D&D 5E Clerics vs Druids in an Animist Setting

[Tony Vargas]

I'd consider just dropping Clerics and Paladins (except maybe Oath of Ancients?) from such a setting. It's not like the game strictly needs clerics anymore (with Druids & Bards now able to handle support duties well enough).

As far as Clerics revering one spirit in particular and Druids working with many, the latter fits animism better. For that matter, it fits polytheism better. ...
... nah, I can't really get away from 'just drop the cleric.'

 

[Draegn]

For a difference you might consider having druids following a place spirit, such as the River Woman, Man of the Woods, etc.... Clerics could then following an emotional spirit, the Spirit of Love, Spirit of Hate, etc....

 

[Xeviat]

I'd consider just dropping Clerics and Paladins (except maybe Oath of Ancients?) from such a setting. It's not like the game strictly needs clerics anymore (with Druids & Bards now able to handle support duties well enough).

As far as Clerics revering one spirit in particular and Druids working with many, the latter fits animism better. For that matter, it fits polytheism better. ...
... nah, I can't really get away from 'just drop the cleric.'

I don't want to drop anything from the setting, as it's still a "D&D setting" for the most part. I still want all the options to be available, I'm just changing some of the fluff.

Paladins are already a big part.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I don't want to drop anything from the setting, as it's still a "D&D setting" for the most part. I still want all the options to be available, I'm just changing some of the fluff.

Paladins are already a big part.

Draegn may be onto something, then. Circle of the Land ally with spirits of places (genius loci), Circle of the Moon with spirits of animals (totems), while the spirits revered by Clerics are of more abstract concepts, as represented by the Domains.

 

[Xeviat]

Draegn may be onto something, then. Circle of the Land ally with spirits of places (genius loci), Circle of the Moon with spirits of animals (totems), while the spirits revered by Clerics are of more abstract concepts, as represented by the Domains.

I'm now leaning toward something somewhere between that and "clerics worship the spirits" and "druids are partners with the spirits of nature". There is some overlap; a cleric who oversees a village shrine may dedicate it to the spirit of the river, from which the village gets their fish and water. The cleric and the people of the village worship the spirit of the river and offer it veneration and gifts. A druid who lives nearby respects the spirit of the river and may ask it for aid, but it's more of a partnership.

 

[Alexemplar]

Clerics can represent the traditions revolving around ancestral/heroic spirits: the Scholar, the Warrior, the Trickster, etc. Meanwhle, the Druid can be the tradition that revolves around the wilder spirits of nature.

In my own homebrew, Druids represent the original priests, who venerated the chaotic and primal deities and spirits of creation. Members of the Cleric class are a relatively recent occurrence. They're the champions of a new generation of gods that bring civilization and see the old spirits as needing to either get with the new program (no more droughts when farmers need rain, no more wolves eating livestock, and no more storms and earthquakes) or or get put into their place.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

1) I'd crib some notes from the 3.x Oriental Adventures Shaman and maybe the Arcana Unearthed/Arcana Evolved Greenbond. The former has explicit animist interactions with spirits of nature or ancestors.

2) Clerics & Paladins vs Warlocks: clerics & paladins are true believers. They are called or drawn to those they worship. Warlocks are "mercenaries", agents or employees who have a contractual relationship with the being that grants them power.

 

[Xeviat]

2) Clerics & Paladins vs Warlocks: clerics & paladins are true believers. They are called or drawn to those they worship. Warlocks are "mercenaries", agents or employees who have a contractual relationship with the being that grants them power.

Would you say that the beings who are revered by Clerics would not be Warlock Patrons as well?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Would you say that the beings who are revered by Clerics would not be Warlock Patrons as well?

No, just that their relationship is different. Like patriots who serve for love of king & country vs mercenaries who want coins & power.

There may also be beings who cannot or will not grant clerical/paladin powers- for a variety of reasons- who may nonetheless find warlock patronage to be to their benefit.

 

[Aldarc]

Draegn may be onto something, then. Circle of the Land ally with spirits of places (genius loci), Circle of the Moon with spirits of animals (totems), while the spirits revered by Clerics are of more abstract concepts, as represented by the Domains.

Or clerics could also pay their respects to ancestral spirits who exemplify these various facets.

Clerics can represent the traditions revolving around ancestral/heroic spirits: the Scholar, the Warrior, the Trickster, etc. Meanwhle, the Druid can be the tradition that revolves around the wilder spirits of nature.

Yep, this is what would be a simple flavor fix.