D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 Druid (again)

[Lord Rasputin]

I'm not sure. I didn't read too carefully, but I seemed to get that their abilities will be tied into the Druid's level or something. Maybe something like familiars, where they gain HD and abilities as the Druid rises in level.

But I'm just guessing.

An educated guess ... recalling Urban Arcana from the FLGS, they gain HD, Str/Dex and AC as they gain levels. There's a sharing spells capability, some sort of empathetic link, they gain evasion after awhile, and later improved evasion.

In short, a scaled-down familiar.

 

[Stalker0]

Things I like:

1) Spontaenous casting: Good to see.
2) Animal Companions: Looks similar to a paladin's favored mount, will depend on how the special abilities work.
3) No more weapon restrictions.
4) Plant morphing.

Things I didn't like:
1) Animal Companion: Doesn't look like you can have a bunch of little animal companions. I don't like that
2) Wildshape: Since I can't see the new polymorph I don't know exactly how this will work. However, I don't like that wildshape is just like polymorph. Wildshape should be BETTER than polymorph, its what the druid DOES!! And they had better have kept the ex abilities.
3) Nature Sense: While less vague, far less cool. It was nice before to say, oh is that an animal up there? Hey Jim, could you pass me the MM, I would like to use my nature sense to know... um... well practically everything about it

 

[Stalker0]

Also, notice that there is no more dire bear wildshape, yet they can morph into a dire bear. That means you can get the dire creatures as early as 8th level, sweet!!

Oh, and I liked wild empathy. Its an easy to use mechanic, and I can see it come in handy especially at higher levels. Okay a girillion comes out. "Don't worry guys, I'll calm it down" 1d20 + 12 + 1 - 4 = okay I have it calm, it shouldn't bother us anymore.

 

[Magus Coeruleus]

An educated guess ... recalling Urban Arcana from the FLGS, they gain HD, Str/Dex and AC as they gain levels. There's a sharing spells capability, some sort of empathetic link, they gain evasion after awhile, and later improved evasion.

In short, a scaled-down familiar.

Would you mind posting what they get at first level? In any case where the ability is identical to one for a familiar or special mount, just the name would be fine. By the way, what sorts of characters in Urban Arcana get animal companions, anyway?

Thanks!
MC

 

[shilsen]

That means you can get the dire creatures as early as 8th level, sweet!!

5th level for a medium-sized druid (dire weasel and badger).

 

[Kai Lord]

Wildshape:

"The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back."

Interestingly enough, this indicates there is no limit to the amount of times a druid of any level can wildshape in a day, just no more than 1 hour/level each time.

Ergo (heh heh), a 1st level druid could turn into an animal for an hour, switch back, then one round later go back into animal form for another hour, etc.

EDIT: Nevermind, the chart itself states how many times per day.

 

[Steve Jung]

Venom Immunity now affects all poisons, not just ones from living things.

 

[Zhure]

No idea. Hopefully, they'll fully delineate Natural abilities from Extraordinary ones. Otherwise, my HR stands - you can use EX if it exists in the real world. I just don't buy that a druid shifts into a bat and is blind.

(Bats aren't blind)

 

[Brekki]

I really hope the druid still gets the animal's stuff like scent, lowlight vision and improved grab ... otherwise wildshape is really nerfed.

 

[DreamChaser]

That's right. Bat's aren't blind. They simply lack effective night vision. They see as well as any other small animal during the day.

I hate the term "nerfed"

I remember in grade school, we would play a game called "Dodgeball." The point was to avoid the balls being thrown at you. There were 3 different kinds of balls that I experience:

1) rubber balls. they hurt like hell when they hit.
2) nerf balls. they hurt too but made less of a slapping sound.
3) foam balls. they didn't hurt (you couldn't feel them half the time) and the were an *overbearing female dog* to throw.

Nerfing just seems so...well, lame, brand-name based, and cliche.

DC