Creating a "Druid" for a players wife.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Hey everybody, I'm hoping to get some input on the best way to build this out for one of my player's wives. I'm creating a NPC statblock for a PC's irl wife to play.

She would like to play a druid however she doesn't really want to do a huge amount of book keeping. She is only playing because her husband is skyping in to play with us and she doesn't want to be left out. I've explained that a normal druid has a large amount of options and a large amount of bookkeeping for all of the different spell and animal options. Primary things that she wants, Summon animals, Talk to animals, Control nature, however she also doesn't care about wildshaping.

Primary things that she wants, Summon animals, Talk to animals, Control nature, however she also doesn't care about wildshaping.

My main sticking points are twofold:
1. Switching from preparing spells to just knowing spells, and simultaneously still allowing for some versatility.
2. How to give her essentially a faux wildshape without it being too complicated.

1 spell per spell slot +2 ritual spells per spell level. so at their current level 5th she would have.

Cantrips: same as land druid
four 1st level spells + 2 ritual spells
three 2nd level spells + 2 ritual spells
two 3rd level spells + 2 ritual spells

Self Alteration: as an action you can give yourself gills and webbed fingers; At level 8 you can instead choose to sprout the wings of an giant eagle. This change lasts for a number of hours equal to half your druid level rounded down.

Mechanically this would mean water breathing+swim speed equal to walking speed; and a flying speed of 80' respectively.


AC: 18 (Ironwood Breastplate and shield)
HP: 38 (5d8+10)
Speed 30'
12,14,14,10,20,8
Race: Half elf
Skills: Athletics, Stealth, Nature, Animal Handling, Perception, Survival
Languages: Common, Elvish, Sylvan, Undercommon, Speech of the Woods (from Shepard druid)
Passive Perception 18

Shillelagh. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6+5) magical bludgeoning damage, or 9 (1d8+5) magical bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.
Magic Stone. Ranged Spell Attack: +8 to hit, Range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6+5) Magical bludgeoning damage.

Spellcasting: 5th Level caster +8 to spell attack rolls, Save DC=16

Cantrips: Shillelagh, Magic Stone, Shape Water, Control Flames,
1st Level: Cure Wounds, Faerie Fire, Goodberry, Ice Knife, Purify Food and Drink, Detect Magic
2nd Level: Animal Messenger, Flame Blade, Locate Animals or Plants, Pass without Trace, Spike Growth
3rd Level: Conjure Animals, Water Breathing, Water Walk, Plant Growth


I'm not sure if this matters or not but the current campaign has them trapped 600 miles away from the nearest known civilization, with a dense jungle between them and it. Think chult and you'll have a good idea of what they'll be facing.

[JackPhoenix]

Give her a standard druid. It doesn't have any more book keeping than your solution. She'll have to learn about the spells (and basic D&D mechanics) anyway, she'll have to deal with animal stat blocks if she want to summon them, and if she doesn't care about wild shape, she doesn't have to use it. There's no difference between having spells known and preparing spells once and never switching them... well, there is, if she ever changes her mind, she can prepare different spells later.

[Seekergeek]

Create a 5th level invocation for a warlock akin to minions of chaos but for conjure animal. 1/day she can use a warlock spell slot to cast conjure animal. Make her a firbolg feylock and you're done.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Give her a standard druid. It doesn't have any more book keeping than your solution. She'll have to learn about the spells (and basic D&D mechanics) anyway, she'll have to deal with animal stat blocks if she want to summon them, and if she doesn't care about wild shape, she doesn't have to use it. There's no difference between having spells known and preparing spells once and never switching them... well, there is, if she ever changes her mind, she can prepare different spells later.


Lol, those are some good points. I think I will do just that, thank you JackPhoenix.

[Crgaston]

Shepherd Druid even has "talking to animals" at will baked into it.

[Arkhios]

One thing you could try is to let her play a Sidekick (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwjVv-HVpc7fAhXkqIsKHWrmD6QQFjAAegQICRAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.wizards.com%2F2018%2Fdnd%2 Fdownloads%2FUA_Sidekicks.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1ombQrANqnOJfNKDrs1oxO) Spellcaster (A recent Unearthed Arcana option), but as a full-fledged character instead of someone's sidekick. Let her start at an equal level and determine stats as for any other character.

Sidekick Spellcasters have the same progression throughout their careers, but each can choose which spell list they use. Essentially it's very similar to wizard, with an ability to recover spell slots like wizards, but also gains some unique features like Empowered Spells (choose a spell school; allows them to add their spellcasting modifier to damage, healing etc. if the spell from that school is cast by expending a spell slot).
However, it gains a very limited number of spells (similar to a sorcerer), but that's actually a good thing, if you want as little book-keeping as possible.

So, you could let her play a Sidekick Spellcaster with the Druid Spell list (thus, using Wisdom as her spellcasting ability).

[Vorpalchicken]

I feel like the player should try dating. And not resort to marrying an NPC

[Arkhios]

I feel like the player should try dating. And not resort to marrying an NPC

I get it you tried to make fun of it, but you really should read the OP again. (And no, that's not funny).

The OP is making a character that is simple enough but druid-ish, for a player's Real Life Wife. Not an NPC wife for the player's character.

[Azgeroth]

forest gnome druid, innately speak to small creatures..

land, forest,

prepare her spells for her, or get her hubby to do it.

if your unsure, go check out the druid guide for the 'best' rated spells.


to help with this, i would highly recommend spell cards/book AND USE THE SPELL CASTER SHEET!!!!
sorry to caps that, but really picking spells is the most intimidating part, once your in it its easy, so pick them to start, and change them out now and then, she will have one piece of paper to help her remember what spells are of what level, cards to remind her of what the spells do.. she should pick it up pretty easily, especially if she gets prep help.

[Unoriginal]

What's your group's level?

[Vogie]

Shepherd Druid even has "talking to animals" at will baked into it.

This is actually my suggestion. Use that existing subclass to help this player have the most fun they can.

Instead of losing slots on Speak with Animals, Speech of the Woods gives this ability to them at-will.
That also limits their number of Wild Shapes they can access, while also giving them the Animals spirits they can summon.
As for later summoning with Conjure Animals, give them a set list of animals they can summon at each CR. A pack of wolves, a coil of constrictor snakes, a pair of giant eagles, et cetera.

[Helldin87]

I think a Shillegah focused circle druid is a great idea. Preselecting spells for her to prepare will help her streamline. Also consider setting up a DNDbeyond profile for her so she can see consolidated action lists. I like to point my new players to the list when they ask me "what can I do"...I don't know what's on the list?

Also maybe ask her to keep summons to one higher CR creature rather than multiple. IMO 5E does not lend itself to raising an army. I've tried it as a PC and my DM did not enjoy my squirrel minions even if he thought it was clever...YES MINIONS GO INTO THE DEATH PORTALS. What? Only Minion B made it back? OK guys that's the one we want.

best of luck!

[Bundin]

Don't forget to explain that the game is more than comabt and stat blocks and bookkeeping. It's also about being properly invested in a shared story. Also explain about the disconnect between player and character (metaing, blaming players for valid in-character actions). I've seen unexperienced partners of players join in, and just not 'get' the game because they weren't really invested in the shared story. I've also seen 2 of them get upset with their partner because of ingame actions. That made for some very awkward sessions for everyone else.

I'd not simplify the class, but assist in the choices outside of sessions as a group. Don't create the character for her, create it with her. You/husband might still be the one filling out all the numbers, but background should be mostly her. And spell choice could tie in with that, especially when not starting at level 1. The best way to get invested is to care about your own character, and the best way to care is to help create :)

And ask her to do some preparation by reading some relevant bits of the PHB. Maybe hubby can do a 'practise session' with her 1 on 1. I did that with my now ex-gf once, it was me being 'DM', and her doing a simple trek from village A to village B. It included one tiny combat encounter, one abandoned wooden shack to rummage through, a bit of forest to not get lost in, some NPCs, and not much more. She enjoyed it, got a feel for actions in combat, got to try some skills, and had a weird chat with a weirder NPC. All within roughly an hour.

[JellyPooga]

Primary things that she wants, Summon animals, Talk to animals, Control nature, however she also doesn't care about wildshaping.

Warlock is your friend here, like seekergeek says. Beast Speech, a variant of Minions of Chaos subbing for Conjure Animals, the base Warlock spell list has enough "nature-y" stuff on it to feel like a "controls nature" type of spellsljnger, go Tomelock to pick up Shillelagh, Druidcraft and Thorn Whip (or whatever else makes her feel like a druid).

Alternatively;
- Totem Barbarian gets Speak w. Animals and can feel pretty nature-y.
- Or Ranger for a little more spellcasting that doesn't have the wealth of options a Druid does.
- Arcane Trickster Rogue can definitely go for a Druid feel with the right spell choices and Magic Initiate for Druid cantrips.

Multiclassing isn't a headache or any more complex than single class if you're not doing the char-build yourself. Mix-and-match any of the above for a Druid-not-Druid with simpler options and easy mechanics.

Myself, I'd go Warlock/Rogue with heavier focus of Warlock. Expertise in Survival and Animal Handling might not be hugely optimal, but when it comes to "Druid-ing", nothing's better than succeeding at skill checks to do with nature-y stuff.

[Kadesh]

Shepherd Druid. If she doesn't care about Wild Shaping, she doesn't do it, but if she finds herself in an opportunity to use it, she can. A GWM/GWF Fighter isn't using their Light Armour Proficiency, but they don't get anything for it.

Druids are already good enough, and Shepherd Druids make your summons that much better to make up for the lack of your ability to meatshield.

If there was one thing I'd allow, I'd maybe give a magic item that granted a single use of a specific Metamagic in exchange for Wild Shape 1/long rest, and probably one of the more lower end ones; Quicken perhaps, or Empower (given the lower typically lower Cha of a Druid).