Undead Druid Conundrum

[silverwolfer]

So double whammy


If druid is balance of nature, friend of all, hates undead


While Walker of the Waste, is a very flavored undead desert tree hugger.


Does fluff trump core fluff?

Does becoming undead through WOTW, prevent losing druid levels?

[javijuji]

Wow. Would love to try something like this.

[Phelix-Mu]

Hmm, well several druids that I have played/npc'd in my world aren't totally against undead, since undead do kind of fill an "almost natural" role in my fantasy world (some even are spontaneously animated by natural negative energy). But obviously, significant groups of undead or strong undead run amok threatn balance.

I some sense, a true Neutral druid can take an "ends justify the means" approach. If becoming a WotW helps the druid fulfill their role of maintaining the balance, then it may be considered a necessary evil. Plus, there are plenty of evil druids, so they can certainly have their own selfish ambitions in addition to their vows. "I'm the ultimate judge of what is balanced, so I can't afford to die." Or something like that.

Notably, if you become undead, you need to take Undead Wild Shape feat, since undead are immune to polymorph (at least I think that is the reason the feat exists).

[Spuddles]

There aren't actually any explicit rules that state that druids cannot be undead. I could see evil lich/sand lich druids in FR, for instance, worshipping their evil nature god.

One could argue that as sapient races are already outside the natural order, what's a little undeath? Especially through preserving yourself via the powers of the waste. The waste is like nature's avatar of death.

[Jeraa]

There aren't actually any explicit rules that state that druids cannot be undead. I could see evil lich/sand lich druids in FR, for instance, worshipping their evil nature god.

There is even an undead druid stated up in the Forgotten Realms. Lossarwyn the ice lich, leader of the Eldreth Veluthra. (Champions of Ruin, page 83).

And there is nothing in the core rules that prevents an undead druid, either. As long as the undead druid continues to revere nature. Forest fires are natural, death is natural, wolves killing cute fluffy bunnies is natural. And many undead spontaneously rise from the dead, which could be considered natural as well (in a fantasy world, at least.)


Notably, if you become undead, you need to take Undead Wild Shape feat, since undead are immune to polymorph (at least I think that is the reason the feat exists).

Do you mean Corrupted Wild Shape? (Libris Mortis, page 25). The only undead druid that is stated in an official book (Lossarwyn) doesn't have the feat, but is still noted as being able to wild shape. And the feat existed before the lich was created.

Edit: But that could be because a lich shouldn't need the feat.


Liches have immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph (though they can use polymorph effects on themselves), and mind-affecting attacks.

[Spuddles]

The walker in the waste in sandstorm has a deuid chassis and also retains wildshape ability. Not sure if it has all 10 levels in witw, though.

[silverwolfer]

well, being undead lich, prevents all unwilling plolymoprhs, so RAW, you can still wild shape.

[RaefgarRockfist]

This sounds like a great concept. I'm running an evil campaign, and my druid may love this whole lich - nature's avatar of death idea. :smallamused:

[Psyren]

The nature of a desert is a barren place of death, that nonetheless is full of life. A lich druid may actually embody this paradox in its very form.

Just be careful since a pool of water is the divine focus for some druid spells.

[Jeraa]

Just be careful since a pool of water is the divine focus for some druid spells.

Shouldn't be a problem. Create Water is a 0-level druid spell.

Edit: Though Scrying requiring a natural pool of water could be a problem. Anything else that just requires a pool of water should be fine, though.

[Psyren]

Shouldn't be a problem. Create Water is a 0-level druid spell.

No, that's not it - water hurts dry liches.

[silverwolfer]

all water counts as holy water


That is why I plastic wrap all my dry liches to protect from water damage.

[MasterFu]

I can remember two undead-themed druidic prestige classes from 3.0 or so:

Blighters are former druids that fuel their spellcasting by defiling large swaths of land. They can animate undead animals and can wildshape into undead animal forms. The version I saw also gets an undead animal companion.

I can't find the other one anywhere and the name escapes me (was in the old druid handbook, I think), but the character concept was that of a druid who went a little crazy when their forest had been destroyed or corrupted. They still saw themselves as a part of nature, but were pitied and avoided by other druids. I think they also had abilities related to undead animals.