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Szatany
2007-02-13, 07:05 AM
What do you think of this class? It uses the same casting system as wizard I posted here few days eariler, but other than that it has plenty modifications on its own.

Druid
http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/images/eyreequel.jpg
Picture by Furiae

GAME RULE INFORMATION
Druids have the following game statistics.

Abilities: Same as in Player’s Handbook.

Alignment: A druid must be either neutral good, lawful neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral, or neutral evil.

Hit Points per Level: 1d8 + Con modifier.
Hit points are maximized at 1st character level.

Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Skill points are multiplied by 4 at 1st character level.

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


Base Fort Ref Will
Level Attack Bonus Save Save Save Special .
1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Lord of the wild, spellcasting
2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 -
3rd +1 +3 +1 +3 -
4th +2 +4 +1 +4 Lord of the wild
5th +2 +4 +1 +4 Druidic path (step 1)
6th +3 +5 +2 +5 -
7th +3 +5 +2 +5 Lord of the wild
8th +4 +6 +2 +6 Druidic path (step 2)
9th +4 +6 +3 +6 -
10th +5 +7 +3 +7 Lord of the wild
11th +5 +7 +3 +7 Druidic path (step 3)
12th +6/+1 +8 +4 +8 -
13th +6/+1 +8 +4 +8 Lord of the wild
14th +7/+2 +9 +4 +9 Druidic path (step 4)
15th +7/+2 +9 +5 +9 Timeless body
16th +8/+3 +10 +5 +10 Lord of the wild
17th +8/+3 +10 +5 +10 Druidic path (step 5)
18th +9/+4 +11 +6 +11 -
19th +9/+4 +11 +6 +11 Lord of the wild
20th +10/+5 +12 +6 +12 Druidic path (step 6) CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the druid.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Druids are proficient with all simple weapons and light armor. They are prohibited from wearing armors or shields made mostly of metal, or carry such weapons or items. (A druid may 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 not proficient with shields and if a druid gains shields proficiency, she can use only wooden ones.
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.

Spellcasting: A druid casts divine spells, which are drawn from the druid spell list.
To learn or cast a spell, a druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell's level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a druid's spell is 10 + half the druid's level + the druid’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a druid can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day (excluding invocations, see below). The druid doesn't receive bonus spells per day for having high Wisdom score. Like bard or paladin, a druid may know a number of spells from each spell level equal to 3 + her Wisdom modifier. It is possible for her to learn spells above that limit, but the costs are high. Druid's spell slots regenerate at the sunrise. If she is not in an open natural area at this point, she cannot fill emptied slots until the next day.
A druid need not prepare her spells in advance. She can cast any spell she knows at any time, assuming she has not yet used up her spells per day for that level. She does not have to decide ahead of time which spells she’ll cast.
Druid's caster level is equal to her class level.

Spells per day Invocations
Level 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 C.L. known
1st 3 1 - - - - - - 1 1
2nd 3 2 - - - - - - 1 2
3rd 4 3 - - - - - - 2 2
4th 4 3 1 - - - - - 2 2
5th 4 3 2 - - - - - 3 3
6th 4 4 3 - - - - - 3 3
7th 4 4 3 1 - - - - 4 3
8th 4 4 3 2 - - - - 4 4
9th 4 4 4 3 - - - - 5 4
10th 4 4 4 3 1 - - - 5 4
11th 4 4 4 3 2 - - - 6 5
12th 4 4 4 4 3 - - - 6 5
13th 4 4 4 4 3 1 - - 7 5
14th 4 4 4 4 3 2 - - 7 6
15th 4 4 4 4 4 3 - - 8 6
16th 4 4 4 4 4 3 1 - 8 6
17th 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 - 9 7
18th 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 - 9 7
19th 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 1 10 7
20th 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 10 8
Learning New Spells: A druid can learn any spell from her list, but doing so is tasking and requires a sacrifice. To learn a spell, druid must destroy an item (or items) worth spell's level squared x 50 gold (or 25 gp in case of 0-level spells). Those items must be clearly a product of civilization. In addition, the druid must meditate for spells in a place untouched by civilization. Prayer must take 1 hour per spell's level (30 minutes for a 0-level spell) and can not be interrupted. If it is, it must be performed again, and the offerings are lost.
If a druid attempts to learn a spell and she already reached her limit of spells known for that level, multiply gold cost by 10.
A newly created 1st level druid knows a number of 1st level spells equal to her Wis bonus and the same number of 0-level spells.
Natural Link: As druid walks more into the civilization, her connection with nature weakens and it becomes hard for her to draw magical power of the world. As long as druid is in a small town or any larger settlement, or on a plane with 2 alignment descriptors, all her druid spells suffer 10% divine spell failure chance. On the other hand, druids are more confident in their magical abilities when surrounded by the natural world. When no closer than one mile from any settlement, a druid gains +2 morale bonus on Concentration checks related to spells.

Invocations: A druid can cast some spells as invocations. That means that she doesn't need to spend a slot of an appropriate level to cast that spell. Any spell cast as invocation uses reduced caster level, as shown on table: spells per day. A druid can cast invocations even if she has no slots left.
At 1st level, a druid learns how to cast one 0-level spell from the list below as invocation (provided she knows that spell).
At 2nd level and every 3 levels thereafter, a druid learns how to cast another spell from the list. A druid can choose a spell she doesn't know yet, but she is unable to cast it until she learns it. She cannot, however, choose a spell she can't yet cast because her class level is too low to access that level of spells.
List of spells a druid can cast as invocations:
0 level - Flare, Know Direction, Resistance, Virtue
1st level - Calm Animals, Endure Elements, Goodberry, Longstrider, Magic Fang, Magic Stone, Produce Flame, Shillelagh, Speak with Animals
2nd level - Barkskin, Chill Metal, Flame Blade, Gust of Wind, Heat Metal
3rd level - Call Lightning, Poison, Quench, Sleet Storm, Spike Growth
4th level - Antiplant Shell, Blight, Control Water, Flame Strike, Giant Vermin, Rusting Grasp, Spike Stones
5th level - Call Lightning Storm, Stoneskin, Wall of Fire.Lord of the Wild (Ex): Druids are champions of natural order and get along in wilderness with almost supernatural ease. At 1st level, and every 3 levels thereafter (4th, 7th, and so on), a druid gains one ability from the list below.
Blood of Rivers (Ex): A druid becomes immune to non-magical diseases.
Breath of Caverns (Ex): A druid does no longer need to breathe while underground (including being submerged underground). She can also sense incoming earthquake if the earthquake is going to affect location she is in. She can sense it up to 1 minute/level before first tremor happens.
Desert Soul (Su): A druid no longer needs water to survive. She also gains fire resistance 5.
Fishhead (Ex): A druid's sight is not distorted by water. She can see through water as easily as through air. In addition, a druid can hold breath as if her Constitution was 10 points higher.
Nature Sense (Ex): A druid gains +2 bonus on Climb, Handle Animal, Heal, Ride, Survival, and Swim checks when in wilderness. She also gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) checks.
Resist Nature’s Lure (Ex): A druid gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the supernatural and spell-like abilities of fey and plants.
Sun’s Anger (Ex): A druid gains +2 bonus on saving throws against all fire and heat-related spells and effects (including all spells causing fire damage, spells with fire descriptor, saves to resist hot weather, lava, and so on) and adds +1 to DC of spells with fire descriptor she casts.
Swoop (Ex): A druid’s fly speed (if she has any) increases by 10 feet.
Trackless Step (Ex): A druid leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Vaporous Step (Ex): A druid can move across bogs, snow, mud, etc. (all surfaces an ordinary person would sink to but would not have to make Swim check to stay on the surface) and not step into it or be impeded in her progress over such an area, similar to the effects of a water walk spell. Areas enchanted or magically manipulated to impede movement still affects the druid. A druid can’t walk on water, but gains +4 bonus on Swim checks to stay on the surface.
Venom Immunity (Ex): A druid gains immunity to animal poisons.
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 his Handle Animal bonus or the druid level + Charisma 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 4 or less, but she takes a penalty equal to the creature's Int score on the check.
Windswept (Su): A druid can treat strength of wind as if it was two categories lighter (see Dungeon Master Guide, page 95). For example, sky druid treats all severe (including magical) winds as moderate winds, if it suits her. In addition, a druid gains +5 bonus on Concentration checks when casting spells with air descriptor defensively.
Winter’s Grasp (Ex): A druid gains +2 bonus on saving throws against all cold-related spells and effects (including all spells causing cold damage, spells with cold descriptor, saves to resist cold weather, cold water, and so on) and adds +1 to DC of spells with cold descriptor she casts.
Woodland Stride (Ex): 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. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede movement still affect the druid.Druidic Path: When attaining 5th level, a druid must choose her specialization. Once chosen, the path cannot be changed. The available paths are: dendruid, elementalist, hermit, hivemind, and shifter.

1. Dendruid: Dendruid loves plants above all else. Her control over plants is unquestioned and her body slowly turns into one.
Florification (Ex): At 5th level, a druid gains the ability to turn her body into a strange mix of flesh and plant as a standard action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity.
A druid can remain florified for up to 1 round per level. Once a druid reverts to her original body, she cannot use florification for another 10 minutes.
While florified, druid gains Damage Reduction, bonus to Strength, and bonus to Hide checks in forested areas equal to half her druid level.
Plant Immunities (Ex): At 8th level, a florified druid becomes immune to sleep and paralysis effects.
Song of the Trees (Su): At 11th level, a florified druid can speak with plants (as per spell) at will.
Green Mind (Ex): At 14th level, a florified druid gains a bonus on Will saves equal to half her level.
Plant Immunities (Ex) At 17th level, a florified druid becomes immune to poison, polymorph, and stun effects.
Plant Immunities (Ex): At 20th level, a florified druid becomes immune to critical hits.2. Elementalist: Elementalists are druids who focus on primal aspect of nature, before animal and plant life was even born. They gain mastery over building blocks of the world and can turn into powerful elementals.
Summon Elemental Servant (Su): A 5th level druid can request an aid from her elemental masters as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. In an eerie of fiery motes, a tremor, rain of freezing water, and gust of powerful wind, an elemental appears. The exact type of elemental is determined by the DM, who can choose the creature from the list below. The elemental’s CR should be as close to half the druid’s level as possible (never higher), but elemental lords may send weaker elemental if they believe that druid’s matters are trivial. An elemental remains with the druid for 1 hour and carries her orders to the best of its ability. Once the elemental is killed or the duration ends, a druid cannot summon another servant for 1 hour.
CR 1: Small Air/Earth/Fire/Water Elemental
CR 2: Thoqqua, elite Small Elemental*
CR 3: Magmin, Medium Air/Earth/Fire/Water Elemental
CR 4: elite Medium Elemental*
CR 5: Large Air/Earth/Fire/Water Elemental
CR 6: Belker, elite Large Elemental*
CR 7: Invisible Stalker, Huge Air/Earth/Fire/Water Elemental
CR 8: elite Huge Elemental*
CR 9: Greater Air/Earth/Fire/Water Elemental
CR 10: elite Greater Elemental*
* - elite creature has a +4 bonus on all ability scores.
Turn Elementals (Su): At 8th level, a elementalist can command or rebuke elementals same was as an evil cleric can command or rebuke undead. Using this ability costs druid a spell slot of 1st or higher level.
Elemental Diplomacy (Ex): At 11th level, a druid gains +2 bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks with elementals and learns all four elemental languages.
Elemental Resistance (Su): A 14th level druid gains Cold and Fire Resistance equal to half her druid level.
Sever Elemental Ties (Su): At 17th level, the druid can cut her self off from elements, with a price. A druid can activate this ability as a standard action that doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity and dismiss it as a free action. A druid with severed ties gains Spell Resistance 10 + her class level against spells with Air, Cold, Earth, Fire, or Water descriptors.
When this ability is active and for 1 hour afterwards, a druid cannot summon elemental servant and any servant already summoned disappears.
Elemental Shape (Su): At 20th level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into any elder elemental (see Monster Manual, pages 95-101). Otherwise this ability works the same way as wildshape.3. Hivemind: Hiveminds deal with insects, most likely with hive insects, such as bees. Over the course of life they become move vermin-like and gain abilities related to insects.
Exoskeleton (Ex): A 5th level druid begins to grow outer shell that closely covers most of her body. This shell grants her natural armor equal to half her class level and armor check penalty of -1. Druid cannot wear armor from now on.
Claws (Ex): A 8th level druid gains natural claw attack that deals 1d8 points of damage.
Her claws make it difficult to use fingers normally, and the druid suffers -1 penalty on attack rolls with weapons and a -2 penalty on Craft, Disable Device, Open Lock, Seight of Hand, and Use Rope checks. She however gains +2 bonus on Climb and Intimidate checks.
Insectile Senses (Ex): At 11th level, a druid gains darkvision with range up to 90 ft. and a bonus on Spot and Listen checks equal to half the druid’s level.
Pincers (Ex): A 14th level druid gains natural bite that deals 1d6 points of damage and may inject poison (initial and secondary 1d4 points of Dex damage, DC 10 + half druid’s level + druid’s Con modifier).
Her new mouth makes it difficult to speak normally, and the druid suffers a -2 penalty on Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Perform checks. However, her bonus on Intimidate checks increases to +4.
Instinctive Reflexes (Ex): At 17th level, a druid gains bonus on Reflex saves and initiative checks equal to her Wisdom bonus.
Hive Command (Su): At 20th level, a druid can, by grinding with her teeth (or any similar manner for toothless creatures), communicate with all vermin within 50 feet (as with speak with animals spell, but affects vermin). All vermin not magically controlled are completely obedient to druid as long as they are within 50 feet. They understand only simple one-word commands but carry even suicidal orders.
4. Hermit: Hermits are druid who are sworn protectors of nature and all things related to it. Hermits rely on their divine powers, and since those abilities are weakened in certain places, druids of this kind are difficult to find in the civilized areas.
Invoke Nature’s Ally (Su): At 5th level, a druid can cast summon nature’s ally I-VII spells she knows as invocations, but she cannot cast summon nature’s ally (of any level) as invocation if a previous invocation is still in effect and 1 minute afterwards. Summon nature ally cast normally and as invocation can be combined freely.
Blessing of Animals (Su): At 8th level, a druid is constantly under effects of detect animals and plants, hide from animals, and speak with animals spells.
Blessing of Clouds (Ex): At 11h level, a druid deals 4d6 (or 4d10) damage with call lightning and 7d6 (or 7d10) damage with call lightning storm.
Blessing of Rivers (Su): At 14th level, whenever a druid casts any cure spell, the spell removes all disease, poisons, and negative levels from its targets with DC equal or lower to the druid’s level +5.
Blessing of Trees (Sp): At 17th level, a druid can grow a treant (as per liveoak spell) from even a tiniest plant, such as blade of grass, as a standard action, at will. Liveoak’s duration becomes instantaneous so it can’t be dispelled.
Blessing of the Sun (Ex): A 20th level druid can cast fire storm and sunbeam as invocations.5. Shifter: This path represents druids who master their ability to transform into animals.
Wildshape (Su): At 5th level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into an animal with Challenge Rating of half the druid’s level or lower. She knows how to shift into one animal per rank in Knowledge (nature) and whenever she gains another rank in this skill, she knows one additional animal she can turn into. A druid can stay in her new shape up to 1 hour, but when she changes back, she must make a Fortitude save (DC = number of minutes spent in wildshape) or be fatigued. If she fails the save by 20 she is exhausted instead. If she fails the save by 40 she is exhausted and falls into magical sleep for 1d6 minutes. This sleep is similar to hibernation sleep and a druid cannot be awakened by any means short of divine intervention. Once a druid reverts to her original shape, she cannot use wildshape for another 10 minutes.
Changing form (to animal or back) is a full-round action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity.
All of druid’s characteristics turn into those of the animal (with the exception of Inteligence score and the sense of identity). Druid’s type changes to animal. She loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make. She can, however, communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. Druid has new Hit Points, but she keeps the number of damage suffered between her various shapes. Whenever a druid takes enough damage to fall to fall to negative hit points or die, she reverts to her original shape just before it happens.
Quick Transformation (Ex): At 8th level, a druid can wildshape as a standard action.
Flowshape (Ex): At 11th level, once a druid reverts to her original shape, she cannot use wildshape for another 1d6 rounds only.
Superior Specimen (Ex): At 14th level, a druid in wildshape gains +4 bonus to Strength and Dexterity.
Vigor (Su): At 17th level, a druid gains fast healing 2 when in her wild shape.
Swift Transformation (Ex): At 20th level, a druid can wildshape as a swift action.Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 15th level, a druid no longer takes ability score penalties for aging (see Table 6–5: Aging Effects, page 109) 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.


EPIC DRUID
The epic druid is a mighty symbol of the power of the natural world, able to focus the primal forces of the elements to do her bidding.

Druid
Level Special .
21st -
22nd Lord of the wild
23rd Bonus feat
24th -
25th Lord of the wild
26th Bonus feat
27th -
28th Lord of the wild
29th Bonus feat
30th -
Lord of the Wild: An epic druid gains lord of the wild ability at 22nd level and every 3 levels thereafter (25th, 28th, 31st, and so on).

Bonus Feat: An epic druid gains bonus feat at 23rd level and every 3 levels thereafter (26th, 29th, 32nd, and so on). Whenever she gains a bonus feat from this ability, she may either take an epic feat, or two non-epic feats. The list of available epic feats is same as in Epic Level Handbook.

icke
2007-02-13, 09:48 AM
As with Your wizard, I like the idea of it. However, this time I've found some oddities:

1) Vaporous Step might be a little too good, also it is difficult for the DM to draw the line between a muddy lake and a bog.

2) Change the +5 bonus on saves against (condition)-spells into +2 or +3, it's rather difficult for spellcasters to get a DC increase so handle save bonuses with care. Same goes with the +20 bonus on Concentration checks for Windswept, reduce it to +10 and it's still a feat that deserves the [Epic] descriptor.

3) Elemental Resistance/Protection only works while an elemental servant is summoned? I don't see how that makes sense. Also, total spell immunity against groups of spells is something that should not be granted to any base class.

4) I like Your approach on shapechanging, but reduce the drawbacks a little. being turned into stone can mean death if it happens at the wrong time/place.
Also, Your druids get fatigued when they turn back after an hour, but if they decide to stay in shape nothing happens for 23 hours? Somewhat strange. What about letting them make Will checks every hour, DC = time spent in shape. Failed save results in returning to the original form, with all due effects.
Also, a druid should still be able to think while in animal form, so leave the mental stats untouched by the transformation.

5) Vigor and Tranquility are too good and do not have any precedence in nature...


That's my Blah for today...

Szatany
2007-02-13, 01:15 PM
1) Vaporous Step might be a little too good, also it is difficult for the DM to draw the line between a muddy lake and a bog.Perhaps it would benefit from rewording. It allows you to walk on sufraces you normally sink in, but not surfaces you must make Swim checks to stay afloat in.


2) Change the +5 bonus on saves against (condition)-spells into +2 or +3, it's rather difficult for spellcasters to get a DC increase so handle save bonuses with care. Same goes with the +20 bonus on Concentration checks for Windswept, reduce it to +10 and it's still a feat that deserves the [Epic] descriptor.+2/+10 you say? Can't see why not. It was experimental anyway.


3) Elemental Resistance/Protection only works while an elemental servant is summoned? I don't see how that makes sense. Also, total spell immunity against groups of spells is something that should not be granted to any base class.I makes sense because the resistance is granted by the elemental itself. I gave super SR because there are like, 3 or 4 offensive air and earth spells in PHB.


4) I like Your approach on shapechanging, but reduce the drawbacks a little. being turned into stone can mean death if it happens at the wrong time/place.
Also, Your druids get fatigued when they turn back after an hour, but if they decide to stay in shape nothing happens for 23 hours? Somewhat strange. What about letting them make Will checks every hour, DC = time spent in shape. Failed save results in returning to the original form, with all due effects.
Also, a druid should still be able to think while in animal form, so leave the mental stats untouched by the transformation. That requires some deeper thought. We'll get back to this one.


5) Vigor and Tranquility are too good and do not have any precedence in nature... I'm open to suggestions then.

EDIT: Let's see:

Elemental Shape (Su): At 20th level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into any elder elemental (see Monster Manual, pages 95-101). A druid can stay in her new shape up to 1 hour, and when she changes back, she must make a Fortitude save (DC = number of minutes spent in elemental shape) or be fatigued. If she fails the save by 20 she is exhausted instead. If she fails the save by 40 she is exhausted and turns into stone for 1d6 minutes. A druid cannot be turned to flesh before that time by any means short of divine intervention. Once a druid reverts to her original shape, she cannot use elemental shape for another 1 hour.
Changing form (to elemental or back) is a full-round action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity.
All of druid’s characteristics turn into those of the elemental (with the exception of Intelligence score and a sense of identity). Druid’s type changes to elemental. While in her new shape, she can only cast spells with descriptor matching elemental’s subtype. Druid has new Hit Points, but she keeps the number of damage suffered between her various shapes.

icke
2007-02-19, 08:37 AM
Intelligence should also remain intact in animal form. The druid still won't be able to speak, since tha animal's vocal chords aren't correctly shaped, so Your main argument doesn't apply.

Also, I still don't see how Elemental Resistance and Protection can be granted by an elemental servant, especially since the servant is only, well, borrowed for an hour from a random(DM choice?) elemental plane. Either the resistance is granted by the druids "elemntal masters", as You call them, and therefore should be requestable independently, or it is something the elemental servant actively has to do - meaning it needs at least oncentration to maintain...

I'm still racking my brain about Vigor and Tranquility replacements, that will still need a while...

Szatany
2007-02-19, 09:41 AM
Changed druid's shapechanging and otehr elementalist's abilities, as suggested.

icke
2007-02-21, 05:01 AM
Optional replacements for vigor and tranquility:

1) Enhanced Transformation: The Druid can shapechange into an animal of three quarters his level challenge rating.

maybe followed by:

1a) Greater Transformation: The Druid can shapechange into an animal of his level in challenge rating.

2) Elite shape: The animals the druid shapechanges into recieve a +4 bonus on strength and constitution, equal to the bonus a summoned creature gets through the Augmented Summoning feat.

Szatany
2007-02-21, 05:30 AM
Optional replacements for vigor and tranquility:

1) Enhanced Transformation: The Druid can shapechange into an animal of three quarters his level challenge rating.

maybe followed by:

1a) Greater Transformation: The Druid can shapechange into an animal of his level in challenge rating.

2) Elite shape: The animals the druid shapechanges into recieve a +4 bonus on strength and constitution, equal to the bonus a summoned creature gets through the Augmented Summoning feat.
The +CR one is far too good, but idea of having better ability scores is interesting.

icke
2007-02-21, 06:50 AM
The +CR one is far too good, but idea of having better ability scores is interesting.

Since You've made shapechanging rather difficult, allowing a Druid to change into something of 3/4 his own CR should still be credible. Animals aren't that dangerous anyways. How about changing the power measure from CR to hit dice? An animal should be less powerfull than the respective Druid with the same number of hit dice and it allows for a more direct comparison. I mean, challenge rating is made to counter one monster with four characters, so it's not the best way to measure one to one.

Maerok
2007-02-21, 09:19 AM
I always bookmark when I see the dancing hamster. :D

Caduceus
2007-02-21, 01:12 PM
Personally, I feel like Wisdom and Charisma should be carried over into the Wildshaped form, as well, seeing as they are key portions of the personality and "sense of identity."

In the case of Spot, Listen, and other such skills that, for example, a hawk or owl would be good at, you could make an addendum stating that such skills (those that use Int, Wis, or Cha) use the higher modifier out of the natural one provided by the animal form and the trained one provided by the Druid.

In other news, I'm actually planning out a campaign with a friend of mine that uses all of your classes, as well as the Pantheons described in Deities and Demigods. I'm really looking forward to it, and so is he.

Yakk
2007-02-21, 01:51 PM
For wildshape:

Might I suggest "apply the animal's physical stat modifiers to the druid's stats. Ie, wildshaping into a 26(+8) strength bear grants the Druid +8 strength."

This means that the Druid's original stats still matter.

cferejohn
2007-02-21, 03:24 PM
Just a little flavor thought: perhaps the CN and/or NE druids could sacrifice a sentient being instead of a totem of civilization?

Szatany
2007-02-22, 05:17 AM
Since You've made shapechanging rather difficult, allowing a Druid to change into something of 3/4 his own CR should still be credible. Only if you want shapechanging to be as powerful as in PHB. I don't. I see polymorphing as extremely versatile ability and therefore it must be relatively weak.


How about changing the power measure from CR to hit dice? An animal should be less powerfull than the respective Druid with the same number of hit dice and it allows for a more direct comparison. I mean, challenge rating is made to counter one monster with four characters, so it's not the best way to measure one to one.

CR isn't perfect, but HD are even worse. Nothing stops a designer from giving great ability to a low-HD animal, but he still has to increase CR to compensate. CR is simply more accurate.


Personally, I feel like Wisdom and Charisma should be carried over into the Wildshaped form, as well, seeing as they are key portions of the personality and "sense of identity."

In the case of Spot, Listen, and other such skills that, for example, a hawk or owl would be good at, you could make an addendum stating that such skills (those that use Int, Wis, or Cha) use the higher modifier out of the natural one provided by the animal form and the trained one provided by the Druid.

Naaa, too messy, you'd have to recalculate wis and cha-based skills based on original scores and animal ranks (which are not even shown)


For wildshape:

Might I suggest "apply the animal's physical stat modifiers to the druid's stats. Ie, wildshaping into a 26(+8) strength bear grants the Druid +8 strength."

This means that the Druid's original stats still matter.They still do actually because druid can't cast spells in animal form. So when he want to cast some of his invocations (or is not wildshaping druid at all), he's gonna want decent Dex to AC, init, and ref save and good Con to hit points. Str is a dump stat, but so what, he can have a dump stat can't he?


Just a little flavor thought: perhaps the CN and/or NE druids could sacrifice a sentient being instead of a totem of civilization?If you can determine how the druid is spending gold on acquiring a victim, I see no problem with it.

Ranis
2007-02-22, 07:55 AM
Blessing of Trees. Wow. I think there should be some kind of penalty to that, or a cost of some kind. Imagine how abusive that is with some 'inventive' players.

Szatany
2007-02-22, 08:01 AM
Blessing of Trees. Wow. I think there should be some kind of penalty to that, or a cost of some kind. Imagine how abusive that is with some 'inventive' players.I don't know, you can have only one treant at once, after all.

EDIT: Changed shifter's tranquility to superior specimen.

icke
2007-02-22, 08:21 AM
CR isn't perfect, but HD are even worse. Nothing stops a designer from giving great ability to a low-HD animal, but he still has to increase CR to compensate. CR is simply more accurate.

That's not true for animals, since no animal gains any powerfull supernatural or spell-like abilities. The best things they get is something like pounce, rake, or improved grab, all things that add flavor to the animal in question and are not out of the line power-wise.

Caduceus: Animals usually have a wisdom score of 12 at least, so wisdom is by far no low stat for them. Furthermore, animal skills are printed in the Monster Manual, so no need to recalculate skill bonuses.

Szatany
2007-02-22, 08:33 AM
That's not true for animals, since no animal gains any powerfull supernatural or spell-like abilities. The best things they get is something like pounce, rake, or improved grab, all things that add flavor to the animal in question and are not out of the line power-wise.

Ok, but I'm using the same mechanic for elementals, and elementals have such abilities (no, I don't wanna separate shapeshifting mechanic for different creature types).

icke
2007-02-22, 08:42 AM
Even the elemental abilities are more like advanced combat maneuvers than really hefty goodies. No disintegration, magic negation, turning into stone or some of the other magical stuff that makes polymorphing in conjunction with certain monsters such a mess to balance.
They possess a large number of immunities, however, but since elemental shape sets in at level 20 this isn't too much of a problem either.

Szatany
2007-02-22, 08:47 AM
Even the elemental abilities are more like advanced combat maneuvers than really hefty goodies. No disintegration, magic negation, turning into stone or some of the other magical stuff that makes polymorphing in conjunction with certain monsters such a mess to balance.
They possess a large number of immunities, however, but since elemental shape sets in at level 20 this isn't too much of a problem either.And what if in future I wan't to make sorcerer to be able to polymorph into a dragon? Or undead-changing necromancer?

icke
2007-02-22, 09:33 AM
The necromancer shouldn't be much of a problem, though You maybe should prohabit incorporeal undead.

The sorcerer changing into a dragon IS a monster, as well as him changing into a medusa, basilisk, cockatrice, ..... The list goes on. You're right, hit dice are no good measure for polymorphing balance, maybe hit die and ECL? it works for most monstrous humanoids, some monsters and the smaller dragons, but I'm not so sure with the rest...

Fako
2007-02-23, 09:46 AM
I really like the class. It's much better handled than the PHB Druid is... Few questions though, and it might just be loopholes in wording...


Natural Link: As druid walks more into the civilization, her connection with nature weakens and it becomes hard for her to draw magical power of the world. As long as druid is in a small town or any larger settlement, or on a plane with 2 alignment descriptors, all her druid spells suffer 10% divine spell failure chance. On the other hand, druids are more confident in their magical abilities when surrounded by the natural world. When no closer than one mile from any settlement, a druid gains +2 morale bonus on Concentration checks related to spells.

Does this 10% failure also apply to invocations? Also, what if you are in a city that co-exists with nature, with a lot of open parks and such? Is it the people that restrict your spellcasting, or just the lack of nature around you?


Breath of Caverns (Ex): A druid does no longer need to breathe while underground (including being submerged underground). She can also sense incoming earthquake if the earthquake is going to affect location she is in. She can sense it up to 1 minute/level before first tremor happens.

Does this let them sense magical earthquakes as well? Or just nonmagical?


Elemental Immunity (Su): A 17th level druid can release her elemental servant as a free action to gain unbeatable Spell Resistance against spells with air, cold, earth, fire, and water descriptors for a number of rounds equal to her Wisdom bonus.

This ability is extremely strong. However, at the level you get it, it isn't much of a problem. I don't get why you release your servant to gain this though, maybe make it similar to this:

Elemental Immunity: At 17th level, the druid is so in tune with the primal forces of nature that she can literally cut her self off from them, but at a price. While this ability is active, all spells that have the Air, Cold, Earth, Fire, or Water descriptor that are cast on her automatically fail. She is also immune to energy damage with the Air, Cold, Earth, Fire, or Water descriptor. This immunity lasts for a number of rounds equal to her Wisdom Bonus (minimum 1).
After using Energy Immunity, a druid is unable to summon an elemental servant for one hour.

It's longer winded, but I think it works...


Summon Nature’s Avenger (Su): At 5th level, a druid can cast summon nature’s ally I-VII spells as invocations, but she cannot cast another summon nature’s ally spell (of any level) if a previous one is still in effect and 1 minute afterwards.

As it is written, your 5th level druid can cast summon nature's ally VII nearly 10 levels early. While I doubt this was intended, you might want to add that they cannot use them until they have the actual spell...


Blessing of Trees (Sp): At 17th level, a druid can grow a treant (as per liveoak spell) from even a tiniest plant, such as blade of grass, as a standard action, at will. Liveoak’s duration becomes instantaneous so it can’t be dispelled.

As it is written, the Druid can have as many Treants under his control as he wishes. You said in a later post that they could only have one at a time, I would recommend adding it here.

I like your variant on Wildshape, but I personally agree that you should let them keep their Wis and Cha scores.


As I said before, excellent class! How many of them are you rewriting?

Yakk
2007-02-23, 11:01 AM
They still do actually because druid can't cast spells in animal form. So when he want to cast some of his invocations (or is not wildshaping druid at all), he's gonna want decent Dex to AC, init, and ref save and good Con to hit points. Str is a dump stat, but so what, he can have a dump stat can't he?

I just dislike the idea of making any character stat go away. Using the attribute bonus of the shape you change into gives you the flavour of the shape reasonably well, but reduces the raw size of the benefit.

As a fun side effect, even the mental stats can modify.

Ie, Dire Wolf Form:
+7 str +2 dex +3 con +1 wis -4 int
Large size, 50 ft move
27 + con*6 HP.
3 natural AC, -1 size AC
Bite (1d8), free trip attempt on hit
Other: Alertness, Run, Track, Weapon Focus (bite), low-light vision, scent

...

Second, might I suggest getting rid of the "any" from the wild shape ability? Restrict it to, say, 1 animal per Druid level.

That gives a druid a large selection of shapes to change into, but removes the "I change into a shape my DM has never heard of in the middle of a combat" problem. (The problem being threefold -- first, looking up and/or determining the stats takes time. Second, the DM deciding if it is a game-breaking set of stats takes time and judgement. Third, such actions can often break encounters.)

If I've learned anything from seeing D&D break/bog down, the magical effects that say "any" are the most dangerous.

pedrokraemer
2007-02-23, 02:27 PM
I would like to contribute with some considerations, if I might, since I´ve been playing a elf-druid for the last 4 years...


The original wild shpe class ability is based on animals´hit dice, as well as druid´s. That means that a druid from the 3.5 PHB will only be allowed to wildshape into a dire bear (12HD) on 12th level...


Plus, there´s something boring me about this "new" druid... Allthough I might like a different approach on the druid class, I think the spell DC is too high... I mean, spells DC´s are calcullated 10 + SPELL LEVEL + ability modifier... In the entries of spellcasting for this new druid, it was said 1/2 CHARACTER(or class, doesn´t mater) LEVEL, instead os spell level... That means too much power on higher levels to me...

Beside´s, I have a question: will this new druid, who is supposed to be more of a sorcerer than a cleric, have access to 8th and 9th level spells?

And, at last, since the original proposition for the shapechancer druid BECOME AS THE ANIMAL, wich BAB will he/she use?


(sorry for my writing, I´m not a native english-speaker)


OH, ALMOST FORGOT: the one with the plant shape? Too much powerfull... I bet this one would kick all the other´s asses... :)

Szatany
2007-02-24, 03:43 AM
Does this 10% failure also apply to invocations? Yes, invocations are spells after all.


Also, what if you are in a city that co-exists with nature, with a lot of open parks and such? Is it the people that restrict your spellcasting, or just the lack of nature around you?That's a rare kind of city and I'd leave it to DM's decision.


Does this let them sense magical earthquakes as well? Or just nonmagical?If you mean earthquake by eq. spell, DM has no way of knowing when a player will cast that spell so the druid can't sense it few minutes before. If we are talking about earthquakes caused by some magic ritual that takes, lets say, 6 hours to complete, - ability works with those.


This ability is extremely strong. However, at the level you get it, it isn't much of a problem. I don't get why you release your servant to gain this though, maybe make it similar to this:

Elemental Immunity: At 17th level, the druid is so in tune with the primal forces of nature that she can literally cut her self off from them, but at a price. While this ability is active, all spells that have the Air, Cold, Earth, Fire, or Water descriptor that are cast on her automatically fail. She is also immune to energy damage with the Air, Cold, Earth, Fire, or Water descriptor. This immunity lasts for a number of rounds equal to her Wisdom Bonus (minimum 1).
After using Energy Immunity, a druid is unable to summon an elemental servant for one hour.I prefer it to my version, thanks.


As it is written, your 5th level druid can cast summon nature's ally VII nearly 10 levels early. While I doubt this was intended, you might want to add that they cannot use them until they have the actual spell...Hmm, I'll add few words to make it clear then.


As it is written, the Druid can have as many Treants under his control as he wishes. You said in a later post that they could only have one at a time, I would recommend adding it here.Liveoak only allows one treant at a time.


I like your variant on Wildshape, but I personally agree that you should let them keep their Wis and Cha scores.Why? Not that they need them. It's only trouble.


As I said before, excellent class! How many of them are you rewriting? All PHB, all psionic, about 10 new ones.

icke
2007-02-24, 08:48 AM
Concerning the Invoke Nature's Ally ability: Is the druid unable to summon other allies per invocations only or do You prohibit him to summon them through the use of regular spell slots as well?
If it's the later one, nobody would use the invocation versions, since they don't allow for multiple allies being in effect at the same time.
Even if it's the former, Make it "cannot have two such allies at a time". Yes, I know that this will enable the Hermit to continously have an ally spell active, but in a longer combat the other version might be a hindrance.

Also, state that the Hermit can invoke the Nature's Allies only if he has the appropriate caster level.

Szatany
2007-02-25, 03:34 PM
Concerning the Invoke Nature's Ally ability: Is the druid unable to summon other allies per invocations only or do You prohibit him to summon them through the use of regular spell slots as well?
If it's the later one, nobody would use the invocation versions, since they don't allow for multiple allies being in effect at the same time.
Even if it's the former, Make it "cannot have two such allies at a time". Yes, I know that this will enable the Hermit to continously have an ally spell active, but in a longer combat the other version might be a hindrance.

Also, state that the Hermit can invoke the Nature's Allies only if he has the appropriate caster level.I clarified it, the restriction only affects invocations. What do you mean by appropriate caster level?

icke
2007-02-26, 07:03 AM
I meant to avoid a level five character casting a spell level seven spell. As it was worded, the level five hermit could cast Summon Nature's Ally VII as an invocation. However, the part "can cast summon nature’s ally I-VII spells she knows" already cover that, so consider this post nonexistant.