Guardian of Nature advantage seems off

[Rukelnikov]

Anyone else thinks the advantage of GoN's respective "forms" look like they are switched??

"Primal Beast. Bestial fur covers your body, your facial features become feral, and you gain the following benefits:

Your walking speed increases by 10 feet.
You gain darkvision with a range of 120 feet.
You make Strength-based attack rolls with advantage.
Your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 1d6 force damage on a hit."


While a "Primal Beast" can be very dexterous or strong, or both, the Giant Tree has most of the qualities associated with a head-on combatant:

"Great Tree. Your skin appears barky, leaves sprout from your hair, and you gain the following benefits:

You gain 10 temporary hit points.
You make Constitution saving throws with advantage.
You make Dexterity- and Wisdom-based attack rolls with advantage.
While you are on the ground, the ground within 15 feet of you is difficult terrain for your enemies."


More HP, better Con saves, make nearby ground into difficult terrain, and... advantage on Dex based attacks?? Idk, but Dexterity is not a quality I tend to relate trees to, resilience, longevity (which could account for Wis), and, in a typical medieval fantasy, strength are.

OTOH, the primal beast has 2 typical traits of a hunter, increased speed and good darkvision, and hunters are normally associated with agility.

So, was this done for balance reasons? Am I off and they suit fluff as they are?

[Naanomi]

Beast is for charging up and engaging in brutal/savage melee Combat

Tree is for rooting down, engaging in ranged or magical combat while making it hard for others to approach or stop you

[Rukelnikov]

Beast is for charging up and engaging in brutal/savage melee Combat

Tree is for rooting down, engaging in ranged or magical combat while making it hard for others to approach or stop you

But do you think it suits fluff?

[Naanomi]

But do you think it suits fluff?
Well enough, I could see an argument for beast being STR and DEX though (although then you are strafing with the bow, which doesn’t fit well to my image either)

[Rukelnikov]

Well enough, I could see an argument for beast being STR and DEX though (although then you are strafing with the bow, which doesn’t fit well to my image either)

I strafe with my bow as a tree, which is why I think its off :S

[GlenSmash!]

Plenty of beasts like grizzly bears for example are massively strong and hunters.

Buffing Dex saves seems off for a tree I'll give you that.

[ShikomeKidoMi]

Rather than switched, I'd probably just remove the "Dex based" line from the tree. Then you have Strength for one and Wisdom for the other.

Animals and plants aren't big on using bows.

[nickl_2000]

Rather than switched, I'd probably just remove the "Dex based" line from the tree. Then you have Strength for one and Wisdom for the other.

Animals and plants aren't big on using bows.

I don't know, trees use boughs all the time

[Naanomi]

Mechanically that disincentives most Rangers from using it at all

[Throne12]

I thought that subclass should be a druid subclass. But yes having a tree make dex str str attacks with adv is a bit weird cause I dont see trees move fast and being dexterous.

[Naanomi]

I thought that subclass should be a druid subclass. But yes having a tree make dex str str attacks with adv is a bit weird cause I dont see trees move fast and being dexterous.
It was likely a callback to Greenwood Ranger, a 2e Ranger Kit

[xroads]

Out of curiosities sake, is Guardian of Nature a new spell for druids & rangers? Which book is this in?

[nickl_2000]

Out of curiosities sake, is Guardian of Nature a new spell for druids & rangers? Which book is this in?

Xanathar's Guide to Everything page 157, and yes it's Druid and Rangers

[xroads]

Xanathar's Guide to Everything page 157, and yes it's Druid and Rangers

Thanks. At least ten characters.

[Naanomi]

It is one of the best ‘share spells’ spell for a beastmaster

[Arcangel4774]

While i see a rooted tree using a giant bow as something tbat works, i agree with dex feeling off. Although i should add thay dex occasionally feels off to me when it comes to archery anyway. Hystorically, the english longbowmen were your tallest and strongest men in the army.

[djreynolds]

I don't know, trees use boughs all the time

No one got that.... tis sad sir. Very funny.

As for the spell both seem strong, it would be nice if they gave a choice of stat for attacking. (but its the ranger, so expect to be gimped some)

Also a beastmaster is just about getting this spell at 15th or 17th level or so, and they cast beast on the beast and perhaps tree on yourself with shared spell

[nickl_2000]

No one got that.... tis sad sir. Very funny.

Thank you for noticing!

[GlenSmash!]

No one got that.... tis sad sir. Very funny.

Oh I groaned out load.

[MaxWilson]

Sometimes the kindest thing to do in response to a pun is to pretend you didn't notice it. I therefore--hey look, a squirrel!

[Mith]

Could you envision the advantage on Dex save like a willow sapling that bends and flexs, but does not break? It does stretch imagination a bit, but perhaps the actual tree form is more dynamic than "become Treebeard".

[Rukelnikov]

Could you envision the advantage on Dex save like a willow sapling that bends and flexs, but does not break? It does stretch imagination a bit, but perhaps the actual tree form is more dynamic than "become Treebeard".

Yeah, maybe its less becoming treant-like, and more dryad-like, it still seems off, but not as bad :P