The Cats
2017-07-01, 11:07 AM
I know this has been done a few times before, but I wanted to share my take on the creepy-crawly-swarmy druid. I would like to make this subclass as balanced as possible (and would be fine even with mildly-underpowered) as I plan to try to convince my DM to let me play it in our new campaign. I haven't written much fluff for it yet and would like to concentrate on the mechanics for now.
You can find he subclass here. (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nDTpsoh7nXHFz96wP70c-UQOFV5be-NFC2rCSgERDiE/edit?usp=sharing)
NOTES
The name: Horribly uninspired. I saw one version of this subclass called "Circle of the Many" which I thought was awesome, but I'm not going to steal that guys idea. (I might steal it just for my home game though >_>)
Swarm Form: The resistance to B, P and S is pretty strong, but Barbarians get that with rage at level 1. I wanted to balance this against moon druid's circle forms while letting the swarms remain viable at higher levels. The damage dealt by insect swarms looks pretty close to that of the Brown Bear (I don't know how the math works, I just eyeballed it). The resistances and immunities give the swarms the advantage defensively, but the halving damage at half HP helps temper how great that is (I think).
The swarms become large sized at 10th level and only stays that way for a hit or two at first. Note that the swarm's other stats don't change at large size and it can still only attack one creature per action. The large size does synergize well with the Infestation ability.
The options presented make it pretty obvious you want to go insects most of the time until 8th level (intended) but rats are there if you want them. Quippers are definitely the most powerful form but unless you're in an aquatic campaign they are pretty situational due to the suffocating-pretty-quick-out-of-water thing.
Note that the swarm's damage does not scale with levels. You'd be using it more for the Infestation and Diseased Vermin abilities at higher levels, instead of straight damage dealing.
Sudden Swarm: I swear I thought of this ability before I looked at the Circle of the Many!
Infestation: Since the swarms don't get magical attacks, and their base damage doesn't scale, this, plus Magical Diseases will help them remain viable at higher levels.
Diseased Bite: Notice that it says the attack has to hit, not deal damage, so creatures immune to nonmagical weapons can still be hit with these spells.
Magical Diseases: Poison spray is an at-will damage boost. Is using it as-is (scaled per level) too strong? Is using it at all too strong?
The only limiter for the other spells is spell slots. Is that too much? Should it be a WIS mod per day kind of thing? Again, trying to balance against Moon's elemental forms here.
Since infestation only takes effect on the start of the creature's turn, you would have to share a space with the target for at least one turn before they get disadvantage on the saves.
Partial Dissolution: Again, not really sure if I like the name. It's more interesting than "Circle of the Swarm," at least.
Was trying to give them some utility on par with alter self at will (but wildly different in effect, clearly). The image of chunks of a druid's flesh turning into rats and spiders and scurrying off to do who-knows-what was too icky (read: cool if you're into that) to resist.
Please tell me what you think and help me workshop this into a subclass that my DM won't dismiss out of hand as being OP.
Thanks playground!
You can find he subclass here. (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nDTpsoh7nXHFz96wP70c-UQOFV5be-NFC2rCSgERDiE/edit?usp=sharing)
NOTES
The name: Horribly uninspired. I saw one version of this subclass called "Circle of the Many" which I thought was awesome, but I'm not going to steal that guys idea. (I might steal it just for my home game though >_>)
Swarm Form: The resistance to B, P and S is pretty strong, but Barbarians get that with rage at level 1. I wanted to balance this against moon druid's circle forms while letting the swarms remain viable at higher levels. The damage dealt by insect swarms looks pretty close to that of the Brown Bear (I don't know how the math works, I just eyeballed it). The resistances and immunities give the swarms the advantage defensively, but the halving damage at half HP helps temper how great that is (I think).
The swarms become large sized at 10th level and only stays that way for a hit or two at first. Note that the swarm's other stats don't change at large size and it can still only attack one creature per action. The large size does synergize well with the Infestation ability.
The options presented make it pretty obvious you want to go insects most of the time until 8th level (intended) but rats are there if you want them. Quippers are definitely the most powerful form but unless you're in an aquatic campaign they are pretty situational due to the suffocating-pretty-quick-out-of-water thing.
Note that the swarm's damage does not scale with levels. You'd be using it more for the Infestation and Diseased Vermin abilities at higher levels, instead of straight damage dealing.
Sudden Swarm: I swear I thought of this ability before I looked at the Circle of the Many!
Infestation: Since the swarms don't get magical attacks, and their base damage doesn't scale, this, plus Magical Diseases will help them remain viable at higher levels.
Diseased Bite: Notice that it says the attack has to hit, not deal damage, so creatures immune to nonmagical weapons can still be hit with these spells.
Magical Diseases: Poison spray is an at-will damage boost. Is using it as-is (scaled per level) too strong? Is using it at all too strong?
The only limiter for the other spells is spell slots. Is that too much? Should it be a WIS mod per day kind of thing? Again, trying to balance against Moon's elemental forms here.
Since infestation only takes effect on the start of the creature's turn, you would have to share a space with the target for at least one turn before they get disadvantage on the saves.
Partial Dissolution: Again, not really sure if I like the name. It's more interesting than "Circle of the Swarm," at least.
Was trying to give them some utility on par with alter self at will (but wildly different in effect, clearly). The image of chunks of a druid's flesh turning into rats and spiders and scurrying off to do who-knows-what was too icky (read: cool if you're into that) to resist.
Please tell me what you think and help me workshop this into a subclass that my DM won't dismiss out of hand as being OP.
Thanks playground!