D&D General What is Druidism in your game?

Deset Gled · Jan 25, 2022

Maxperson said:
And chair wheels are plastic swivel casters.

Pollux is just an alternate caster.

Aldarc · Jan 25, 2022

In terms of flavor and niche, I prefer their 4e versions.

R_J_K75 · Jan 25, 2022

I mostly play in the Forgotten Realms and refer to the 2E deity books, (Faiths & Avatars, Powers and Pantheons & Demihuman Deities). Each entry has a list of clergy classes, so I go by that, and/or other race and class supplements. In 1E they are stated to be a sub-class of cleric and in 2E they are described as a priest of nature. In 3.5 are said to get their spells/powers from nature and not a deity, while 5E says they can get spells and powers from both nature or their god. So, I guess it depends on the edition you are playing and ultimately up to the players and DM. Personally, I prefer them to be affiliated with a deity.

Lyxen · Jan 25, 2022

I liked the 4e approach that they were basically the spellcasters using a Primal Power Source (connection with the natural world). After that, they can be as diverse as wizards are with Arcane Power Sources.

Laurefindel · Jan 25, 2022

Although it may not be how they perceive themselves, I like to see druids as proto-wizards, practitioners of an old magic predating the division of arcane and divine magic.

Their magic exist independently from the god-channeling powers of clerics but is much more "raw" than the isolated and refined magical essentia (insert magico-babble) that arcane wizards use. The essence of druidic magic is still strongly tainted by the physical world through which it transits, thus limiting druids to spells with strong natural overtones. Modern druids are the moral successors of those who saw this lack of "magical refining" as a boon - or like we like to say - a feature, not a flaw. Objectively, this "natural taint" allows for spells that arcane wizards cannot cast.

As such, I see druids as spellcasters that need nature more than they worship it (although this need led many druidic cultures to worship or revere nature as well). Destroying nature = cutting off their power source so of course they will protect it, but not all do it for the love of trees and squirrels. As a matter of fact, I had druid villains that considered wilderness as a necessary nuisance.