Druid Origins?

[Slayer Lord]

My DM's been planning a druid NPC of some kind, and while glossing over the Player's Handbook he realized something: The PHB doesn't really give a definitive explanation for how someone becomes a druid. More specifically, he remembered that a druid loses all of their powers by teaching druidic to a non-druid, then got to wondering how one becomes a druid in the first place because of that.

Some ideas we've come up with include familial or tribal heritage, monastic order, school in the woods, etc, but I'd still like to find some other ideas. So, how do you usually play the origins of druid characters?

[Empedocles]

I'd say it happens naturally at 1st. Someone at touch with nature discovers natural magic. Then, a coven discovers him and initiates him (teaching him druidic in the process). Any more formal structure than that hurts the flavor of the druids as more or less independent IMO.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

My DM's been planning a druid NPC of some kind, and while glossing over the Player's Handbook he realized something: The PHB doesn't really give a definitive explanation for how someone becomes a druid. More specifically, he remembered that a druid loses all of their powers by teaching druidic to a non-druid, then got to wondering how one becomes a druid in the first place because of that.

Clearly they abduct children into their sinister cult! That or druids teach druidic to non-druids and brow beat them into becoming druids in order to prevent them from losing their druidic powers.

[Need_A_Life]

Ah, a common misunderstanding due to a printing error in the DMG.

The commoner class has a level 1 class feature called "Acquire Competence" that allows them to exchange their commoner levels for useful class levels given even the slightest excuse. :smallwink:

But think of it this way: Only Druids know Druidic. Therefore, if this person learns Druidic, they are clearly a Druid, so no worries.

[cc_kizz]

I recently created a druid. I too was faced with a lack of clear understanding of how the initiation happens. I chose to have my character grow up among other druids (she was adopted, but raised as one of their own). In this case, it's a familial heritage.

[Marnath]

My understanding of the situation is that prospective members either seek out the nearest druid circle, or are sought out by a recruiter. Upon being accepted as a student, they become a druid of apprentice rank. They can then be trained in the rites and language of the druids safely, since they've already committed to that way of life.

[Andvare]

My last druid had a Mowgli-ish story. Raised by dinos instead of wolves, in the jungles of Faerun (rather some long-forgotten island and not Faerun itself). Found by a couple of humans, and then became a xenobiologist.

Oh, you take D&D seriously? Right. I suppose I shouldn't mention my Gnome clan then (a somewhat detailed clan, with 121% Gnomes, because a large part of them were paragon Gnomes, so more Gnome than Gnome).

I'd say it's some person that is in touch with nature, so much so that s/he is selected by nature to protect it. A symbiotic relationship, if you will. Sorta like a cleric that doesn't have a god, but a cause or philosophy.

[Akisa]

I'm also curious as to how does one multiclass to druid?

[Ravens_cry]

I'm also curious as to how does one multiclass to druid?
Trick a Druid into teaching you Druidic. Since only Druids know Druidic, that makes you a Druid.
That's Logic!:smalltongue: