A Gentleperson's Wager: Druids in the PHB1

[Gloombunny]

I can't see that at all. Although I've heard people argue that 'real' druids had a lot in common with 'real' bards, the fact is that in D&D there has never been any convergence between the two classes - druids have been resolutely divine and wild, bards resolutely arcane and urban.

Dude, read up on your D&D history. Bards in AD&D 1st edition were a fighter/thief/druid prestige class. (They didn't call it a prestige class, but that's pretty much how it worked.) Giving them arcane spells was a 2e retcon.

Anyway: druids as a cleric specialization makes baby Obad-Hai cry. They should be more distinct from clerics, not less!

 

[Szatany]

I hope they are not in PHB1. I hope they are in Feywild supplement as a feywild* controller, along with shapeshifter as a feywild defender, bard as feywild leader, and berserker as feywild striker.

* - yes, feywild could be a power source, why not.

 

[CleverNickName]

IMHO they'll be ... a Talent tree based off of whatever Cleric is called.

Ugh, I would be incredibly disappointed if this is the case. That was my Number One problem with the 3.x druid: it had all of the flavor of a cleric in leather armor. I would prefer to see a druid that is more similar to Terry Brooks's "Heritage of Shannara" druids...wielders of the elemental magic bound in the earth (more arcane than divine.) Heck, I'd even be satisfied with a Diablo II -esque druid, with separate talent trees for magic, shapeshifting, and summoning/controlling.

I think the druid will be in the 4E PHB, and sadly, I think you are right, Nifft. But I am holding out hope that the designers put a lot of elbow grease and gray matter into the druid, and rebuilt the class to make it more balanced and distinctive. You know, instead of taking the easy way out and just cutting it.

The druid has the potential to be a very interesting, very fun class to play. Just like the bard, may it rest in peace. :\

 

[fuindordm]

I hope they are not in PHB1. I hope they are in Feywild supplement as a feywild* controller, along with shapeshifter as a feywild defender, bard as feywild leader, and berserker as feywild striker.

* - yes, feywild could be a power source, why not.

Very interesting idea. I can certainly see that plane as a power source for the quasi-mystical abilities of "historical" Norse berserkers (wounds aren't even felt, and close up quickly, enhanced strength, shapeshifting).

What would the corresponding Shadowfell classes be, then?

Necromancer (leader--can distribute some healing to allies, command undead troops)
Illusionist/Shadow magic (controller--any terrain effect imaginable)
Assassin/Shadowdancer (striker, natch)

as for the defender... I have no idea. Have we seen a necromantic warrior class?

 

[Szatany]

as for the defender... I have no idea. Have we seen a necromantic warrior class?

I don't know, Black Knight? (renamed), Eidolon?

 

[Howndawg]

I hope they are not in PHB1. I hope they are in Feywild supplement as a feywild* controller, along with shapeshifter as a feywild defender, bard as feywild leader, and berserker as feywild striker.

* - yes, feywild could be a power source, why not.

I just thought of a wild, dopesmoking idea. What if power sources were connected with planes, except for martial and possibly psionic? Arcane power is associated with Elemental Chaos, Divine with the Astral Sea, and two others with the Feywild and the Shadowfell? One could be Fey/nature and the other could be Dark/necromantic.

Howndawg

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

Assuming 'druid' doesn't go back to its roots and become a cleric talent tree, I think it's very possible. I can't see the druid having a 'new power source,' so it doesn't really fit in PHB2 or later, and by all accounts I've seen it's one of the most popular classes with new female players.

I do think, however, that it will be largely unrecognizable, just as 3e's uber-badass shapeshifting spellslinger bore only token resemblance to AD&D's nature specialty priest with a challenge-based level structure.

 

[frankthedm]

I'm hoping DMG bad-guy cleric varient.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Assuming 'druid' doesn't go back to its roots and become a cleric talent tree

Bwah? How is becoming a cleric talent tree going back to the druid's "roots" in any way, shape, or form?

 

[Plane Sailing]

there's nothing to stop it becoming a prestige class as it was in the original d&d where neutral aligned clerics could become druids back then.

??? The druid was originally introduced (in Eldritch Wizardry) as a full class, and has been so ever since... unless you are referring to something form the basic-expert-etc set which came later?