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View Full Version : A Better Druid for a Better World (PEACH)



Grod_The_Giant
2012-01-28, 01:17 AM
It's common knowledge that the Druid is one of the most overpowered classes in the game. Wild Shape allows it to become a top-notch melee combatant without any effort, its animal companion is a free extra party member, and it gets 9th level spells and full access to a well-supported list. It's also somewhat complex to play, due to the sheer open-endedness of those features-- a real problem, since in my experience lots of newbies are attracted to the class. This fix is designed to drop him to a tier 3-- specifically, "capable of all things, but not quite as well as classes that specialize in that area"-- while still maintaining everything that makes him a druid.

Spontaneous casting would drop him a tier all by itself, and I think the more limited nature of the Druid list (especially the absence of massively powerful spells like Polymorph or Miracle) pushes things down even more. Using (a slightnly modified version of) the Shapechange variant also significantly lowers their power. Animal companions have been nerfed, with their advancement based on familiars rather than scads of bonus HD. Finally, many of the minor class abilities have been improved to be at least somewhat worthwhile, and flavorful new abilities added to fill out dead levels. So, without further ado...


The Druid

http://hollywoodhatesme.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/swamp-thing.jpg
A druid in his Forest Avenger form

Alignment: Must be at least partially Neutral
Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills: The 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 (Dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (Geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (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=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|0 lv|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th
1st|+0|+2|+0|+2|Animal companion, nature sense, wild empathy, Shapeshifting (predator form)|3|1|—|—|—|—|—|—|—|—
2nd|+1|+3|+0|+3|Woodland stride, Defender of Nature|4|2|—|—|—|—|—|—|—|—
3rd|+2|+3|+1|+3|Speak with Animals|4|2|1|—|—|—|—|—|—|—
4th|+3|+4|+1|+4|Spring Attack (predator form)|5|3|2|—|—|—|—|—|—|—
5th|+3|+4|+1|+4|Aerial form|5|3|2|1|—|—|—|—|—|—
6th|+4|+5|+2|+5|Resist nature’s lure|5|3|3|2|—|—|—|—|—|—
7th|+5|+5|+2|+5|Flyby Attack (aerial form)|6|4|3|2|1|—|—|—|—|—
8th|+6/+1|+6|+2|+6|Ferocious Slayer form|6|4|3|3|2|—|—|—|—|—
9th|+6/+1|+6|+3|+6|Nature Ritual|6|4|4|3|2|1|—|—|—|—
10th|+7/+2|+7|+3|+7|Improved Critical (ferocious slayer form)|6|4|4|3|3|2|—|—|—|—
11th|+8/+3|+7|+3|+7|Command of Self|6|5|4|4|3|2|1|—|—|—
12th|+9/+4|+8|+4|+8|Forest Avenger form|6|5|4|4|3|3|2|—|—|—
13th|+9/+4|+8|+4|+8|A thousand faces|6|5|5|4|4|3|2|1|—|—
14th|+10/+5|+9|+4|+9|Improved Overrun (forest avenger form)|6|5|5|4|4|3|3|2|—|—
15th|+11/+6/+1|+9|+5|+9|Timeless body, Avenger of Nature|6|5|5|5|4|4|3|2|1|—
16th|+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+10|Elemental Fury form|6|5|5|5|4|4|3|3|2|—
17th|+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+10|Mastery of Self|6|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|2|1
18th|+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+11|Great Cleave (elemental fury form)|6|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|3|2
19th|+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+11|Natural Casting|6|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|3
20th|+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+12|Avatar of the Wild|6|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|4|4[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Druids are proficient with all simple weapons, along with scimitars, shortbows, and longbows. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with shapeshift.

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) Druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.

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

Spells: A druid casts divine spells, which are drawn from the 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 druid can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or a cleric must.

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

A druid’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A druid begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of your choice. At each new druid level, she gains one or more new spells, as indicated on the table below. These new spells can be common spells chosen from the druid spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the druid has gained some understanding of by study. The druid can’t use this method of spell acquisition to learn spells at a faster rate, however.

Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered druid level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), a druid can choose to learn a new spell in place of one she already knows. In effect, the druid "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level druid spell the druid can cast. A druid may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.


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.

Druid Spells Known
{table=head]Level|0 lv|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th
1st |4|2|— |— |— |— |— |— |— |—
2nd |5|3|— |— |— |— |— |— |— |—
3rd |6|4|2|— |— |— |— |— |— |—
4th |7|5|3|— |— |— |— |— |— |—
5th |8|6|4|2|— |— |— |— |— |—
6th |9|6|5|3|— |— |— |— |— |—
7th |10|6|6|4|2|— |— |— |— |—
8th |10|6|6|5|3|— |— |— |— |—
9th |10|6|6|6|4|2|— |— |— |—
10th |10|6|6|6|5|3|— |— |— |—
11th |10|6|6|6|6|4|2|— |— |—
12th |10|6|6|6|6|5|3|— |— |—
13th |10|6|6|6|6|6|4|2|— |—
14th |10|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|— |—
15th |10|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|2|—
16th |10|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|—
17th |10|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|2
18th |10|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3[/table]

Bonus Languages: A 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 druid also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level 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.

Animal Companion (Ex): A druid may begin play with an animal companion selected from the following list: badger, camel, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper), or wolf. If the campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the following creatures are also available: porpoise, Medium shark, and squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the druid on her adventures as appropriate for its kind.

A 1st-level druid’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As a druid advances in level, the animal’s power increases as shown on the table. If a druid releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.

A druid of 4th level or higher may select from alternative lists of animals. Should she select an animal companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character’s druid level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character’s druid level and compare the result with the druid level entry on the table to determine the animal companion’s powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the druid’s effective level to 0 or lower, she can’t have that animal as a companion.)

Nature Sense (Ex): A druid gains a bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks equal to one half her Druid level. She may use her Wisdom modifier in place of her Intelligence modifier when making Knowledge (nature) checks.

Wild Empathy (Ex): A druid can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The druid rolls 1d20 and adds her druid level and her Wisdom modifier to determine the wild empathy check result.
The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.

To use wild empathy, the druid and the animal 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 animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.

A druid can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a -4 penalty on the check.

Shapeshifting (Su): You can shapeshift at will into powerful animal or nature-oriented forms. Each time you use this ability, you can choose the exact look that your shapeshifted form takes.

It requires only a swift action to shapeshift. If you are capable of taking more than one form, you can shapeshift directly between two forms without returning to your normal form. There’s no limit to the number of times per day that you can change form, nor to the amount of time you can spend in a shapeshifted form.

You retain your normal Hit Dice, hit points, base attack bonuses, base save bonuses, skill ranks, and ability scores regardless of your form, although most forms provide some sort of ability boost. You also retain all extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like special attacks and qualities of your normal form, except for those requiring a body part your new form does not have. Unless otherwise noted, you retain your size and space when you assume a new form. You always retain your type and subtype, regardless of the nature of the form assumed. You don’t gain any special attacks or qualities while shapeshifted except as noted below.

All your held, carried, or worn gear melds into your new form and becomes nonfunctional until you return to your natural form (except for armor with the Wild special ability or similar items-- any item that works with Wild Shape works with Shapeshift). You cannot speak in shapeshifted form, and your limbs lack the precision required to wield a weapon or perform tasks requiring fine manipulation. You can’t cast spells or activate magic items while in Shapeshifted form.

You can take feats such as Improved Natural Attack or Wingover that you could only qualify for in shapeshifted form, although you only gain the benefits of said feat while in a form that qualifies for it.

If knocked unconscious or slain in shapeshifted form, you revert to your own form.

Forms:
Predator Form- At 1st level, you gain the ability to shift into a wolf, panther, or similar creature. You gain a primary bite attack that deals d8 points of damage. You have the reach of a long creature of your size. You gain a +4 inherent bonus to strength, your natural armor bonus improves by 4, and your base land speed becomes 50 ft.

At 4th level, you gain Spring Attack as a bonus feat in predator form, even if you don’t meet the prerequisites.

Aerial Form- At 5th level, you can shapeshift into a flying creature, such as an eagle or bat. While in Aerial form, you gain a primary talon attack that deals d6 points of damage. You gain a +2 inherent bonus to Strength, Dexterity Reflex Saves, and natural armor. You also gain a fly speed of 60ft. (good maneuverability)

At 7th level, you gain Flyby Attack as a bonus feat while you are in aerial form.

Ferocious Slayer Form- At 8th level, you can shapeshift into a large and fierce predatory form, such as a lion. Your size increases by one category (to a maximum of colossal) and you have the reach of a long creature of your size. You gain a primary bite attack dealing 2d6 damage and two secondary claw attacks dealing d8 damage. You gain a +8 inherent bonus to Strength, a +4 inherent bonus on Fortitude saves, and your natural armor bonus improves by 8. Your base land speed changes to 40 feet.

At 10th level, you gain Improved Critical (Bite) and Improved Critical (Claw) while in ferocious slayer form.

Forest Avenger Form- At 12th level, you can take the form of a massive plantlike creature, similar to a shambling mound or a treant. (Druids not native to forest terrains typically rename this form to fit their environment).

When in forest avenger form, you gain a pair of primary slam attacks that deal 2d6 points of damage each. Your size increases by one category (to a maximum of colossal) and you have the reach of a tall creature of your size (5 feet for medium, 10 feet for large). You gain a +12 inherent bonus to Strength and natural armor and a +4 inherent bonus on Fortitude and Will saves. Your base land speed becomes 20 feet. You gain DR 5/slashing while in forest avenger form, and your type becomes plant, granting you critical hits, sleep effects, paralysis, and stunning. However, you remain vulnerable to mind-affecting effects and polymorph.

At 14th level, you gain Improved Overrun as a bonus feat while in forest avenger form.

Elemental Fury Form- At 16th level, you can shapeshift into a giant form of air, earth, fire, or water. Your size increases by two categories, and you have the reach of a tall creature of your size. You gain a pair of primary slam attacks that deal 3d6 damage each, +1d6 damage of a type corresponding to the type of elemental you become. In addition, you gain a +16 inherent bonus to Strength and natural armor, and a +4 inherent bonus to all saves. Your base land speed doesn’t change, but you gain immunity to critical hits and energy damage corresponding to the type of elemental you become. You don’t need to breathe while in elemental fury form.

At 18th level, you gain Great Cleave as a bonus feat while in elemental fury form, even if you don’t meet the normal prerequisites.

Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a 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. She may also walk through thorns, briars, or overgrown areas that have been magically affected to impede movement (such as by an entangle spell), provided that her druid level is higher than that of whoever cast the effect. (Thus, a 5th level druid could walk through the area of effect of an entangle spell cast by a 2nd level druid, but not vice-versa).

Defender of Nature (Ex): A druid has an all-encompassing disdain for creatures which pervert nature's order. Starting at 2nd level, she may add her Wisdom modifier to attack and damage rolls against aberrations, oozes, and undead. This includes weapons, natural weapons, and any spells which might deal damage or require an attack roll.

Speak with Animals (Su): Starting at 3rd level, a druid may communicate with all animals as though they shared a language.

Resist Nature’s Lure (Ex): Starting at 6th level, a druid gains an Insight bonus on saving throws against the extraordinary, supernatural and spell-like abilities of animals, fey, plants and vermin equal to her Wisdom modifier.

Nature Ritual(Sp): At 9th level, a druid's connection with nature is such that she can channel its power through potent ritual magic. A nature ritual emulates any one spell from the Druid list; it need not be one that the druid personally knows, but it must be of a level she would normally be able to cast. Rituals have a casting time of ten minutes per level of the spell being emulated, plus the spell's normal casting time, and require the druid to spend an amount of experience points equal to one hundred times the level of the spell being emulated. If the spell being emulated has material or experience costs, they must be paid in addition to the usual ritual cost. The druid may pay an additional 25 experience/spell level to increase the duration of the spell being emulated by one step (rounds/level -> minutes/level -> hours/level -> days/level -> weeks/level). The druid may apply any metamagic feat she knows to the spell being emulated, taking the increased time and paying the increased cost for a spell of the adjusted level.

For example, if a druid wished to cast ironwood as a nature ritual, it would take 60 minutes, +1 minute/pound of wood created and require her to spend 600XP. If she spends an additional 150xp, the spell lasts for one week/level. If she wished to cast awaken as a nature ritual, it would take 24 hours and 50 minutes, and require her to spend 750xp.

Command of Self (Ex): At 11th level, a druid has incredible control over her own form. She gains a bonus to saves against transmutation spells equal to her Wisdom modifier. This bonus stacks with Resist Nature's Lure.

A Thousand Faces (Su): At 13th level, a druid gains the ability to change her appearance at will, as if using the disguise self spell, but only while in her normal form. This affects the druid’s body but not her possessions. It is not an illusory effect, but a minor physical alteration of the druid’s appearance, within the limits described for the spell. Doing so gives her a +10 bonus to Disguise checks, as though she was under the effects of a disguise self spell.

Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 15th level, a druid no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the druid still dies of old age when her time is up.

Avenger of Nature (Ex): Starting at 15th level, a druid may add one-half her Wisdom modifier to spell save DCs against aberrations, oozes, and undead. In addition, she may add her druid level to weapon damage rolls against such creatures (including natural weapon damage rolls).

Mastery of Self (Ex): At 17th level, a druid has such perfect control over her own form that she becomes immune to transmutation spells. She may chose to allow beneficial spells to affect her, however. Doing so does not take an action.

Natural Casting (Ex): Beginning at 19th level, a druid learns techniques for working magic in animal form. A number of times per day equal to her Wisdom modifier, she may take a standard action to cast a spell while shapeshifted. The spell may be up to two levels lower than the highest level spell she can cast, have a casting time of no longer than one standard action, and must come from the Druid list.

Avatar of the Wild: By 20th level, a druid has transcend humanity to become one with the natural world. She gains the elemental type, DR 10/—, resistance 20 to all energy types, and a +2 perfection bonus to all physical abilities. In addition, if she is ever killed, her body is reformed in the nearest forest, as if affected by a reincarnate spell, 1d4 days later.


The Druid’s Animal Companion

A druid’s animal companion is different from a normal animal of its kind in many ways. A druid’s animal companion is superior to a normal animal of its kind and has special powers, as described below.

{table=head]Class Level|Str/Dex/Natural Armor Adj.|Int|Special
1st-2nd|+0|4|Empathic Link
3rd-5th|+1|5|Evasion
6th-8th|+2|6|Improved Natural Attack
9th-11th|+3|7|Multiattack
12th-14th|+4|8|Improved Empathic Link
15th-17th|+5|9|Improved Evasion
18th-20th|+6|10|Devotion[/table]

Class Level: The character’s druid level. The druid’s class levels stack with levels of any other classes that are entitled to an animal companion for the purpose of determining the companion’s abilities and the alternative lists available to the character.

Hit Dice: For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the druid’s character level or the animal companion’s normal HD total, whichever is higher.

Hit Points: The animal companion has two-thirds the druid’s total hit points (not including temporary hit points), rounded down, regardless of its actual Hit Dice.

Attacks: Use the druid’s base attack bonus, as calculated from all her classes. Use the animal companion’s Dexterity or Strength modifier, whichever is greater, to get the animal companion’s melee attack bonus with natural weapons. Damage equals that of a normal creature of the animal companion’s kind.

Saving Throws: For each saving throw, use either the animal companion’s base save bonus (Fortitude +2, Reflex +2, Will +0) or the druid’s (as calculated from all her classes), whichever is better. The animal companion uses its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any of the other bonuses that the druid might have on saves.

Skills: For each skill in which either the druid or the animal companion has ranks, use either the normal skill ranks for an animal of that type or the druid’s skill ranks, whichever are better. In either case, the animal companion uses its own ability modifiers. Regardless of a animal companion’s total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the animal companion’s ability to use.

Empathic Link (Su): The druid has an empathic link with her animal companion out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The druid cannot see through the animal companion’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically. Because of the limited nature of the link, only general emotional content can be communicated.

Because of their empathic link, the druid has the same connection to an item or place that her animal companion does.

Evasion (Ex): If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.

Improved Natural Attack: An animal companion gains Improved Natural Attack as a bonus feat for all its natural attacks.

Multiattack: An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, or it already has the feat, the animal companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a -5 penalty.

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an animal companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.

Improved Empathic Link (Su): A druid’s connection with her animal companion improves. This maximum distance increases to a number of miles equal to the druid’s Wisdom modifier. In addition, when within one mile of her companion, the druid can “borrow” the animal’s senses, allowing her to see through its eyes, use its ears, and so on. Doing so requires her to either willfully ignore the input from her own senses or take a -5 penalty to all rolls due to distraction.

Devotion (Ex): An animal companion gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against [mind affecting] spells and effects. In addition, if it is ever affected by such an effect, it may make a new save each round until either the effect ends or it saves successfully.


Natural Spell [Metamagic]
Prerequisite: Wild Shape or Shapeshift, Druid Level 5
Benefit: You can complete the verbal and somatic components of spells while shapeshifted. You substitute various noises and gestures for the normal verbal and somatic components of a spell. You can also use any material components or focuses you possess, even if such items are melded within your current form. This feat does not permit the use of magic items while you are in a form that could not ordinarily use them, and you do not gain the ability to speak while in a wild shape.

A Natural Spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell's actual level.

Life Through Two Eyes
Prerequisite: Animal companion with the Improved Empathic Link ability.
Benefit: When attempting to use both your own senses and those of your animal companion, you do not take the usual -5 penalty. In addition, while doing so you cannot be flanked, and gain a +5 bonus on Spot and Listen checks when your animal companion is within 120ft.



New Magic Items

Amulet of Mighty Fangs- This amulet grants an enhancement bonus of +1 to +5 on attack and damage rolls with unarmed attacks and natural weapons. IT REMAINS IN EFFECT IF THE BEARER CHANGES SHAPE, such as the druid’s Wild Shape ability, or a polymorph spell.

Faint evocation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, greater magic fang, creator’s caster level must be at least three times the amulet’s bonus; Price 7,000 gp (+1), 28,000 gp (+2), 63,000 gp (+3), 112,000 gp (+4), 175,000 gp (+5).

Amulet of Mighty Hide- This amulet, usually crafted from bone or beast scales, toughens the wearer’s body and flesh, giving him an enhancement bonus to his natural armor bonus of from +1 to +5, depending on the kind of amulet. IT REMAINS IN EFFECT IF THE BEARER CHANGES SHAPE, such as the druid’s Wild Shape ability, or a polymorph spell.

Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, barkskin, creator’s caster level must be at least three times the amulet’s bonus; Price 3,000 gp (+1), 9,000 gp (+2), 27,000 gp (+3), 48,000 gp (+4), or 75,000 gp (+5).

Druid's Vestment- This light garment is worn over normal clothing or armor. Most such vestments are green, embroidered with plant or animal motifs. When this item is worn by a character with the Shapeshift ability, it increases the damage of all natural weapons gained by shapeshifting as though the character had the Improved Natural Weapon feat. (The benefit from this item stacks with the feat).

Moderate transmutation; CL 10th; Craft Wondrous Item, polymorph or wild shape ability; Price 10,000 gp.

New enhancement— Shifting- this enchantment was once used by the Lords of the Sundered Oak, a group of druids and beastmen (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213031)who believed their ability to assume animal shape was the highest form of communion with nature. The order was wiped out long ago, but many pieces of their lore remain, among them this enchantment.

A weapon with the Shifting enchantment can be used even when the wielder has changed shape, such as with the Wild Shape ability. Chose one primary natural weapon possessed by the new form. All enchantments and special materials of the Shifting Weapon are transferred to the natural weapon.

For example, a druid with a +2 Shifting dagger made out of cold iron uses Shapeshift to transform into predator form. His bite attack now has a +2 enhancement bonus to attack and damage, and overcomes damage reduction as if it was a cold iron weapon.

Moderate transmutation, CL 10, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ???, creator must be a druid; Price +1 Bonus

NeoSeraphi
2012-01-28, 01:31 AM
"Elemental" is not a subtype. The Elemental is its own type of creature, it is completely different from an outsider.

It also makes no sense that you give the Forestwalker form and the Elemental Fury form the same damage with their natural slam attack, when the Elemental Fury form is an entire Size category larger than the creature. Yes, you add a d6 of energy damage, but you make the same natural attack deal the same damage for two different sized creatures. It just...doesn't make sense.

The picture is awesome.

The bonus to ability scores should be "inherent", not "inherit".

Natural Spell should have a "Divine Caster Level 5" prerequisite, and should only apply to divine spells, to prevent theurge and single-level dip shenanigans.

Natural Casting, as written, allows you to cast spells like control weather, restoration, liveoak, and even awaken as a single standard action. Was this intentional?

The class, overall, looks decent. I would still remove the animal companion, personally, but that's just me.

Grod_The_Giant
2012-01-28, 02:19 AM
Whoops-- thanks for all the little catches. I will go back and edit those directly. And... doy! Animal companion! I changed that as well, to nerf it down to familiar-level utility, but forgot to post to corrected progression. It should be up now.

Grod_The_Giant
2012-01-29, 02:11 PM
Added some explanatory text at the beginning of the entry, and changed out the (rather climate specific) Forest Walking for Nature Ritual, to allow players limited access to the cool-but-highly-situational spells like awaken.

gkathellar
2012-02-01, 01:40 PM
Ooooh. More cool things.

Chassis looks fine.


Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with shapeshift.

I know it's not traditional, but it seems like they should get a more general simple weapon proficiency. If you want to keep the silly "scimitars 'cause they are curved like the moooooon!" that's fine, though.


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

Emphasis mine. Change to "uses," as otherwise the druid can't help carry loot and is vulnerable to someone stuffing a shield in his pack.


Spells:

Spontaneous, spells-known casting! Bam! That's enough to take the druid down to Tier 2 on its own.


Animal Companion (Ex):

Business as usual, but that's no problem. Balance problems here are actually going to be much smaller: fewer spells means fewer shared spells and more specialization on the druid's part.


Nature Sense (Ex): A druid gains a bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks equal to one half her Druid level. She may use her Wisdom modifier in place of her Intelligence modifier when making Knowledge (nature) checks.

Cool, this actually makes druids the preeminent experts of the wilds now. I'm in favor of that.


Wild Empathy (Ex):

Make this Wisdom-based. It always should have been — no druid is going to focus on Charisma just for Wild Empathy to be useful, so unless you make it Wisdom-based the ability basically doesn't exist.


Shapeshifting (Su):

On the one hand, yes. On the other hand, I'm uncertain about losing your magic items now that druids have fewer spells known. The benefits of these forms don't keep up with the comparable benefits of magic items, especially defensively. This encourages buff-heavy melee druids to invest all their wealth into their flanking buddy, and casting-focused druids to avoid Shapeshifting altogether.


[QUOTE=Grod_The_Giant;12613413]Predator Form

Aerial Form

Ferocious Slayer Form

All okay. I feel like they should get thrown some upgrades or more bonus feats to keep them halfway relevant at higher levels — otherwise they just get completely outmoded.


Forest Avenger Form

This is missing its natural armor bonus. Same point as above.


Elemental Fury Form

Fine.


Woodland Stride (Ex):

Eh.


Speak with Animals (Su):

Good. This should've been on the original.


Resist Nature’s Lure (Ex):

Interesting. Now this ability is actually good, if still highly situational. I'd say you should expand it to include elementals, animals and vermin.


Nature Ritual(Sp):

Ah. That is interesting. Still Tier 2 despite this, and lower on Tier 2 than the traditional Sorcerer or Favored Soul.


Command of Self (Ex):

Quite strong, but not exactly out of line. Is this intended to stack with Resist Nature's Lure?


A Thousand Faces (Su):

Years ago, I read this ability and has this sudden revelation about how D&D spellcasters are capable of completely destroying a civilization without any real effort. Fond memories.

As to the actual ability, pretty much okay as usual.


Timeless Body (Ex):

Timeless Body is not a real ability, so I sort of feel like something else should come in at 15th level. Maybe some kind of parallel to Resist Nature's Lure that works against specifically unnatural forces (undead, aberrations, oozes, etc.) ... Resist the Uncanny?


Mastery of Self (Ex):

Yeah, another vote for Resist the Uncanny or some equivalent, since this replaces Command of Self entirely. This is quite strong, but you're at Tier 2 and you're gonna stay there, so I'm not worried.


Natural Casting (Ex):

Nice. Good pseudo-capstone.


Avatar of the Wild:

Sweet. Good capstone for a spellcaster.


The Druid’s Animal Companion

No share spell? That is interesting, and weakens the companion noticeably.


Natural Spell [Metamagic]
Prerequisite: Wild Shape or Shapeshift, Druid Level 5
Benefit: You can complete the verbal and somatic components of spells while shapeshifted. You substitute various noises and gestures for the normal verbal and somatic components of a spell. You can also use any material components or focuses you possess, even if such items are melded within your current form. This feat does not permit the use of magic items while you are in a form that could not ordinarily use them, and you do not gain the ability to speak while in a wild shape.

A Natural Spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell's actual level.

Bear in mind that for a spontaneous caster like the new druid, there's the additional penalty of casting time here.


Life Through Two Eyes

Not great, but sure.

Overall, a good rework, hitting low Tier 2. I'm a little nervous about the effectiveness of Shapeshifting (or lack thereof), but this is solid.

Grod_The_Giant
2012-02-01, 09:23 PM
I know it's not traditional, but it seems like they should get a more general simple weapon proficiency. If you want to keep the silly "scimitars 'cause they are curved like the moooooon!" that's fine, though.
Hmm... good point. I'll look into this.


Emphasis mine. Change to "uses," as otherwise the druid can't help carry loot and is vulnerable to someone stuffing a shield in his pack.
Good catch, thanks.


Cool, this actually makes druids the preeminent experts of the wilds now. I'm in favor of that.
Glad you like it.


Make this Wisdom-based. It always should have been — no druid is going to focus on Charisma just for Wild Empathy to be useful, so unless you make it Wisdom-based the ability basically doesn't exist.
Doy! Good idea.


On the one hand, yes. On the other hand, I'm uncertain about losing your magic items now that druids have fewer spells known. The benefits of these forms don't keep up with the comparable benefits of magic items, especially defensively. This encourages buff-heavy melee druids to invest all their wealth into their flanking buddy, and casting-focused druids to avoid Shapeshifting altogether.
Hmm-- I forgot that wildshape items don't traditionally work with Shapeshift. I'll make a note about it, and copy over some new such items from my Beastman (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213031)class.


All okay. I feel like they should get thrown some upgrades or more bonus feats to keep them halfway relevant at higher levels — otherwise they just get completely outmoded.
I already boosted them a bit from the original, but I'll see what I can do.


This is missing its natural armor bonus. Same point as above.
Oops.


Eh.
I know, it's a really 'meh' ability, but it's something that a druid really should be able to do.


Interesting. Now this ability is actually good, if still highly situational. I'd say you should expand it to include elementals, animals and vermin.
Good call.


Ah. That is interesting. Still Tier 2 despite this, and lower on Tier 2 than the traditional Sorcerer or Favored Soul.
Thanks. I figured that the druid list doesn't contain many really break-the-game spells, so I might as well let them have access to cool stuff like awaken that nobody would take as one of your very few spells known.


Quite strong, but not exactly out of line. Is this intended to stack with Resist Nature's Lure?
Yes


Years ago, I read this ability and has this sudden revelation about how D&D spellcasters are capable of completely destroying a civilization without any real effort. Fond memories.

As to the actual ability, pretty much okay as usual.
Haha, never thought about that, but it is pretty true, isn't it?


Timeless Body is not a real ability, so I sort of feel like something else should come in at 15th level. Maybe some kind of parallel to Resist Nature's Lure that works against specifically unnatural forces (undead, aberrations, oozes, etc.) ... Resist the Uncanny?
Hmmm... a nice thought, though it should be noted that you also gain access to 8th level spells, so it's not that dead a level.


Yeah, another vote for Resist the Uncanny or some equivalent, since this replaces Command of Self entirely. This is quite strong, but you're at Tier 2 and you're gonna stay there, so I'm not worried.
This was actually in there first, and I added Command so that it didn't come completely out of nowhere.


Nice. Good pseudo-capstone.
Sweet. Good capstone for a spellcaster.
Thanks!


No share spell? That is interesting, and weakens the companion noticeably.
That was the goal. No more two-for-one buffing.


Bear in mind that for a spontaneous caster like the new druid, there's the additional penalty of casting time here.
True, and I suppose that there's also not all that much penalty for turning human again... maybe drop it down to +1 level?


Not great, but sure.
Yeah, it was one of those "don't know if anyone would actually take it, but it's the kind of thing that a feat should exist for" things.


Overall, a good rework, hitting low Tier 2. I'm a little nervous about the effectiveness of Shapeshifting (or lack thereof), but this is solid.
Thanks! It's worth remembering that since Shapeshifting is a swift action, the druid can throw on a buff or two before wading into combat. And since it's an at-will ability, on top of ninth level casting... I dunno, don't want to make it too strong.

UPDATE: Decided to keep scimitar proficiency, as it's kind of iconic, but added bows, since they're hunting weapons. Added anti-unnatural foes abilities to 2nd and 15th level, since Woodland stride (which now gets a very slight utility boost) and Timeless Body are so bland.