meschlum
2017-10-01, 09:18 PM
I am inordinately fond of the fey, and would expect druids to thematically work well with them, but I have found that Pathfinder seems... reluctant... to actually do so.
There are a few spells that work, but the overall range of archetypes and prestige classes seems rather less than favorable to the concept.
Similarly, and for related reasons, I would expect druids and bards to work well together, but again I get the impression that the concept space is rather barren. D&D 3.5 had the Fochlucan Lyrist, at least.
Suggestions and counter examples are welcome, of course, though I have some opinions already in place.
Archetypes
Defender of the True World: anti-fey. Bad anyway, as it restricts Summon Nature's Ally and grants bonuses that are very fey focused.
Feyspeaker: could almost be good, except spontaneous summoning is lost ("I'm a friend of the fey, so I can't summon them easily!"), and the fey themed components are a few illusion spells with a 1 level markup (plus, very poor interaction with prestige classes) - whick also makes wild shape worse just because ("I'm an ally of mercurial entities that easily change their form, so I'm bad at it!"). Basically Fey hit dice that advance spellcasting.
Halcyon Druid: wrong theme, but worth contrasting with Feyspeaker. Gets a bonded item instead of Nature Bond (fewer spells and than a domain, more flexibility). Gets the Good domain (for spellcasting) instead of spontaneous summons. Gets two wizard / sorcerer spells every other level instead of one illusion spell, without a markup (limited to one less than maximum spell level available, replacing wild shape - and gets a limited form of wild shape back at level 13, with short duration but a lot of power. Could make a better feyspeaker than the feyspeaker, really. Similar restrictions (no spontaneous summoning, wildshape is worse), a lot more flexibility for spellcasting.
Menhir Savant: notable for the ability to detect fey. Otherwise, not much thematic match.
Nithveil Adept: another insult to druids who are interested in the fey. Spontaneous summoning is replaced with "Cast Speak with Animals a few times each day". Other abilities are borderline, with a little flexibility in domains the best of the lot. Locate Nithveil is a purely plot based power, which is pointless in games where it's absent, and nearly worthless in games where it is present (for instance, it can only be used during the new moon, and ends at the end of the new moon. So if you're more than 3 days from the place, too bad).
And a distinct lack of archetypes that have anything to do with music, bardic skills, or the like.
Prestige Classes
Argent Dramaturge: gives bardic masterpieces, very anti-devil focused.
Ashavic Dancer: gives Versatile Performance, very anti-undead focused.
Enchanting Courtesan: focus on illusion and divination, which would be great if druids actually had anything worthwhile in illusion. Also, poison, for some reason.
Feysworn: It's insult the fey day again, right? The fey colored template swap for Demoniac, contrast to Evangelist and weep. Even taken on its own, the chosen of the fey have poor skills (what?) d8 hit dice (bwah?), and no actual ability to charm, create illusions, or anything fey thematic (besides tear holes in reality, which is oh so appropriate).
Green Faith Acolyte: just calling this out as the the Druid Prestige class for people who are not druids and want Druid class features. Completely pointless as a druid.
Magaambyan Arcanist: wizards get to pick up druid spells, and lots of other bonuses. Druids don't get to reciprocate (barring Halcyon Druid).
Pathfinder Chronicler: sacrifice spellcasting for bardic performance. Why not take Bard levels?
Spheresinger: the closest yet to a bard / druid option, as it grants some bardic and versatile performance, as well as fey type eventually. Now if druids actually had spells that worked better with the fey theme... (ignoring alignment issues for now). The bardic performance analogs are very specialized and mostly self buffing.
So a single prestige class with two feat taxes is the best option, and its fey aspects seem tossed in as an afterthought.
Variant Multi Classing
Bard: eventually get half duration bardic performance for a few performances, a single versatile performance, and bardic knowledge at full level. Seems very limited for 5 feats (compare to the prestige classes).
Druid: animal companion and poor wildshape. Nothing fey related.
Not much here, really.
There are a few spells that work, but the overall range of archetypes and prestige classes seems rather less than favorable to the concept.
Similarly, and for related reasons, I would expect druids and bards to work well together, but again I get the impression that the concept space is rather barren. D&D 3.5 had the Fochlucan Lyrist, at least.
Suggestions and counter examples are welcome, of course, though I have some opinions already in place.
Archetypes
Defender of the True World: anti-fey. Bad anyway, as it restricts Summon Nature's Ally and grants bonuses that are very fey focused.
Feyspeaker: could almost be good, except spontaneous summoning is lost ("I'm a friend of the fey, so I can't summon them easily!"), and the fey themed components are a few illusion spells with a 1 level markup (plus, very poor interaction with prestige classes) - whick also makes wild shape worse just because ("I'm an ally of mercurial entities that easily change their form, so I'm bad at it!"). Basically Fey hit dice that advance spellcasting.
Halcyon Druid: wrong theme, but worth contrasting with Feyspeaker. Gets a bonded item instead of Nature Bond (fewer spells and than a domain, more flexibility). Gets the Good domain (for spellcasting) instead of spontaneous summons. Gets two wizard / sorcerer spells every other level instead of one illusion spell, without a markup (limited to one less than maximum spell level available, replacing wild shape - and gets a limited form of wild shape back at level 13, with short duration but a lot of power. Could make a better feyspeaker than the feyspeaker, really. Similar restrictions (no spontaneous summoning, wildshape is worse), a lot more flexibility for spellcasting.
Menhir Savant: notable for the ability to detect fey. Otherwise, not much thematic match.
Nithveil Adept: another insult to druids who are interested in the fey. Spontaneous summoning is replaced with "Cast Speak with Animals a few times each day". Other abilities are borderline, with a little flexibility in domains the best of the lot. Locate Nithveil is a purely plot based power, which is pointless in games where it's absent, and nearly worthless in games where it is present (for instance, it can only be used during the new moon, and ends at the end of the new moon. So if you're more than 3 days from the place, too bad).
And a distinct lack of archetypes that have anything to do with music, bardic skills, or the like.
Prestige Classes
Argent Dramaturge: gives bardic masterpieces, very anti-devil focused.
Ashavic Dancer: gives Versatile Performance, very anti-undead focused.
Enchanting Courtesan: focus on illusion and divination, which would be great if druids actually had anything worthwhile in illusion. Also, poison, for some reason.
Feysworn: It's insult the fey day again, right? The fey colored template swap for Demoniac, contrast to Evangelist and weep. Even taken on its own, the chosen of the fey have poor skills (what?) d8 hit dice (bwah?), and no actual ability to charm, create illusions, or anything fey thematic (besides tear holes in reality, which is oh so appropriate).
Green Faith Acolyte: just calling this out as the the Druid Prestige class for people who are not druids and want Druid class features. Completely pointless as a druid.
Magaambyan Arcanist: wizards get to pick up druid spells, and lots of other bonuses. Druids don't get to reciprocate (barring Halcyon Druid).
Pathfinder Chronicler: sacrifice spellcasting for bardic performance. Why not take Bard levels?
Spheresinger: the closest yet to a bard / druid option, as it grants some bardic and versatile performance, as well as fey type eventually. Now if druids actually had spells that worked better with the fey theme... (ignoring alignment issues for now). The bardic performance analogs are very specialized and mostly self buffing.
So a single prestige class with two feat taxes is the best option, and its fey aspects seem tossed in as an afterthought.
Variant Multi Classing
Bard: eventually get half duration bardic performance for a few performances, a single versatile performance, and bardic knowledge at full level. Seems very limited for 5 feats (compare to the prestige classes).
Druid: animal companion and poor wildshape. Nothing fey related.
Not much here, really.