D&D 5E UA Druid Speculation/Wishlists

Xeviat · Nov 25, 2016

CapnZapp said:
Companion druid: At least in 3E the problem was that the druid got everything: turn into a melee beast, cast spells and have companion. 5E decided to protect the "companion guy" niche for the ranger, and I'm not sure it's wise to reverse that. Any Companion druid build designer needs to ask himself: will there still be ANY reason to play a Ranger after this?

Well, off the top of my head, if one of the core parts of the subclass at 2nd level was gaining a "Summon Companion" spell, which summoned a single scaling animal based on spell slot used, it could instantly be balance-able against the Beast Conclave Ranger. It would even be different thematically: the ranger goes around with their best friend, while the Druid calls upon whatever animals are native for help.

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tuxgeo · Nov 25, 2016

Lanliss said:
Man, people want some weird things. "Urban druid"? You want a nature guy, who doesn't do nature? . . .

There is nature in any city. Even cut stone is natural on the inside. Even wooden doors are wood on the inside. Electrical wiring is metallic copper or aluminum on the inside. Running water, even in plumbing pipes, is mostly natural water. City air, even polluted, is still air. Etc.

For a more mystical take on urban magic, you might want to take a look at "Urban Shaman" by Serge Kahili King, PhD*; he's an initiate of the revived and reimagined and reconstituted Hawai'ian "kahuna" magic tradition, as first proposed by Max Freedom Long.

* link to Amazon

Lanliss · Nov 25, 2016

tuxgeo said:
There is nature in any city. Even cut stone is natural on the inside. Even wooden doors are wood on the inside. Electrical wiring is metallic copper or aluminum on the inside. Running water, even in plumbing pipes, is mostly natural water. City air, even polluted, is still air. Etc.

For a more mystical take on urban magic, you might want to take a look at "Urban Shaman" by Serge Kahili King, PhD*; he's an initiate of the revived and reimagined and reconstituted Hawai'ian "kahuna" magic tradition, as first proposed by Max Freedom Long.

* link to Amazon

I'm not arguing that someone couldn't use nature spells just because they happen to be in a city at the time, but doesn't all of that stuff stop being "Natural" by definition, once it has been worked? The air or doors make sense, but don't all the nature type spells like Move Earth specify that it cannot be worked stone? I am just questioning the actual necessity or use of such a character. Of course, I am only thinking of my setting and default D&D settings. I suppose if your setting looks like Fifth Element or Judge Dredd it would make sense.

tuxgeo · Nov 26, 2016

Let's see. . . . I just looked up "Move Earth" in 5E and it says it applies to "dirt, sand, or clay." It also says it can't manipulate natural stone or stone construction. In the lists of spells by class, the entry for "Move Earth" appears in the Druid, Sorcerer, and Wizard lists, so it isn't exclusively a "natural-only" spell.

I want to take this response in two different directions at the same time, and it's not working for me. One of the directions is nearly edition-warring, so I'm be really brief: earlier editions may have made such "natural only" distinctions, but 5E does it to a lesser extent. The other direction in which I want to take this response is this: We are not really addressing the actual use or necessity of such a character; rather, we're addressing what we think might be cool to have (for the sake of diversity, or playing something one has never played before, or some such rot).

Lanliss · Nov 26, 2016

tuxgeo said:
Let's see. . . . I just looked up "Move Earth" in 5E and it says it applies to "dirt, sand, or clay." It also says it can't manipulate natural stone or stone construction. In the lists of spells by class, the entry for "Move Earth" appears in the Druid, Sorcerer, and Wizard lists, so it isn't exclusively a "natural-only" spell.

I want to take this response in two different directions at the same time, and it's not working for me. One of the directions is nearly edition-warring, so I'm be really brief: earlier editions may have made such "natural only" distinctions, but 5E does it to a lesser extent. The other direction in which I want to take this response is this: We are not really addressing the actual use or necessity of such a character; rather, we're addressing what we think might be cool to have (for the sake of diversity, or playing something one has never played before, or some such rot).

Of course, I apologize if it seemed like I was saying there shouldn't be such a thing. I was just curious on the why and how. What would an Urban Druid do that differentiates it from any other druid? I am not asking that in a judging way, I am genuinely curious on what it would be. Additionally, what would make that ability a "Druid" ability, and not a Cleric of Civilization or something similar, aside from the Chassis it is built on?

tuxgeo · Nov 26, 2016

Lanliss said:
Of course, I apologize if it seemed like I was saying there shouldn't be such a thing. I was just curious on the why and how. What would an Urban Druid do that differentiates it from any other druid? I am not asking that in a judging way, I am genuinely curious on what it would be. Additionally, what would make that ability a "Druid" ability, and not a Cleric of Civilization or something similar, aside from the Chassis it is built on?

I would also like to know that, as I'm not the main person who brought up the idea of getting an urban druid build in the UA articles.

The best I can do it to hazard guesses. My primary guess would be that a Cleric of Civilization would have some deity of civilization to refer to, and possibly some revered doctrine or dogma to spout, while an Urban Druid would only refer to the actual conditions in the cities and how those conditions relate to the natural order of the world -- but that's all roleplaying, not mechanics.

As far as mechanics are concerned, the central Druid-only ability is Wildshape, which would have limitations in cities. (A large dog might be unremarkable in a city, but an equally large cat could be cause for serious concern, and for calls to the animal-control authorities.) As far as the overall thrust of a build goes, a Cleric of Civilization would be more aligned with promoting the activities of civilization, while an Urban Druid would be more about counteracting those, and maintaining one's connection to nature even though located in a city. They could be enemies more than rivals, in that sense.

Xeviat · Nov 26, 2016

An urban Druid could have special teleportation around cities, knowledge of animals and plants within cities, command of stray animals, and possibly special wildshape bonuses when turning into things like crows, pidgins, and domestic pets.

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Lanliss · Nov 26, 2016

Xeviat said:
An urban Druid could have special teleportation around cities, knowledge of animals and plants within cities, command of stray animals, and possibly special wildshape bonuses when turning into things like crows, pidgins, and domestic pets.

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Aside from teleporting around a city, can't a Druid already do those things? As far as I know there is no restriction on turning into a cat or gerbil with wildshape, and you already command stray animals whenever you command woodland animals.

Xeviat · Nov 26, 2016

Lanliss said:
Aside from teleporting around a city, can't a Druid already do those things? As far as I know there is no restriction on turning into a cat or gerbil with wildshape, and you already command stray animals whenever you command woodland animals.

Nothing keeps them from doing it, but nothing enhances or encourages it either. Subclasses are often about enhancing things.

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ChameleonX · Nov 28, 2016

Wear metal armor

D&D 5E UA Druid Speculation/Wishlists

Xeviat

Hero

tuxgeo

Adventurer

Lanliss

Explorer

tuxgeo

Adventurer

Lanliss

Explorer

tuxgeo

Adventurer

Xeviat

Hero

Lanliss

Explorer

Xeviat

Hero

ChameleonX

Explorer

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