'Rot' Druid

[hangedman1984]

Anybody have any tips for a Druid based on rot and decay? I've looked at the Blighter prestige class although that seems more forest fire then rot, although could probably modify it slightly if I need to.

[Tiri]

There's the Talontar Blightlord class, which is fluff-wise related to decay, although its abilities are actually more disease-oriented.

[Inevitability]

There's the Wild Reaper variant from dragon 311, which may be what you're looking for.

[fishyfishyfishy]

Your spell selection helps fulfill this theme regardless of prestige class options. Decomposition from Spell Compendium, Contagion from PHB, etc.

[Falcon X]

First off, Oozmaster (http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/13077379/images/1291832545040.jpg)? (Second Source (https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD3e:Oozemaster)) (The Pudding King (http://blogs-images.forbes.com/davidewalt/files/2015/08/puddingking.jpg) from OotA) (If it looks underpowered, there is someone talking about how it's OP here (https://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/comments/kzcvk/favorite_overpowered_dd_character/))

Personally, I would just reflavor either Blighter or base Druid.

Blighter is easy enough. Just replace the damage type of the fire spells with acid (read:rot). Also, I would turn the Undead wild shape into a zombie instead of a skeleton to play up the rotting factor. Or homebrew a new, equivalent template.

Druid takes some creativity as it's got to modify every part of your character. My concept here will be the Toxic Shamans from Shadowrun RPG, if you know them. Toxic shamans are anti-life. They champion pollution, industry, or other things vile to druids. The spirits they conjure are likewise acid, radiation, ooze, rot, or other such elementals that may look like a bastardization of other summoned beings. Worth checking out if you get a chance.

[Starbuck_II]

There is a pathfinder version: Blight Druid has miasma ability at 5th, but otherwise mostly disease abilities.

[hangedman1984]

Am most likely gonna tweek the flavour of the blighter, I'm the DM and it is for NPCs so I can just describe things differently in game too if I need to

[Inevitability]

First off, Oozmaster (http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/13077379/images/1291832545040.jpg)? (Second Source (https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD3e:Oozemaster)) (The Pudding King (http://blogs-images.forbes.com/davidewalt/files/2015/08/puddingking.jpg) from OotA) (If it looks underpowered, there is someone talking about how it's OP here (https://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/comments/kzcvk/favorite_overpowered_dd_character/))

That same thread refers to Vow of Poverty monks as 'Insanely min-maxed' and considers +4 LA race with a must for every build because it has Fast Healing 3.

[Darrin]

Anybody have any tips for a Druid based on rot and decay?

Support for that particular aspect of nature is a bit thin. The closest we get is the "All Things Vermin" theme getting commingled a bit with rot/decay, but this also frequently overlaps with the "Everything Is Spiders, Yes Even That Is Spiders" theme from the Drow. Some examples:

Child of Winter/Vermin Companion/Vermin Shape feats (Eberron Campaign Setting)
Rootwalker ACF from Dungeonscape.
Vermin Companion (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20040705a).
Arachnomancer (Drow of the Underdark)
Vermin Lord PrC in Book of Vile Darkness (3.0)

[ShurikVch]

Thrall of Zuggtmoy - [vile] PrC from Dragon #337 - make you into servant of Demon Queen of Fungi
casting progression 9/10 (sans 1st level)
Notable CF (4th level): Raise the Rotten (your undeads got +2 Str and natural AC)
Problem: it required CE alignment

Also, Moander - ancient FR god of Rotting Death
If you take Servant of the Fallen feat, you then may take levels in Contemplative, Divine Agent, or Divine Disciple, which not just make you look more like your patron deity, but also give access to domains Corruption and Slime

Also, some more spells:
Rot of Ages (Dragon Magic)Blackrot (Complete Mage)
Decomposition (Spell Compendium)Infestation of Maggots (Spell Compendium)
Junglerazer (Spell Compendium)
Rotting Curse of Urfestra (Book of Vile Darkness)
Touch of Juiblex (Book of Vile Darkness)Blight
Contagious Touch (Spell Compendium) //Slimy Doom disease
Miasma of Entropy (Spell Compendium)
Wood Rot (Spell Compendium)Contagion, Mass (Spell Compendium)
Memory Rot (Spell Compendium)Pox (FC1: Hordes of the Abyss)Pestilence (Book of Vile Darkness)
Slime Wave (Spell Compendium)Shambler

[eggynack]

Support for that particular aspect of nature is a bit thin. The closest we get is the "All Things Vermin" theme getting commingled a bit with rot/decay, but this also frequently overlaps with the "Everything Is Spiders, Yes Even That Is Spiders" theme from the Drow. Some examples:

Child of Winter/Vermin Companion/Vermin Shape feats (Eberron Campaign Setting)
Rootwalker ACF from Dungeonscape.
Vermin Companion (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20040705a).
Arachnomancer (Drow of the Underdark)
Vermin Lord PrC in Book of Vile Darkness (3.0)
Yeah, modifying the spell and class aspects to fit the theme is a challenge, but modifying the other class features, and picking suitable feats, is nearly impossible. You really have to have a second thing that fits in well, like vermin, or cold, or aberrations. Talontar blightlord is sweet though, if only on a dip, and there could be some cool rot themed domain you could slot in there with contemplative.

[ATHATH]

Yeah, modifying the spell and class aspects to fit the theme is a challenge, but modifying the other class features, and picking suitable feats, is nearly impossible. You really have to have a second thing that fits in well, like vermin, or cold, or aberrations. Talontar blightlord is sweet though, if only on a dip, and there could be some cool rot themed domain you could slot in there with contemplative.
An interesting thing that I noticed about Talontar Blightlord: your Animal Companion will die from the Blightspawn template and become a Juju Zombie a few months after you take your first level in that prestige class. Will you still have control over it?

Also, can I create a custom ideal that has the Blightbringer domain?

[eggynack]

An interesting thing that I noticed about Talontar Blightlord: your Animal Companion will die from the Blightspawn template and become a Juju Zombie a few months after you take your first level in that prestige class. Will you still have control over it?
I doubt it. It's a different creature and whatnot, one that isn't really an animal companion anymore, and which you thus have no provision to control.


Also, can I create a custom ideal that has the Blightbringer domain?
Do you mean like access the domain without taking the class? I doubt that also. It looks kinda like prestige domains are specifically gained from prestige classes. The thing does say it functions exactly like a domain, but that seems more about what it does when you get it rather than how you get it. It's fortunate, then, that, the blightbringer domain is really bad, mostly useful just because you get all them fancy spell slots, for other domains and spontaneous summons.

[ATHATH]

I doubt it. It's a different creature and whatnot, one that isn't really an animal companion anymore, and which you thus have no provision to control.


Do you mean like access the domain without taking the class? I doubt that also. It looks kinda like prestige domains are specifically gained from prestige classes. The thing does say it functions exactly like a domain, but that seems more about what it does when you get it rather than how you get it. It's fortunate, then, that, the blightbringer domain is really bad, mostly useful just because you get all them fancy spell slots, for other domains and spontaneous summons.
If you slap it on a Paragnostic Apostle-abusing build, its domain power can actually be quite useful.

Where are the rules for prestige domains actually stated?

[eggynack]

Where are the rules for prestige domains actually stated?
I dunno that they are. But, y'know, cleric lets you take domains, not prestige domains, so if nothing else, the change in name could be an issue.

[ericlboyd]

Anybody have any tips for a Druid based on rot and decay? I've looked at the Blighter prestige class although that seems more forest fire then rot, although could probably modify it slightly if I need to.

In case anyone else stumbles across this thread, I solved this problem for the adventure I'm writing (for fun) by creating a druidic favored soul of Moander, giving them the Servant of the Fallen feat (Lost Empires of Faerun), and then giving them a new feat: Initiate of Moander.

Note that a druidic favored soul is my invention. It's a favored soul with access to the druid spell list, not the cleric spell list.

For the Initiate of Moander feat, I was trying to loosely replicate the unique spell list in Faiths & Avatars. As a result, the spell list associated with this feat is longer than most, but is play-balanced by two things: 1) Half the spells are already on the druid spell list. 2) This feat requires Servant of the Fallen.

The "Benefit" section is patterned after Dragon #337, page 45.

Initiate of Moander [Initiate]
You have been initiated into the greatest secrets of Moander’s church.
Prerequisites: Cleric, druid, or favored soul level 3rd, patron deity Moander, Servant of the FallenLEoF [Moander]
Benefit: You become immune to nausea and can no longer be nauseated or sickened.
In addition, you may add the following spells to your cleric or druid spell list.
Level
1st Grease: Makes 10-ft. square or one object slippery.
1st Rot of Ages (Dragon Magic): Cloud of rotting debris sickens or nauseates one creature, provides concealment for others.
2nd Blackrot (Complete Mage): Deal damage to plant creatures, or use wooden weapon to sicken foes.
2nd Incendiary Slime (Complete Mage): Create slippery substance like grease, but highly flammable.
3rd Handfang (Serpent Kingdoms): Touch attack deals 1d8 damage plus start a grapple as a free action with a critical hit.
3rd Infestation of Maggots (Spell Compendium): Touch attack deals 1d4 Con damage/round.
4th Evard’s Black Tentacles: Tentacles grapple all within 15 ft. spread.
4th Miasma of Entropy (Spell Compendium): Rot all natural materials in 30-ft. cone-shaped burst.
5th Memory Rot (Spell Compendium): Spores deal 1d6 Int damage to subject, plus 1 Int drain/round.
5th Spore Cloak (Races of Faerun): Clad in cloud of yellow mold spores, anyone in your space suffers 1d6 Con damage.
6th Dominate Person: Controls humanoid telepathically.
6th Pox (Fiendish Codex 1: Hordes of the Abyss): Deals 1d4 Con drain to one creature/level.
7th Slime Wave (Spell Compendium): Creates a 15-ft. spread of green slime.
8th Horrid Wilting: Deals 1d6/level damage within 30 ft.
8th Trap the Soul M,F: Imprisons subject within gem.
9th Dominate Monster: Controls humanoid telepathically.
9th Shambler: Summons 1d4+2 shambling mounds to fight for you.


Comments welcome.

--Eric

[Psyren]

There is a pathfinder version: Blight Druid has miasma ability at 5th, but otherwise mostly disease abilities.

There's also the Rot Warden (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/druid/archetypes/paizo-druid-archetypes/rot-warden-druid-archetype/) druid if you're looking for more squick.

[jdizzlean]

The Mod Life Crisis: not even 'Rot' can defeat Necromancy