unarmed attacks and in a grapple. This bonus damage increases to 1d8 at 9th level, 2d6 at 14th, and 2d10 at level 19. In addition, any creature that takes fire damage must make a Reflex save DC 15 or catch on fire. Creatures attacking the magma druid with natural or unarmed attacks also take this damage.

Volcanic Form (Su)
At 4th level, a magma druid can harness the power of molten lava. This progresses as follows:
Vent Form: She gains +4 natural armour bonus, +2 Strength, immunity to fire, vulnerability to cold and a slam attack that deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage +1d4 fire.
Caldera Form: As Vent Form, except as follows. She becomes Large size, the natural armour bonus increases to +5, the Strength bonus increases to +4, slam attack damage increases to 2d6 bludgeoning damage + 1d8 fire. While in this form she is surrounded by a poisonous vapour. Creatures within 5 feet of the magma druid must make a Fortitude save DC 14+ the druid’s Constitution modifier or be sickened. The effect lasts as long as they stay within the vapour and 1d4 rounds after they leave. While in her volcanic form, she can hurl from her body a number of red-hot stones equal to ¼ her character level each round as a move action at one or more creatures within 60ft. Each stone deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage and 1d4 fire damage, and is a ranged attack.
Pyroclastic Form: As Caldera Form, except as follows. She becomes Huge size, the natural armour bonus increases to +6, the Strength bonus increases to +6, slam attack damage increases to 2d8 bludgeoning damage +2d6 fire. The range of the poisonous vapour increases to 10 feet. Creatures within the vapor must make a Fortitude save DC 15+ the druid’s Constitution modifier or be sickened. Any creature that fails the save by 5 or more is instead nauseated. The effect lasts as long as they stay within the vapour and 1d6 rounds after they leave. The number of rocks which can be hurled increases to 1/3 her character level each round as a move action at one or more creatures within 80ft. Each stone deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage and 1d6 fire damage, and is a ranged attack. In addition, the vapours make the magma druid difficult to see, granting concealment.
Cataclysmic Form: As Pyroclastic Form, except as follows. The magma druid becomes bigger than as for Pyroclastic form, but remains Huge size, the natural armour bonus increases to +8, the Strength bonus increases to +8, slam attack damage increases to 3d10 bludgeoning damage +2d8 fire. While in this form she is surrounded by superheated ash, stone and poisonous vapour. Creatures within 5 feet automatically take 4d6 fire and 2d6 bludgeoning damage every rounds they remain within the cloud. Creatures within 10 feet must make a Fortitude save DC 14 + the druid’s Constitution modifier or be affected as the Cloudkill spell. Creatures within 20 feet of the magma druid, regardless of whether they succeeded or failed the first check, must make a Fortitude save DC 16+ the druid’s Constitution modifier or be sickened. The effect lasts as long as they stay within the vapour and 2d4 rounds after they leave. Creatures that fail their save by 5 or more are instead nauseated. The number of rocks which can be hurled increases to ½ character level each round as a move action at one or more creatures within 120ft. Each stone deals 2d4 bludgeoning damage and 2d4 fire damage, and is a ranged attack. In addition, the cloud makes the magma druid difficult to see, granting total concealment.

The druid can choose to use lower forms available.
The druid loses the Burn and spellcasting abilities when in Volcanic Form, but retains all others.
This ability lasts for 1 round per magma druid level, or until she changes back. Changing to Volcanic Form or back is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Any gear worn or carried by the magma druid melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When the magma druid reverts to her true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on her body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in the assumed form fall off and land at the magma druid's feet.
Volcanic Form can be considered Wildshape for the purpose of qualifying for feats and prestige classes.
A magma druid can use this ability more times per day at 9th, 14th, and 20th level, as noted on Table: The Magma Druid.

Mountain Stance (Ex)
At 5th level the magma druid becomes heavier and more solid. She gains a +4 bonus to checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground. She also increases her weight by 20%. This is considered the same as the dwarven Stability racial feature or the Stocky feat for the purpose of qualifying for feats or items.

Elemental Companion (Ex) - optional, DM's choice
A magma druid may begin play with an animal companion selected from the following list: Earth or Fire Gen (Dr #315 p. 82), Earthdelver (Du #111 p. 90), Small Earth or Fire Elemental, Small Magma Para-Elemental (MotP p. 181), Sandknight (Du #110 p. 95), Firesnake (Du #111 p. 91), Flamebrother Salamander Larva (Dr #314 p. 50), Ash Rat (MM2), Cinderbrute (Du # 110 p. 86), Minor Flame Snake (FF), Average Salamander Larva (Dr #314 p. 49), or any animal from the Druid animal companion list with the fire, earth or magma type. This creature is otherwise exactly like the Druid’s companion.

4th level or higher (level -3)
Earth or Fire Grue (CArc p. 153)
Stone Spike (MM2)
Thoqqua
Any equivalent Druid companion with fire, earth or magma type.

7th level or higher (level -6)
Medium Earth or Fire Elemental
Magma Hurler (Mini p. 65)
Medium Magma Para-Elemental (MotP p. 181)
Salt, Glass, Fire or Magma Mephit
Stone Flyer (Und p. 99)
Juvenile Xorn
Stone Drake (RoS p. 189)
Fire Element Ape (MotP p. 193)
Fire Bat (MM2)
Hell Hound
Magmin
Phoera (MM3)
Any equivalent Druid companion with fire, earth or magma type.

10th level or higher (level -9)
Avalancher (MM3)
Large Earth or Fire Elemental
Large Magma Para-Elemental (MotP p. 181)
Lesser Earth or Fire Weird (Dr #347 p. 70)
Earth Element Rhinoceros (MotP p. 192)
Adult Xorn
Any equivalent Druid companion with fire, earth or magma type.
Rast
Zezir

13th level or higher (level -12)
Huge Earth or Fire Elemental
Huge Magma Para-Elemental
Stonesinger (MM3)
Lesser Flame Snake (FF)
Any equivalent Druid companion with fire, earth or magma type.

16th level or higher (level -15)
Magma Element Rhinoceros (Dr #347 p. 60)
Elder Xorn
Inferno Spider (MM4)
Any equivalent Druid companion with fire, earth or magma type.

Landslide (Ex)
At 3rd level, a magma druid becomes even heavier and more solid. She does not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a bull rush, and gains a +4 bonus on the opposed Strength check to push back the defender. She is considered to have the Improved Bull Rush feat for the purpose of meeting prerequisites.

Improved Landslide (Ex)
From 7th level, the magma druid becomes an unstoppable force. She does not provoke attacks of opportunity when performing a bull rush, and is considered bull rushing against anything whose space she enters. She may push the creature up to her speed + 10ft. She only follows up to her speed, shoving the target the last distance. She may attempt a bullrush against creatures of any size.

Flaming Blast (Su)
From level 13, the magma druid can blast her intense internal heat outwards. This is as the spell burning hands, except its damage is equal to that of Burn + magma druid level.

Primordial transmogrification (Ex)
At 20th level, a magma druid undergoes a physical transformation into a magma para-elemental, with fire and earth subtypes. She gains darkvision out to 60ft; immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, critical hits and flanking; vulnerability to cold; and does not eat, sleep or breathe.

Plant Druid
Plant Druid

http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2009/341/9/7/Dragon_Vine_by_windfalcon.jpg

A root, a stem, a leaf, some means of capturing sunlight and air and making food—in sum, a plant. The green substance of this earth, the chlorophyll, is all summed up in the plants. Without them we perish, all of us who are flesh and blood.
--
Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.
~ Hal Borland, Plant Druid of the distant land Mericka.

Plant Druids recognise flora as the basis for almost all higher forms of life, the foundation for innumerable food chains. They are a friend to vegetation, offering plants understanding and defense in return for their assistance. Or they are manipulators, thieves of vegetable power. Or they are simply herbalists, appreciating the secret qualities of plants.

Alignment
Neutral good, lawful neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral, or neutral evil. With their healing and supporting spells, and ability to subdue without killing, Plant Druids tend more towards Good rather than Evil.

Hit Die
d6.

Class Skills
The plant druid’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at 1st Level
(4 + Int modifier) ×4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level
4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Druid
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|0th|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9 th
1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Plant Companion, Nature Sense, Plant Empathy, Rebuke Plants|3|1||||||

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Woodland Stride, Vegetal Drift|4|2||||||

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|Trackless Step|4|2|1|||||

4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Infuse Life Bundles (1/day)|5|3|2|||||||

5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Vegetal Drift|5|3|2|1|||||

6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+5|Improved Woodland Stride|5|3|3|2|||||

7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+5|Infuse Life Bundles (2/day), Vegetal Drift|6|4|3|2|1||||

8th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+2|
+6||6|4|3|3|2||||

9th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+3|
+6|Venom Immunity|6|4|4|3|2|1|||

10th|
+7/+2|
+7|
+3|
+7|Infuse Life Bundles (3/day), Vegetal Drift|6|4|4|3|3|2|||

11th|
+8/+3|
+7|
+3|
+7||6|5|4|4|3|2|1||

12th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|Vegetal Drift|6|5|4|4|3|3|2|||

13th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|Infuse Life Bundles (4/day)|6|5|5|4|4|3|2|1||

14th|
+10/+5|
+9|
+4|
+9||6|5|5|4|4|3|3|2||

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+9|
+5|
+9|Vegetal Drift|6|5|5|5|4|4|3|2|1|

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Infuse Life Bundles (5/day)|6|5|5|5|4|4|3|3|2|

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Vegetal Drift|6|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|2|1

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+11||6|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|3|2

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|Infuse Life Bundles (6/day)|6|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|3

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+12|Vegetal Drift, Vegetative State|6|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|4|4[/table]

Class Features
All the following are class features of the Plant Druid.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency
Plant druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, spear, whip. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) they acquire through Vegetal Drift.

Plant druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor. (A druid may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. See the ironwood spell description) Plant druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.

A plant druid who wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited shield is unable to cast plant druid spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.

Spells
A plant druid casts divine spells, which are drawn from the plant druid spell list. Her alignment may restrict her from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells, below. A plant druid must choose and prepare her spells in advance (see below).

To prepare or cast a spell, the plant druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a plant druid’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the plant druid’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a plant druid can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Plant Druid. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. She does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.

A plant druid prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does. A plant druid may prepare and cast any spell on the plant druid spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells
A druid can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity’s (if she has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions.

Spell List
0th Level
Cure Minor Wounds
Daze
Detect Magic
Detect Poison
Guidance
Know Direction
Light
Mending (wood or plant material only)
Naturewatch
Purify Food and Drink
Read Magic
Repair Minor Damage
Resistance
Virtue

1st Level
Alarm
Animate Rope (plant material only)
Animate Wood
Backbiter
Beget Bogun
Calm Animals
Camouflage
Charm Animal
Charm Person
Claws of the Beast
Confusion, Lesser
Cure Light Wounds
Detect Animals or Plants
Detect Snares and Pits
Endure Elements
Entangle
Goodberry
Healthful Rest
Ironguts
Ram's Might
Repair Light Damage
Shillelagh
Summon Nature's Ally I (plant only)
Towering Oak
Vigor, Lesser
Vine Strike
Wood Wose

2nd Level
Aid
Aura Against Flame
Balancing Lorecall
Barkskin
Bear's Endurance
Blinding Spittle
Blindsight
Brambles
Branch to Branch
Briar Web
Bull's Strength
Calm Emotions
Cat's Grace
Cloud of Bewilderment
Daze Monster
Decomposition
Delay Poison
Eagle's Splendor
Ease Pain
Easy Trail
Estanna's Stew
Fox's Cunning
Healing Lorecall
Hold Animal
Mountain Stance
Nature's Favour (plant only)
One with the Land
Owl's Wisdom
Pass Without Trace
Reduce Plant (as Reduce Animal)
Remedy Moderate Wounds
Remove Addiction
Remove Paralysis
Repair Moderate Damage
Summon Nature's Ally II (plant only)
Tree Shape
Warp Wood
Wood Shape
Woodland Veil

3rd Level
Beast Claws
Cloak of Bravery
Command Plants
Create Food and Water
Cure Moderate Wounds
Diminish Plants
Distilled Joy
Easy Climb
Entangling Staff
Healing Touch
Hold Person
Meld Into Tree (as Stone, but plant only)
Neutralise Poison
Phantom Plow
Plant Growth
Poison
Quillfire
Refreshment
Remove Blindness/Deafness
Remove Disease
Remove Nausea
Repair Serious Damage
Shrink Item (wood or plant only)
Snare
Speak With Plants
Spike Growth
Spikes
Summon Nature's Ally III (plant only)
Thornskin
Tremorsense
Vigor
Vigor, Mass Lesser
Walk the Mountain's Path

4th Level
Antiplant Shell
Blight
Camouflage, Mass
Charm Monster
Confusion
Cure Serious Wounds
Dispell Magic
Forestfold
Freedom of Movement
Land Womb
Languor
Polymorph (into plant or wood only)
Reincarnate
Remove Fatigue
Repair Critical Damage
Repel Vermin
Summon Nature's Ally IV (plant only)
Sustain
Viscid Glob

5th Level
Atonement
Awaken (plant only)
Charm Person, Mass
Commune With Nature
Cure Light Wounds, Mass
Cure Critical Wounds
Hold Monster
Memory Rot
Monstrous Regeneration
Owl's Insight
Panacea
Passwall (wood only)
Poison Thorns
Quill Blast
Spore Cloak
Summon Nature's Ally V (plant only)
Tree Stride
Vigor, Greater
Wall of Thorns
Wood Rot

6th Level
Animate Objects (wood & plant materials only)
Antilife Shell
Bull's Strength, Mass
Cat's Grace, Mass
Crumble
Dispell Magic, Greater
Eagle's Splendor, Mass
Find the Path
Fire Seeds
Fox's Cunning, Mass
Hero's Feast
Ironwood
Liveoak
Owl's Wisdom, Mass
Phantasmal Disorientation
Repel Wood
Spellstaff
Wood to Flesh (as Stone to Flesh)
Summon Nature's Ally VI (plant only)
Transport Via Plants
Vigorous Circle

7th Level
Amber Sarcophagus
Animate Plants
Aura of Vitality
Changestaff
Cure Moderate Wounds, Mass
Heal
Hold Person, Mass
Insanity
Phase Door (wood only)
Poison Vines
Rain of Roses
Summon Nature's Ally VII (plant only)
Transmute Metal to Wood

8th Level
Awaken, Mass (plant only)
Blackstaff
Charm Monster, Mass
Control Plants
Cure Serious Wounds, Mass
Detoxify
Horrid Wilting
Polymorph Any Object (into plant or wood only)
Spread of Contentment
Summon Nature's Ally VIII (plant only)

9th Level
Cure Critical Wounds, Mass
Heal, Mass
Hold Monster, Mass
Nature's Avatar (plant only)
Rain of Black Tulips
Regenerate
Shambler
Shapechange (plant only)
Summon Nature's Ally IX (plant only)
Unyielding Roots


Bonus Languages
A plant druid’s bonus language options include Sylvan, the language of woodland creatures. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.

A plant druid also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level plant druid. Druidic is a free language for a druid; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids.

Druidic has its own alphabet.

Plant Companion (Ex)
A plant druid may begin play with one of two types of companion: a plant familiar, or plant companion.

A plant familiar is an ordinary plant - although usually one that has been given special care or is unusual, such as a bonsai - to which the plant druid has bonded and become tuned to. Once per day, the plant druid may infuse their plant familiar with some of their magical energy. A number of spell levels up to the plant druid's levels may be infused each day. Each spell level takes a full round action to infuse. These spell levels are considered spent for that day. A plant can store up to the plant druid's level + her Wisdom modifier in spell levels indefinitely. Cantrips are considered 0.5 spell levels for this purpose.
A number of times per day equal to the plant druid's Wisdom modifier, the familiar's stored energy can be used to cast any spell on the plant druid's spell list that the plant druid is able to cast, without using the druid's prepared spell slots. One of these spells a day may have any one metamagic feat applied to it.
The plant familiar must be carefully tended and protected from damage. It is considered a magical object, but is otherwise an ordinary plant.
For example, Briar Rose is an 8th level plant druid. He has a bonsai familiar. It can store up to 24 spell levels of magical energy. For the last 3 days, Briar has infused 4 cantrips each day into the bonsai, spending those slots for that day. As a result, it contains 6 spell levels. One day, he draws on the bonsai's power to cast cure light wounds and a Widened entangle. This uses up 5 spell levels, leaving 1 level still stored in the bonsai.

A plant companion is exactly like the druid's animal companion, except it is a plant creature, and it always has at least 10ft movement speed. The plant companion can be chosen from the following list:

1st level
Small or smaller animated plant
Fetid fungus
Seedroach
Shrieker
Any equivalent plant creature

4th level or higher (level -3)
Medium animated plant
Any equivalent plant creature

7th level or higher (level -6)
Large animated plant
Assassin vine
Bloodthorn
Phantom fungus
Phycomid
Topiary guardian, boar
Violet fungus
Wortling
Any equivalent plant creature

10th level or higher (level -9)
Huge animated plant
Basidirond
Ironthorn
Shambling mound
Tendriculos
Any equivalent plant creature

13th level or higher (level -12)
Gargantuan animated plant
Lesser battlebriar
Topiary guardian, lion
Vinespawn
Any equivalent plant creature

16th level or higher (level -15)
Colossal animated plant
Burrow root
Kelp angler
Black willow
Greenvice
Any equivalent plant creature

Nature Sense (Ex)
A plant druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.

Plant Empathy (Ex)
A plant druid can improve the attitude of a plant creature. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The plant druid rolls 1d20 and adds her plant druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the plant empathy check result.

To use plant empathy, the plant druid and the creature must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing a plant creature in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.

Rebuke Plants
The Plant Druid can influence plant creatures in the same way that evil clerics can influence undead. See Turn Or Rebuke Undead.

Woodland Stride (Ex)
Starting at 2nd level, a plant druid may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.

Improved Woodland Stride (Ex)
From 6th level, the druid may move freely even through overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion.

Vegetal Drift
At 2nd level and at various levels thereafter, the plant druid may select one of the following drifts, or a custom one of equivalent power. Vegetal Drifts may be taken up to 3 times, stacking (where applicable). Improved versions may only be taken after the original.

Barky skin: Your skin toughens like bark. You gain a +2 natural armour bonus.
Barky skin, Improved: Your skin hardens. You gain DR 2/slashing.
Tendrils: You grow vines from your body. You gain a +2 bonus to Grapple.
Tendrils, Improved: Your vines grow stronger and more plentiful. You gain Improved Grapple.
Vines: Your arms stretch and bend in a vine-like way. You gain an extra 5ft reach.
Vines, Improved: Your vine-like arms become tougher and quicker. You gain Improved Grab as an Extraordinary Ability.
Photosynthesis: Your skin and/or hair turn green, or you start to grow leaves. As long as you get at least 1 hour of sunlight a day you only need to eat half as much food and gain Fast Healing 1 as long as you are in sunlight.
Photosynthesis, Improved: Your body produces more chloryphyll and becomes more plantlike. You gain Regeneration 1 while in sunlight, overcome by fire and cold.
Roots: You start growing roots from your feet. Any time you spend at least one round without moving, you gain a +4 bonus against Bull Rush attempts.
Roots, Improved: Your roots start sending you sensory information. You gain Tremorsense.
Creepers: You grow tiny clinging tendrils. You gain a 10ft Climb Speed.
Spines: Your body grows thousands of needle-like spikes. Anyone hitting you with a natural or unarmed attack takes 1d4 piercing damage. Anyone grappling you takes 1d6 piercing damage.
Spines, Improved: Your spikes start producing an irritating poison. Anyone taking damage from the spines take 1d4 Dexterity damage (DC 10+1/2 HD+Con mod or 14, whichever is higher).
Thorns: You grow hard, sharp thorns. You gain a claw attack that deals 1d6 slashing damage.
Thorns, Improved: Your thorns become vicious and lacerating. They are considered to have the Keen and Nervewrack (On a critical hit, the opponent receives the following penalties due to pain for 1d4 rounds (no save): a) –2 penalty to AC, attack rolls, weapon damage, and Reflex saves; b) movement is ½; and c) casting spells requires a Concentration check vs. DC 15.) features.
Sap: Your blood starts to turn into sap. You gain a +4 bonus to checks to stabilise.
Sap, Improved: Your blood thickens further. You are immune to wounding and similar affects.
Heartwood: Your core toughens. You gain a +2 Constitution bonus. This may only be taken once every 10 levels.
Heartwood, Improved: Your core toughens further, protecting your vital organs. You gain Light Fortification as an Extraordinary Ability.
Seeking Tendrils: Your fingers become prying tendrils and your body flexible as a sapling. You gain a +2 Dexterity bonus. This cannot be taken twice in a row.
Seeking Tendrils, Improved: Your limbs become whiplike, your digits fine enough to pry into any cranny. You may add your Dexterity modifier to the following checks: Disarm, Grapple, Trip, Climb, Disable Device, Open Lock, Perform (any non-vocal), Search.
Sturdy Trunk: Your body becomes heavier and wooden. You gain a +2 Strength bonus. This cannot be taken twice in a row.
Sturdy Trunk, Improved: You become heavier and much more solid than appearance would suggest. You are considered one size category larger whenever it it beneficial.
Alluring Scent: You sprout pleasant-smelling flowers, or your body produces a lovely scent. You gain a +2 Charisma bonus. This cannot be taken twice in a row.
Alluring Scent, Improved: Your scent gains in potency. You can use Charm Monster as a Spell-like Ability once per day, DC 10+1/2 HD +Charisma modifier or 14, whichever is higher.
Foliage: Over a full round, you can grow leaves and twigs all over your body. You can moult them as a move action. You gain a +4 bonus to Hide checks anywhere plants can grow.
Foliage, Improved: Your coat of leaves and twigs becomes thick and luxurious. You gain 30% Concealment whenever they are activated.

Trackless Step (Ex)
Starting at 3rd level, a druid leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired.

Infuse Life Bundles (Su)
At 5th level, the plant druid gains the ability to create life bundles. These are small bundles of seeds and cuttings infused with raw plant magic. When thrown by yourself, any Druid, Cleric of a deity of plants or nature, or a similar divine spellcaster (so long as you gave them the bundle of own free will), they burst into exuberant growth, growing over anything in its area. Only two bundles are effective in any one square; additional bundles sprout, but are overrun by the growth already present. Same effects do not stack.
The nature of the bundle depends on the types of plants used to make it. Almost any plants can be used. Some possible bundles include:

Entangling Bundle: Contains vines, blackberry, ivy and similar plants. It bursts into ropes and nets of clinging stems, wrapping around anything it comes into contact with. It emulates the effects of the spell entangle, except as noted below.

Spike Bundle: Contains brambles, blackberries, nettles, thistles, briars, roses, cacti and other spiky plants. It sprouts into a tangled mess of barbs and thorns. It emulates the effects of the spell entangle, except as noted below, and in that it deals 1d6 + 1 per 4 plant druid levels in piercing damage, and has a 20ft spread area.

Barrier Bundle: Contains brambles, blackberries, briars, bamboo, bushes and other densely growing plants. It grows into an impenetrable wall of stems and thorns, up to one 5ft cube per caster level (continuous). Any creatures caught in the area take 1d6 + 1 per 4 plant druid levels in piercing damage and are forced to the side. The wall must be hacked away to get through; doing so with anything other than a reach weapon deals 1d4 damage to the attacker.

Climbing Bundle: Contains vines, creepers, thornless briars and other long, strong plants. When thrown onto a wall or sloping surface, they spread out and grow into a tangled net. They can grow up to 10ft horizontally and 50ft vertically. The DC to climb the vines on a vertical surface is 5.

Decomposing Bundle: Contains various fungi and detritovores. This bundle requires a touch attack to hit a single target, and does not count towards the two-bundles-per-square limit. When it hits the target, the detritovores sprout out to cover it in seeking tendrils, sinking into any wounds the target already has or acquires. The target takes an extra point of damage from any skin-breaking attack, and one point per round of damage per open wound. Open wounds include those from piercing and slashing damage, and any bleeding wound or break in skin. The effect continues until the spores are removed (although if the wounds are closed, such as by a Cure spell, the target no longer takes the damage until another wound opens). The fungi is removed by spending a full round action to wipe it off, by being the target of a fire spell or a mundane fire effect, or cure disease.

Choking Bundle: Contains spores, strong-scented flowers, pollen and other strong and irritating substances. All breathing creatures within a 10ft radius must make a fortitude save or be sickened as long as they stay in the area. The choking cloud settles in 2d4 rounds.

The effects are Instantaneous. The DC for all is 10+CL. Bundles take 5 minutes each to infuse, and are used as a splash weapon. Components can be gathered ahead of time, and bundles generally last indefinitely. Each bundle weights 0.5lb.

Venom Immunity (Ex)
At 9th level, a plant druid gains immunity to all poisons.

Vegetative State
At 20th level, the plant druid becomes a plant. She gains the Plant type, and consequently the following traits: Low-light vision; Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects); Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, and stunning; Not subject to critical hits; breathe and eat, but do not sleep. In addition, she can take on the form of any plant creature with fewer HD than herself a number of times per day equal to her Constitution modifier (minimum 1/day), for a number of minutes equal to her character level.

Serpentine
2010-10-12, 10:10 PM
Adding my Animorph class here as a sort of shapechanging druid.


Animorph

http://quizilla.teennick.com/user_images/T/TH/THE/theSmartSpinx/1147374183_hs_dolphin.jpg

"Oh, I'm sure we could talk them into letting us in for nothing," Marco said. "Just tell them we're Animorphs."
"Tell them we're what?" Rachel asked.
"Idiot teenagers with a death wish," Marco said.
"Animorphs." I tried the word out. It sounded okay.

Animorphs make excellent spies and thieves. With the right catalogue of morphs - often a dangerous collection to make - they can also become potent combatants.

HD: d6

Alignment: Any

Abilities: Wisdom is probably the most important stat for an animorph, as it allows her to fight the instincts of the creatures she morphs. Charisma is also important as the animorph's unique perspective on life puts her in a good diplomatic position, as well as giving her plenty of opportunities to talk her way out of trouble. Most animorphs don't put much emphasis on physical abilities, but a good Strength score can be useful for acquiring new morphs.

Races: Any race can become an Animorph, although it is especially common among Andalites; it may even have been they who invented it.

Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis)

Skill Points: (4 + Int) x 4 at 1st level, 4 + Int each additional

Animorph
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Acquire, Morph (mundane creatures), Thoughtspeak

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Trust the Instincts

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Bonus Feat

4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Morph Empathy

5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Battle Morph, Thoughtspeak (1/2 mile)

6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Frolis Maneuver (Same Species)

7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Favored Morph

8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6|Thoughtspeak (1 mile)

9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Wild Empathy

10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Battle Morph, Non-Mundane Morph

11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Thoughtspeak (2 miles), Bonus Feat

12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|Favored Morph

13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|Power Morphing

14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9|Improved Morph Empathy, Thoughtspeak (4 miles)

15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|Battle Morph

16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|

17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|Favored Morph

18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Chain Morphing

19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Bonus Feat

20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Frolis Maneuver (Different Species) [/table]

Class Features:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Animorphs are proficient with all simple weapons, but no armor and no shields.

Acquire (Ex) - By touching a living creature, an animorph can acquire its essence and henceforth morph into it. The acquired creature must be alive and in its natural form, but otherwise condition does not matter. Acquiring a hostile or resistant creature requires a successful touch attack, and maintaining contact (by grappling, if necessary) for 2 rounds. The animorph cannot take any other action while acquiring. Once acquiring starts, the creature must make a Will save vs. DC 20 + animorph level or become dazed until one round after contact is broken. Any damage or hostile action towards the creature will break the dazed effect. An animorph can not acquire any creature with the undead, construct, elemental, or outsider subtypes, nor any creature that lacks a corporeal form, and she must be in her original form to acquire a creature. With the DM's permission, a 1st level animorph may start play with up to 2 creatures already acquired.

Morph (Ex) - At 1st level, an animorph can take the form of any mundane creature she has acquired, at will. This includes creatures of the Animal, Humanoid, Monstrous Humanoid, Giant and Vermin types. From 10th level, this also includes Magical Beast, Aberration and Dragon type creatures, at a HD limit of 1 1/2 times the character's HD. You may Acquire a creature before you are able to morph into it.
She gains the creature's size as well as all of the creature's extraordinary and supernatural abilities, movement modes, physical ability scores, vulnerabilities and natural weapons/armor but loses any extraordinary and supernatural abilities, movement modes, physical ability scores and natural weapons/armor of her own and her type changes to that of the creature. She uses her own base attack bonus or the morph creature's, whichever is better. The Animorph gains everything the creature gets through its hit dice, except what is determined by or requires memory. She gains the animal's body, instincts and brain, but not memory or thoughts.
She may stay in morph for up to 2 hours. An animorph that exceeds the 2-hour limit becomes trapped in that form permanently. A trapped animorph loses its Acquire and Morph abilities and can not take animorph levels until returned to its original form. Restoration, Wish, or Miracle can return a trapped animorph to their original form, or, at the DM's discretion, an atonement to the character's deity or source of morphing power.
Morphing is a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. An animorph is considered flat-footed while morphing but if attacked she does not need to succeed on a concentration check to continue morphing. However, an attack that would incapacitate the animorph, such as stunning or nausia, does require a concentration check at the DC of the effect or interrupt the morph for its duration. De-morphing behaves in the same fashion, and the animorph must de-morph (return to her original form) before she can morph again. After de-morphing, the animorph must wait 3 rounds before morphing again or become fatigued. Morphing or de-morphing while fatigued will cause exhaustion. Changing form more than 5 + her Constitution Modifier (min. 4) times in a day causes the animorph to become fatigued.
When morphing or demorphing, the animorph heals up to half her hit points, regenerates any lost body parts, and any non-magical diseases currently affecting her are cured. A morph-healing character must succeed on a Fortitude save DC 10 + 1 per 5 points of damage healed + 5 for each body part regenerated or be fatigued for 2d10 rounds. Poisons remain in the body, but are diluted if the animorph grows larger (effects halved for each size category grown) and do not become more concentrated if she grows smaller (e.g. cocroach to human, human to elephant and vice-versa).
When morphing a creature for the first time, the animorph must make a Will save DC 20 - creature's Intelligence modifer + any DM-defined circumstantial modifiers to avoid being controlled by the creature's instincts. Treat creatures with no Intelligence score as having a modifier of -6. Circumstantial modifiers can include a creature being part of a hive-mind (e.g. an ant), particularly uncontrollable instincts (e.g. mouse's fear in the presence of a cat) or unusually tempting instincts (e.g. a dog's sheer joy). If this check is failed, the animorph can try again in 5 rounds, but she behaves as a creature of that type under the DM's control until then. For a creature that she has already morphed, the animorph must make a Will save DC 10 - creature's Int modifier to avoid being controlled, and she may retry every round. Control checks may be required in extenuating or extreme circumstances (e.g. the presence of an on-heat female, attack by a predator, a fear effect) and any other time the DM thinks it necessary. The animorph can choose to "withdraw" into the morph - fail a control check - at any time, but must succeed on another control check at a -5 penalty to regain control. Withdrawing doubles the bonus to Disguise Self check to appear to be a normal member of that species, and may protect the Animorph from certain psychological attacks such as those that would not affect the morph creature. Allies can attempt a Charisma check to apply Aid Another to the control check.
Using the Morph ability to impersonate a specific person or creature grants +10 to the Disguise check.
Any skintight clothing or accessories can be absorbed into a morph. When morphing into a creature larger than her size category, any armor or non-skintight clothing currently worn by the animorph is destroyed. Items that would not be destroyed can potentially damage or kill the morpher, and should be removed first. Otherwise, the armor and clothing simply fall to the ground. Magical items that can change their size either do so according to the morph, or are absorbed and are considered useless. Anything that would be absorbed when morphing can be incorporated into a morph (for example, if the animorph puts on a tight wristband while in gorilla form, she can absorb it as she demorphs into human. The next time she morphs a gorilla, she can produce the wristband again). An animorph may use any weapon she is proficient with while morphed as long as the morph is able to hold the weapon. However, the weapon is used as if she is non-proficient.

Thoughtspeak (Ex) - While in morph, an animorph can communicate telepathically with anyone close enough to hear her speak normally. The range increases to 1/2 a mile at level 5, and doubles at levels 8, 11 and 14. Thoughtspeech can be directed at a specific individual, group, or made public, so that anyone in range can hear it. This is a one-way communication, and does not allow the animorph to hear the thoughts of others unless they are also in morph and using thoughtspeak. Thoughtspeak can be understood regardless of language except where a concept or term is completely absent from another culture, and can also transmit images, emotions and physical sensations.

Trust the Instincts (Ex) - Starting at 2nd level, by sacrificing some of her control, the animorph can take advantage of her morph's natural abilities. By making a Will save for control (DC 20 - creature's Int modifier for first-time morph, DC 10 - Int mod otherwise), she gains a +4 competence bonus to Bluff, Disguise, and any skill her current morph has 5 or more ranks in, but loses -2 to all subsequent Will saves. This effect lasts for 10 minutes. An animorph can use Trust the Instincts as many times as she wishes, but the control DC increases by 5 each time it is used in the same form without demorphing. If the Will save is failed, the same penalties apply for losing control of the morph, as outlined under the Morph ability.

Bonus Feat - At 3rd, 11th and 19th level, the animorph can select a feat from the following list: Morphing Talent, Estreen, Morph Dancer, Last-Minute, Combat Morphing, Morph Regeneration, Time-Keeping, Exotic Morph, Second Wind.

Morph Empathy (Ex) - At 4th level, when making a Diplomacy check on a creature other than her own species, the animorph can add her animorph levels to the check if she is in that species' morph. This ability can only be used on creatures with an Intelligence of at least 3.

Battle Morph (Ex) - At 5th level, and again at 10th and 15th, the animorph chooses one morph she already knows to be a battle morph. She has had so much experience fighting in this form that her combat skills merge with the creature's. When in Battle Morph the animorph adds her base attack bonus and base Reflex and Fortitude saves to those of the morphed creature, and may use the ability scores of the Battle Morph or her normal form, whichever is higher. If the Battle Morph is physically able to use a weapon the animorph is proficient with, she may use the weapon with the proficiency and any related feats intact. The Animorph may select feats and skills that can be used in the Battle Morph, even if they can't be used in her normal form. These feats can also be used in other morphs if they're physically able to apply, but only if they have the prerequisites. Morphing into a Battle Morph is a standard action. The Animorph may take 10 on all control checks in Battle Morph.

Frolis Maneuver (same species) (Ex) - By 6th level, the animorph has learned to merge the essences of up to 4 different creatures of the same species. This ability works as a disguise check to appear like a whole new member of that species. Each merged essence above 2 adds +5 to the disguise check. Performing a Frolis Maneuver is always a 2-round action. The benefits of a Battle Morph or Favored Morph do not apply when used in a Frolis Maneuver.

Favored Morph (Ex) - At 7th level, and again at 12th and 17th, the animorph chooses one morph she already knows to be a favored morph. She has had so much experience in this form that her behavior is nearly indistinguishable from that of the creature. When in Favored Morph the animorph adds her skill modifiers to those of the morphed creature and may use the ability scores of the Favoured Morph or her normal form, whichever is higher. The Animorph may select feats and skills that can be used in the Favoured Morph, even if they can't be used in her normal form. These feats can also be used in other morphs if they're physically able to apply, but only if they have the prerequisites. The Animorph may take 10 on all control checks in Favoured Morph, and may withdraw into it without any penalty to subsequent control checks. Morphing into a Favored Morph is a standard action.

Wild Empathy (Ex) - At 9th level, the animorph's time in animal form has given her a better understanding of their behaviors. The animorph can use body language to make herself appear less threatening to any class of animal (e.g. bird, bear, cat, etc.) she has previously morphed. This works exactly like the Wild Empathy druid ability, except that it is only applicable to animal types the animorph has already morphed.

Power Morphing (Ex) - At 13th level, the animorph is getting used to the physical strains morphing takes on her body, and now must only wait one round before re-morphing to avoid getting fatigued.

Improved Morph Empathy (Ex) - At 14th level, the animorph's experience in morph has made her familiar with the behavior of those creatures. When making a Diplomacy check on a creature other than her own species, the animorph can add her animorph levels to the check while in her original form, as long as she has previously morphed that species. While in that species' morph, she can add her animorph levels to the check, as well as a +2 competence bonus. This ability can only be used against creatures with an Intelligence of at least 3.

Chain Morphing (Ex) - At 18th level, the physical strain of morphing is like second nature, and the animorph can now morph directly after de-morphing as many times in a row equal to her Constitution modifier before getting fatigued.

Frolis Maneuver (different species) (Ex) - At 20th level, the animorph has mastered the technique of blending essences, and can now merge the essences of 2 different creatures, regardless of species. The resulting creature has the highest physical ability scores between the two creatures and the highest natural armor scores. The first time she merges 2 creatures she can choose which creature's supernatural/extraordinary ability set, movement modes and natural attacks the new creature has. Anytime the animorph performs a Frolis Maneuver with these 2 creatures, the same creature will be the result. Since a Frolis Maneuver is such a delicate process it can fail when two essences simply refuse to merge. Each new merge has a 5% chance of failing, in which case the resulting creature has the lowest ability scores and natural armor between the 2 creatures and the other abilities are chosen by the DM. Performing a Frolis Maneuver is always a 2-round action. The benefits of a Battle Morph or Favored morph do not apply when used in a Frolis Maneuver.

New Feats:
"Morphing" can be substituted for wild shape or polymorph, at DM's discretion.

Morphing Talent [Animorph]
You've developed a talent for morphing quickly and smoothly.
Benefits: Morphing Battle and Favored morphs is now a move action, and morphing anything else is a standard action.
Normal: Morphing Battle and Favored morphs is usually a standard action, while all other morphs are a full-round action.

Estreen [Animorph]
You are so talented at morphing you can control the change to an extent.
Prerequisite: Morphing Talent
Benefits: When morphing, you can choose to control the morph so that anyone seeing you morph for the first time must make a Will save DC 10+ 1/2 animorph level+Charisma modifier or be either fascinated for 1/2 Cha mod rounds (min. 1) or shaken for Cha mod +2 rounds (min. 3). You may choose which effect to create.

Morph Dancer [Animorph]
You can incorporate your morphing ability into your performances.
Prerequisite: Morphing Talent, Estreen, Perform (Dance) 3 ranks
Benefits: You can make a Perform (Dance) check to Fascinate anyone watching you, as the bardic music skill.

Last-Minute [Animorph]
By maintaining focus on your original form, you can demorph just beyond the two-hour limit.
Benefits: By making a Will save, DC 10 + number of rounds over two hours, you can demorph over the two hour limit. This takes two full rounds.
Normal: After two hours in a specific morph, you are permanently trapped in that form.

Combat Morphing [Animorph] - posted by Callix
Prerequisites: Dex 13+, Dodge, Morphing Talent
You have learned to keep your mobility while morphing.
Benefits: When morphing, you are not denied your Dexterity bonus to AC, but you still draw an attack of opportunity for morphing.
Normal: While morphing, you are considered flat-footed.

Morph Regeneration [Animorph]
Prerequisites: Con 13+, Endurance, Rapid Healing, Morph class feature
Benefits:As you shed your shape, you also shed your injuries. Morphing heals all your wounds and regenerates any lost parts. You are not fatigued by doing so.
Normal: Morphing heals you up to half your hitpoints and regenerates lost parts. You must make a Fortitude save or be fatigued.

Time-Keeping
Prerequisites: --
Benefits: You always know exactly what time it is, and how much time has passed, even if you are knocked unconcious or otherwise would normally lose track of time.

Powerful Morph[Animorph]
Prerequisite: Animorph level 10.
Benefits: You may morph one Magical Beast, Aberration, Fey or Dragon you have acquired with HD up to thrice your HD. This feat may be chosen more than once, each time applying to a different creature.
Normal: You can only morph into Magical Beasts, Aberrations, Fey and Dragons with HD up to 1 1/2 times your HD.

Exotic Morph [Animorph]
Prerequisite: Animorph level 12.
Benefits: Choose a creature type not on the list available to Animorphs. You may now acquire and morph creatures of that type up to your HD.

Enhanced Morph [Animorph]
Prerequisite: Animorph level 12.
Benefits: You may morph any Magical Beast, Aberration, Fey and Dragon creature you have acquired up to twice your HD.

Improved Frolis Maneuver [Animorph]
Prerequisite: Frolis Maneuver
Benefits: You may apply Battle Morph and Favoured Morph to your Frolis Maneuver. The bonus per individual to the Disguise check increases to +7.
Normal: Your Frolis Maneuver cannot be used with Battle and Favoured Morpht, the Disguise check bonus is +5 per individual.

Second Wind [general, Fighter]
Prerequisite: Great Fortitude OR Endurance
Benefits: Once per day, you gain your second wind and are almost as refreshed as when you started out. All exhaustion and fatigue effects are removed, all non-lethal damage is healed, you regain one point of a drained ability score, and heal up to your Constitution modifier x 10 hp.

New Flaw:
Morphing Allergy [Animorph]
You are allergic to a certain species' essence.
Effect: Every time you Aquire a new species, the DM rolls a d%. If he rolls 5% or lower, you contract Morphing Allergy, described below, for that species. If you have already acquired the creature when this flaw is taken, you immediately contract the disease.

New Disease:
Morphing Allergy - DC 15, 1d3 Wis, 1 day incubation
Caught by acquiring a creature whose essence the animorph is allergic to. Each day the save is failed, there is also a 25% chance for the allergy to assert itself in any high-stress situation. This includes combat rounds, attempts at morphing, spell effects that simulate strong emotions (fear, crushing despair), and any situation that requires a will save. If the allergy asserts itself, the animorph immediately starts to morph into the allergic creature, even if it is already in morph. The animorph has no control over the morph, and automatically fails her will save for control. She may retry every five rounds at DC 20 - creature's Int modifier. If the animorph fails the save by 5 or less, she immediately starts to morph into a randomly chosen morph she already knows. She still automatically fails the control save, but if she has morphed this creature before, she may make a control save at 15 - creature's Int modifier, every round. Making a control save while in this state returns to animorph to her original form. Any attempt to voluntarily morph into the allergic creature results in the same assertion effect.

Making the Fortitude save two days in a row results in the essence being purged from the animorph in the form of a separate creature of the type the animorph is allergic to. Depending on the creature, it may be hostile upon being purged. Purging the creature cures the disease.

At the DM's discretion, this disease can be used at random or in conjunction with the Morphing Allergy flaw.


Now, the next one I'm going to do is a Plant Druid. I'm gonna be pretty badly scratching for ideas on this one. I think it's gonna be mostly a spellcaster and a healer, with other abilities being relatively mild. I couldn't think of anything that would make for a good "Plantshape" ability, so I'm thinking of just making it plant-specific Wildshape, with the options of plant monsters increasing with level, starting with just mundane plants. On the other hand, the ability to gain extra AC would be useful... but that could also be in the form of a gradually increasing bonus. Bah, I dunno. Any ideas?

Calmar
2010-10-13, 04:17 AM
I couldn't think of anything that would make for a good "Plantshape" ability, so I'm thinking of just making it plant-specific Wildshape, with the options of plant monsters increasing with level, starting with just mundane plants. On the other hand, the ability to gain extra AC would be useful... but that could also be in the form of a gradually increasing bonus. Bah, I dunno. Any ideas?

How about a (not extremely original) walking-tree-shape that may in the end more or less resemble a treant?

pffh
2010-10-13, 04:34 AM
You list summon elemental monolith twice in the spell list:smallsmile:
Question about the rocks thrown while transformed are they ranged attacks? Meaning at 20 you would have 10 ranged attacks per round each dealing 2d4+2d4 for a move action, is that correct?

Serpentine
2010-10-13, 04:50 AM
edit: 20 per round, actually.
...
That's too much, isn't it.


Calmar: I was thinking that, but in the end it was kinda... uninspiring.

I think I'm going to have to consult Tamora Pierce (specifically Briar Rose and Rosethorn) for ideas. So, partly with that in mind, here's my ideas so far:

- Good spellcasting, all plant-, healing- and poison-based and/or refluffable spells. I'll compare Sorcerer, Cleric and Druid spellcasting rates.

- Plant-specific "Druid drifts". Based on my drift tables, except to be actually mechanically useful. I was thinking I'd make a list of them, and allow one to be chosen or improved every few levels. Things like bark skin (AC, obviously), thorns (natural attack), spines (damage in a grapple), and so on.

- Regeneration/fast healing. Possibly sun-dependent.

- Ability to make and use bundles of seeds and cuttings. They could be made for specific purposes (e.g. tangling, damage, barrier). Plant magic could be infused into them, so that when they are thrown and break open they burst into growth. And/or, they could be used to provide plant material for spells such as Entanglement that require plants to be present. Possibly similar to the Warlock Infusion ability? Blatantly knicked from Pierce, obviously...

- Plant Growth ability. Pretty much just fluff, but seems appropriate.

How do supernatural and spell-like abilities go with classes? Or are they more racial?

Violet Octopus
2010-10-13, 06:00 AM
I would be very interested in seeing a plant-based divine caster similar to a beguiler (even though your magma druid is prepared-casting).

Your spell themes are good, though for healing I think sticking to the vigor line, goodberry (maybe writing higher level versions of it?), and regenerate (at the level cleric gets it) would be more interesting than sticking to the cure line. Also, how do you feel about horrid wilting, perhaps at level 9?

Plant tokens/talismans are an interesting idea. Are you thinking they would be outright itemcrafting, or quasi-items that don't require XP expenditure and have a use-by date?

Plant drift sounds good, though not every druid wants to secede from society completely and become a tree. Some might be into sustainable farming and such. Maybe have an option at each level that's more easily concealable or has no change to external appearance?

I've been writing some [Divine] feats that rely on rebuke plants. Maybe we can crosspollinate/steal each other's ideas? :smallsmile:

So far my ideas have been
* an effect similar to entangle, but being supernatural it uses a save DC of 10+1/2 effective cleric level + Cha modifier. Other minor differences - centred on the caster
* spend a rebuke plants attempt to grant Woodland Stride to a willing creature. In addition, that creature is immune to your magical plant-based movement effects. Party-friendly battlefield control.
* casting spells through plants, scrying through them, etc. One major plant theme is the interconnectedness of all life.

Serpentine
2010-10-13, 06:20 AM
I would be very interested in seeing a plant-based divine caster similar to a beguiler (even though your magma druid is prepared-casting).What in particular about the Beguiler? I'm not familiar with it.

Your spell themes are good, though for healing I think sticking to the vigor line, goodberry (maybe writing higher level versions of it?), and regenerate (at the level cleric gets it) would be more interesting than sticking to the cure line.I was thinking all of the above. The healing properties of plants go way back...
Also, how do you feel about horrid wilting, perhaps at level 9?As a spell, or as a special ability?
Plant tokens/talismans are an interesting idea. Are you thinking they would be outright itemcrafting, or quasi-items that don't require XP expenditure and have a use-by date?I was thinking "as long as you have the materials available (which could be picked up and stored over a long period of time), you can make X bundles per day". I was thinking about a use-by date, but I'm not keen on it.

Plant drift sounds good, though not every druid wants to secede from society completely and become a tree. Some might be into sustainable farming and such. Maybe have an option at each level that's more easily concealable or has no change to external appearance?The aesthetics would be up to the character. For example, I've already intended spines to be suppressable - either by withdrawing, flattening or softening them.
I've been writing some [Divine] feats that rely on rebuke plants. Maybe we can crosspollinate/steal each other's ideas? :smallsmile:Is Rebuke Plants a RAW option, or homebrew? That could certainly work well. If those would be particularly useful to Druids, it'd be great if you could post them here...

So far my ideas have been
* an effect similar to entangle, but being supernatural it uses a save DC of 10+1/2 effective cleric level + Cha modifier. Other minor differences - centred on the casterWould a "plant controlling" ability that allows abilities such as entangle and others some particular number of times a day work fine?

* spend a rebuke plants attempt to grant Woodland Stride to a willing creature. In addition, that creature is immune to your magical plant-based movement effects. Party-friendly battlefield control.Oh yeah, I was gonna give it Woodland Stride and Tree Stride and stuff. Makes sense for it to be able to direct its controlled plants, too, though I might make it specific to the above "plant controlling" ability...

* casting spells through plants, scrying through them, etc. One major plant theme is the interconnectedness of all life.Mmm. Maybe.

Plant familiars. Another Tamora Pierce idea (Briar Rose has a "pet" bonsai that stores magical power). Thoughts?

Violet Octopus
2010-10-13, 07:09 AM
edit: link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9542647&postcount=5) to divine feats for Rebuke Plants.
Also while looking for spells for one of the feats, I noticed another potential spell theme for the plant druid: divining the path through natural terrain/facilitating mundane travel, and conversely, making people get lost in the woods with illusory terrain. There's a few druid-specific illusion spells of that nature in Spell Compendium, and it could also pinch hallucinatory terrain from the wizard.


What in particular about the Beguiler? I'm not familiar with it.
Beguiler, Warmage and Dread Necromancer are all base classes with spontaneous arcane casting. Each has a predefined spell list which they know every spell from. For example, beguiler mostly gets enchantment and illusion spells, with a few stealthy spells thrown in.

They're fairly popular as a model for balancing arcane casting by limiting the versatility of wizards and sorcerers - they're all tier 3 apart from the warmage.


I was thinking all of the above. The healing properties of plants go way back...
Fair enough. And I meant horrid wilting on the spell list.


As a spell, or as a special ability?I was thinking "as long as you have the materials available (which could be picked up and stored over a long period of time), you can make X bundles per day".
I meant as a special ability.


The aesthetics would be up to the character. For example, I've already intended spines to be suppressable - either by withdrawing, flattening or softening them.
OK then.


Is Rebuke Plants a RAW option, or homebrew? That could certainly work well. If those would be particularly useful to Druids, it'd be great if you could post them here...
Clerics can get Rebuke Plants through the Plant domain, in the PHB. Which is why it's annoying that there are no divine feats, as-written, that can use rebuke plants attempts. Unfortunately it only works on plant creatures, and can't generally control them.


Would a "plant controlling" ability that allows abilities such as entangle and others some particular number of times a day work fine?
That'd work well. Because I have rebuke plants on the brain, I'm thinking it gets that at 1st level, and can also use those attempts to create various supernatural effects as it gains levels. Alternately if all of the plant controlling abilities are pretty much spells, it could just have the ability to cast a particular set of spells spontaneously, like clerics can do with cure/inflict spells, or druids with summon nature's ally.

edit: to be clear, I don't necessarily think having it run off Rebuke Plants is the best idea, just the one that's on my brain right now.


Plant familiars. Another Tamora Pierce idea (Briar Rose has a "pet" bonsai that stores magical power). Thoughts?
I don't know Tamora Pierce's work, but an animated plant might be good. Or plant symbionts, though that's a bit creepier.

Serpentine
2010-10-16, 04:06 AM
Awlroight, here's a quick & dirty first draft of my Plant Druid.

edit: Moved to first post.

Serpentine
2010-10-22, 02:11 AM
Hey guys, looking for initial feedback, and also ideas for Vegetal Drift. And also any other contributions!

togapika
2010-10-22, 02:58 AM
Ice druid?

Eloel
2010-10-22, 04:12 AM
Vines, Improved: Your arms stretch and bend in a vine-like way. You gain an additional +2 bonus to Grapple, and an extra 5ft reach.

Reach looks too strong. Though really, it's a druid :smallsmile:

Serpentine
2010-10-22, 06:53 AM
I am aiming for Tier 2-3, less powerful than a regular Druid.

DrWeird
2010-10-22, 09:05 AM
If you were aiming for something between a Healer and a Druid from a group that forgot a Cleric, you look like you're relatively on track; however, the thematics and mechanics are a little too separated for my taste. Healing, yes, but the quasi-planthood feels a little abrupt and could use either some longer scaling or interspersion with other abilities. For example, you could include Speak With Plants at-will (Unless I missed that somewhere, which I probably did), and what I really had in mind - some sort of Plantsense which allows the druid to sense plants with a radius scaling to his level.

Another thought is to reveal the flipside of plants; how they thrive off of death to survive - namely, off the delicious corpses of dead things in the wild. Probably a variant SLA of a nature-themed Vampiric Touch?

Actually, that'd probably be good for a Fungi Druid. Hmm..

Serpentine
2010-10-22, 09:09 AM
By quasi-planthood do you mean the vegetal drift?

I'm having second thoughts about plant shape, by the ways.

DrWeird
2010-10-22, 09:21 AM
I think it should make sense to allow your...'Seromancer' to transform into a plant, consider that he's slowly turning into one - but instead of making it a brawler like the magma druid's forms, instead shift it to either a massive healbot/crowd controller. DragoonKnight's Deadwood, while totally unbalanced, had some good ideas you could use; I would really suggest some sort of defensive/crowd control/AoE aimed Plantshape, considering the context. And yes, I do.

As for those vines, just give it extra reach and improved grab. Another idea is +10 ft reach, but only usable a certain number of times per day.

Serpentine
2010-10-23, 11:01 AM
I've done a little bit more.

TechnOkami
2010-10-23, 09:59 PM
Something along the lines of a Druid Ranger that imbues his arrows with druidic spells with extra summoning abilities to keep his enemies occupied while he pelts them with ironwood arrows, empowered with Reverse Gravity. XD

Serpentine
2010-10-28, 01:37 AM
Alright guys, I think I'm getting kinda close to the point where I can declare this Plant Druid done. So, critique away! In particular, it feels kinda front-heavy...

Gonna do a spell list now.

TechnOkami
2010-10-28, 05:06 PM
Oh, erm, I just had another idea today. Sort of a druid necromancr fusionshaw who raises dea dplants to do her bidding and all other sort of undead-yet-nature based stuff. Not necessarily a Blighter because they want to completely destroy nature in their craziness wile these "necrotic botanists" just raise dead plants n' stuff.

Serpentine
2010-11-15, 08:57 AM
I've updated the spell list. Now, is it done? Is it usable, do you think? Are there any other Vegetal Drifts anyone can think of? What about Bundles?

And, of course, does anyone have anything of their own to put in this thread?

Serpentine
2011-08-02, 08:46 AM
Okay! The Magma Druid and Plant Druid are officially completed! (I tweaked the Magma Druid's rock-hurling ability a little, and I personally would prefer not to give them an elemental companion but I couldn't bring myself to delete all that work and others might like it)

Now, my DM has given me permission to play an Aberration Druid, as made by me. Now taking ideas and suggestions.


Notes'n'stuff:
Aboleth
PhysicalSwim speed
Natural armour
Tentacle
Darkvision
Aquatic subtype
Extraordinary/SupernaturalDominate person, permanent.
Slime that turns victim's skin clear and slimy and makes them need to stay in water.
Mucus cloud removing victim's ability to breathe air.
Spells/Spell-likehypnotic pattern
illusory wall
mirage arcana
persistent image
programmed image
project image
veil

Athach
Physicalnatural armour
Darkvision
Bite attack
3rd arm
Poison, Str damage
Extraordinary/Supernaturald
Spells/Spell-liked

Beholder
PhysicalEye stalks
Large single eye
Natural armour
Bite
darkvision
Extraordinary/SupernaturalEye rays - sleep, inflict moderate wounds, dispel magic, scorching ray, paralysis, exhaustion; charm monster, charm person, disintegrate, fear, finger of death, flesh to stone, inflict moderate wounds, sleep, slow, telekinesis
Antimagic cone
Buoyant body - flight
Stunning gaze
Spells/Spell-liked

Carrion Crawler
PhysicalNatural armour
Tentacles
Darkvision
Scent
Extraordinary/SupernaturalParalysis
Spells/Spell-liked

Choker
PhysicalClimb speed
Natural armour
Tentacle
Reach
Extraordinary/SupernaturalConstrict
Improved Grab
Spells/Spell-liked

Chuul
PhysicalAmphibious
Darkvision
Natural armour
Swim speed
Claws
Poison immunity
Extraordinary/SupernaturalParalysis
Constrict
Improved grab
Spells/Spell-liked

Cloaker
PhysicalNatural armour
Flight
Tail
Bite
Darkvision
Extraordinary/SupernaturalMoan - unnerve, fear, nausea, stupor
Engulf
Shadow manipulation - concealment, mirror image, silent image
Spells/Spell-liked

Delver
PhysicalBurrow
Natural armour
Darkvision
Acid immunity
Tremorsense
Extraordinary/SupernaturalCorrosive slime
Stone shape
Spells/Spell-liked

Destrachan
PhysicalNatural Armour
Claws
Excellent hearing
Blind - immune to sight-dependent things
Extraordinary/SupernaturalSonic attack
Blindsight
Protected from sonic attacks
Spells/Spell-liked

Drider
PhysicalNatural Armour
Spider-parts
Climb speed
Bite
Darkvision
Spell resistance
Bonus to hide & move silently
Extraordinary/SupernaturalPoisonous bite - strength damage
Spells/Spell-likeDancing lights
Clairaudience
Darkness
Detect Good
Detect Law
Detect Magic
Dispell Magic
Faerie Fire
Levitate
Suggestion


Ethereal Filcher
PhysicalNatural Armour
Bite attack
Darkvision
Bonuses to sleight of hand, listen, spot
Extraordinary/SupernaturalDetect magic at will
Ethereal Jaunt
Spells/Spell-liked

Ettercap
PhysicalNatural armour
Bite
Claws
Low-light vision
Climb speed
Bonus to trapmaking, hide, spot, climb.

Extraordinary/SupernaturalPoison - Dex damage
Web-throwing
Web-trap making
Spells/Spell-liked

Gibbering Mouther
PhysicalSwim speed
Natural armour
Bite attack
damage reduction /bludgeoning
Darkvision
Multiple eyes
Bonus to spot
Extraordinary/SupernaturalGibbering - as confusion
Blinding acidic spit
Improved Grabbing bite
Swallow whole
Blood drain
Ground manipulation - softening earth
Amorphous body
Spells/Spell-liked

Grick
PhysicalTentacles
Climb speed
Bonus to climb and hide
Darkvision
Scent
Natural Armour
Extraordinary/SupernaturalDamage reduction/magic
Spells/Spell-liked

Mimic
PhysicalNatural armour
Pseudopod slam
Darkvision
Immunity to acid
Extraordinary/SupernaturalAdhesive
Crush when grappling
Mimic shape - bonus to Disguise
Spells/Spell-liked

Dark Naga
PhysicalNatural armour
Bite attack
Sting attack
Darkvision

Extraordinary/SupernaturalPoison - sleep
Resistance to charm
Detect thoughts, continuous
Immunity to mind-reading
Spells/Spell-liked

Guardian Naga
PhysicalNatural armour
Bite attack
Darkvision

Extraordinary/SupernaturalPoison - bite and spit, Constitution damage
Spells/Spell-liked

Spirit Naga
PhysicalNatural armour
Bite attack

Extraordinary/SupernaturalCharming gaze - charm person
Poison - Constitution damage
Spells/Spell-liked

Water naga
PhysicalSwim speed
Natural Armour
Bite attack
Darkvision
Bonus to swim
Extraordinary/SupernaturalPoison - Constitution damage
Spells/Spell-liked

Otyugh
PhysicalNatural armour
Darkvision
Tentacles
Bite attack
Specific bonus to Hide
Extraordinary/SupernaturalConstrict
Diseased bite - days incubation, Dex & Con damage
Improved Grab
Spells/Spell-liked

Phasm
PhysicalNatural Armour
Slam attack with pseudopod
Tremorsense
Extraordinary/SupernaturalAmorphous - immunities
Bonus to Fortitude & Reflex
Alternate form - bonus to disguise
Spells/Spell-liked

Rust Monster
PhysicalNatural armour
Bite attack
Darkvision
Scent
Extraordinary/SupernaturalRusting touch
Spells/Spell-liked

Skum
PhysicalDarkvision
Natural armour
Bite attack
Claw attack
Amphibious
Swim speed
Bonus to swim
Bonus to hide, spot, listen underwater
Extraordinary/SupernaturalRake attack
Spells/Spell-liked

Will O' Wisp
PhysicalDeflection bonus
Flight
Darkvision
Extraordinary/SupernaturalMagic immunity
Natural invisibility
Spells/Spell-liked

b
Physicald
Extraordinary/Supernaturald
Spells/Spell-liked

Tyndmyr
2011-08-08, 09:14 PM
Aright, the promised detailed analysis. It's a lot of nitpicking, but the basic idea is extremely solid. If you don't mind, I fully intend to steal the themed druid concept for other things, I feel like it makes the whole druid concept much stronger.


edit: A note, for the purposes of critiquing what I do. I'm aiming for around Tier 2-3 - substantially less powerful than Core Druid, but still useful, fun and interesting.

I rate both of these as very solid tier 2s. Probably still a bit more kick than a sorc in general.

Magma Druid first. I like that you've ditched the wooden weapons/armor thing. Doesn't really fit with a being that's quite literally on fire half the time.


Spells...

The spell list is solid, and a bit blasty. Im a fan of blasty, but the other class features don't really enhance the blasty nature. If a tighter focus is desired, that might be a reasonable approach.


Planar Sense (Ex)
A druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (planes) and Survival checks in desert, hot plains, hot mountainous and volcanic terrains and the planes of fire and earth.

Extremely reasonable and fluffy. It's not a major thing at all in any power sense, but it fits well.


Planar Empathy (Ex)
A magma druid can improve the attitude of an elemental and creatures with the fire and earth types. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The magma druid rolls 1d20 and adds her magma druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the planar empathy check result.
To use planar empathy, the magma druid and the elemental must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an elemental in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
The magma druid gains a +2 bonus to her check when influencing earth, fire or magma elementals.

Useful, but quite situational. Note that planes of fire do typically include Genies and the like, so this can be occasionally very handy, but it's certainly not front loaded enough to make this a dip-only class, so that's good.


Burn (Su)
From 4th level, the magma druid’s flesh becomes incredibly hot to the touch. She deals an extra 1d4 fire damage when she hits with her natural weapons or unarmed attacks and in a grapple. This bonus damage increases to 1d8 at 9th level, 2d6 at 14th, and 2d10 at level 19. In addition, any creature that takes fire damage must make a Reflex save DC 15 or catch on fire. Creatures attacking the magma druid with natural or unarmed attacks also take this damage.

Played a pyrokinecist to epic levels once, and this reminds me of that ability. Again, fluffy, and a nice little bonus, but not a major problem. It does synergize well with shifting though...so it doesn't really support the blasty thing. Not necessarily bad, just something to keep in mind.


Volcanic Form (Su)
At 4th level, a magma druid can harness the power of molten lava. This progresses as follows:
Vent Form: She gains +4 natural armour bonus, +2 Strength, immunity to fire, vulnerability to cold and a slam attack that deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage +1d4 fire. While in this form she is surrounded by a poisonous vapour. Creatures within 5 feet of the magma druid must make a Fortitude save DC 12+ the druid’s Constitution modifier or be nauseated. The effect lasts as long as they stay within the vapour and 1d4 rounds after they leave. Creatures that succeed on their save are sickened as long as they stay within the vapour.

Nausea is...potent. Con's already a pretty critical druid stat, I could easily see it becoming the primary stat for a shifting focused magma druid. Given the level it's received at, this is easily the most powerful effect of the form. So long as they're not outright immune, creative movement enables the druid to take on a rather large number of opponents with relative ease, with a melee damage of 1d6+2d4 fire(if the form ability does not stack with the previously mentioned ability, remove it from the form) + enhanced strength. That's pretty solid at level four, but the status effect is the worrying bit.

Sickened isn't quite so bad, but it's still a decent consolation prize.


Caldera Form: She becomes Large size and gains +5 natural armour bonus, +4 Strength, immunity to fire, vulnerability to cold and a slam attack that deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage + 1d8 fire. While in this form she is surrounded by a poisonous vapour. Creatures within 10 feet of the magma druid must make a Fortitude save DC 14+ the druid’s Constitution modifier or be nauseated. The effect lasts as long as they stay within the vapour and 1d6 rounds after they leave. Creatures that succeed on their save are sickened as long as they stay within the vapour. While in her volcanic form, she can hurl from her body a number of red-hot stones equal to ¼ her character level each round as a move action at one or more creatures within 60ft. Each stone deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage and 1d4 fire damage, and is a ranged attack.

Same, same really. Im not sure that status effects from fire is fitting. Oh, it's realistic sure...you're more likely to die from the fumes of lava or what not than the actual burning, but in D&D, lava and what not isn't generally represented at this level of detail.


Pyroclastic Form: She becomes Huge size and gains +6 natural armour bonus, +6 Strength, immunity to fire, vulnerability to cold and a slam attack that deals 2d8 bludgeoning damage +2d6 fire. While in this form she is surrounded by a poisonous vapour. Creatures within 5 feet must make a Fortitude save DC 13 + the druid’s Constitution modifier or be affected as the Cloudkill spell. Creatures within 10 feet of the magma druid, regardless of whether they succeeded or failed the first check, must make a Fortitude save DC 15+ the druid’s Constitution modifier or be nauseated. The effect lasts as long as they stay within the vapour and 1d8 rounds after they leave. Creatures that succeed on their save are sickened as long as they stay within the vapour. While in her volcanic form, she can hurl from her body a number of red-hot stones equal to 1/3 her character level each round as a move action at one or more creatures within 80ft. Each stone deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage and 1d6 fire damage, and is a ranged attack. In addition, the vapours make the magma druid difficult to see, granting concealment.

Honestly, the nausea effect is probably better than the cloudkill effect.

I would consider shortening this abilities up by making each one say "as Caldera Form, except for x, y, and z". They're all continuations of the same form, and druids are already a complex class...the shorter it can be made, the better.


Cataclysmic Form: The magma druid becomes Huge size (though larger than the Pyroclastic Form) and gains +8 natural armour bonus, +8 Strength, immunity to fire, vulnerability to cold and a slam attack that deals 3d10 bludgeoning damage +2d8 fire. While in this form she is surrounded by superheated ash, stone and poisonous vapour. Creatures within 5 feet automatically take 4d6 fire and 2d6 bludgeoning damage every rounds they remain within the cloud. Creatures within 10 feet must make a Fortitude save DC 14 + the druid’s Constitution modifier or be affected as the Cloudkill spell. Creatures within 20 feet of the magma druid, regardless of whether they succeeded or failed the first check, must make a Fortitude save DC 16+ the druid’s Constitution modifier or be nauseated. The effect lasts as long as they stay within the vapour and 1d10 rounds after they leave. Creatures that succeed on their save are sickened as long as they stay within the vapour. While in her volcanic form, she can hurl from her body a number of red-hot stones equal to her ½ character level each round as a move action at one or more creatures within 120ft. Each stone deals 2d4 bludgeoning damage and 2d4 fire damage, and is a ranged attack. In addition, the cloud makes the magma druid difficult to see, granting total concealment.

Honestly, I see myself playing this class as basically giving myself the best magical fly speed I can, and focusing on subjecting as many creatures as possible to the stacking auras of bad. The ranged attack probably isn't fantastic, being fairly subject to DR/resistances, but the melee is pretty solid.

Possible combinations with Apostle of Peace are amusing and likely incredibly broken.


Mountain Stance (Ex)
At 5th level the magma druid becomes heavier and more solid. She gains a +4 bonus to checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground. She also increases her weight by 20%. This is considered the same as the dwarven Stability racial feature or the Stocky feat for the purpose of qualifying for feats or items.

Fluffy, and a bit useful. No real problems here. That said, you probably want to avoid too many circumstance bonuses in the same class. In practice, I find players mostly forget they exist(ie, dwarven bonuses to appraise in stoneworking and the like. They come up rarely enough that they just don't get remembered).


Elemental Companion (Ex) - optional, DM's choice
A magma druid may begin play with an animal companion selected from the following list: Earth or Fire Gen (Dr #315 p. 82), Earthdelver (Du #111 p. 90), Small Earth or Fire Elemental, Small Magma Para-Elemental (MotP p. 181), Sandknight (Du #110 p. 95), Firesnake (Du #111 p. 91), Flamebrother Salamander Larva (Dr #314 p. 50), Ash Rat (MM2), Cinderbrute (Du # 110 p. 86), Minor Flame Snake (FF), Average Salamander Larva (Dr #314 p. 49), or any animal from the Druid animal companion list with the fire, earth or magma type. This creature is otherwise exactly like the Druid’s companion.

I don't recall any of these being particularly troublesome, though I admit to not looking every one of them up. Having a complete list with sources, while lengthy, is fairly handy though. I prefer it over more general statements like referring the decision to the DM.

[quot]Landslide (Ex)
At 3rd level, a magma druid becomes even heavier and more solid. She does not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a bull rush, and gains a +4 bonus on the opposed Strength check to push back the defender. She is considered to have the Improved Bull Rush feat for the purpose of meeting prerequisites.[/quote]

I admit I have a slight temptation to stat up a Magma Druid x/Dungeoncrasher Fighter 6. Certainly, as a gestalt, it would be pretty crazy.


Improved Landslide (Ex)
From 7th level, the magma druid becomes an unstoppable force. She does not provoke attacks of opportunity when performing a bull rush, and is considered bull rushing against anything whose space she enters. She may push the creature up to her speed + 10ft. She only follows up to her speed, shoving the target the last distance. She automatically wins the bull rush check against any opponent a size category smaller than herself, and may attempt it against creatures of any size.

This, in conjunction with other abilities and things like, say, Expansion, could result in interesting effects. This is solidly useful on it's own, but in conjunction with other options, it's probably a little much. I would suggest dropping the auto-win on the bullrush as a start. Honestly, bull rushing things smaller than you is already fairly easy. Most combat manuvers are biased heavily toward larger size categories already.

With moderate optimization, I could easily destroy small armies of equally CRed adversaries using this. You're basically going to pump movement ridiculously(150 feet+ fly speeds are a quite doable thing), pump your size, and then revel as everything in sight is either within your squares or within range of you, and bull rush the entire map.


Greater Landslide (Ex)
From level 13, the magma druid can deal 2d8 + Str damage + Burn to enemies she bull rushes into solid walls.

Basically the dungeon crasher ability, with fire. Yeah, this ends up almost too focused on bull rushing. I like the use of underappreciated combat options, but in this case, I feel like it becomes an automatic answer to everything. I'd suggest channeling some of that bull rush action into blasty options.

Honestly, ripping off searing spell might not be a bad option. Lower their damage, but make it more reliable.


Primordial transmogrification (Ex)
At 20th level, a magma druid undergoes a physical transformation into a magma para-elemental, with fire and earth subtypes. She gains darkvision out to 60ft; immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, critical hits and flanking; and does not eat, sleep or breathe.[/spoiler]

I'd complain about this opening up all kinds of lovely abuses for Polymorph, but it IS level 20, and the game tends to get a bit crazy for full casters in epic anyhow. So, it's not really going to break anything that can't be broken otherwise...but things like celerity become ludicrous quite rapidly once you get immunity to stunning. Undead is the traditional way to do such things, but it has very specific downsides that this doesn't really have. I'd suggest adding the vulnerability to cold as a permanent thing at this point. It's a common tactic done elsewhere by WOTC for elemental themed things.

Plant druid review, upcoming.

Serpentine
2011-08-09, 12:40 AM
Aright, the promised detailed analysis. It's a lot of nitpicking, but the basic idea is extremely solid. If you don't mind, I fully intend to steal the themed druid concept for other things, I feel like it makes the whole druid concept much stronger.Don't forget, this thread is open to any other contributions :smallwink:

I rate both of these as very solid tier 2s. Probably still a bit more kick than a sorc in general.Hm, maybe a bit higher than I was after, then, but not too bad...

Played a pyrokinecist to epic levels once, and this reminds me of that ability. Again, fluffy, and a nice little bonus, but not a major problem. It does synergize well with shifting though...so it doesn't really support the blasty thing. Not necessarily bad, just something to keep in mind.Maybe I should advance this bit into the searing spell thing you suggest later, instead of continuing with Landslide...

Nausea is...potent. Con's already a pretty critical druid stat, I could easily see it becoming the primary stat for a shifting focused magma druid. Given the level it's received at, this is easily the most powerful effect of the form. So long as they're not outright immune, creative movement enables the druid to take on a rather large number of opponents with relative ease, with a melee damage of 1d6+2d4 fire(if the form ability does not stack with the previously mentioned ability, remove it from the form) + enhanced strength. That's pretty solid at level four, but the status effect is the worrying bit.
Sickened isn't quite so bad, but it's still a decent consolation prize.
Same, same really. Im not sure that status effects from fire is fitting. Oh, it's realistic sure...you're more likely to die from the fumes of lava or what not than the actual burning, but in D&D, lava and what not isn't generally represented at this level of detail.
Honestly, the nausea effect is probably better than the cloudkill effect.It is meant to be volcanic in general, rather than just fire and earth, per se. What if the Vent Form was save or sickened, make save no effect; caldera form was maybe automatically sickened; pyroclastic form was save or nauseated, make save sickened; and then cataclysmic form was the same but with higher DCs? Also, what if I lowered the DCs?
Also also, if it makes any difference, this is very much a friendly-fire possible ability.

I would consider shortening this abilities up by making each one say "as Caldera Form, except for x, y, and z". They're all continuations of the same form, and druids are already a complex class...the shorter it can be made, the better.Yeah, I'll have a look at that.

I admit I have a slight temptation to stat up a Magma Druid x/Dungeoncrasher Fighter 6. Certainly, as a gestalt, it would be pretty crazy.Heh, yeah. That'd probably be one of the more powerful ways to mess with this, I'd guess.

This, in conjunction with other abilities and things like, say, Expansion, could result in interesting effects. This is solidly useful on it's own, but in conjunction with other options, it's probably a little much. I would suggest dropping the auto-win on the bullrush as a start. Honestly, bull rushing things smaller than you is already fairly easy. Most combat manuvers are biased heavily toward larger size categories already.I think I pretty much just copied that from a previously existing ability. I'll think about getting rid of the autowin.

With moderate optimization, I could easily destroy small armies of equally CRed adversaries using this. You're basically going to pump movement ridiculously(150 feet+ fly speeds are a quite doable thing), pump your size, and then revel as everything in sight is either within your squares or within range of you, and bull rush the entire map.Is this a major problem?

Basically the dungeon crasher ability, with fire. Yeah, this ends up almost too focused on bull rushing. I like the use of underappreciated combat options, but in this case, I feel like it becomes an automatic answer to everything. I'd suggest channeling some of that bull rush action into blasty options.

Honestly, ripping off searing spell might not be a bad option. Lower their damage, but make it more reliable.I think you might be right, here. I'll have a look at some firey spells to replicate.

I'd suggest adding the vulnerability to cold as a permanent thing at this point. It's a common tactic done elsewhere by WOTC for elemental themed things.I don't think I realised it didn't have it...

Tyndmyr
2011-08-09, 12:34 PM
Honestly, if you swap it to Save or Sickened, that entirely fixes all problems with that aura, and helps a great deal in general. Sickened is a nifty, useful bonus, but it isn't the fight ender nausea is. Being nauseated is basically removed from the fight entirely.

The friendly fire aspect of it doesn't really help. I did some heavy experimenting with status spells for expanding the dread necro list about a year back. Among the things my player convinced me to allow was an extremely similar nausea spell. Despite me heavily nerfing it before allowing it in, it was *extremely* disruptive to the game. The only thing worse than an ability that lets one player entirely dominate combat is one that also frequently prevents his allies from joining in. Fortunately, if it's sickened...it's not nearly so big a deal for the allies either.

Dropping that and the autowin bullrush helps a lot. Any entirely automatic "always works in x condition" attack tends to be heavily subject to optimization. The autowin being gone isn't a huge factor in overall usefulness for the average player, as it's still quite handy, but it does prevent a lot of optimization abuse.

I would describe being able to solo large groups of equally CRed opponents with little risk as undesirable. Yes...it's possible for a wizard to do this with careful preparation and heavy spell expenditure. It's different when you do it without using resources other than hp...especially in a class that can just use a wand of clw to recover. The flexibility of the tier system is sometimes overrated. Huge numbers can also be disruptive to gameplay, as per the ubercharger.

Serpentine
2011-08-09, 11:36 PM
Alright. I may still include a possibility for Nauseated, but probably only in Cataclysmic form, and perhaps only if the check's drastically failed.

Plant Druid review? *puppydog eyes*

Cipher Stars
2011-08-10, 06:28 AM
I.. really love them both. (To the point I can't really say anything bad about either yet, so no review :P ) (Which is weird, Normally I dislike Prepared Casters. They have like... one spell of x,x,x,x and x or just 5 x's for that day meanwhile a Spontanious caster has 6 different x's they can use as much as they want up to they're daily limit...)

Tidal Druid next?



I can't help but think of Origin: Spirits of the Past when I read the Plant Druid.

Maybe Vegetal Drift could be every other level rather then the current pattern that I had to write down to notice any pattern at all. (Well, I did start writing after only the fourth...)
I don't see how its op or anything... In fact I think it'll be quite nice every other level and would then be more equivalent to Burn.

Serpentine
2011-08-10, 06:52 AM
I'm actually hoping someone can give me a spontaneous spell progression, so they can be used either way. I don't know where to start to do that...

Aberrant Druid next, as I'm hoping to play one in a week and a half. Help would be much appreciated...

Cipher Stars
2011-08-10, 08:14 AM
I'm actually hoping someone can give me a spontaneous spell progression, so they can be used either way. I don't know where to start to do that...


um... What ever you make up?

or just a quick throw together:
Spells Known
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|4|2|—|—|—|—|—|—|—|—

2nd|5|3|—|—|—|—|—|—|—|—

3rd|6|3|—|—|—|—|—|—|—|—

4th|6|4|2|—|—|—|—|—|—|—

5th|6|4|3|—|—|—|—|—|—|—

6th|6|4|3|2|—|—|—|—|—|—

7th|6|4|4|3|—|—|—|—|—|—

8th|6|4|4|3|2|—|—|—|—|—

9th|6|4|4|4|3|—|—|—|—|—

10th|6|4|4|4|3|2|—|—|—|—

11th|6|4|4|4|4|3|—|—|—|—

12th|6|4|4|4|4|3|2|—|—|—

13th|6|4|4|4|4|4|3|—|—|—

14th|6|4|4|4|4|4|3|2|—|—

15th|6|5|4|4|4|4|4|3|—|—

16th|6|5|4|4|4|4|4|3|2|—

17th|6|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|4|—

18th|6|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|4|3

19th|6|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|4

20th|6|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|4

[/table]

Cieyrin
2011-08-10, 12:48 PM
As Tyndmyr pointed out, a Source list would be incredibly helpful, as the spells seem to come from so many different books as to be nightmarish to figure out everything it does. I see Core, Sandstorm, Races of Stone, Book of Exalted Deeds, Spell Compendium and probably some Realms books and Dragons and Dungeons. I have no problem that they draw from those sources but knowing where they come from makes it far easier to look up. A bit of work, yes, but it saves so much time later on.

I was a bit surprised that Plant Druid lacked Panacea on their spell list but that's probably a simple mistake. Another thing is the specific clauses with SNA and SM kinda makes the first level versions useless, as all they have are Celestial, Fiendish and normal animals, nothing with the elemental tags you want. Elemental and Plant critters start showing up at the second level, unless there's some Manual of the Planes/Planar Handbook madness I'm missing. A final bit on spells is the Magma Druid's orison list seems both strangely empty and also leaving me wonder why Ram's Might is there, as that'll be practically every 0 level slot filled with what would otherwise be a 1st level spell.

The save DCs are all over the place, mostly on the weakish side, Improved Alluring Scent and Spines being prime candidates, as at the earliest you can get them, the DC is fairly useless or you can cast a spell with a better DC (Poison pops up at the same level you could choose Improved Spines). I'd personally standardize the DCs to 10+half class level+appropriate stat mod, so that abilities stay relevant throughout the druid's career. If you want something to be extra powerful, perhaps take a page from Spirit Shaman's Censure Spirits and apply full class level, though use that sparingly, as Censure Spirits is a lot more powerful than a lot of people give it credit for.

Life Bundles are definitely a neat idea, it needs some major polishing though. As written, there's a limit to how many you can make in a day, it's true, but you can horde the things so you can nova by having everybody in the party throw one. Not what I think you were going for. I'd have them be a move to make and a standard to throw and they only stay together for a number of rounds equal to the plant druid's class level. Not quite what was made in the books (I would assume, I haven't had the chance to read them myself) but a bit better balanced.

Final bits is that there's mention of a Plant Shape ability for the Plant Druid but it never shows up, so I'm not sure if it got dropped in the end or what. There's still mentions of it in the class pre-20th level, so...what's up with that? I also agree with Tyndmyr's assessments, particularly the Nausea and auto-push of Improved Landslide.

These are lovely classes, make no mistake. They just could be a little bit better, is all I'm saying. I don't critique what I don't like, so there's definitely fun stuff here. I'd rather enjoy playing a Dwarf or Goliath Magma Druid, maybe tagging in Stonespeaker Sentinal and Nature's Warrior. Them's my 2 coppers. Take as you will. :smallsmile:

P.S. On the Plant Companions, there was an actually pretty nice article late Dragon about having plant companions. It was a pretty cool and modular system for a 1-2 page article, though it needs cleaning up a bit. If I can find it or if you know which Dragon it's in, I'd definitely have a look. :smallwink:

P.P.S. Is Alluring Scent meant to mix up with Rich's Fey Druid feats? That's what immediately popped into my mind. Also, the ability boosting Drifts seem a bit too easy to get, I'd tag 'em with some level requirements so you don't pick up +6 to a stat by 7th, which definitely gets scary with Fey Druid.

Lyndworm
2011-08-10, 01:43 PM
P.S. On the Plant Companions, there was an actually pretty nice article late Dragon about having plant companions. It was a pretty cool and modular system for a 1-2 page article, though it needs cleaning up a bit. If I can find it or if you know which Dragon it's in, I'd definitely have a look. :smallwink:
A quick search leads me to believe that they're in DR357.

I don't have anything constructive to add, only that I love the idea of these.

Serpentine
2011-08-10, 11:25 PM
As Tyndmyr pointed out, a Source list would be incredibly helpful, as the spells seem to come from so many different books as to be nightmarish to figure out everything it does. I see Core, Sandstorm, Races of Stone, Book of Exalted Deeds, Spell Compendium and probably some Realms books and Dragons and Dungeons. I have no problem that they draw from those sources but knowing where they come from makes it far easier to look up. A bit of work, yes, but it saves so much time later on.Oooooh, is that what he was talking about? I didn't understand. Yeah, I think I can do that.

I was a bit surprised that Plant Druid lacked Panacea on their spell list but that's probably a simple mistake.Almost certainly. Where is panacea found?

Another thing is the specific clauses with SNA and SM kinda makes the first level versions useless, as all they have are Celestial, Fiendish and normal animals, nothing with the elemental tags you want. Elemental and Plant critters start showing up at the second level, unless there's some Manual of the Planes/Planar Handbook madness I'm missing.I figured the Summon lists weren't complete, and people could substitute equivalent-level creatures.

A final bit on spells is the Magma Druid's orison list seems both strangely empty and also leaving me wonder why Ram's Might is there, as that'll be practically every 0 level slot filled with what would otherwise be a 1st level spell.Basically, because I couldn't find many orisons that fit the theme. Suggestions are welcome.

The save DCs are all over the place, mostly on the weakish side, Improved Alluring Scent and Spines being prime candidates, as at the earliest you can get them, the DC is fairly useless or you can cast a spell with a better DC (Poison pops up at the same level you could choose Improved Spines). I'd personally standardize the DCs to 10+half class level+appropriate stat mod, so that abilities stay relevant throughout the druid's career. If you want something to be extra powerful, perhaps take a page from Spirit Shaman's Censure Spirits and apply full class level, though use that sparingly, as Censure Spirits is a lot more powerful than a lot of people give it credit for.Are all the DCs being the same standard/normal/acceptable? Good to know they're on the weaker side, though, I tend to be paranoid about going too powerful.

Life Bundles are definitely a neat idea, it needs some major polishing though. As written, there's a limit to how many you can make in a day, it's true, but you can horde the things so you can nova by having everybody in the party throw one. Not what I think you were going for. I'd have them be a move to make and a standard to throw and they only stay together for a number of rounds equal to the plant druid's class level. Not quite what was made in the books (I would assume, I haven't had the chance to read them myself) but a bit better balanced.What if I put a cap on them and/or had a clause that only the maker can throw them - and only one at a time?
(confession: in the books, they did go nova on a small army with them. I may have had that image in mind <.<)

Final bits is that there's mention of a Plant Shape ability for the Plant Druid but it never shows up, so I'm not sure if it got dropped in the end or what. There's still mentions of it in the class pre-20th level, so...what's up with that?Yeah, that's something I forgot to remove when I scrapped that idea. I could only find one mention of it, though, right at the start?

These are lovely classes, make no mistake. They just could be a little bit better, is all I'm saying. I don't critique what I don't like, so there's definitely fun stuff here. I'd rather enjoy playing a Dwarf or Goliath Magma Druid, maybe tagging in Stonespeaker Sentinal and Nature's Warrior. Them's my 2 coppers. Take as you will. :smallsmile:Thanks! :smallbiggrin:
P.S. On the Plant Companions, there was an actually pretty nice article late Dragon about having plant companions. It was a pretty cool and modular system for a 1-2 page article, though it needs cleaning up a bit. If I can find it or if you know which Dragon it's in, I'd definitely have a look. :smallwink:Do you think it's better than what I've got?

P.P.S. Is Alluring Scent meant to mix up with Rich's Fey Druid feats?I haven't read Rich's Fey Druid feats. Neat if they fit, though (the Rebuke Plants ability is meant to go with that guy's Rebuke Plants-based abilities, too).

Also, the ability boosting Drifts seem a bit too easy to get, I'd tag 'em with some level requirements so you don't pick up +6 to a stat by 7th, which definitely gets scary with Fey Druid.Is that a serious concern?

Serpentine
2011-08-11, 07:38 AM
Anyone who's still looking at this: I could really use some help with this Aberrant Druid thing.

Here's what I've got so far, ideas-wise: Darkvision at first level, natural armour increasing steadily all the way through. I'll probably have the character's type turn to Aberration at some point, but that doesn't actually really add anything much - I can't even think, off the top of my head, of any feats or items that require the aberration type. Aberrant Empathy, as standard.
I didn't really like the idea of having "wildshape but with aberrations", so I was thinking of having permanent, constant drifts like the Vegetal Drift based on the physical features of aberrations, and also temporary, times-per-day Shifts, possibly using the drifts as prerequesites, involving the extraordinary and supernatural abilities of aberrations.
Buuuuuut now... I'm thinking of folding all of those into permanent drifts (although some may have a per-day basis, e.g. beholder eye-rays), the more powerful ones requiring certain earlier drifts and/or other restrictions such as level.
It'll also have spellcasting in much the same way as the other two Druids. I'd like to have some defenses from aberrant abilities, but there's not really much that's consistent through them. Maybe just a flat bonus to saves vs. aberration abilities?

Any thoughts? It seems like these drifts will range from pretty weak to way too powerful. I'm hoping that if they're granted a lot (every second level?), with the more powerful restricted, it'll even out. However, I'm also not sure this will be enough to base a whole class on. I was considering maybe bonuses to saves vs. mind affecting because of their increasingly alien mindset?

An example of the drifts (not actually well thought out, just a starting framework):

- Maw: Bite attack, 1d6 damage/4 levels.
- Gaping Maw: Improved Grab with bite attack, requires Maw.
- Horrific Gaping Maw: Swallow Whole creatures at least 2 categories smaller, requires Gaping Maw.
-Loosening Form: Body starts to warp and soften, protection from sneak attacks.
- Amorphous Form: immunity to sneak attacks, possibly other benefits, requires Loosening Form.
- Engulf: Swallow Whole creatures your size or smaller. Requires Horrific Gaping Maw and Amorphous Form.

Halp plox.

I've collected the stuff for the core aberrations here (sans. mindflayers and any other core aberrations not on the SRD, except beholders):
Notes'n'stuff:
Aboleth
PhysicalSwim speed
Natural armour
Tentacle
Darkvision
Aquatic subtype
Extraordinary/SupernaturalDominate person, permanent.
Slime that turns victim's skin clear and slimy and makes them need to stay in water.
Mucus cloud removing victim's ability to breathe air.
Spells/Spell-likehypnotic pattern
illusory wall
mirage arcana
persistent image
programmed image
project image
veil

Athach
Physicalnatural armour
Darkvision
Bite attack
3rd arm
Poison, Str damage
Extraordinary/Supernaturald
Spells/Spell-liked

Beholder
PhysicalEye stalks
Large single eye
Natural armour
Bite
darkvision
Extraordinary/SupernaturalEye rays - sleep, inflict moderate wounds, dispel magic, scorching ray, paralysis, exhaustion; charm monster, charm person, disintegrate, fear, finger of death, flesh to stone, inflict moderate wounds, sleep, slow, telekinesis
Antimagic cone
Buoyant body - flight
Stunning gaze
Spells/Spell-liked

Carrion Crawler
PhysicalNatural armour
Tentacles
Darkvision
Scent
Extraordinary/SupernaturalParalysis
Spells/Spell-liked

Choker
PhysicalClimb speed
Natural armour
Tentacle
Reach
Extraordinary/SupernaturalConstrict
Improved Grab
Spells/Spell-liked

Chuul
PhysicalAmphibious
Darkvision
Natural armour
Swim speed
Claws
Poison immunity
Extraordinary/SupernaturalParalysis
Constrict
Improved grab
Spells/Spell-liked

Cloaker
PhysicalNatural armour
Flight
Tail
Bite
Darkvision
Extraordinary/SupernaturalMoan - unnerve, fear, nausea, stupor
Engulf
Shadow manipulation - concealment, mirror image, silent image
Spells/Spell-liked

Delver
PhysicalBurrow
Natural armour
Darkvision
Acid immunity
Tremorsense
Extraordinary/SupernaturalCorrosive slime
Stone shape
Spells/Spell-liked

Destrachan
PhysicalNatural Armour
Claws
Excellent hearing
Blind - immune to sight-dependent things
Extraordinary/SupernaturalSonic attack
Blindsight
Protected from sonic attacks
Spells/Spell-liked

Drider
PhysicalNatural Armour
Spider-parts
Climb speed
Bite
Darkvision
Spell resistance
Bonus to hide & move silently
Extraordinary/SupernaturalPoisonous bite - strength damage
Spells/Spell-likeDancing lights
Clairaudience
Darkness
Detect Good
Detect Law
Detect Magic
Dispell Magic
Faerie Fire
Levitate
Suggestion


Ethereal Filcher
PhysicalNatural Armour
Bite attack
Darkvision
Bonuses to sleight of hand, listen, spot
Extraordinary/SupernaturalDetect magic at will
Ethereal Jaunt
Spells/Spell-liked

Ettercap
PhysicalNatural armour
Bite
Claws
Low-light vision
Climb speed
Bonus to trapmaking, hide, spot, climb.

Extraordinary/SupernaturalPoison - Dex damage
Web-throwing
Web-trap making
Spells/Spell-liked

Gibbering Mouther
PhysicalSwim speed
Natural armour
Bite attack
damage reduction /bludgeoning
Darkvision
Multiple eyes
Bonus to spot
Extraordinary/SupernaturalGibbering - as confusion
Blinding acidic spit
Improved Grabbing bite
Swallow whole
Blood drain
Ground manipulation - softening earth
Amorphous body
Spells/Spell-liked

Grick
PhysicalTentacles
Climb speed
Bonus to climb and hide
Darkvision
Scent
Natural Armour
Extraordinary/SupernaturalDamage reduction/magic
Spells/Spell-liked

Mimic
PhysicalNatural armour
Pseudopod slam
Darkvision
Immunity to acid
Extraordinary/SupernaturalAdhesive
Crush when grappling
Mimic shape - bonus to Disguise
Spells/Spell-liked

Dark Naga
PhysicalNatural armour
Bite attack
Sting attack
Darkvision

Extraordinary/SupernaturalPoison - sleep
Resistance to charm
Detect thoughts, continuous
Immunity to mind-reading
Spells/Spell-liked

Guardian Naga
PhysicalNatural armour
Bite attack
Darkvision

Extraordinary/SupernaturalPoison - bite and spit, Constitution damage
Spells/Spell-liked

Spirit Naga
PhysicalNatural armour
Bite attack

Extraordinary/SupernaturalCharming gaze - charm person
Poison - Constitution damage
Spells/Spell-liked

Water naga
PhysicalSwim speed
Natural Armour
Bite attack
Darkvision
Bonus to swim
Extraordinary/SupernaturalPoison - Constitution damage
Spells/Spell-liked

Otyugh
PhysicalNatural armour
Darkvision
Tentacles
Bite attack
Specific bonus to Hide
Extraordinary/SupernaturalConstrict
Diseased bite - days incubation, Dex & Con damage
Improved Grab
Spells/Spell-liked

Phasm
PhysicalNatural Armour
Slam attack with pseudopod
Tremorsense
Extraordinary/SupernaturalAmorphous - immunities
Bonus to Fortitude & Reflex
Alternate form - bonus to disguise
Spells/Spell-liked

Rust Monster
PhysicalNatural armour
Bite attack
Darkvision
Scent
Extraordinary/SupernaturalRusting touch
Spells/Spell-liked

Skum
PhysicalDarkvision
Natural armour
Bite attack
Claw attack
Amphibious
Swim speed
Bonus to swim
Bonus to hide, spot, listen underwater
Extraordinary/SupernaturalRake attack
Spells/Spell-liked

Will O' Wisp
PhysicalDeflection bonus
Flight
Darkvision
Extraordinary/SupernaturalMagic immunity
Natural invisibility
Spells/Spell-liked

b
Physicald
Extraordinary/Supernaturald
Spells/Spell-liked

Serpentine
2011-08-11, 08:43 AM
Aberrant Druid, wip
Aberrant Druid



Quote here.


Description here.

Alignment
Neutral good, lawful neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral, or neutral evil. With their fascination with dark and twisted creatures and often unpleasant physical deformation, Aberrant Druids tend towards Evil or Chaotic.

Hit Die
d8.

Class Skills
The Aberrant Druid’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st Level
(4 + Int modifier) ×4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level
4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Druid
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|0th|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9 th
1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Dungeon Sense, Aberrant Drift, Aberrant Empathy, Darkvision 60ft|3|1||||||

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Aberration Familiarity, Mutation|4|2||||||

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|Alien Mind +1 (mind-affecting)|4|2|1|||||

4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Aberrant Drift, Truly Aberrant, Mutation|5|3|2|||||||

5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Thickened Skin +2|5|3|2|1|||||

6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+5|Mutation|5|3|3|2|||||

7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+5|Aberrant Drift, Alien Mind +2|6|4|3|2|1||||

8th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+2|
+6|Mutation|6|4|3|3|2||||

9th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+3|
+6|Thickened Skin +4|6|4|4|3|2|1|||

10th|
+7/+2|
+7|
+3|
+7|Aberrant Drift, Mutation|6|4|4|3|3|2|||

11th|
+8/+3|
+7|
+3|
+7|Alien Mind +3 (Divination)|6|5|4|4|3|2|1||

12th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|Mutation|6|5|4|4|3|3|2|||

13th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|Aberrant Drift, Thickened Skin +6|6|5|5|4|4|3|2|1||

14th|
+10/+5|
+9|
+4|
+9|Mutation|6|5|5|4|4|3|3|2||

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+9|
+5|
+9|Alien Mind +4|6|5|5|5|4|4|3|2|1|

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Aberrant Drift, Mutation|6|5|5|5|4|4|3|3|2|

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Thickened Skin +8|6|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|2|1

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+11|Mutation|6|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|3|2

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|Aberrant Drift, Alien Mind +5|6|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|3

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+12|Mutation, Thickened Skin +10|6|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|4|4[/table]

Class Features
All the following are class features of the Aberrant Druid.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency
Aberrant druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, spear, whip. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) they acquire through Mutation.

Aberrant druids are proficient with light and medium armour.

Spells
An aberrant druid casts divine spells, which are drawn from the aberrant druid spell list. Her alignment may restrict her from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells, below. An aberrant druid must choose and prepare her spells in advance (see below).

To prepare or cast a spell, the aberrant druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a plant druid’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the plant druid’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, an aberrant druid can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Aberrant Druid. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. She does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.

An aberrant druid prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does. An aberrant druid may prepare and cast any spell on the aberrant druid spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells
A druid can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity’s (if she has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions.

Spell List
0th Level
Cure Minor Wounds
Daze
Detect Magic
Detect Poison
Guidance
Know Direction
Light
Mending (wood or plant material only)
Naturewatch
Purify Food and Drink
Read Magic
Repair Minor Damage
Resistance
Virtue

1st Level
Alarm
Animate Rope (plant material only)
Animate Wood
Backbiter
Beget Bogun
Calm Animals
Camouflage
Charm Animal
Charm Person
Claws of the Beast
Confusion, Lesser
Cure Light Wounds
Detect Animals or Plants
Detect Snares and Pits
Endure Elements
Entangle
Goodberry
Healthful Rest
Ironguts
Ram's Might
Repair Light Damage
Shillelagh
Summon Nature's Ally I (plant only)
Towering Oak
Vigor, Lesser
Vine Strike
Wood Wose

2nd Level
Aid
Aura Against Flame
Balancing Lorecall
Barkskin
Bear's Endurance
Blinding Spittle
Blindsight
Brambles
Branch to Branch
Briar Web
Bull's Strength
Calm Emotions
Cat's Grace
Cloud of Bewilderment
Daze Monster
Decomposition
Delay Poison
Eagle's Splendor
Ease Pain
Easy Trail
Estanna's Stew
Fox's Cunning
Healing Lorecall
Hold Animal
Mountain Stance
Nature's Favour (plant only)
One with the Land
Owl's Wisdom
Pass Without Trace
Reduce Plant (as Reduce Animal)
Remedy Moderate Wounds
Remove Addiction
Remove Paralysis
Repair Moderate Damage
Summon Nature's Ally II (plant only)
Tree Shape
Warp Wood
Wood Shape
Woodland Veil

3rd Level
Beast Claws
Cloak of Bravery
Command Plants
Create Food and Water
Cure Moderate Wounds
Diminish Plants
Distilled Joy
Easy Climb
Entangling Staff
Healing Touch
Hold Person
Meld Into Tree (as Stone, but plant only)
Neutralise Poison
Phantom Plow
Plant Growth
Poison
Quillfire
Refreshment
Remove Blindness/Deafness
Remove Disease
Remove Nausea
Repair Serious Damage
Shrink Item (wood or plant only)
Snare
Speak With Plants
Spike Growth
Spikes
Summon Nature's Ally III (plant only)
Thornskin
Tremorsense
Vigor
Vigor, Mass Lesser
Walk the Mountain's Path

4th Level
Antiplant Shell
Blight
Camouflage, Mass
Charm Monster
Confusion
Cure Serious Wounds
Dispell Magic
Forestfold
Freedom of Movement
Land Womb
Languor
Polymorph (into plant or wood only)
Reincarnate
Remove Fatigue
Repair Critical Damage
Repel Vermin
Summon Nature's Ally IV (plant only)
Sustain
Viscid Glob

5th Level
Atonement
Awaken (plant only)
Charm Person, Mass
Commune With Nature
Cure Light Wounds, Mass
Cure Critical Wounds
Hold Monster
Memory Rot
Monstrous Regeneration
Owl's Insight
Passwall (wood only)
Poison Thorns
Quill Blast
Spore Cloak
Summon Nature's Ally V (plant only)
Tree Stride
Vigor, Greater
Wall of Thorns
Wood Rot

6th Level
Animate Objects (wood & plant materials only)
Antilife Shell
Bull's Strength, Mass
Cat's Grace, Mass
Crumble
Dispell Magic, Greater
Eagle's Splendor, Mass
Find the Path
Fire Seeds
Fox's Cunning, Mass
Hero's Feast
Ironwood
Liveoak
Owl's Wisdom, Mass
Phantasmal Disorientation
Repel Wood
Spellstaff
Wood to Flesh (as Stone to Flesh)
Summon Nature's Ally VI (plant only)
Transport Via Plants
Vigorous Circle

7th Level
Amber Sarcophagus
Animate Plants
Aura of Vitality
Changestaff
Cure Moderate Wounds, Mass
Heal
Hold Person, Mass
Insanity
Phase Door (wood only)
Poison Vines
Rain of Roses
Summon Nature's Ally VII (plant only)
Transmute Metal to Wood

8th Level
Awaken, Mass (plant only)
Blackstaff
Charm Monster, Mass
Control Plants
Cure Serious Wounds, Mass
Detoxify
Horrid Wilting
Polymorph Any Object (into plant or wood only)
Spread of Contentment
Summon Nature's Ally VIII (plant only)

9th Level
Cure Critical Wounds, Mass
Heal, Mass
Hold Monster, Mass
Nature's Avatar (plant only)
Rain of Black Tulips
Regenerate
Shambler
Shapechange (plant only)
Summon Nature's Ally IX (plant only)
Unyielding Roots


Bonus Languages
An aberration druid’s bonus language options include Undercommon, the language of cave-dwelling creatures. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.

An aberration druid also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level plant druid. Druidic is a free language for a druid; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids.

Druidic has its own alphabet.

Dungeon Sense (Ex)
An aberrant druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks and a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks and weapon damage when using these skills against creatures of the aberration type.

Aberrant Empathy (Ex)
An aberrant druid can improve the attitude of an aberration. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The aberration druid rolls 1d20 and adds her aberration druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the aberrant empathy check result.

To use aberrant empathy, the aberrant druid and the creature must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an aberration in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.

Aberrant Drift
At 1st level and every 3 levels thereafter, the aberrant druid changes in some small but sinister way, granting it a +2 circumstance bonus to Intimidate checks and a +1 bonus to the DC of any spells with the [fear] descriptor cast. The exact nature of this change is up to the player, but has no mechanical effect beyond those listed.

Darvision (Ex)
An aberrant druid has Darkvision to 60ft. If she already has Darkvision from another source, its range is doubled.

Mutation
At 2nd level and every second level thereafter, the aberrant druid may select one of the following mutations, or a custom one of equivalent power.
Tentacles
Requires: --
Effect: You sprout thin, grabbing tentacles.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to grappling checks and against being disarmed.

Grasping Tentacles
Requires: Tentacles
Effect: Your tentacles grow larger and stronger.
Benefit: The bonus to grappling and against being disarmed increases to +6. You gain Improved Grab.

Reaching Tentacles
Requires: Tentacles
Effect: Your primary tentacles grow long.
Benefit: You gain +5ft reach.

Slamming Tentacles
Requires: Grasping Tentacles OR Reaching Tentacles
Effect: Your tentacles grow thick and strong.
Benefit: You gain an additional slam attack at -2 attack that deals bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6/4 class levels (medium creature, scales with size).

Extra Slamming Tentacles
Requires: Slamming Tentacles
Effect: You become more adept at using your tentacles.
Benefit: As Slamming Tentacles, except you have a number of slam attacks equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum 2).

Constriction
Requires: Improved Grab OR Squeezing Tail
Effect: You can squeeze enemies to death.
Benefit: With a successful grapple check you deal 1d6 damage per 3 aberrant druid levels (medium creature, scales with size).

Slime
Requires: --
Effect: Your body produces a slick, nasty slime.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Escape Artist checks. Small amounts of the slime can be used to grant a +2 circumstance bonus to Open Lock and Disable Device checks, but it becomes dry and useless 5 minutes after being removed from your body.

Aboleth Slime (Ex)
Requires: Slime
Effect: Your slimy coating takes on the attributes of that of aboleths.
Benefit: As for the aboleth's slime ability. The save DC is 14+ Consitution modifier.

Adhesive (Ex)
Requires: Slime
Effect: You can turn your slime into a sticky glue.
Benefit: As a move action, you can turn your slime into an adhesive (and with another move action, you can change it back). You gain a +4 bonus to avoid getting disarmed and a +10 bonus to grapple checks.

Shifting Skin (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: You can alter the colour and texture of your skin to blend in with your surroundings.
Benefit: You gain a circumstance bonus to Hide checks equal to your aberrant druid level.

Reflective Skin (Ex)
Requires: Shifting Skin
Effect: You can make your skin resistant to magic.
Benefit: As a free action, you can alter your skin to gain spell resistance 10 + 1/2 your aberrant druid level. This cannot be used at the same time as Shifting Skin, Shifting Flesh or Transforming Flesh.

Shifting Flesh (Ex)
Requires: Shifting Skin, level 10 aberrant druid
Effect: You can shift your features to appear like someone else.
Benefit: You can alter your body as disguise self, except that it is not a magical effect but a physical one, it effects your body but not your possessions, and you can appear to be any humanoid within one size category of your natural form.

Transforming Flesh (Ex)
Requires: Shifting Flesh, Amorphous Form
Effect: You can reshape your whole body in any way.
Benefit: You can alter your body to look like anything within one size category of your natural form. You gain no characteristics of whatever shape you take beyond appearance, but it is not an illusory effect and you gain a bonus to Disguise checks equal to 1 1/2 times your aberrant druid level.

Extra Limb
Requires: --
Effect: You grow a third limb.
Benefit: You have 3 arms.

Claws
Requires: --
Effect: Your hands become sharp claws or cutting pincers.
Benefit: You gain a natural claw attack that deals 1d6 damage per 4 aberrant druid levels (medium creature, scales with size).

Tearing Claws
Requires: Claws
Effect: Your claws or pincers rip into your enemies.
Benefit: You gain Improved Grab. In addition, if you hit with both claw attacks you automatically deal critical damage.

Maw
Reqires: --
Effect: Your mouth becomes wider and full of sharp fangs.
Benefit: You gain a bite attack at -2 attack that deals 1d6/4 class levels piercing damage (medium creature, scales with size).

Gaping Maw
Requires: Maw
Effect: Your mouth stretches to grotesque proportions.
Benefit: You gain Improved Grab with your bite attack. You are considered a size larger for the purpose of determining bite attack damage.

Consuming Maw (Ex)
Requires: Gaping Maw, Incohate Form
Effect: Your mouth and throat gape and consume.
Benefit: You can swallow whole any grappled creature two or more size categories smaller than you. A swallowed creature takes your bite damage + 2x your Con Mod (min. 1) acid damage per round. A swallowed creature can cut itself out of you by dealing your aberrant druid level + your Con mod slashing or piercing damage to you. Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A medium aberrant druid can swallow 1 tiny, 4 diminutive or 8 fine creatures.

Engulfing Maw (Ex)
Requires: Consuming Maw, Amorphous Form
Effect: Your mouth and body distend horribly to consume your enemies.
Benefit: You can attempt to swallow a grappled opponent your size or smaller size by making a successful grapple check. A swallowed creature can cut itself out of you by dealing your aberrant druid level + your Con mod slashing or piercing damage to you. Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.
Your body can hold 1 Medium, 2 Small, 8 Tiny, 32 Diminutive, or 128 Fine creatures.

Incohate Form (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your body starts to shift and deform.
Benefit: You gain light fortification (25% chance to negate sneak attacks and critical hits).

Alien Form (Ex)
Requires: Incohate Form
Effect: Although outwardly relatively normal, inside your body is completely alien and weird.
Benefit: You gain moderate fortification and damage reduction 2/bludgeoning.

Amorphous Form (Ex)
Requires: Alien Form, level 10 aberrant druid
Effect: Your body, although retaining your original shape, has little in common with the anatomy with which you were born.
Benefit: You become immune to sneak attacks and critical hits, your damage reduction increases to 4/bludgeoning, and you are considered a size category smaller for the purpose of squeezing through tight spaces. You gain a +2 bonus to resist any shape-changing spell or ability.

Antennae (Ex)
Requires: Level 6 aberrant druid
Effect: You sprout sensitive antennae.
Benefit: You gain blindsight 5ft per 5 aberrant druid levels.

Rusting Touch (Ex)
Requires: Antennae
Effect: Your antennae can oxidise metals just by touching them.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier (min. 1) as a standard action you may attempt a touch attack on a metal object with your antennae. If successful, the target metal corrodes, falling to pieces and becoming useless immediately. The touch can destroy up to a 10-foot cube of metal instantly. Magic armor and weapons, and other magic items made of metal, must succeed on a DC 12 + Con mod Reflex save or be dissolved.

Poison
Requires: Maw OR Sting OR Slamming Tentacles
Effect: You produce a potent poison.
Benefit: Your bite, sting or tentacle slam attack deals poison as well as damage. Injury, Fort DC class level + Constitution modifier, initial and secondary damage 1d6 to one ability. Choose which ability is affected upon selection.
Special: This mutation may be selected multiple times, a different ability each time. Multiple poisons may be used at one time (e.g. Intelligence Poison + Dexterity Poison = 1d6 Intelligence and 1d6 Dexterity damage with one attack).

Paralysing Poison
Requires: Maw OR Sting OR Slamming Tentacles
Effect: You produce a paralysing venom.
Benefit: Your bite, sting or tentacle slam attack paralyses your enemies. Fort DC aberrant druid level + Con modifier, paralysis for 1d4 rounds per 4 aberrant druid levels.

Clinging Pads
Requires: --
Effect: Your skin grows sticky, hairy pads.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to avoid being disarmed and a +4 bonus to Climb checks.

Super-sticky Pads
Requires: Clinging Pads
Effect: Your skin pads become more adhesive.
Benefit: You gain a Climb speed of 10ft and Improved Grab.

Multiple Eyes
Requires: --
Effect: You sprout eyes all over your body.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Spot checks and so long as you can see you cannot be flanked.

Captivating Gaze (Su)
Requires: Multiple Eyes
Effect: Your gaze gains an intensity from which it is difficult to look away.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 2 + Wis Mod (min. 1), you can use hypnotism as the spell there is no HD limit to the number of creatures you can effect, and they don't need to be within 30ft of one another. You also add your Wisdom modifier to attack rolls.

Mesmerising Gaze (Su)
Requires: Captivating Gaze
Effect: Your stare becomes almost impossible to resist.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1 + Wis Mod (min. 1), you can use charm monster on up to your Wisdom modifier (min. 1) creatures within range that you can see. You can also add your Wisdom modifier to your armour class.

Eye Stalks
Requires: --
Effect: You sprout multiple eyes from your head.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Spot checks and so long as you can see you cannot be flanked.

Eye Rays - Guath
Requires: Eye Stalks
Effect: You can shoot rays from your eye stalks as a guath.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/4 your class level each you can use the following spells as a spell-like ability: sleep, inflict moderate wounds, dispel magic, scorching ray, paralysis, exhaustion. DCs as for spells.

Eye Rays - Beholder
Requires: Eye Rays - Guath, Aberrant Druid level 14
Effect: You can shoot rays from your eye stalks as a beholder.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/5 your class level each you can use the following spells as a spell-like ability: charm monster, charm person, disintegrate, fear, finger of death, flesh to stone, inflict moderate wounds, sleep, slow, telekinesis. DCs as for spells.

Bouyant Body (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your body becomes naturally light and bouncy.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Swim checks to stay afloat and a +4 bonus to Jump checks. Your body weight is reduced by 1/3.

Floating Body (Ex)
Requires: Bouyant Body
Effect: Your body becomes lighter than air.
Benefit: You can use levitation at will as an extraordinary ability. Your body weight is halved.

Airborne Body (Ex)
Requires: Floating Body
Effect: You gain the ability to control and direct your super-light body.
Benefit: You gain the ability to fly, perfect maneuverability, natural, speed equal to your walking speed. If you fall unconcious while airborne you drift gently to the ground.

Keen Nose (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your sense of smell sharpens.
Benefit: You gain scent.

Cloaker Moan (Ex)
Requires: Level 6 Aberrant Druid
Effect: You can imitate the cloaker's dreadful moan.
Benefit: You can use the cloaker's moan ability a number of times per day equal to 1/5 aberrant druid level. Save DCs 15 or 13+listed ability modifier, whichever is higher.

Skin Flaps
Requires: --
Effect: You grow large, loose flaps of skin. They may be wing-like, fin-like, or resemble a cloak when at rest.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to jump checks and as long as you are concious are permanently under the effect of feather fall. By spending a move action to flap the skin around in a confusing manner you gain a +2 bonus to AC until the end of the round.

Flapping Skin
Requires: Skin Flaps
Effect: Your loose flaps of skin become stronger and more wing-like.
Benefit: You gain natural flight, average maneuverability, walking speed. The AC bonus from flapping the skin increases to +4.

Whipping Tail
Requires: At least 1 Aberrant Drift - tail.
Effect: You grow a long, whip-like tail.
Benefit: You gain an additional slap attack with your tail at -2 attack that deals 1d6 damage.

Sweeping Tail
Requires: Whipping Tail
Effect: Your tail grows long and oar-like.
Benefit: You gain a 20ft swim speed and you can make trip attacks with your tail.

Squeezing Tail
Requires: Whipping Tail
Effect: Your tail becomes even longer and more muscular.
Benefit: Your tail slap damage increases to 2d6, and you gain Improved Grab with it.

Shadow Manipulation (Su)
Requires: --
Effect: You can manipulate shadows like a cloaker.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/4 your aberrant druid level you gain the cloaker's Shadow Shift ability.

Digging (Ex)
Requires: Claws
Effect: You can burrow your way into the earth.
Benefit: You gain a 10ft burrow speed. You are considered a size category larger for the purpose of determining your claw damage.

Acid Immunity
Requires: +4 Natural Armour
Effect: Your skin becomes thick, stony and resistant to acidic damage.
Benefit: You gain immunity to acid.

Corrosive Slime (Ex)
Requires: Immunity to acid, Slime
Effect: Your slimy coating becomes horribly corrosive.
Benefit: Any contact with your skin - including grappling and natural attacks - deals 2d4 acid damage. A number of times per day equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1), you can concentrate your slime to the intensity of the delver's corrosive slime for 1d6 + Con mod rounds.

Ground Manipulation (Su)
Requires: --
Effect: You can effect the composition of the ground around you.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to your aberrant druid level, as a standard action, you can cause stone and earth in all adjacent squares to become a morass akin to quicksand. Softening earth, sand, or the like takes 1 round, while stone takes 2 rounds. Anyone other than you in that area must take a move-equivalent action to avoid becoming mired (treat as being pinned).

Stone Shaping (Ex)
Requires: Ground Manipulation
Effect: You can alter the structure of stone itself.
Benefit: You gain the Stone Shape ability of the delver.

Vibration Detection
Requires: Level 4 Aberrant Druid
Effect: You can sense creatures around you through touch.
Benefit: You gain tremorsense 60ft.

Destrachan Ears (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your ears become complex and multi-chambered, your hearing adjustable.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Listen checks, and a circumstance bonus to saves against sonic abilities equal to 1/4 aberrant druid level.

Disruptive Harmonics (Su)
Requires: Destracan Ears, level 8 aberrant druid
Effect: You gain powerful control over your vocal chords, granting you the sonic abilities of a destrachan.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/5 your aberrant druid levels + Con mod (minimum 1), you can use the destrachan's disruptive harmonics ability.

Filching Fingers
Requires: --
Effect: Your fingers become grotesquely long, thin and nimble.
Benefit: You gain a +4 circumstance bonus to sleight of hand, disable device, and open lock checks.

Ethereal Affinity
Requires: level 4 aberrant druid
Effect: You start to tap into the ethereal plane.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to your aberrant druid level you can cast blink as a spell-like ability.

Ethereal Connection
Requires: Ethereal Affinity, level 10 aberrant druid
Effect: You can shift between the material plane and the ethereal plane.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/4 your aberrant druid level you can cast ethereal jaunt as a spell-like ability.

Spinnerette (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: You grow a spider-like spinnerette with which you can spin your own thread.
Benefit: You can produce a sheet of sticky webbing from 5 to 60 feet square with which you can construct traps. Approaching creatures must beat your Survival check to notice your web trap, or they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing receive a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot-square section has 6 hit points, hardness 0, and takes double damage from fire. You can climb and handle your own web without getting stuck to it.
You can also use your web to spin a rope. It has the qualities of a silk rope, and you can produce 5 feet of rope in 5 minutes. You can decide how much, if any, of it is sticky. Once separated from your body, a rope lasts 1 hour per aberrant druid level.

Spinnerette Spit (Ex)
Requires: Spinnerette
Effect: You gain more control over your ability to spin web.
Benefit: You can throw a web as the spell web a number of times per day equal to 1/4 aberrant druid levels + Con mod. Save DC as spell.

Blinding Spit (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your spittle becomes thick and caustic.
Benefit: As a free action every round, you can fire a stream of spittle at one opponent within 20 feet. You make a ranged touch attack; if it hits, it deals 1d4+Con mod points of acid damage, and the target must succeed on a Fortitude save DC aberrant druid level + Con mod or be blinded for 1d4 + Con mod rounds (min. 1). Eyeless creatures are immune to the blinding effect, but are still subject to the acid damage.


Aberration Familiarity
From 2nd level, the aberrant druid's research into and experience with aberrations gives them a familiarity with their tricks and abilities. They gain a bonus equal to 1/3 their class levels + Wis mod to all saves against against Aberrations and their abilities (note this bonus does not apply to spells or abilities granted by classes that an Aberration may posses).

Alien Mind (Ex)
At 3rd level, the aberrant druid's mind starts to warp in ways unexpected by others. She gains a +1 bonus to saves vs. mind-affecting spells and abilities. This bonus increases to +2 at level 7, +3 at level 11, +4 at level 15 and +5 at level 19. From level 11, this bonus applies to divination abilities used against her.

Truly Aberrant
At 4th level, the aberrant druid becomes an aberration. She gains the Aberration type, and is considered an aberration for the purpose of feats, equipment and any other prerequisites. Aberrant Drift also grants the druid a +2 bonus to Aberrant Empathy per Drift.

Thickened Skin
The aberrant druid's skin becomes thick and leathery. She gains +2 natural armour at 5th level. This increases to +4 at 9th level, +6 at 13th level, +8 at 17th level, and +10 at 20th level.

gkathellar
2011-08-11, 09:34 AM
Well, there's not enough to really comment yet, but considering the quality of this work so far I'll be looking forward to it. Maybe you should take a look at the Ozodrin, and see if there's anything you want to yoink?

Serpentine
2011-08-11, 09:42 AM
Where and/or what is the Ozodrin?

edit: Assuming you mean this homebrew (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=153536), yeah, I might be able to nick some stuff from there.

Serpentine
2011-08-12, 12:55 AM
Stuck my Animorph class into the second post. It's sort of a variant Druid...

Serpentine
2011-08-12, 01:39 AM
I've made those changes to the Magma Druid and corrected those mistakes on the Plant Druid. The Magma Druid table's not updated, cuz it's an image and I'm lazy.

Cieyrin
2011-08-13, 10:48 AM
Oooooh, is that what he was talking about? I didn't understand. Yeah, I think I can do that.

Not sure if it's what Tyndmyr was talking about but that'd still be awesome to have.

Almost certainly. Where is panacea found?

Panacea is from Spell Compendium. Think of what Heal would do if it only cured status effects and you have Panacea. Another spell to consider is Splinterbolt, also from Spell Compendium, which is very planty.


I figured the Summon lists weren't complete, and people could substitute equivalent-level creatures.

There's variant rules in a couple places but I'm not sure how main stream it is to change the summon lists. Probably a combined effort between DM and player, certainly.


Basically, because I couldn't find many orisons that fit the theme. Suggestions are welcome.

Flare, Light & Dawn (SpC) could all be nice additions that fit with the fluff, though it could be expanded if you want to go into the rejuvenating effects of post erruptions on the land with Cure Minor Wounds, Virtue & Purify Food and Drink.

And having finally looked up Ram's Might, I see it's only 1st for Rangers and 0 for Druids. Misremembrance on my part. :smallredface:


Are all the DCs being the same standard/normal/acceptable? Good to know they're on the weaker side, though, I tend to be paranoid about going too powerful.

It's just nice to not have your class features go obsolete with time or be not very useful when you do get them b/c the save DC is too low to effect CR-appropriate threats.


What if I put a cap on them and/or had a clause that only the maker can throw them - and only one at a time?
(confession: in the books, they did go nova on a small army with them. I may have had that image in mind <.<)

I'm just thinking of having multiple bundles hitting the same target and the effects stack on the damage and bindings. Maybe I'm just being paranoid but, given the image you had, maybe it should be noted that a target only gets hit once a round, regardless of the number of bundles thrown at them, so this way you can still have lots of entanglement without unduly murdering things by dropping lots of spike and barrier bundles into a small area, that was my main thing. Also, the save DC on that is SCARY, CL is fairly easy to scale in the higher levels compared to ability scores that it could get ugly fast (Prayer Bead of Karma, Divine Spellpower, Ankh of Ascension netting something like +8 or more CL :smalleek:)


Yeah, that's something I forgot to remove when I scrapped that idea. I could only find one mention of it, though, right at the start?

Yah, that was the main thing I noted, in the proficiencies.


Thanks! :smallbiggrin:Do you think it's better than what I've got?

Your's is probably better balanced, though the bonsai may get a bit out of hand, as stored spell energy that can be used for whatever is kind of abusable. The Wis modifier uses per day may be good enough to keep it in line, though I don't think a limit on the number of spell levels that can be extracted per use would be uncalled for, as the one metamagiced spell you have seems uncapped on its level, so you have a situation of the abuses of metamagic reducers but worse, as you could go well past 9th level with metamagic feats all on a single spell. Think Maximized, Empowered, Energy Admixtured, Widened, Explosive Fire Seeds and you see the tip of the iceberg. :smalleek:


I haven't read Rich's Fey Druid feats. Neat if they fit, though (the Rebuke Plants ability is meant to go with that guy's Rebuke Plants-based abilities, too).

Rich moved them to a sticky in Homebrew and they're all about being a druid with a fey bloodline, which I think dovetails very nicely into Plant Druid.


Is that a serious concern?

They're untyped boosts, meaning they stack with enhancement and inherent, the big two ability enhancing bonus types, so yes, that can be quite scary. Plant Druids don't have the wild shape of normal druids to make up for their physical scores but these cold be worse. A simple fix would be to say the ability boosting Drifts can't be chosen on consecutive gains, so you have to choose something else between.

Serpentine
2011-08-14, 09:43 AM
Alright guys, I'm still working on it obviously, but I think the Aberrant Druid is ready for critiquing.

Aberrant Druid, wip
Aberrant Druid



Quote here.


Description here.

Alignment
Neutral good, lawful neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral, or neutral evil. With their fascination with dark and twisted creatures and often unpleasant physical deformation, Aberrant Druids tend towards Evil or Chaotic.

Hit Die
d8.

Class Skills
The Aberrant Druid’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st Level
(4 + Int modifier) ×4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level
4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Druid
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|0th|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9 th
1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Dungeon Sense, Aberrant Drift, Aberrant Empathy, Darkvision 60ft|3|1||||||

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Aberration Familiarity, Mutation|4|2||||||

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|Alien Mind +1 (mind-affecting)|4|2|1|||||

4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Aberrant Drift, Truly Aberrant, Mutation|5|3|2|||||||

5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Thickened Skin +2|5|3|2|1|||||

6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+5|Mutation|5|3|3|2|||||

7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+5|Aberrant Drift, Alien Mind +2|6|4|3|2|1||||

8th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+2|
+6|Mutation|6|4|3|3|2||||

9th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+3|
+6|Thickened Skin +4|6|4|4|3|2|1|||

10th|
+7/+2|
+7|
+3|
+7|Aberrant Drift, Mutation|6|4|4|3|3|2|||

11th|
+8/+3|
+7|
+3|
+7|Alien Mind +3 (Divination)|6|5|4|4|3|2|1||

12th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|Mutation|6|5|4|4|3|3|2|||

13th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|Aberrant Drift, Thickened Skin +6|6|5|5|4|4|3|2|1||

14th|
+10/+5|
+9|
+4|
+9|Mutation|6|5|5|4|4|3|3|2||

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+9|
+5|
+9|Alien Mind +4|6|5|5|5|4|4|3|2|1|

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Aberrant Drift, Mutation|6|5|5|5|4|4|3|3|2|

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Thickened Skin +8|6|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|2|1

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+11|Mutation|6|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|3|2

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|Aberrant Drift, Alien Mind +5|6|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|3

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+12|Mutation, Thickened Skin +10|6|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|4|4[/table]

Class Features
All the following are class features of the Aberrant Druid.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency
Aberrant druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, spear, whip. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) they acquire through Mutation.

Aberrant druids are proficient with light and medium armour.

Spells
An aberrant druid casts divine spells, which are drawn from the aberrant druid spell list. Her alignment may restrict her from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells, below. An aberrant druid must choose and prepare her spells in advance (see below).

To prepare or cast a spell, the aberrant druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a plant druid’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the plant druid’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, an aberrant druid can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Aberrant Druid. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. She does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.

An aberrant druid prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does. An aberrant druid may prepare and cast any spell on the aberrant druid spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells
A druid can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity’s (if she has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions.

Spell List
0th Level


1st Level


2nd Level


3rd Level


4th Level


5th Level


6th Level


7th Level


8th Level


9th Level



Bonus Languages
An aberration druid’s bonus language options include Undercommon, the language of cave-dwelling creatures. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.

An aberration druid also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level plant druid. Druidic is a free language for a druid; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids.

Druidic has its own alphabet.

Dungeon Sense (Ex)
An aberrant druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks and a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks and weapon damage when using these skills against creatures of the aberration type.

Aberrant Empathy (Ex)
An aberrant druid can improve the attitude of an aberration. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The aberration druid rolls 1d20 and adds her aberration druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the aberrant empathy check result.

To use aberrant empathy, the aberrant druid and the creature must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an aberration in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.

Aberrant Drift
At 1st level and every 3 levels thereafter, the aberrant druid changes in some small but sinister way, granting it a +2 circumstance bonus to Intimidate checks and a +1 bonus to the DC of any spells with the [fear] descriptor cast. The exact nature of this change is up to the player, but has no mechanical effect beyond those listed.

Darvision (Ex)
An aberrant druid has Darkvision to 60ft. If she already has Darkvision from another source, its range is doubled.

Mutation
At 2nd level and every second level thereafter, the aberrant druid may select one of the following mutations, or a custom one of equivalent power.
Tentacles
Requires: --
Effect: You sprout thin, grabbing tentacles.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to grappling checks and against being disarmed.

Grasping Tentacles
Requires: Tentacles
Effect: Your tentacles grow larger and stronger.
Benefit: The bonus to grappling and against being disarmed increases to +6. You gain Improved Grab.

Reaching Tentacles
Requires: Tentacles
Effect: Your primary tentacles grow long.
Benefit: You gain +5ft reach.

Slamming Tentacles
Requires: Grasping Tentacles OR Reaching Tentacles
Effect: Your tentacles grow thick and strong.
Benefit: You gain an additional slam attack at -2 attack that deals bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6/4 class levels (medium creature, scales with size).

Extra Slamming Tentacles
Requires: Slamming Tentacles
Effect: You become more adept at using your tentacles.
Benefit: As Slamming Tentacles, except you have a number of slam attacks equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum 2).

Constriction
Requires: Improved Grab OR Squeezing Tail
Effect: You can squeeze enemies to death.
Benefit: With a successful grapple check you deal 1d6 damage per 3 aberrant druid levels (medium creature, scales with size).

Slime
Requires: --
Effect: Your body produces a slick, nasty slime.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Escape Artist checks. Small amounts of the slime can be used to grant a +2 circumstance bonus to Open Lock and Disable Device checks, but it becomes dry and useless 5 minutes after being removed from your body.

Aboleth Slime (Ex)
Requires: Slime
Effect: Your slimy coating takes on the attributes of that of aboleths.
Benefit: As for the aboleth's slime ability. The save DC is 14+ Consitution modifier.

Adhesive (Ex)
Requires: Slime
Effect: You can turn your slime into a sticky glue.
Benefit: As a move action, you can turn your slime into an adhesive (and with another move action, you can change it back). You gain a +4 bonus to avoid getting disarmed and a +10 bonus to grapple checks.

Shifting Skin (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: You can alter the colour and texture of your skin to blend in with your surroundings.
Benefit: You gain a circumstance bonus to Hide checks equal to your aberrant druid level.

Reflective Skin (Ex)
Requires: Shifting Skin
Effect: You can make your skin resistant to magic.
Benefit: As a free action, you can alter your skin to gain spell resistance 10 + 1/2 your aberrant druid level. This cannot be used at the same time as Shifting Skin, Shifting Flesh or Transforming Flesh.

Shifting Flesh (Ex)
Requires: Shifting Skin, level 10 aberrant druid
Effect: You can shift your features to appear like someone else.
Benefit: You can alter your body as disguise self, except that it is not a magical effect but a physical one, it effects your body but not your possessions, and you can appear to be any humanoid within one size category of your natural form.

Transforming Flesh (Ex)
Requires: Shifting Flesh, Amorphous Form
Effect: You can reshape your whole body in any way.
Benefit: You can alter your body to look like anything within one size category of your natural form. You gain no characteristics of whatever shape you take beyond appearance, but it is not an illusory effect and you gain a bonus to Disguise checks equal to 1 1/2 times your aberrant druid level.

Extra Limb
Requires: --
Effect: You grow a third limb.
Benefit: You have 3 arms.

Claws
Requires: --
Effect: Your hands become sharp claws or cutting pincers.
Benefit: You gain a natural claw attack that deals 1d6 damage per 4 aberrant druid levels (medium creature, scales with size).

Tearing Claws
Requires: Claws
Effect: Your claws or pincers rip into your enemies.
Benefit: You gain Improved Grab. In addition, if you hit with both claw attacks you automatically deal critical damage.

Maw
Reqires: --
Effect: Your mouth becomes wider and full of sharp fangs.
Benefit: You gain a bite attack at -2 attack that deals 1d6/4 class levels piercing damage (medium creature, scales with size).

Gaping Maw
Requires: Maw
Effect: Your mouth stretches to grotesque proportions.
Benefit: You gain Improved Grab with your bite attack. You are considered a size larger for the purpose of determining bite attack damage.

Consuming Maw (Ex)
Requires: Gaping Maw, Incohate Form
Effect: Your mouth and throat gape and consume.
Benefit: You can swallow whole any grappled creature two or more size categories smaller than you. A swallowed creature takes your bite damage + 2x your Con Mod (min. 1) acid damage per round. A swallowed creature can cut itself out of you by dealing your aberrant druid level + your Con mod slashing or piercing damage to you. Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A medium aberrant druid can swallow 1 tiny, 4 diminutive or 8 fine creatures.

Engulfing Maw (Ex)
Requires: Consuming Maw, Amorphous Form
Effect: Your mouth and body distend horribly to consume your enemies.
Benefit: You can attempt to swallow a grappled opponent your size or smaller size by making a successful grapple check. A swallowed creature can cut itself out of you by dealing your aberrant druid level + your Con mod slashing or piercing damage to you. Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.
Your body can hold 1 Medium, 2 Small, 8 Tiny, 32 Diminutive, or 128 Fine creatures.

Incohate Form (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your body starts to shift and deform.
Benefit: You gain light fortification (25% chance to negate sneak attacks and critical hits).

Alien Form (Ex)
Requires: Incohate Form
Effect: Although outwardly relatively normal, inside your body is completely alien and weird.
Benefit: You gain moderate fortification and damage reduction 2/bludgeoning.

Amorphous Form (Ex)
Requires: Alien Form, level 10 aberrant druid
Effect: Your body, although retaining your original shape, has little in common with the anatomy with which you were born.
Benefit: You become immune to sneak attacks and critical hits, your damage reduction increases to 4/bludgeoning, and you are considered a size category smaller for the purpose of squeezing through tight spaces. You gain a +2 bonus to resist any shape-changing spell or ability.

Antennae (Ex)
Requires: Level 6 aberrant druid
Effect: You sprout sensitive antennae.
Benefit: You gain blindsight 5ft per 5 aberrant druid levels.

Rusting Touch (Ex)
Requires: Antennae
Effect: Your antennae can oxidise metals just by touching them.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier (min. 1) as a standard action you may attempt a touch attack on a metal object with your antennae. If successful, the target metal corrodes, falling to pieces and becoming useless immediately. The touch can destroy up to a 10-foot cube of metal instantly. Magic armor and weapons, and other magic items made of metal, must succeed on a DC 12 + Con mod Reflex save or be dissolved.

Poison
Requires: Maw OR Sting OR Slamming Tentacles
Effect: You produce a potent poison.
Benefit: Your bite, sting or tentacle slam attack deals poison as well as damage. Injury, Fort DC class level + Constitution modifier, initial and secondary damage 1d6 to one ability. Choose which ability is affected upon selection.
Special: This mutation may be selected multiple times, a different ability each time. Multiple poisons may be used at one time (e.g. Intelligence Poison + Dexterity Poison = 1d6 Intelligence and 1d6 Dexterity damage with one attack).

Paralysing Poison
Requires: Maw OR Sting OR Slamming Tentacles
Effect: You produce a paralysing venom.
Benefit: Your bite, sting or tentacle slam attack paralyses your enemies. Fort DC aberrant druid level + Con modifier, paralysis for 1d4 rounds per 4 aberrant druid levels.

Clinging Pads
Requires: --
Effect: Your skin grows sticky, hairy pads.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to avoid being disarmed and a +4 bonus to Climb checks.

Super-sticky Pads
Requires: Clinging Pads
Effect: Your skin pads become more adhesive.
Benefit: You gain a Climb speed of 10ft and Improved Grab.

Multiple Eyes
Requires: --
Effect: You sprout eyes all over your body.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Spot checks and so long as you can see you cannot be flanked.

Captivating Gaze (Su)
Requires: Multiple Eyes
Effect: Your gaze gains an intensity from which it is difficult to look away.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 2 + Wis Mod (min. 1), you can use hypnotism as the spell there is no HD limit to the number of creatures you can effect, and they don't need to be within 30ft of one another. You also add your Wisdom modifier to attack rolls.

Mesmerising Gaze (Su)
Requires: Captivating Gaze
Effect: Your stare becomes almost impossible to resist.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1 + Wis Mod (min. 1), you can use charm monster on up to your Wisdom modifier (min. 1) creatures within range that you can see. You can also add your Wisdom modifier to your armour class.

Eye Stalks
Requires: --
Effect: You sprout multiple eyes from your head.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Spot checks and so long as you can see you cannot be flanked.

Eye Rays - Guath
Requires: Eye Stalks
Effect: You can shoot rays from your eye stalks as a guath.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/4 your class level each you can use the following spells as a spell-like ability: sleep, inflict moderate wounds, dispel magic, scorching ray, paralysis, exhaustion. DCs as for spells.

Eye Rays - Beholder
Requires: Eye Rays - Guath, Aberrant Druid level 14
Effect: You can shoot rays from your eye stalks as a beholder.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/5 your class level each you can use the following spells as a spell-like ability: charm monster, charm person, disintegrate, fear, finger of death, flesh to stone, inflict moderate wounds, sleep, slow, telekinesis. DCs as for spells.

Bouyant Body (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your body becomes naturally light and bouncy.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Swim checks to stay afloat and a +4 bonus to Jump checks. Your body weight is reduced by 1/3.

Floating Body (Ex)
Requires: Bouyant Body
Effect: Your body becomes lighter than air.
Benefit: You can use levitation at will as an extraordinary ability. Your body weight is halved.

Airborne Body (Ex)
Requires: Floating Body
Effect: You gain the ability to control and direct your super-light body.
Benefit: You gain the ability to fly, perfect maneuverability, natural, speed equal to your walking speed. If you fall unconcious while airborne you drift gently to the ground.

Keen Nose (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your sense of smell sharpens.
Benefit: You gain scent.

Cloaker Moan (Ex)
Requires: Level 6 Aberrant Druid
Effect: You can imitate the cloaker's dreadful moan.
Benefit: You can use the cloaker's moan ability a number of times per day equal to 1/5 aberrant druid level. Save DCs 15 or 13+listed ability modifier, whichever is higher.

Skin Flaps
Requires: --
Effect: You grow large, loose flaps of skin. They may be wing-like, fin-like, or resemble a cloak when at rest.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to jump checks and as long as you are concious are permanently under the effect of feather fall. By spending a move action to flap the skin around in a confusing manner you gain a +2 bonus to AC until the end of the round.

Flapping Skin
Requires: Skin Flaps
Effect: Your loose flaps of skin become stronger and more wing-like.
Benefit: You gain natural flight, average maneuverability, walking speed. The AC bonus from flapping the skin increases to +4.

Whipping Tail
Requires: At least 1 Aberrant Drift - tail.
Effect: You grow a long, whip-like tail.
Benefit: You gain an additional slap attack with your tail at -2 attack that deals 1d6 damage.

Sweeping Tail
Requires: Whipping Tail
Effect: Your tail grows long and oar-like.
Benefit: You gain a 20ft swim speed and you can make trip attacks with your tail.

Squeezing Tail
Requires: Whipping Tail
Effect: Your tail becomes even longer and more muscular.
Benefit: Your tail slap damage increases to 2d6, and you gain Improved Grab with it.

Shadow Manipulation (Su)
Requires: --
Effect: You can manipulate shadows like a cloaker.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/4 your aberrant druid level you gain the cloaker's Shadow Shift ability.

Digging (Ex)
Requires: Claws
Effect: You can burrow your way into the earth.
Benefit: You gain a 10ft burrow speed. You are considered a size category larger for the purpose of determining your claw damage.

Acid Immunity
Requires: +4 Natural Armour
Effect: Your skin becomes thick, stony and resistant to acidic damage.
Benefit: You gain immunity to acid.

Corrosive Slime (Ex)
Requires: Immunity to acid, Slime
Effect: Your slimy coating becomes horribly corrosive.
Benefit: Any contact with your skin - including grappling and natural attacks - deals 2d4 acid damage. A number of times per day equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1), you can concentrate your slime to the intensity of the delver's corrosive slime for 1d6 + Con mod rounds.

Ground Manipulation (Su)
Requires: --
Effect: You can effect the composition of the ground around you.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to your aberrant druid level, as a standard action, you can cause stone and earth in all adjacent squares to become a morass akin to quicksand. Softening earth, sand, or the like takes 1 round, while stone takes 2 rounds. Anyone other than you in that area must take a move-equivalent action to avoid becoming mired (treat as being pinned).

Stone Shaping (Ex)
Requires: Ground Manipulation
Effect: You can alter the structure of stone itself.
Benefit: You gain the Stone Shape ability of the delver.

Vibration Detection
Requires: Level 4 Aberrant Druid
Effect: You can sense creatures around you through touch.
Benefit: You gain tremorsense 60ft.

Destrachan Ears (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your ears become complex and multi-chambered, your hearing adjustable.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Listen checks, and a circumstance bonus to saves against sonic abilities equal to 1/4 aberrant druid level.

Disruptive Harmonics (Su)
Requires: Destracan Ears, level 8 aberrant druid
Effect: You gain powerful control over your vocal chords, granting you the sonic abilities of a destrachan.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/5 your aberrant druid levels + Con mod (minimum 1), you can use the destrachan's disruptive harmonics ability.

Filching Fingers
Requires: --
Effect: Your fingers become grotesquely long, thin and nimble.
Benefit: You gain a +4 circumstance bonus to sleight of hand, disable device, and open lock checks.

Ethereal Affinity
Requires: level 4 aberrant druid
Effect: You start to tap into the ethereal plane.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to your aberrant druid level you can cast blink as a spell-like ability.

Ethereal Connection
Requires: Ethereal Affinity, level 10 aberrant druid
Effect: You can shift between the material plane and the ethereal plane.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/4 your aberrant druid level you can cast ethereal jaunt as a spell-like ability.

Spinnerette (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: You grow a spider-like spinnerette with which you can spin your own thread.
Benefit: You can produce a sheet of sticky webbing from 5 to 60 feet square with which you can construct traps. Approaching creatures must beat your Survival check to notice your web trap, or they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing receive a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot-square section has 6 hit points, hardness 0, and takes double damage from fire. You can climb and handle your own web without getting stuck to it.
You can also use your web to spin a rope. It has the qualities of a silk rope, and you can produce 5 feet of rope in 5 minutes. You can decide how much, if any, of it is sticky. Once separated from your body, a rope lasts 1 hour per aberrant druid level.

Spinnerette Spit (Ex)
Requires: Spinnerette
Effect: You gain more control over your ability to spin web.
Benefit: You can throw a web as the spell web a number of times per day equal to 1/4 aberrant druid levels + Con mod. Save DC as spell.

Blinding Spit (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your spittle becomes thick and caustic.
Benefit: As a free action every round, you can fire a stream of spittle at one opponent within 20 feet. You make a ranged touch attack; if it hits, it deals 1d4+Con mod points of acid damage, and the target must succeed on a Fortitude save DC aberrant druid level + Con mod or be blinded for 1d4 + Con mod rounds (min. 1). Eyeless creatures are immune to the blinding effect, but are still subject to the acid damage.


Aberration Familiarity
From 2nd level, the aberrant druid's research into and experience with aberrations gives them a familiarity with their tricks and abilities. They gain a bonus equal to 1/3 their class levels + Wis mod to all saves against against Aberrations and their abilities (note this bonus does not apply to spells or abilities granted by classes that an Aberration may posses).

Alien Mind (Ex)
At 3rd level, the aberrant druid's mind starts to warp in ways unexpected by others. She gains a +1 bonus to saves vs. mind-affecting spells and abilities. This bonus increases to +2 at level 7, +3 at level 11, +4 at level 15 and +5 at level 19. From level 11, this bonus applies to divination abilities used against her.

Truly Aberrant
At 4th level, the aberrant druid becomes an aberration. She gains the Aberration type, and is considered an aberration for the purpose of feats, equipment and any other prerequisites. Aberrant Drift also grants the druid a +2 bonus to Aberrant Empathy per Drift.

Thickened Skin
The aberrant druid's skin becomes thick and leathery. She gains +2 natural armour at 5th level. This increases to +4 at 9th level, +6 at 13th level, +8 at 17th level, and +10 at 20th level.
I've done all the aberrations on the SRD and several from MM1 that aren't. If anyone wants to do the legwork of finding more aberration abilities from other Monster Manuals that'd be just swell. I could also use help with the spell list.

Tyndmyr
2011-08-17, 10:03 AM
For brevity, I've just skipped over some portions. If it's not commented on...it's great the way it is.


Alignment
Neutral good, lawful neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral, or neutral evil. With their fascination with dark and twisted creatures and often unpleasant physical deformation, Aberrant Druids tend towards Evil or Chaotic.

Any Neutral might be a terser way to put this. That said, seems fitting.


Class Skills
The Aberrant Druid’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

I'd toss in Knowledge(Arcane or Planes) purely for flavor reasons. Abberations tend to have far realms links and what not, so some sort of related knowledge seems fluffy.


To prepare or cast a spell, the aberrant druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a plant druid’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the plant druid’s Wisdom modifier.

Missed a replace there. :smallsmile:


Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells
A druid can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity’s (if she has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions.

Not a big deal, but realize that it does make TN the go-to choice for alignments for the class.


Spell List

Doesn't appear to be filled it, so I can't give much of an opinion on that...definitely something to hit up, as it can be very defining in terms of tier.


An aberration druid also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level plant druid. Druidic is a free language for a druid; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids.

'Nother minor replacement.


Dungeon Sense (Ex)
An aberrant druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks and a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks and weapon damage when using these skills against creatures of the aberration type.

Fluffy, low on the power scale, though the weapon damage bit is of some use.


Aberrant Empathy (Ex)
An aberrant druid can improve the attitude of an aberration. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The aberration druid rolls 1d20 and adds her aberration druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the aberrant empathy check result.

To use aberrant empathy, the aberrant druid and the creature must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an aberration in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.

Reasonable. With the list of variant druids all having this though, I do contemplate the idea of wildly dipping them all on a diplomancer build, and literally being able to make the entire multiverse love you. That said...diplomacy is pretty terrible in itself out of the box, so I dunno how much weight that holds.


Aberrant Drift
At 1st level and every 3 levels thereafter, the aberrant druid changes in some small but sinister way, granting it a +2 circumstance bonus to Intimidate checks and a +1 bonus to the DC of any spells with the [fear] descriptor cast. The exact nature of this change is up to the player, but has no mechanical effect beyond those listed.

This might make it useful as part of an intimidate build, but is unlikely to invalidate current options, so the intimidate is no problem. The stacking bonuses to DC of fear spells is potent, though. If there's a good selection in the spell list, they could become the dominant fear caster(what is currently, dread witch?)

I might suggest some minor negatives or reduction of the DC boosts. Consider the Alienist as an arcane version of the concept, and borrow/steal from there a bit.


Darvision (Ex)
An aberrant druid has Darkvision to 60ft. If she already has Darkvision from another source, its range is doubled.

Need a k in there. 60ft Darkvision is good, but not unreasonable. Double distance darkvision is almost certainly useful from a TO darkvision optimization POV, but is unlikely to break anything in practical games.


Mutation
At 2nd level and every second level thereafter, the aberrant druid may select one of the following mutations, or a custom one of equivalent power.

Aright, here's where the likelihood for problems is most likely to crop up.

Incidentally, from a purely fluff perspective, I feel like these would reasonably apply penalties to most social checks in polite society. Sure, intimidate might increase, but things like gather information or diplomacy would tend to be more difficult.


Reaching Tentacles[/I]
Requires: Tentacles
Effect: Your primary tentacles grow long.
Benefit: You gain +5ft reach.

Reach is...very valuable. Essentially everyone is going to take this. I would make it significantly more painful to get.


Extra Slamming Tentacles
Requires: Slamming Tentacles
Effect: You become more adept at using your tentacles.
Benefit: As Slamming Tentacles, except you have a number of slam attacks equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum 2).

No cap? This can be easily optimized into being quite ludicrous. Ditch it.


Constriction
Requires: Improved Grab OR Squeezing Tail
Effect: You can squeeze enemies to death.
Benefit: With a successful grapple check you deal 1d6 damage per 3 aberrant druid levels (medium creature, scales with size).

Specify how it scales with size.


Adhesive (Ex)
Requires: Slime
Effect: You can turn your slime into a sticky glue.
Benefit: As a move action, you can turn your slime into an adhesive (and with another move action, you can change it back). You gain a +4 bonus to avoid getting disarmed and a +10 bonus to grapple checks.

I'm seeing a lot of grapple check boosters. A +10 is a bit much considering the other benefits you're picking up on the way. You can easily make a character that is a grapple monster without putting significant resources into it. I'd reduce it to a +4.


Shifting Skin (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: You can alter the colour and texture of your skin to blend in with your surroundings.
Benefit: You gain a circumstance bonus to Hide checks equal to your aberrant druid level.

Combined with Dark, etc...this can be pretty wildly broken. Avoiding non-hide means of detection, ex HIPS and stacking hide bonuses is one way to gain effective invulnerability through undetectability. Avoid large bonuses to hide, and generally avoid early level bonuses to hide.


Transforming Flesh (Ex)
Requires: Shifting Flesh, Amorphous Form
Effect: You can reshape your whole body in any way.
Benefit: You can alter your body to look like anything within one size category of your natural form. You gain no characteristics of whatever shape you take beyond appearance, but it is not an illusory effect and you gain a bonus to Disguise checks equal to 1 1/2 times your aberrant druid level.

Instead of 1.5 times...I suggest a flat bonus + a multiplier. Casters are traditionally weaker early and more powerful later. This'll have various effects like making the epic progression much less ludicrously broken. 10 + 1/2 Ab Druid level is much better...makes it very consistently useful.


Extra Limb
Requires: --
Effect: You grow a third limb.
Benefit: You have 3 arms.

Look at possible interaction with Thi-Keen, etc. Consider possible number of attacks, especially combined with the bonus slam attacks listed above. If you opt to keep it, rephrase to work with creatures with varying numbers of limbs.


Claws
Requires: --
Effect: Your hands become sharp claws or cutting pincers.
Benefit: You gain a natural claw attack that deals 1d6 damage per 4 aberrant druid levels (medium creature, scales with size).

Specify scaling.


Tearing Claws
Requires: Claws
Effect: Your claws or pincers rip into your enemies.
Benefit: You gain Improved Grab. In addition, if you hit with both claw attacks you automatically deal critical damage.

Claws only grants a single claw attack. This does not work as written.


Consuming Maw (Ex)
Requires: Gaping Maw, Incohate Form
Effect: Your mouth and throat gape and consume.
Benefit: You can swallow whole any grappled creature two or more size categories smaller than you. A swallowed creature takes your bite damage + 2x your Con Mod (min. 1) acid damage per round. A swallowed creature can cut itself out of you by dealing your aberrant druid level + your Con mod slashing or piercing damage to you. Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A medium aberrant druid can swallow 1 tiny, 4 diminutive or 8 fine creatures.

Suggest rewording for clarity for non-medium Ab Druids.


Engulfing Maw (Ex)
Requires: Consuming Maw, Amorphous Form
Effect: Your mouth and body distend horribly to consume your enemies.
Benefit: You can attempt to swallow a grappled opponent your size or smaller size by making a successful grapple check. A swallowed creature can cut itself out of you by dealing your aberrant druid level + your Con mod slashing or piercing damage to you. Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.
Your body can hold 1 Medium, 2 Small, 8 Tiny, 32 Diminutive, or 128 Fine creatures.

Suggest rewording for clarity for non-medium Ab Druids.


Amorphous Form (Ex)
Requires: Alien Form, level 10 aberrant druid
Effect: Your body, although retaining your original shape, has little in common with the anatomy with which you were born.
Benefit: You become immune to sneak attacks and critical hits, your damage reduction increases to 4/bludgeoning, and you are considered a size category smaller for the purpose of squeezing through tight spaces. You gain a +2 bonus to resist any shape-changing spell or ability.

Reword to "Heavy Fortification", as that's the name for that, and it's consistent with the earlier forms. HF and DR is already pretty good. I'd avoid the squeezing and shape changing boosts, unless you wanted to add an optional side-stop on the path.


Poison
Requires: Maw OR Sting OR Slamming Tentacles
Effect: You produce a potent poison.
Benefit: Your bite, sting or tentacle slam attack deals poison as well as damage. Injury, Fort DC class level + Constitution modifier, initial and secondary damage 1d6 to one ability. Choose which ability is affected upon selection.
Special: This mutation may be selected multiple times, a different ability each time. Multiple poisons may be used at one time (e.g. Intelligence Poison + Dexterity Poison = 1d6 Intelligence and 1d6 Dexterity damage with one attack).

Holy god, this can be crazy in conjunction with the slam attacks(it's fine with the other two). Sheer volume is going to result in a pretty horrific amount of ability damage. While selecting it twice is reasonable, allowing them to use multiple at once is probably not great. Choice between stats to attack is good...attacking all of them is not.

That said, I'd probably just opt for Con on the basis that the volume of attacks is already going to do some solid damage, and stacking con damage on that results it pretty horrific things.

A limit of 1/round might be the best solution.


Paralysing Poison
Requires: Maw OR Sting OR Slamming Tentacles
Effect: You produce a paralysing venom.
Benefit: Your bite, sting or tentacle slam attack paralyses your enemies. Fort DC aberrant druid level + Con modifier, paralysis for 1d4 rounds per 4 aberrant druid levels.

First off, it's DC is off. It doesn't scale well at all. It can be ludicrously low early on(under 10!), and off the charts later(easy to hit 30 by level 20). It also suffers the same problem of being too good with multiple attacks.

Change DC to 10 + Stat + half level at a minimum. That doesn't entirely solve the end effects, as it still scales up pretty fast, but it's at least less silly as an early choice. 10 + con + 1/3rd level might be better. Also, limit it to 1/round.


Captivating Gaze (Su)
Requires: Multiple Eyes
Effect: Your gaze gains an intensity from which it is difficult to look away.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 2 + Wis Mod (min. 1), you can use hypnotism as the spell there is no HD limit to the number of creatures you can effect, and they don't need to be within 30ft of one another. You also add your Wisdom modifier to attack rolls.

Capitalization. Also, mesmerization effects routinely have an HD limit. I'd keep that, even if it's high(say, Ab Druid level + 2d4). Also, it occurs to me that this and many other abilities need typing. Is it Ex? Su? Could be quite important.

Also, the wis/attack rolls doesn't fit this at all, and is a bit potent for the ability. I'd just ditch that or, if you really like it, separate it out into another ability.


Mesmerising Gaze (Su)
Requires: Captivating Gaze
Effect: Your stare becomes almost impossible to resist.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1 + Wis Mod (min. 1), you can use charm monster on up to your Wisdom modifier (min. 1) creatures within range that you can see. You can also add your Wisdom modifier to your armour class.

Yeah, the wisdom to AC is kinda...weird. Ditch it or separate it out. I'd ditch it, since it's begging to be stacked with a monk's belt and the NA granted by the class(and an item of your favorite NA buffing spell, followed by Scintillating Scales) for effective immortality to attack rolls.


Eye Stalks
Requires: --
Effect: You sprout multiple eyes from your head.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Spot checks and so long as you can see you cannot be flanked.

This is not actually imbalanced in itself...though quite strong. The problem is that eye stalks = prereq for beholder mage. This basically dodges a 1-9 feat tax(depending on interpretation) to get into that class. Combining this with the aberration type(yay, only one PaO or the occasional polymorph needed) granted by this class, this basically makes getting into Beholder Mage a cakewalk. I can only describe that path combined with this one as horrifically broken.

Plus, for the cheese minded, multiple ways of getting eye rays can result in multiple sets of eye rays. Yay for full beholder mage casting AND full eyestalk usage! And also ten levels of Ab Druid. Theurge amusement optional.


Airborne Body (Ex)
Requires: Floating Body
Effect: You gain the ability to control and direct your super-light body.
Benefit: You gain the ability to fly, perfect maneuverability, natural, speed equal to your walking speed. If you fall unconcious while airborne you drift gently to the ground.

unconscious.


Keen Nose (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your sense of smell sharpens.
Benefit: You gain scent.

This is a bit good for a single ability. Scent is almost as good as tremorsense, and certainly better than darkvision(items can much more easily get you darkvision.)


Digging (Ex)
Requires: Claws
Effect: You can burrow your way into the earth.
Benefit: You gain a 10ft burrow speed. You are considered a size category larger for the purpose of determining your claw damage.

I'd ditch the claw damage for synergy reasons(or separate it out to another ability). A burrow speed is already pretty good...it's crazy useful in dungeoneering.


Acid Immunity
Requires: +4 Natural Armour
Effect: Your skin becomes thick, stony and resistant to acidic damage.
Benefit: You gain immunity to acid.

Yeah, this is too good. Immunities need to be scarce. Otherwise, it becomes far too easy to stack them. Work up from resistances.


Corrosive Slime (Ex)
Requires: Immunity to acid, Slime
Effect: Your slimy coating becomes horribly corrosive.
Benefit: Any contact with your skin - including grappling and natural attacks - deals 2d4 acid damage. A number of times per day equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1), you can concentrate your slime to the intensity of the delver's corrosive slime for 1d6 + Con mod rounds.

Either delvers or passive, not both. Passive damage without actions is...really useful. Even in small quantities, it adds up nicely over the course of a fight, and helps most in the long, close fights. It's solid.


Ground Manipulation (Su)
Requires: --
Effect: You can effect the composition of the ground around you.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to your aberrant druid level, as a standard action, you can cause stone and earth in all adjacent squares to become a morass akin to quicksand. Softening earth, sand, or the like takes 1 round, while stone takes 2 rounds. Anyone other than you in that area must take a move-equivalent action to avoid becoming mired (treat as being pinned).

I'm not a fan of mired = pinned. It's awkward. Use difficult terrain rules instead.


Vibration Detection
Requires: Level 4 Aberrant Druid
Effect: You can sense creatures around you through touch.
Benefit: You gain tremorsense 60ft.

Yeah, remember when I said that scent was too accessible because it was almost as strong as tremorsense? I'm sure you know how I feel about tremorsense.


Disruptive Harmonics (Su)
Requires: Destracan Ears, level 8 aberrant druid
Effect: You gain powerful control over your vocal chords, granting you the sonic abilities of a destrachan.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/5 your aberrant druid levels + Con mod (minimum 1), you can use the destrachan's disruptive harmonics ability.

Destrachan.


Spinnerette (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: You grow a spider-like spinnerette with which you can spin your own thread.
Benefit: You can produce a sheet of sticky webbing from 5 to 60 feet square with which you can construct traps. Approaching creatures must beat your Survival check to notice your web trap, or they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing receive a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot-square section has 6 hit points, hardness 0, and takes double damage from fire. You can climb and handle your own web without getting stuck to it.
You can also use your web to spin a rope. It has the qualities of a silk rope, and you can produce 5 feet of rope in 5 minutes. You can decide how much, if any, of it is sticky. Once separated from your body, a rope lasts 1 hour per aberrant druid level.

If you have this, why would you bother to continue to getting proper web with another use?

Blinding Spit (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your spittle becomes thick and caustic.
Benefit: As a free action every round, you can fire a stream of spittle at one opponent within 20 feet. You make a ranged touch attack; if it hits, it deals 1d4+Con mod points of acid damage, and the target must succeed on a Fortitude save DC aberrant druid level + Con mod or be blinded for 1d4 + Con mod rounds (min. 1). Eyeless creatures are immune to the blinding effect, but are still subject to the acid damage.
[/spoiler]


Aberration Familiarity
From 2nd level, the aberrant druid's research into and experience with aberrations gives them a familiarity with their tricks and abilities. They gain a bonus equal to 1/3 their class levels + Wis mod to all saves against against Aberrations and their abilities (note this bonus does not apply to spells or abilities granted by classes that an Aberration may posses).

This is basically a "no" to those spells. Hilariously so in conjunction with Alien Mind. I feel like Beholders and Illithids shouldn't be a complete joke. Look at the various dragon-specialized PrCs in Draconomicon. They have advantages, sure...but the fight should still be one with challenge. Look at adding additional tactical options instead of numerical increases.


Alien Mind (Ex)
At 3rd level, the aberrant druid's mind starts to warp in ways unexpected by others. She gains a +1 bonus to saves vs. mind-affecting spells and abilities. This bonus increases to +2 at level 7, +3 at level 11, +4 at level 15 and +5 at level 19. From level 11, this bonus applies to divination abilities used against her.

Reasonable in itself. Mind affecting is one of the easiest tags to gain bonuses/immunity to. Divination is a bit weirder, but not actually problematic.


Truly Aberrant
At 4th level, the aberrant druid becomes an aberration. She gains the Aberration type, and is considered an aberration for the purpose of feats, equipment and any other prerequisites. Aberrant Drift also grants the druid a +2 bonus to Aberrant Empathy per Drift.

Be aware that this grants a fast track route into Beholder Mage. In conjunction with the eye stalks/rays, this class just became the least resource intensive method to break the game in half with Beholder Mage.


Thickened Skin
The aberrant druid's skin becomes thick and leathery. She gains +2 natural armour at 5th level. This increases to +4 at 9th level, +6 at 13th level, +8 at 17th level, and +10 at 20th level.


Eh, it's NA. It's good, and makes you a rather decent tank, but it's not utterly broken, and can be bypassed. The bonuses are probably a bit larger than I'd go for, though.


So, summary...some of the ability breakouts for the abberations need to be tweaked, there's some very minor pedantic corrections, and there's a couple unfortunate interactions with other things...I should probably go look at Illithid Savant to see if there's any nasty interactions with that as well.

Basically, you're up against the fact that despite it being usual 3.5 practice to design things the same for DMs and players...players just weren't generally expected to be abberations, and sometimes this results in unfortunate slips in design.

Serpentine
2011-08-17, 10:45 AM
In my defense, I was writing that stuff for hoooouuuuuurs - I'm not surprised there's some typos :smalltongue: And yeah, I figured the Mutations would be the place most in need of criticism.
Not a big deal, but realize that it does make TN the go-to choice for alignments for the class.Standard Druid qualifier...

Doesn't appear to be filled it, so I can't give much of an opinion on that...definitely something to hit up, as it can be very defining in terms of tier.Yeah, that's the next bit of hard work I need to slog through :smallsigh:

Reasonable. With the list of variant druids all having this though, I do contemplate the idea of wildly dipping them all on a diplomancer build, and literally being able to make the entire multiverse love you. That said...diplomacy is pretty terrible in itself out of the box, so I dunno how much weight that holds.I guess I could throw in a "you can only take levels in one Druid class" clause...

This might make it useful as part of an intimidate build, but is unlikely to invalidate current options, so the intimidate is no problem. The stacking bonuses to DC of fear spells is potent, though. If there's a good selection in the spell list, they could become the dominant fear caster(what is currently, dread witch?)

I might suggest some minor negatives or reduction of the DC boosts. Consider the Alienist as an arcane version of the concept, and borrow/steal from there a bit.
...
Incidentally, from a purely fluff perspective, I feel like these would reasonably apply penalties to most social checks in polite society. Sure, intimidate might increase, but things like gather information or diplomacy would tend to be more difficult.How about regular penalties to other Charisma-based skills in step with the bonuses to Intimidate?

Reach is...very valuable. Essentially everyone is going to take this. I would make it significantly more painful to get.How much more painful?

No cap? This can be easily optimized into being quite ludicrous. Ditch it.I'd rather not ditch it completely if I can avoid it. Would a maximum of maybe 4 or 5 do, or is it just generally too overpowered, or what if I reduced the damage they do?

Specify how it scales with size.Like weapons do. Would "as weapons" be enough? I'm not sure how to make it more specific...

I'm seeing a lot of grapple check boosters. A +10 is a bit much considering the other benefits you're picking up on the way. You can easily make a character that is a grapple monster without putting significant resources into it. I'd reduce it to a +4.Yeah, I've never realised before how grapple-oriented aberrations are. I was expecting more psionics...
That's based on the Mimic's "automatically wins grapple checks", by the way. But yeah, fair enough. Not sure I want to make it that low, though, considering its origins...

Combined with Dark, etc...this can be pretty wildly broken. Avoiding non-hide means of detection, ex HIPS and stacking hide bonuses is one way to gain effective invulnerability through undetectability. Avoid large bonuses to hide, and generally avoid early level bonuses to hide.What about 1/2 Druid level?

Instead of 1.5 times...I suggest a flat bonus + a multiplier. Casters are traditionally weaker early and more powerful later. This'll have various effects like making the epic progression much less ludicrously broken. 10 + 1/2 Ab Druid level is much better...makes it very consistently useful.Yeah, I knew my DCs and stuff were all over the place and gonna need streamlining when I wrote them.

Look at possible interaction with Thi-Keen, etc. Consider possible number of attacks, especially combined with the bonus slam attacks listed above. If you opt to keep it, rephrase to work with creatures with varying numbers of limbs.Just changing it to "an additional arm" do?

Claws only grants a single claw attack. This does not work as written.Shoot. It's Claws that needs rewriting there, right? "You gain two claw attacks" do?

Suggest rewording for clarity for non-medium Ab Druids.For the number of creatures swallowable, you mean? I'm not sure how to do that for all sizes without getting really wordy... "These amounts are halved (rounded down) for every category below medium and doubled for every size above" or somesuch?

Reword to "Heavy Fortification", as that's the name for that, and it's consistent with the earlier forms. HF and DR is already pretty good. I'd avoid the squeezing and shape changing boosts, unless you wanted to add an optional side-stop on the path.Think you're right about heavy fortification. The squeezing, at least, was more just that it made sense for the ability, though...

Holy god, this can be crazy in conjunction with the slam attacks(it's fine with the other two). Sheer volume is going to result in a pretty horrific amount of ability damage. While selecting it twice is reasonable, allowing them to use multiple at once is probably not great. Choice between stats to attack is good...attacking all of them is not.

That said, I'd probably just opt for Con on the basis that the volume of attacks is already going to do some solid damage, and stacking con damage on that results it pretty horrific things.

A limit of 1/round might be the best solution.Yeah, I was gonna limit it to one at a time then changed my mind. It was very late at the time, iirc :smalltongue:


Change DC to 10 + Stat + half level at a minimum. That doesn't entirely solve the end effects, as it still scales up pretty fast, but it's at least less silly as an early choice. 10 + con + 1/3rd level might be better. Also, limit it to 1/round.Shall do.

Capitalization. Also, mesmerization effects routinely have an HD limit. I'd keep that, even if it's high(say, Ab Druid level + 2d4).Alright.

Also, it occurs to me that this and many other abilities need typing. Is it Ex? Su? Could be quite important.You're right about that with others - some I forgot about, others I wasn't sure what to make it - but this one I did type as Su?

Also, the wis/attack rolls doesn't fit this at all, and is a bit potent for the ability. I'd just ditch that or, if you really like it, separate it out into another ability.Okay.

This is not actually imbalanced in itself...though quite strong. The problem is that eye stalks = prereq for beholder mage. This basically dodges a 1-9 feat tax(depending on interpretation) to get into that class. Combining this with the aberration type(yay, only one PaO or the occasional polymorph needed) granted by this class, this basically makes getting into Beholder Mage a cakewalk. I can only describe that path combined with this one as horrifically broken.I didn't even think of Beholder Mage. To be fair, it is thematically appropriate...
Any suggestions for fixing this? What if this was "eye nubs" - and therefore not eligible to meet the prerequisites for Beholder Mage - only becoming true eye stalks with the guath eye rays?

Plus, for the cheese minded, multiple ways of getting eye rays can result in multiple sets of eye rays. Yay for full beholder mage casting AND full eyestalk usage! And also ten levels of Ab Druid. Theurge amusement optional.Any solutions? Or do I trust that I don't play with the cheese minded?
(sounds like a horrible nickname for kuru or mad cow disease or Altzheimer's or something...)

unconscious.Shaddap :smalltongue:

This is a bit good for a single ability. Scent is almost as good as tremorsense, and certainly better than darkvision(items can much more easily get you darkvision.)Scent's that good? Huh. Minimum level requirement?

I'd ditch the claw damage for synergy reasons(or separate it out to another ability). A burrow speed is already pretty good...it's crazy useful in dungeoneering.Okay then. It just seemed a bit boring, and the other similar mutations have a little extra something as well.

Yeah, this is too good. Immunities need to be scarce. Otherwise, it becomes far too easy to stack them. Work up from resistances.Yeah, I think I knew that when I made it. Should I have a few resistances, then immunity, then the abilities that required immunity, or attach those abilities to the lower-level resistances?

Either delvers or passive, not both. Passive damage without actions is...really useful. Even in small quantities, it adds up nicely over the course of a fight, and helps most in the long, close fights. It's solid.Alright then.

I'm not a fan of mired = pinned. It's awkward. Use difficult terrain rules instead.Direct copy-paste from the SRD on gibbering mouthers :smalltongue: I thought it was weird too. Would the soften earth and stone version be better?

Yeah, remember when I said that scent was too accessible because it was almost as strong as tremorsense? I'm sure you know how I feel about tremorsense.Increase the level requirement and/or add more requirements?

If you have this, why would you bother to continue to getting proper web with another use?Really? Dang. I thought spitting the web had an advantage, if only that you don't have to set it up. Suggestions?

Blinding Spit (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your spittle becomes thick and caustic.
Benefit: As a free action every round, you can fire a stream of spittle at one opponent within 20 feet. You make a ranged touch attack; if it hits, it deals 1d4+Con mod points of acid damage, and the target must succeed on a Fortitude save DC aberrant druid level + Con mod or be blinded for 1d4 + Con mod rounds (min. 1). Eyeless creatures are immune to the blinding effect, but are still subject to the acid damage.Your coding broke. Were you gonna say something about this?

This is basically a "no" to those spells. Hilariously so in conjunction with Alien Mind. I feel like Beholders and Illithids shouldn't be a complete joke. Look at the various dragon-specialized PrCs in Draconomicon. They have advantages, sure...but the fight should still be one with challenge. Look at adding additional tactical options instead of numerical increases.I may well check out those PrCs. I did want them to have a distinct and significant advantage over aberrations. Any other suggestions?

Reasonable in itself. Mind affecting is one of the easiest tags to gain bonuses/immunity to. Divination is a bit weirder, but not actually problematic.I was going for an "it's really hard for others to get into your head because it's so damn weird" flavour.

Be aware that this grants a fast track route into Beholder Mage. In conjunction with the eye stalks/rays, this class just became the least resource intensive method to break the game in half with Beholder Mage.That's kinda funny, seeing as normally changing type would be my 20th level capstone for this sort of class but aberration seemed so damn useless for the most part I decided to grant it earlier.
Ultimately, though, is that a problem with this class or with Beholder Mage?

Eh, it's NA. It's good, and makes you a rather decent tank, but it's not utterly broken, and can be bypassed. The bonuses are probably a bit larger than I'd go for, though.I had in mind the NA items one could get by those levels. But do you think I should reduce them, or space them out a bit more?

So, summary...some of the ability breakouts for the abberations need to be tweaked, there's some very minor pedantic corrections, and there's a couple unfortunate interactions with other things...I should probably go look at Illithid Savant to see if there's any nasty interactions with that as well.

Basically, you're up against the fact that despite it being usual 3.5 practice to design things the same for DMs and players...players just weren't generally expected to be abberations, and sometimes this results in unfortunate slips in design.Could I get an overall summary of the quality of this homebrew? (aka, make me feel better after all that criticism :smallwink:)

Tyndmyr
2011-08-17, 12:48 PM
In my defense, I was writing that stuff for hoooouuuuuurs - I'm not surprised there's some typos :smalltongue: And yeah, I figured the Mutations would be the place most in need of criticism.Standard Druid qualifier...
Yeah, that's the next bit of hard work I need to slog through :smallsigh:

Yeah, making spell lists is a bit of a grind sometimes. Cantrips/Orisons is the messiest bit, since there just isn't the variety I often want. I might have to make a cantrip handbook at some point.


I guess I could throw in a "you can only take levels in one Druid class" clause...

I wouldn't sweat that one too much...Diplomancy is pretty broken, and there are other ways to speak with wild varieties of things. A new version of diplomancer is mostly only a TO thing...it's probably not going to be allowed in most normal games. I mean, I allow diplomancers in my groups, but then I use a variant of the diplomacy rules anyhow.

It's more of an FYI of a possibly interesting interaction than it is a realistic concern.


How about regular penalties to other Charisma-based skills in step with the bonuses to Intimidate?

That's solid. Hell, you can make them match up evenly, and it'll fit...very similar to the Alienist which is fluffwise quite similar, even if it's mechanically a touch below where I like.


How much more painful?

Hmmm...perhaps a prereq ability? Say, one that granted an additional 5 feet of reach only in specific circumstances, such as, say, AoOs? Still useful, and superseded by the +5 reach to all, but makes it a bit more of an investment instead of a handy "yeah, I'll grab that".


I'd rather not ditch it completely if I can avoid it. Would a maximum of maybe 4 or 5 do, or is it just generally too overpowered, or what if I reduced the damage they do?

Well, mass low damage attacks are problematic. It's the Master Thrower problem all over again...you can do fantastic things by layering status effects on each attack, which works phenomenally until you hit enough DR that you stop doing damage. Then, you cease being effective entirely.

I'd look at single additional attack options similar to the claw/bite. Perhaps a pair, with appropriate negatives to hit.


Like weapons do. Would "as weapons" be enough? I'm not sure how to make it more specific...

It might be worth actually including the hit die table, since there's a lot of use of it. It isn't really a problem for people familiar enough with the system to understand the rules behind the rules, it's mostly a clarity issue for people that lack solid experience with 3.5.


Yeah, I've never realised before how grapple-oriented aberrations are. I was expecting more psionics...
That's based on the Mimic's "automatically wins grapple checks", by the way. But yeah, fair enough. Not sure I want to make it that low, though, considering its origins...

The MM in general is pretty grapple-happy. I honestly had a similar impression of aberrations, as the iconic ones, beholder, illithid, aboleth are not primarily grapple threats. Still, enough individual monsters in any type tend to have grapple bonuses that mixing and matching can get some wild synergy. I wonder if WOTC writers were worried about PC grapplers ruining combat...

Hmm, the Mimic kind of is a special case. An odd one, too. Hard to mesh that thematically with bits and pieces of other aberrations. A special Mimic flavored PrC might be fun, though.


What about 1/2 Druid level?

Yeah, that's probably reasonable. Quite healthy and a reasonable option, but not a reason to take the class in itself.


Just changing it to "an additional arm" do?
Shoot. It's Claws that needs rewriting there, right? "You gain two claw attacks" do?

Yeah, both those should work. Check the attack bonuses of all the extra attack options against each other and against other options like Snap Kick in vanilla 3.5 for balance, but with two attacks, it fits.


For the number of creatures swallowable, you mean? I'm not sure how to do that for all sizes without getting really wordy... "These amounts are halved (rounded down) for every category below medium and doubled for every size above" or somesuch?

Yeah. It's a bit awkward, but I could easily imagine a non-medium sized druid. Perhaps there could be a boilerplate section for this that each place refers to? I dunno.


You're right about that with others - some I forgot about, others I wasn't sure what to make it - but this one I did type as Su?

Doh, my bad. Yeah, they all need typing, but I entirely missed that one.


I didn't even think of Beholder Mage. To be fair, it is thematically appropriate...
Any suggestions for fixing this? What if this was "eye nubs" - and therefore not eligible to meet the prerequisites for Beholder Mage - only becoming true eye stalks with the guath eye rays?
Any solutions? Or do I trust that I don't play with the cheese minded?
(sounds like a horrible nickname for kuru or mad cow disease or Altzheimer's or something...)

Different naming should take care of it from a RAW perspective. By waiting until the get Guath eye rays, that


Scent's that good? Huh. Minimum level requirement?

Yeah, anything that bypasses standard hide is pretty solid...Hide is built to be a pretty powerful skill. I'd drop a level 8 or so requirement on it...probably doing it indirectly, via x ranks in a detection skill(I admit pathfinder is better in this particular area). Encourages characters to build it into a theme instead of just dropping it on.


Okay then. It just seemed a bit boring, and the other similar mutations have a little extra something as well.

It is a little, though mainly because burrow is a pre-defined ability, and unlike flight, you don't have to worry about a failure mode. It's a solid option though, and while brief, can be a big part of a character.


Yeah, I think I knew that when I made it. Should I have a few resistances, then immunity, then the abilities that required immunity, or attach those abilities to the lower-level resistances?

Yeah, I'd just extend the path by one, the initial resistance thing. The abilities are strong enough to stand on their own right, really.


Direct copy-paste from the SRD on gibbering mouthers :smalltongue: I thought it was weird too. Would the soften earth and stone version be better?

Yeah, sometimes WOTC does crazy things and ignores their own rules too...probably on the soften version.

Honestly, I'm just not sure how treating it as pinned works. The bog standard way to escape a pin is escape artist or a grapple check. What's the grapple check on quicksand?


Increase the level requirement and/or add more requirements?

Perhaps level 12, make scent as a requirement(since the two are basically anti-synergistic...is there a word for that?)...


Really? Dang. I thought spitting the web had an advantage, if only that you don't have to set it up. Suggestions?

It's mild, but probably not worth it. I'd probably just consolidate them both into a web as SLA option. It's a common SLA already, and a common spell on the normal druid list, so nothing is likely to be broken by that.


Your coding broke. Were you gonna say something about this?

Oh, yeah. Swift action instead of free action. Immediate if you really, really want it to be reactive, but new types of attacks as a free action should generally be avoided for action economy reasons.


I may well check out those PrCs. I did want them to have a distinct and significant advantage over aberrations. Any other suggestions?

Be aware that some of the anti-dragon classes are overall thin on abilities or otherwise poorly designed(like requiring lots of CL, but then not progressing them). Those aren't problems this class has or needs...in general, a themed class needs to have a noticeable bonus whenever something related to the theme arises...but you don't want to trivialize the encounter, nor do you want to so specialize that the player doesn't contribute effectively in other encounters.

I believe there's a laundry list of such classes, but most of them draw heavily from the ranger for inspiration.


That's kinda funny, seeing as normally changing type would be my 20th level capstone for this sort of class but aberration seemed so damn useless for the most part I decided to grant it earlier.
Ultimately, though, is that a problem with this class or with Beholder Mage?
I had in mind the NA items one could get by those levels. But do you think I should reduce them, or space them out a bit more?

That's a toughie. See, Beholder Mage is just a bad class. It was not designed with players gaining access to it in mind. The good news is...it's a hard class for players to get access to. They need the eyestalks, they need the antimagic eye, and they need to be a beholder to actually get all the bennies. The typical answer is PaO, PaO, then dumping feats at it. This allows faster ninth level spells, but WBL, availability of PaO scrolls, and the multiple feats all tend to restrict the speed and paths available to enter.

Dropping the entry requirements results in more power faster, so the synergy with it makes Beholder Mage more broken than it was before. It was never GOOD from a balance perspective, but it's like Pun-Pun being level 1 instead of 6. The whole Pazuzu thing is pretty much only judged by that.

Honestly, if you can make it work with BM in a balanced fashion...that would be awesome and fluffy, but I'm not sure that BM lends itself well to that. It's a problem child. Ditto Illithid Savant, to a lesser extent.


Could I get an overall summary of the quality of this homebrew? (aka, make me feel better after all that criticism :smallwink:)

Heh, no worries. I'm not known for being overly positive. Truly bad things are typically responded to with scathing sarcasm and veiled insults. This is a solid concept going in a good direction that needs work on the details. Not unexpected since, as classes go, this is a particularly challenging path to take. No reason to feel bad at all about what's been done so far.

Serpentine
2011-08-20, 03:37 AM
Aberrant Druid
Aberrant Druid

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs16/f/2007/164/6/7/Master_of_Nightmares_by_tekelili.jpg

Quote here.


Normal animals and plants and other natural things have little interest for the Aberrant Druid. Instead, they are devoted to the weird and the obscure, the so-called "unnatural" creatures. They are fascinated by the bizarre biology and lifecycles of aberrations. And the more they study the monsters, the more like them the Aberrant Druid becomes.

Alignment
Any Neutral. With their fascination with dark and twisted creatures and often unpleasant physical deformation, Aberrant Druids tend towards Evil or Chaotic.

Hit Die
d8.

Class Skills
The Aberrant Druid’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (Planes) (Int), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st Level
(4 + Int modifier) ×4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level
4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Druid
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|0th|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9 th
1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Dungeon Sense, Aberrant Drift, Aberrant Empathy, Darkvision 60ft|3|1||||||

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Aberration Familiarity +1, Mutation|4|2||||||

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|Alien Mind +1 (mind-affecting)|4|2|1|||||

4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Aberrant Drift, Truly Aberrant, Mutation|5|3|2|||||||

5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Thickened Skin +2|5|3|2|1|||||

6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+5|Mutation|5|3|3|2|||||

7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+5|Aberrant Drift, Alien Mind +2|6|4|3|2|1||||

8th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+2|
+6|Mutation, Aberration Familiarity +2|6|4|3|3|2||||

9th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+3|
+6|Thickened Skin +4|6|4|4|3|2|1|||

10th|
+7/+2|
+7|
+3|
+7|Aberrant Drift, Mutation|6|4|4|3|3|2|||

11th|
+8/+3|
+7|
+3|
+7|Alien Mind +3 (Divination)|6|5|4|4|3|2|1||

12th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|Mutation|6|5|4|4|3|3|2|||

13th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|Aberrant Drift, Thickened Skin +6|6|5|5|4|4|3|2|1||

14th|
+10/+5|
+9|
+4|
+9|Mutation, Aberration Familiarity +3|6|5|5|4|4|3|3|2||

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+9|
+5|
+9|Alien Mind +4|6|5|5|5|4|4|3|2|1|

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Aberrant Drift, Mutation|6|5|5|5|4|4|3|3|2|

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Thickened Skin +8|6|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|2|1

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+11|Mutation|6|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|3|2

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|Aberrant Drift, Alien Mind +5|6|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|3

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+12|Mutation, Thickened Skin +10, Aberration Familiarity +4|6|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|4|4[/table]

Class Features
All the following are class features of the Aberrant Druid.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency
Aberrant druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, spear, whip. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) they acquire through Mutation.

Aberrant druids are proficient with light and medium armour.

Spells
An aberrant druid casts divine spells, which are drawn from the aberrant druid spell list. Her alignment may restrict her from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells, below. An aberrant druid must choose and prepare her spells in advance (see below).

To prepare or cast a spell, the aberrant druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a plant druid’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the aberrant druid’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, an aberrant druid can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Aberrant Druid. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. She does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.

An aberrant druid prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does. An aberrant druid may prepare and cast any spell on the aberrant druid spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells
A druid can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity’s (if she has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions.

Spell List
0th Level


1st Level


2nd Level


3rd Level


4th Level


5th Level


6th Level


7th Level


8th Level


9th Level



Bonus Languages
An aberrant druid’s bonus language options include Undercommon, the language of cave-dwelling creatures. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.

An aberration druid also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level aberrant druid. Druidic is a free language for a druid; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids.

Druidic has its own alphabet.

Dungeon Sense (Ex)
An aberrant druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks and a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks and weapon damage when using these skills against creatures of the aberration type.

Aberrant Empathy (Ex)
An aberrant druid can improve the attitude of an aberration. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The aberration druid rolls 1d20 and adds her aberration druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the aberrant empathy check result.

To use aberrant empathy, the aberrant druid and the creature must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an aberration in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.

Aberrant Drift
At 1st level and every 3 levels thereafter, the aberrant druid changes in some small but sinister way, granting it a +2 circumstance bonus to Intimidate checks, a -1 penalty to all other social skills when used against any creature other than an aberration or another aberrant druid, and a +1 bonus to the DC of any spells with the [fear] descriptor cast. The exact nature of this change is up to the player, but has no mechanical effect beyond those listed.

Darkvision (Ex)
An aberrant druid has Darkvision to 60ft. If she already has Darkvision from another source, its range increases by 30ft.

Mutation
At 2nd level and every second level thereafter, the aberrant druid may select one of the following mutations, or a custom one of equivalent power.
Tentacles
Requires: --
Effect: You sprout thin, grabbing tentacles.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to grappling checks and against being disarmed.

Grasping Tentacles
Requires: Tentacles
Effect: Your tentacles grow larger and stronger.
Benefit: The bonus to grappling and against being disarmed increases to +6. You gain Improved Grab.

Lashing Tentacles
Requires: Tentacles
Effect: You can stretch out your primary tentacles to lash at opponents.
Benefit: Once a round you can make an attack of opportunity with +5 reach.

Reaching Tentacles
Requires: Lashing Tentacles
Effect: Your primary tentacles grow long.
Benefit: You gain +5ft reach.

Slamming Tentacles
Requires: Grasping Tentacles OR Reaching Tentacles
Effect: Your tentacles grow thick and strong.
Benefit: You gain an additional slam attack at -2 attack that deals bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6/4 class levels + Str mod (medium creature, scales with size as weapons do).

Tentacle Toss
Requires: Slamming Tentacles, Str 14
Effect: You can use your tentacles to hurl foes.
Benefit: If you hit with your tentacle slam you can choose to throw your target away from you. The target must succeed on a Reflex save DC 10 + 1/2 aberrant druid level + Str mod or be thrown 5ft per Str mod (e.g. 16 Str = 15ft). The target lands prone. Any feats or abilities that allow you to deal damage by knocking enemies into things applies to Tentacle Toss as well.

Constriction
Requires: Improved Grab OR Squeezing Tail
Effect: You can squeeze enemies to death.
Benefit: With a successful grapple check you deal 1d6 damage per 3 aberrant druid levels + Str mod (medium creature, scales with size as weapons do).

Slime
Requires: --
Effect: Your body produces a slick, nasty slime.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Escape Artist checks. Small amounts of the slime can be used to grant a +2 circumstance bonus to Open Lock and Disable Device checks, but it becomes dry and useless 5 minutes after being removed from your body.

Aboleth Slime (Ex)
Requires: Slime
Effect: Your slimy coating takes on the attributes of that of aboleths.
Benefit: As for the aboleth's slime ability. The save DC is 14+ Consitution modifier.

Adhesive (Ex)
Requires: Slime
Effect: You can turn your slime into a sticky glue.
Benefit: As a move action, you can turn your slime into an adhesive (and with another move action, you can change it back). You gain a +4 bonus to avoid getting disarmed and a +5 bonus to grapple checks.

Shifting Skin (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: You can alter the colour and texture of your skin to blend in with your surroundings.
Benefit: You gain a circumstance bonus to Hide checks equal to 1/2 your aberrant druid level.

Reflective Skin (Ex)
Requires: Shifting Skin
Effect: You can make your skin resistant to magic.
Benefit: As a standard action, you can alter your skin to gain spell resistance 10 + 1/2 your aberrant druid level. This cannot be used at the same time as Shifting Skin, Shifting Flesh or Transforming Flesh.

Shifting Flesh (Ex)
Requires: Shifting Skin, level 10 aberrant druid
Effect: You can shift your features to appear like someone else.
Benefit: You can alter your body as disguise self, except that it is not a magical effect but a physical one, it effects your body but not your possessions, and you can appear to be any humanoid within one size category of your natural form.

Transforming Flesh (Ex)
Requires: Shifting Flesh, Amorphous Form
Effect: You can reshape your whole body in any way.
Benefit: You can alter your body to look like anything within one size category of your natural form. You gain no characteristics of whatever shape you take beyond appearance, but it is not an illusory effect and you gain a bonus to Disguise checks equal to 10 + 1/2 your aberrant druid level.

Extra Limb
Requires: --
Effect: You grow an additional limb.
Benefit: You have an extra arm.

Claws
Requires: --
Effect: Your hands become sharp claws or cutting pincers.
Benefit: You gain a natural claw attack for each of your hands that deals 1d6 damage per 4 aberrant druid levels + Str mod (medium creature, scales with size).

Tearing Claws
Requires: Claws
Effect: Your claws or pincers rip into your enemies.
Benefit: You gain Improved Grab. In addition, if you hit with both claw attacks you automatically deal critical damage.

Maw
Reqires: --
Effect: Your mouth becomes wider and full of sharp fangs.
Benefit: You gain a natural bite attack at -2 attack that deals 1d6/4 class levels piercing damage + Str mod (medium creature, scales with size as weapons do).

Gaping Maw
Requires: Maw
Effect: Your mouth stretches to grotesque proportions.
Benefit: You gain Improved Grab with your bite attack. You are considered a size larger for the purpose of determining bite attack damage.

Consuming Maw (Ex)
Requires: Gaping Maw, Incohate Form
Effect: Your mouth and throat gape and consume.
Benefit: You can swallow whole any grappled creature two or more size categories smaller than you. A swallowed creature takes your bite damage + 2x your Con Mod (min. 1) acid damage per round. A swallowed creature can cut itself out of you by dealing your aberrant druid level + your Con mod slashing or piercing damage to you (natural armour applies). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A medium aberrant druid can swallow 1 tiny, 4 diminutive or 8 fine creatures. These numbers are halved (rounded down) for every size category below medium, and doubled for every size category above medium.

Engulfing Maw (Ex)
Requires: Consuming Maw, Amorphous Form
Effect: Your mouth and body distend horribly to consume your enemies.
Benefit: You can attempt to swallow a grappled opponent your size or smaller size by making a successful grapple check. A swallowed creature can cut itself out of you by dealing your aberrant druid level + your Con mod slashing or piercing damage to you (natural armour applies). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.
A medium aberrant druid's body can hold 1 Medium, 2 Small, 8 Tiny, 32 Diminutive, or 128 Fine creatures. These numbers are halved (rounded down) for every size category below medium, and doubled for every size category above medium.

Incohate Form (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your body starts to shift and deform.
Benefit: You gain light fortification (25% chance to negate sneak attacks and critical hits).

Alien Form (Ex)
Requires: Incohate Form
Effect: Although outwardly relatively normal, inside your body is completely alien and weird.
Benefit: You gain moderate fortification and damage reduction 2+Con mod/bludgeoning.

Amorphous Form (Ex)
Requires: Alien Form, level 10 aberrant druid
Effect: Your body, although retaining your original shape, has little in common with the anatomy with which you were born.
Benefit: You gain heavy fortification, your damage reduction increases to 4+Con mod/bludgeoning, and you are considered a size category smaller for the purpose of squeezing through tight spaces.

Antennae (Ex)
Requires: Level 6 aberrant druid
Effect: You sprout sensitive antennae.
Benefit: You gain blindsight 5ft per 5 aberrant druid levels.

Rusting Touch (Ex)
Requires: Antennae
Effect: Your antennae can oxidise metals just by touching them.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier (min. 1) as a standard action you may attempt a touch attack on a metal object with your antennae. If successful, the target metal corrodes, falling to pieces and becoming useless immediately. The touch can destroy up to a 10-foot cube of metal instantly. Magic armor and weapons, and other magic items made of metal, must succeed on a DC 12 + Con mod Reflex save or be dissolved.

Poison (Ex)
Requires: Maw OR Sting OR Slamming Tentacles
Effect: You produce a potent poison.
Benefit: Your bite, sting or tentacle slam attack deals poison as well as damage. Injury, Fort DC class level + Constitution modifier, initial and secondary damage 1d6 to one ability. Choose which ability is affected and which means of application (i.e. bite, sting or tentacle) upon selection.
Special: This mutation may be selected multiple times, a different ability each time. Only one poison type may be used at one time through each means of application, and it takes a full round to change poisons, during which time no poison can be used.

Paralysing Poison (Ex)
Requires: Maw OR Sting OR Slamming Tentacles
Effect: You produce a paralysing venom.
Benefit: Your bite, sting or tentacle slam attack paralyses your enemies. Fort DC 12 + 1/3 aberrant druid level + Con modifier, paralysis for 1d4 rounds per 4 aberrant druid levels. This poison cannot be used at the same time on the same means of application as other poisons, and it takes a full round to change poisons, during which time no poison can be used.

Clinging Pads (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your skin grows sticky, hairy pads.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to avoid being disarmed and a +4 bonus to Climb checks.

Super-sticky Pads (Ex)
Requires: Clinging Pads
Effect: Your skin pads become more adhesive.
Benefit: You gain a Climb speed of 10ft and Improved Grab.

Multiple Eyes (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: You sprout eyes all over your body.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Spot checks and Dodge.

Captivating Gaze (Su)
Requires: Multiple Eyes
Effect: Your gaze gains an intensity from which it is difficult to look away.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 2 + Wis mod (min. 1), you can use hypnotism as the spell except the HD limit is aberrant druid level +2d4, and they don't need to be within 30ft of one another.
Mesmerising Gaze (Su)
Requires: Captivating Gaze
Effect: Your stare becomes almost impossible to resist.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1 + Wis mod (min. 1), you can use charm monster on up to your Wisdom modifier (min. 1) creatures within range that you can see.

Eye Nubs (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: You sprout multiple eyes from your head.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Spot checks and Uncanny Dodge.

Eye Rays - Guath (Sp)
Requires: Eye Nubs
Effect: Your eye nubs lengthen into full eye stalks which can shoot rays as a guath.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/4 your class level each you can use the following spells as a spell-like ability: sleep, inflict moderate wounds, dispel magic, scorching ray, paralysis, exhaustion. DCs as for spells.

Eye Rays - Beholder
Requires: Eye Rays - Guath, Aberrant Druid level 14
Effect: You can shoot rays from your eye stalks as a beholder.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/5 your class level each you can use the following spells as a spell-like ability: charm monster, charm person, disintegrate, fear, finger of death, flesh to stone, inflict moderate wounds, sleep, slow, telekinesis. DCs as for spells.

Bouyant Body (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your body becomes naturally light and bouncy.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Swim checks to stay afloat and a +4 bonus to Jump checks. Your body weight is reduced by 1/3.

Floating Body (Ex)
Requires: Bouyant Body
Effect: Your body becomes lighter than air.
Benefit: You can use levitation at will as an extraordinary ability. Your body weight is halved.

Airborne Body (Ex)
Requires: Floating Body
Effect: You gain the ability to control and direct your super-light body.
Benefit: You gain the ability to fly, perfect maneuverability, natural, speed equal to your walking speed. If you fall unconscious while airborne you drift gently to the ground.

Keen Nose (Ex)
Requires: Level 8 Aberrant Druid, Wis 14
Effect: Your sense of smell sharpens.
Benefit: You gain scent.

Cloaker Moan (Ex)
Requires: Level 6 Aberrant Druid
Effect: You can imitate the cloaker's dreadful moan.
Benefit: You can use the cloaker's moan ability a number of times per day equal to 1/5 aberrant druid level. Save DCs 15 or 13+listed ability modifier, whichever is higher.

Skin Flaps
Requires: --
Effect: You grow large, loose flaps of skin. They may be wing-like, fin-like, or resemble a cloak when at rest.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to jump checks and as long as you are concious are permanently under the effect of feather fall. By spending a move action to flap the skin around in a confusing manner you gain a +2 bonus to AC until the end of the round.

Flapping Skin
Requires: Skin Flaps
Effect: Your loose flaps of skin become stronger and more wing-like.
Benefit: You gain natural flight, average maneuverability, twice walking speed. The AC bonus from flapping the skin increases to +4.

Whipping Tail
Requires: A tail - can be acquired through Aberrant Drift.
Effect: You grow a long, whip-like tail.
Benefit: You gain an additional slap attack with your tail at -2 attack that deals 1d6/4 aberrant druid levels + Str mod bludgeoning damage.

Sting
Requires: Whipping Tail
Effect: Your tail sprouts a sharp sting at the end.
Benefit: Your tail slap attack deals 1d6/4 aberrant druid levels +Str mod bludgeoning and 1d4/4 aberrant druid levels+Str mod piercing damage.

Sweeping Tail
Requires: Whipping Tail
Effect: Your tail grows long and oar-like.
Benefit: You gain a 20ft swim speed and you can make trip attacks with your tail.

Squeezing Tail
Requires: Whipping Tail
Effect: Your tail becomes even longer and more muscular.
Benefit: Your tail slap bludgeoning damage increases to 2d6, and you gain Improved Grab with it.

Shadow Manipulation (Su)
Requires: Level 4 Aberrant Druid
Effect: You can manipulate shadows like a cloaker.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/4 your aberrant druid level you gain the cloaker's Shadow Shift ability.

Digging (Ex)
Requires: Claws
Effect: You can burrow your way into the earth.
Benefit: You gain a 15ft burrow speed.

Acid Resistance (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your skin changes its composition to resist acidic damage.
Benefit: You gain acid resistance 4

Acid Immunity (Ex)
Requires: +4 Natural Armour, Acid Resistance
Effect: Your skin becomes thick, stony and resistant to acidic damage.
Benefit: You gain immunity to acid.

Corrosive Slime (Ex)
Requires: Immunity to acid, Slime
Effect: Your slimy coating becomes horribly corrosive.
Benefit: Any contact with your skin - including grappling and natural attacks - deals 2d4 acid damage.

Delver Slime (Ex)
Requires: Corrosive Slime
Effect: You can consciously concentrate your slimy coating.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1), you can concentrate your slime to the intensity of the delver's corrosive slime for 1d4 + Con mod rounds.

Ground Manipulation (Su)
Requires: --
Effect: You can effect the composition of the ground around you.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to your aberrant druid level, as a standard action, you can cause stone and earth in all adjacent squares to become a morass akin to quicksand. Softening earth, sand, or the like takes 1 round, while stone takes 2 rounds. Treat as soften earth and stone, centred on you, except you are immune to your own softened earth.

Stone Shaping (Ex)
Requires: Ground Manipulation
Effect: You can alter the structure of stone itself.
Benefit: You gain the Stone Shape ability of the delver.

Vibration Detection
Requires: Level 12 Aberrant Druid, Wis 16
Effect: You can sense creatures around you through touch.
Benefit: You gain tremorsense 60ft.

Destrachan Ears (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your ears become complex and multi-chambered, your hearing adjustable.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Listen checks, and a circumstance bonus to saves against sonic abilities equal to 1/4 aberrant druid level.

Disruptive Harmonics (Su)
Requires: Destrachan Ears, level 8 aberrant druid
Effect: You gain powerful control over your vocal chords, granting you the sonic abilities of a destrachan.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/5 your aberrant druid levels + Con mod (minimum 1), you can use the destrachan's disruptive harmonics ability.

Filching Fingers
Requires: --
Effect: Your fingers become grotesquely long, thin and nimble.
Benefit: You gain a +4 circumstance bonus to sleight of hand, disable device, and open lock checks.

Ethereal Affinity
Requires: level 4 aberrant druid
Effect: You start to tap into the ethereal plane.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to your aberrant druid level you can cast blink as a spell-like ability.

Ethereal Connection
Requires: Ethereal Affinity, level 12 aberrant druid
Effect: You can shift between the material plane and the ethereal plane.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to 1/4 your aberrant druid level you can cast ethereal jaunt as a spell-like ability.

Spinnerette (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: You grow a spider-like spinnerette with which you can spin your own thread.
Benefit: You can produce a sheet of sticky webbing from 5 to 60 feet square with which you can construct traps. Approaching creatures must beat your Survival check to notice your web trap, or they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing receive a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot-square section has 6 hit points, hardness 0, and takes double damage from fire. You can climb and handle your own web without getting stuck to it.
You can also use your web to spin a rope. It has the qualities of a silk rope, and you can produce 5 feet of rope in 5 minutes. You can decide how much, if any, of it is sticky. Once separated from your body, a rope lasts 1 hour per aberrant druid level.
In addition, you can throw a web as the spell web a number of times per day equal to 1/4 aberrant druid levels + Con mod. Save DC as spell.

Blinding Spit (Ex)
Requires: --
Effect: Your spittle becomes thick and caustic.
Benefit: As a swift action every round, you can fire a stream of spittle at one opponent within 20 feet. You make a ranged touch attack; if it hits, it deals 1d4+Con mod points of acid damage, and the target must succeed on a Fortitude save DC aberrant druid level + Con mod or be blinded for 1d4 + Con mod rounds (min. 1). Eyeless creatures are immune to the blinding effect, but are still subject to the acid damage.


Aberration Familiarity
From 2nd level, the aberrant druid's research into and experience with aberrations gives them a familiarity with their tricks and abilities. They gain a bonus equal to 1 + Wis mod to all saves against against Aberrations and their abilities (note this bonus does not apply to spells or abilities granted by classes that an Aberration may posses). This bonus increases to +2 at 8th level, +3 at 14th and +4 at 20th.

Alien Mind (Ex)
At 3rd level, the aberrant druid's mind starts to warp in ways unexpected by others. She gains a +1 bonus to saves vs. mind-affecting spells and abilities. This bonus increases to +2 at level 7, +3 at level 11, +4 at level 15 and +5 at level 19. From level 11, this bonus applies to divination abilities used against her. This does not apply to mind-affecting or spells and abilities of aberrations.

Truly Aberrant
At 4th level, the aberrant druid becomes an aberration. She gains the Aberration type, and is considered an aberration for the purpose of feats, equipment and any other prerequisites. Aberrant Drift also grants the druid a +2 bonus to Aberrant Empathy per Drift.

Thickened Skin
The aberrant druid's skin becomes thick and leathery. She gains +2 natural armour at 5th level. This increases to +4 at 9th level, +6 at 13th level, +8 at 17th level, and +10 at 20th level.


Updated the druid based on all the advice I've gotten. Have to do the spell list later tonight - hopefully in time to make a character out of it for tomorrow :smalleek:
If anyone wants to come up with more Mutations based on other aberrations that'd be amazing.

Serpentine
2011-08-20, 03:44 AM
Fixin' yon glitch.

Serpentine
2011-08-28, 06:29 AM
Updated the Plant Druid. A last critique of it would be really handy, as I'm going to try playing it soon.
What level was Splinterbolt?

Cieyrin
2011-08-28, 11:00 AM
Updated the Plant Druid. A last critique of it would be really handy, as I'm going to try playing it soon.
What level was Splinterbolt?

Looks like my concerns were addressed, so I think it looks alright.

Splinterbolt is 2nd level, which is why its alternate nickname is the Druid's Scorching Ray. :smallwink:

Serpentine
2011-08-28, 11:53 AM
Oh yeah, if anyone wants to convert the spell progressions to spontaneous that'd be handy...

Tyndmyr
2011-09-03, 11:11 AM
Plant druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. (A druid may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. See the ironwood spell description) Plant druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.

I'd flip the armor around to banning only certain armors, as there's some obscure armors out there like Kaorti Resin (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031014a) that are extremely fitting for this concept, but technically illegal under this writing.

Spell List: Seems fluffy, but quite long for limited list caster. I'd recommend trying to shave off some of the less fluffy choices, like Distilled Joy, or spells that are kind of marginal in use for brevity.
Druidic has its own alphabet.


Plant Companion (Ex)
A plant druid may begin play with one of two types of companion: a plant familiar, or plant companion.

A plant familiar is an ordinary plant - although usually one that has been given special care or is unusual, such as a bonsai - to which the plant druid has bonded and become tuned to. Once per day, the plant druid may infuse their plant familiar with some of their magical energy. A number of spell levels up to the plant druid's levels may be infused each day. These spell levels are considered spent for that day. A plant can store up to thrice the plant druid's level in spell levels indefinitely. Cantrips are considered 0.5 spell levels for this purpose.
A number of times per day equal to the plant druid's Wisdom modifier, the familiar's stored energy can be used to cast any spell on the plant druid's spell list that the plant druid is able to cast, without using the druid's prepared spell slots. One of these spells a day may have any one metamagic feat applied to it.

Basically, this is a choice between more magic or more melee. This will generally be a rather easy choice. I'd ditch the metamagic feat clause, as it's non specific, and, in any case, Empowered X is as much a spell as X is, and can normally be used interchangeably with it so long as it meets other requirements such as spell level.

Assume that essentially everyone will pick the familiar, though. Hell, in addition to allowing you to carry over unused spell power between days, it gives you spont casting AND the ability to pool lower level spells into bigger ones. All ways to do this currently in game are much more limited. This is a class defining ability here.

Honestly, I'd dump the metamagic clause, and entirely ditch the animal companion.

Also, you need familiar progression stuff. I'd start by ripping off wizard for hp/ac and all that.


Nature Sense (Ex)
A plant druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.

Plant Empathy (Ex)
A plant druid can improve the attitude of a plant creature. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The plant druid rolls 1d20 and adds her plant druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the plant empathy check result.

To use plant empathy, the plant druid and the creature must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing a plant creature in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.

Both are fluffy, and Nature Sense is certainly no worry from a power perspective. Note that Plant Empathy effectively breaks anything like an investigation campaign...but D&D is pretty terrible at that anyhow, and it's breakable in half a dozen other ways with magic, so it's not a big worry. I'd almost certainly keep it, this is mostly just an FYI.


Rebuke Plants
The Plant Druid can influence plant creatures in the same way that evil clerics can influence undead. See Turn Or Rebuke Undead.

Good on not including turning. Not only does it avoid the wild problem of dealing with lack of land speed, but it avoids any worries of it fueling DMM by RAW.


Woodland Stride (Ex)
Starting at 2nd level, a plant druid may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.

Improved Woodland Stride (Ex)
From 6th level, the druid may move freely even through overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion.

Vegetal Drift
At 2nd level and at various levels thereafter, the plant druid may select one of the following drifts, or a custom one of equivalent power. Vegetal Drifts may be taken up to 3 times, stacking (where applicable). Improved versions may only be taken after the original.

[quote]Barky skin: Your skin toughens like bark. You gain a +2 natural armour bonus.
Barky skin, Improved: Your skin hardens. You gain DR 2/slashing.
Tendrils: You grow vines from your body. You gain a +2 bonus to Grapple.
Tendrils, Improved: Your vines grow stronger and more plentiful. You gain Improved Grapple.
Vines: Your arms stretch and bend in a vine-like way. You gain an extra 5ft reach.
Vines, Improved: Your vine-like arms become tougher and quicker. You gain Improved Grab as an Extraordinary Ability.
Photosynthesis: Your skin and/or hair turn green, or you start to grow leaves. As long as you get at least 1 hour of sunlight a day you only need to eat half as much food and gain Fast Healing 2.
Photosynthesis, Improved: Your body produces more chloryphyll and becomes more plantlike. You gain Regeneration 1.

Fast Healing 2 is a bit much for an introductory ability. It's normally an ability that's a bit hard to get as a static, always on thing.

Regeneration is even more problematic. Without a negation method, you sort of don't die unless wished to death, similarly to the terrasque. And, if immunity to non lethal is tacked on, you become an unstoppable death machine. I'd suggest fire and acid as bypass options, same as trolls.

Also, consider that people investing in this might stack them repeatedly.


Roots: You start growing roots from your feet. Any time you spend at least one round without moving, you gain a +4 bonus against Bull Rush attempts.
Roots, Improved: Your roots start sending you sensory information. You gain Tremorsense.
Creepers: You grow tiny clinging tendrils. You gain a 10ft Climb Speed.
Spines: Your body grows thousands of needle-like spikes. Anyone hitting you with a natural or unarmed attack takes 1d4 piercing damage. Anyone grappling you takes 1d6 piercing damage.
Spines, Improved: Your spikes start producing an irritating poison. Anyone taking damage from the spines take 1d4 Dexterity damage (DC 10+1/2 HD+Con mod or 14, whichever is higher).
Thorns: You grow hard, sharp thorns. You gain a claw attack that deals 1d6 slashing damage.
Thorns, Improved: Your thorns become vicious and lacerating. They are considered to have the Keen and Nervewrack (On a critical hit, the opponent receives the following penalties due to pain for 1d4 rounds (no save): a) –2 penalty to AC, attack rolls, weapon damage, and Reflex saves; b) movement is ½; and c) casting spells requires a Concentration check vs. DC 15.) features.
Sap: Your blood starts to turn into sap. You gain a +4 bonus to checks to stabilise.
Sap, Improved: Your blood thickens further. You are immune to wounding and similar affects.
Heartwood: Your core toughens. You gain a +2 Constitution bonus. This cannot be taken twice in a row.
Heartwood, Improved: Your core toughens further, protecting your vital organs. You gain Light Fortification as an Extraordinary Ability.
Seeking Tendrils: Your fingers become prying tendrils and your body flexible as a sapling. You gain a +2 Dexterity bonus. This cannot be taken twice in a row.
Seeking Tendrils, Improved: Your limbs become whiplike, your digits fine enough to pry into any cranny. You may add your Dexterity modifier to the following checks: Disarm, Grapple, Trip, Climb, Disable Device, Open Lock, Perform (any non-vocal), Search.
Sturdy Trunk: Your body becomes heavier and wooden. You gain a +2 Strength bonus. This cannot be taken twice in a row.
Sturdy Trunk, Improved: You become heavier and much more solid than appearance would suggest. You are considered one size category larger whenever it it beneficial.
Alluring Scent: You sprout pleasant-smelling flowers, or your body produces a lovely scent. You gain a +2 Charisma bonus. This cannot be taken twice in a row.
Alluring Scent, Improved: Your scent gains in potency. You can use Charm Monster as a Spell-like Ability once per day, DC 10+1/2 HD +Charisma modifier or 14, whichever is higher.
Foliage: Over a full round, you can grow leaves and twigs all over your body. You can moult them as a move action. You gain a +4 bonus to Hide checks anywhere plants can grow.
Foliage, Improved: Your coat of leaves and twigs becomes thick and luxurious. You gain 30% Concealment whenever they are activated.

That stat boosts are pretty good. Particularly con. An extra cha bonus isn't a big deal for a most non cha class, but a possible +6 to con is no joke on a d8 class.


Infuse Life Bundles (Su)
At 5th level, the plant druid gains the ability to create life bundles. These are small bundles of seeds and cuttings infused with raw plant magic. When thrown by yourself, any Druid, Cleric of a deity of plants or nature, or a similar divine spellcaster (so long as you gave them the bundle of own free will), they burst into exuberant growth, growing over anything in its area. Only two bundles are effective in any one square; additional bundles sprout, but are overrun by the growth already present. Same effects do not stack.
The nature of the bundle depends on the types of plants used to make it. Almost any plants can be used. Some possible bundles include:

Entangling Bundle: Contains vines, blackberry, ivy and similar plants. It bursts into ropes and nets of clinging stems, wrapping around anything it comes into contact with. It emulates the effects of the spell entangle, except as noted below.

Spike Bundle: Contains brambles, blackberries, nettles, thistles, briars, roses, cacti and other spiky plants. It sprouts into a tangled mess of barbs and thorns. It emulates the effects of the spell entangle, except as noted below, and in that it deals 1d6 + 1 per 4 plant druid levels in piercing damage, and has a 20ft spread area.

Barrier Bundle: Contains brambles, blackberries, briars, bamboo, bushes and other densely growing plants. It grows into an impenetrable wall of stems and thorns, up to one 5ft cube per caster level (continuous). Any creatures caught in the area take 1d6 + 1 per 4 plant druid levels in piercing damage and are forced to the side. The wall must be hacked away to get through; doing so with anything other than a reach weapon deals 1d4 damage to the attacker.

Climbing Bundle: Contains vines, creepers, thornless briars and other long, strong plants. When thrown onto a wall or sloping surface, they spread out and grow into a tangled net. They can grow up to 10ft horizontally and 50ft vertically. The DC to climb the vines on a vertical surface is 5.

Decomposing Bundle: Contains various fungi and detritovores. This bundle requires a touch attack to hit a single target, and does not count towards the two-bundles-per-square limit. When it hits the target, the detritovores sprout out to cover it in seeking tendrils, sinking into any wounds the target already has or acquires. The target takes an extra point of damage from any skin-breaking attack, and one point per round of damage per open wound. Open wounds include those from piercing and slashing damage, and any bleeding wound or break in skin. The effect continues until the spores are removed (although if the wounds are closed, such as by a Cure spell, the target no longer takes the damage until another wound opens). The fungi is removed by spending a full round action to wipe it off, by being the target of a fire spell or a mundane fire effect, or cure disease.

Choking Bundle: Contains spores, strong-scented flowers, pollen and other strong and irritating substances. All breathing creatures within a 10ft radius must make a fortitude save or be sickened as long as they stay in the area. The choking cloud settles in 2d4 rounds.

The effects are Instantaneous. The DC for all is 10+CL. Bundles take 5 minutes each to infuse, and are used as a splash weapon. Components can be gathered ahead of time, and bundles generally last indefinitely.

Consider establishing a weight for each one, and be aware that this allows stockpiling ridiculous amounts of bundles, which could be a problem with sufficient downtime.

Also, note that requiring counting open wounds on a target might be messy, as that's not something that is typically tracked by D&D.


All in all, solidly tier 1.

Serpentine
2011-09-06, 08:43 AM
I've updated the Plant Druid in accordance with the above. I guess they're all ready to play, now?

Lvl45DM!
2011-09-28, 12:35 PM
Love the Animorph thing! You're right they are kinda druids. Cassie at least would have levels of druids. Rachel would be more of a barbarian though...
It would be awesome to see more of that stuff