DeaconShade
2018-06-22, 12:36 AM
First off, let me say.. thanks for taking time to read this. There’s a lot. Secondly, it’s a bit all over the place/op. I’ve come to you awesome world builders to help finesse this into playability.
Symbiotic Spore Druid.
Once a necromancer of some renowned, I gave it all up for Her. To say that I left my order would be euphemistic. To suggest I had made a conscious decision to leave would be generous on my behalf.
While searching for reagents in the deep wild it happened. Our meeting was mere happenstance, but defied all reason. Me, with my ghostly pallor and black garb that seemed to drink in the mid-day sun. Her, with flowers in her long, sun-kissed hair. She was the most beautiful being I had ever laid eyes on. Our attraction was thus that I never even considered going anywhere else. We just stayed there in that dew laden meadow. For how long, I know not, and as the next dawn approached, she was still there, intertwined within the folds of my dark robe. She showed me her ways and her world. It was one of light, laughter, and life.
As we lived together, we bonded with each other and the ever present wilds. I was immersed, and eventually, I too felt the call. I rejected the dark teachings of my past. The mere presence of her and the light that seemed to emanate from her green eyes as she laughed was purifying. It was enough to scourge to the darkness from my soul. The induction into her druidic order later that year further convinced me of my rebirth. She quickly became the center of my world. However, nothing, not even the shining beacon of our love, escapes the shadow for long.
There was no blood when I found her. My ——— was face down in a bed of dry leaves. Protruding from her back was an iridescent black spike. There was no pulse. I frantically turned her body to face me. There was no life. Wait...
Small movements, a twitch here, an eye flutter there. She, always the stronger, was struggling to live. I grabbed her by the shoulders as I looked her in the face. “Fight!” I screamed. “You can’t leave me!” That’s when I noticed the black tendrils that were slowly flooding up the nape of her pale neck. I tore open the front of her leather tunic, searching for the source of the corruption. Inky blackness poured from the origin.
The odd chitinous devilry that speared her core was starting to rhythmically pump. It pulsed, almost as if to a beat now. Her heart.. SHES STILL ALIVE! As her body fought, the darkness tried to leech its way though the ebb and flow. She was making progress, but not fast enough. It was feeding on her. NO! I screamed as I summoned every ounce of Druidic might I could muster. Power rode my shoulders like a mantle as I barraged the blackness with more energy and healing than I would have ever thought I possessed. The tendrils shimmered a fierce emerald color and then started to dim. It was not enough. Toward what I knew would be the end, I fed to it the last remnants of my love and my sanity. It didn’t slow exactly, but it seemed to acknowledge my efforts. Then, a torrent of blackness surged forward as if to consume her very soul.
Nothing left. Nothing left to give except... Slamming the palm of my hand down on the spike, I mutter through gritted teeth, “You will NOT have her.” Emptiness. I have never in all my life felt so empty. Then, as my blood weeps, I feel it join the flow. I set the hook. A spark, a connection, and then bolt of lightning sears my brain. I see colors and stripes. I follow lines and work my way up to the tendrils. Through flashes of insight and emotion I sense it’s will. I whisper that I have more, More than her in every regard. I promise the energy from before was but a taste. Opening to it, the void inside myself, I cajole it with glimpses of the heights of power “WE” could achieve. If only it would come to me, we would be complete.
Pins and needles shoot up my arm as waves of pain wrack my brain. It’s will try’s to insert itself into the nerve receptors of my spinal column. It successfully entrenches itself in my lower cortex like a patch of briars under a careless foot. My vision goes dark.
I’m surrounded by an eerie green light. I’m immobilized, encased in bone and a never ending thicket of bramble that teems with razor sharp iridescent spikes. I come to the realization that I have survived... sort of. Suddenly, Im overcome with the oddest urge to laugh. When I do, the sound is long and melodious. Recognition is instant. It is not mine.
We awake.
Circle of Spores
Druids of the Circle of Spores find beauty in decay. They see within mold and other fungi the ability to transform lifeless material into abundant, albeit somewhat strange, life.
These druids believe that life and death are portions of a grand cycle, with one leading to the other and then back again. Death is not the end of life, but instead a change of state that sees life shift into a new form.
Druids of this circle have a complex relationship with the undead. Unlike most other druids, they see nothing inherently wrong with undeath, which they consider to be a companion to life and death. However, these druids believe that the natural cycle is healthiest when each segment of it is vibrant and changing. Undead that seek to replace all life with undeath, or avoid passing to a final rest, violate the cycle and must be thwarted.
Circle Spells
Your symbiotic link to fungus and your ability to tap into the cycle of life and death grants you access to certain spells. At 2nd level, you learn the chill touch cantrip. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to the spells listed for that level in the Circle of Spores Spells table. Once you gain access to one of these spells, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you gain access to a spell that doesn’t appear on the druid spell list, the spell is nonetheless a druid spell for you.
Circle of Spores Spells
3rd gentle repose, ray of enfeeblement
5th (propagation) animate dead, gaseous form
7th blight, confusion
9th cloudkill, contagion
*Breath of Spores*
Starting at 2nd level, you can launch neurotoxic spores on other creatures. To do so, you use your reaction when you cast a spell of 1st level to deal 6 psychic damage to one creature you can see within 15 feet of you. When you cast a spell of 2nd level or higher, you can use this feature to target a number of creatures equal to the level of the spell cast. This damage increases to 8 at 6th level, 10 at 10th level, and 12 at 14th.
*Symbiotic Entity*
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to channel magic into the entity that inhabits you. When you use your Wild Shape feature, you can augment the parasites power, rather than transforming. When you do so, the parasites black, vine like tendrils envelope your form and serrate your weapon with stinging spines. This gains you 3 temporary hit points per level you have in this class, the damage of your Breath of Spores feature doubles, and your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 1d6 psychic damage to any target they hit. This damage increases to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at 10th level, and 4d6 at 14th level. These benefits last for 10 minutes or until you use your Wild Shape again.
Upon willingly fortifying the parasites power in this manner the host must make a constitution saving throw vs the parasites invasion or be subject to the parasites will for that turn. (See table)
D10. Behavior.
1-4. Submission. The DM may decide the parasites action.
5-6. Stalemate. The player doesn’t move or take action.
7-8. Chaos. The player makes a melee attack against a randomly determined target within its reach. If there is no creature within its reach, the player does nothing this turn.
9-10. Domination. At the last second, the player regains control and may act and move normally.
*Fungal Infestation*
At 6th level, your spores gain the ability to implant a medium sized corpse with a choice of one of two sentient flora. If a creature that has received your Breath of Spores damage within the past minute dies, the creature spawns a shambling vine-lasher or a rooted spine-spitter the end of your turn. It has a number of hit points equal to your druid level. In combat, its turn is immediately after yours. It obeys your mental commands, and the only action it can take is the Attack action, making one attack. It remains animate for 1 hour, after which time it withers and dies. You can create a maximum number of plants with this feature equal to your Wisdom modifier.
* Symbiotic Mastery*
At 10th level, you attain mastery over your spore-infested body and no longer have to make constitution checks vs the parasite. The range of your Breath of Spores feature increases to 30 feet. In addition, when you cast a spell that affects you, you automatically succeed on your saving throw against the spell and take no damage if you would normally take half damage on a successful save.
*Fungal Body*
At 14th level, the fungal spores in your body alter you: you can’t be blinded, deafened, frightened, or poisoned, and if an attack is a critical hit against you, it doesn’t deal its extra damage to you.
Symbiotic Spore Druid.
Once a necromancer of some renowned, I gave it all up for Her. To say that I left my order would be euphemistic. To suggest I had made a conscious decision to leave would be generous on my behalf.
While searching for reagents in the deep wild it happened. Our meeting was mere happenstance, but defied all reason. Me, with my ghostly pallor and black garb that seemed to drink in the mid-day sun. Her, with flowers in her long, sun-kissed hair. She was the most beautiful being I had ever laid eyes on. Our attraction was thus that I never even considered going anywhere else. We just stayed there in that dew laden meadow. For how long, I know not, and as the next dawn approached, she was still there, intertwined within the folds of my dark robe. She showed me her ways and her world. It was one of light, laughter, and life.
As we lived together, we bonded with each other and the ever present wilds. I was immersed, and eventually, I too felt the call. I rejected the dark teachings of my past. The mere presence of her and the light that seemed to emanate from her green eyes as she laughed was purifying. It was enough to scourge to the darkness from my soul. The induction into her druidic order later that year further convinced me of my rebirth. She quickly became the center of my world. However, nothing, not even the shining beacon of our love, escapes the shadow for long.
There was no blood when I found her. My ——— was face down in a bed of dry leaves. Protruding from her back was an iridescent black spike. There was no pulse. I frantically turned her body to face me. There was no life. Wait...
Small movements, a twitch here, an eye flutter there. She, always the stronger, was struggling to live. I grabbed her by the shoulders as I looked her in the face. “Fight!” I screamed. “You can’t leave me!” That’s when I noticed the black tendrils that were slowly flooding up the nape of her pale neck. I tore open the front of her leather tunic, searching for the source of the corruption. Inky blackness poured from the origin.
The odd chitinous devilry that speared her core was starting to rhythmically pump. It pulsed, almost as if to a beat now. Her heart.. SHES STILL ALIVE! As her body fought, the darkness tried to leech its way though the ebb and flow. She was making progress, but not fast enough. It was feeding on her. NO! I screamed as I summoned every ounce of Druidic might I could muster. Power rode my shoulders like a mantle as I barraged the blackness with more energy and healing than I would have ever thought I possessed. The tendrils shimmered a fierce emerald color and then started to dim. It was not enough. Toward what I knew would be the end, I fed to it the last remnants of my love and my sanity. It didn’t slow exactly, but it seemed to acknowledge my efforts. Then, a torrent of blackness surged forward as if to consume her very soul.
Nothing left. Nothing left to give except... Slamming the palm of my hand down on the spike, I mutter through gritted teeth, “You will NOT have her.” Emptiness. I have never in all my life felt so empty. Then, as my blood weeps, I feel it join the flow. I set the hook. A spark, a connection, and then bolt of lightning sears my brain. I see colors and stripes. I follow lines and work my way up to the tendrils. Through flashes of insight and emotion I sense it’s will. I whisper that I have more, More than her in every regard. I promise the energy from before was but a taste. Opening to it, the void inside myself, I cajole it with glimpses of the heights of power “WE” could achieve. If only it would come to me, we would be complete.
Pins and needles shoot up my arm as waves of pain wrack my brain. It’s will try’s to insert itself into the nerve receptors of my spinal column. It successfully entrenches itself in my lower cortex like a patch of briars under a careless foot. My vision goes dark.
I’m surrounded by an eerie green light. I’m immobilized, encased in bone and a never ending thicket of bramble that teems with razor sharp iridescent spikes. I come to the realization that I have survived... sort of. Suddenly, Im overcome with the oddest urge to laugh. When I do, the sound is long and melodious. Recognition is instant. It is not mine.
We awake.
Circle of Spores
Druids of the Circle of Spores find beauty in decay. They see within mold and other fungi the ability to transform lifeless material into abundant, albeit somewhat strange, life.
These druids believe that life and death are portions of a grand cycle, with one leading to the other and then back again. Death is not the end of life, but instead a change of state that sees life shift into a new form.
Druids of this circle have a complex relationship with the undead. Unlike most other druids, they see nothing inherently wrong with undeath, which they consider to be a companion to life and death. However, these druids believe that the natural cycle is healthiest when each segment of it is vibrant and changing. Undead that seek to replace all life with undeath, or avoid passing to a final rest, violate the cycle and must be thwarted.
Circle Spells
Your symbiotic link to fungus and your ability to tap into the cycle of life and death grants you access to certain spells. At 2nd level, you learn the chill touch cantrip. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to the spells listed for that level in the Circle of Spores Spells table. Once you gain access to one of these spells, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you gain access to a spell that doesn’t appear on the druid spell list, the spell is nonetheless a druid spell for you.
Circle of Spores Spells
3rd gentle repose, ray of enfeeblement
5th (propagation) animate dead, gaseous form
7th blight, confusion
9th cloudkill, contagion
*Breath of Spores*
Starting at 2nd level, you can launch neurotoxic spores on other creatures. To do so, you use your reaction when you cast a spell of 1st level to deal 6 psychic damage to one creature you can see within 15 feet of you. When you cast a spell of 2nd level or higher, you can use this feature to target a number of creatures equal to the level of the spell cast. This damage increases to 8 at 6th level, 10 at 10th level, and 12 at 14th.
*Symbiotic Entity*
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to channel magic into the entity that inhabits you. When you use your Wild Shape feature, you can augment the parasites power, rather than transforming. When you do so, the parasites black, vine like tendrils envelope your form and serrate your weapon with stinging spines. This gains you 3 temporary hit points per level you have in this class, the damage of your Breath of Spores feature doubles, and your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 1d6 psychic damage to any target they hit. This damage increases to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at 10th level, and 4d6 at 14th level. These benefits last for 10 minutes or until you use your Wild Shape again.
Upon willingly fortifying the parasites power in this manner the host must make a constitution saving throw vs the parasites invasion or be subject to the parasites will for that turn. (See table)
D10. Behavior.
1-4. Submission. The DM may decide the parasites action.
5-6. Stalemate. The player doesn’t move or take action.
7-8. Chaos. The player makes a melee attack against a randomly determined target within its reach. If there is no creature within its reach, the player does nothing this turn.
9-10. Domination. At the last second, the player regains control and may act and move normally.
*Fungal Infestation*
At 6th level, your spores gain the ability to implant a medium sized corpse with a choice of one of two sentient flora. If a creature that has received your Breath of Spores damage within the past minute dies, the creature spawns a shambling vine-lasher or a rooted spine-spitter the end of your turn. It has a number of hit points equal to your druid level. In combat, its turn is immediately after yours. It obeys your mental commands, and the only action it can take is the Attack action, making one attack. It remains animate for 1 hour, after which time it withers and dies. You can create a maximum number of plants with this feature equal to your Wisdom modifier.
* Symbiotic Mastery*
At 10th level, you attain mastery over your spore-infested body and no longer have to make constitution checks vs the parasite. The range of your Breath of Spores feature increases to 30 feet. In addition, when you cast a spell that affects you, you automatically succeed on your saving throw against the spell and take no damage if you would normally take half damage on a successful save.
*Fungal Body*
At 14th level, the fungal spores in your body alter you: you can’t be blinded, deafened, frightened, or poisoned, and if an attack is a critical hit against you, it doesn’t deal its extra damage to you.