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Validar
2019-06-22, 04:29 PM
One of my players in my Ravnica campaign wants to become a circle of the land druid.

Trouble is that there isn't really forrests, mountains, grasslands etc. in the mighty city of Ravnica. Atleast they aren't there with the same feel as in a more standard fantasy setting.

What we're trying to do is designing a spell list (the only real thing that needs modification) for a city oriented druid.

Theme should be the main guideline in the choice of spells with game balance comming in as a close second.

So far we've got:

vl 3: Animal Messenger, Heat Metal.

lvl 5: Lightning Bolt, Dispel Magic.

lvl 7: Conjure Minor Elementals, Stone Shape.

lvl 9: Cone of Cold, Stone Wall.

What do you think?

Personally I'm really content with the level 3, which really fits the theme of a city druid in my oppinion, but I'm a little worried with the level 5: Is giving Lightning Bolt and Dispel Magic a little too potent?

snafuy
2019-06-22, 07:50 PM
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?578686-Druid-Circle-of-Land-Urban
https://mfov.magehandpress.com/2015/05/urban-druid.html
https://www.dndbeyond.com/subclasses/92572-circle-of-the-city

Squire Doodad
2019-06-22, 08:07 PM
Patches of grass. Parks. Empty unpaved lots. WINDOWSILL GARDENS. Also, raccoons and pigeons and stuff are everywhere if you need an animal for something. If you look at things right, many cities have more plant life than you'd expect. You can give the druid a trade-off- they have some inherent restrictions as a result of the environment (though are much freer than the average druid would be to allow them to have some power) but they also have more reliable access to other abilities that make for a druid that is less diverse magically but also stronger and bulkier physically.

I haven't played 5e yet, so I might be off a bit, but things can work out interestingly.

EDIT: Reread the thing. I thought you were looking for general ideas more than just a spell list whoops...

Potato_Priest
2019-06-23, 01:56 AM
Lightning bolt and dispel might be a little potent, but I wouldn’t sweat it. Land druids kind of need some more juice anyway.


Personally, I’m more curious as to why lightning bolt and come of cold are on here, when urban environments are terrible locales for AOE spells of their ilk. I might suggest tongues as a maximally thematic choice, and leomund’s tiny hut, blink, clairvoyance, or hypnotic pattern as more useful but still on-brand options. To replace cone of cold, teleportation circle would be perfect, with telekinesis, modify memory, passwall, or mislead also fitting great.

I also think freedom of movement would be a maximally thematic choice for the level 4 spells, as I’m imagining a Druid jogging unhindered through a bustling crowd.

Squire Doodad
2019-06-23, 10:37 AM
Lightning bolt and dispel might be a little potent, but I wouldn’t sweat it. Land druids kind of need some more juice anyway.


Personally, I’m more curious as to why lightning bolt and come of cold are on here, when urban environments are terrible locales for AOE spells of their ilk. I might suggest tongues as a maximally thematic choice, and leomund’s tiny hut, blink, clairvoyance, or hypnotic pattern as more useful but still on-brand options. To replace cone of cold, teleportation circle would be perfect, with telekinesis, modify memory, passwall, or mislead also fitting great.

I also think freedom of movement would be a maximally thematic choice for the level 4 spells, as I’m imagining a Druid jogging unhindered through a bustling crowd.

How about CONE OF RAZOR SHARP BLADES HAHAHAHA
In a more serious sense, if CoC is balanced but isn't thematically appropriate, maybe have a "Cone of Dust" which is more or less the same thing, but earth elemental. Dust is abundant in most locales after all, moreso than dirt. Unless you have a duel in a pristine and obsessively cleaned warehouse, it should be workable lorewise. Basically, same damage and same range, but without the "freeze on death" aspect. To differentiate it a bit more, perhaps make it so that it also requires everything hit to make a DEX roll, which if they fail leads to them being blinded for a single round. Think of it as being the magical equivalent of pepper spray!

LibraryOgre
2019-06-23, 11:17 AM
vl 3: Animal Messenger, Heat Metal.

lvl 5: Lightning Bolt, Dispel Magic.

lvl 7: Conjure Minor Elementals, Stone Shape.

lvl 9: Cone of Cold, Stone Wall.

What do you think?


Lightning Bolt and Cone of Cold don't make sense to me for a city druid.

Level 5, go with Meld into Stone or Create Food and Water. Tongues would also be good. 9th level, Animate Objects.

Drascin
2019-06-23, 01:45 PM
Ravnica has plenty of forest-y areas, they're just built zones reclaimed by nature, Horizon Zero Dawn style, instead of untouched wilds.

More important than anything in Ravnica, though, is what guild is this druid aligned to? Golgari, Gruul, Selesnya, and Simic all have druids, and their "domain" spells should probably be a tad different.