Druids, shafted again?

[Dannyalcatraz]

while the druid shares the tree-huggerness of the Celtic Druids, the class got he short end of the stick when it comes to "historical accuracy". Shapeshifting wasn't one of their fortes

True, Celtic druids weren't known as shapeshifters (though some legendary figures who supposedly gained knowledge from them were, like Merlin), but that doesn't change that they were cited as a (not sole) source of the class going back to 1Ed. And according to certain legends, they were linked to things like scythes, sicles, spears, clubs, etc., as well as having mystic links to holly, oak, ash, hawthorn and yew...

Of course, this all gets distorted when trasnlated into the world of rpgs.

Whip is probably a good addition, and while greatclubs and longer spears wouldn't be much of a stretch, they'd probably be among the rarer weapons for members of this religious group. Unfortunately, D20 doesn't have a true way to simulate or enforce that rarity other than non-proficiency.

 

[Votan]

Whip is probably a good addition, and while greatclubs and longer spears wouldn't be much of a stretch, they'd probably be among the rarer weapons for members of this religious group. Unfortunately, D20 doesn't have a true way to simulate or enforce that rarity other than non-proficiency.

Which is a good system. Feats are a nice way to introduce ways that your character is different than others. Of course, proficiency with the Longspear and proficency with the spiked chain are the same number of feats -- am I the only one who sees longspear as the inferior choice once a fea is being burned?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Well, that's when you get into the rollplay/roleplay thing.

Remember how the 1Ed armors were statted out & priced in such a way that there were only a few "worth playing?" Etc.?

The reason you play a PC with X suboptimal armor or Y suboptimal weapon or Z suboptimal spell selection is either availability or PC concept.

 

[Nail]

Remember how the 1Ed armors were statted out & priced in such a way that there were only a few "worth playing?" Etc.?

...and that's changed in 3.5e?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Not for me- I''ve always played whatever armor was appropriate to the PC.

 

[DM_Matt]

So it seems that the OP's real complaint is that Druids are not shafted enough.

 

[Prism]

True, Celtic druids weren't known as shapeshifters (though some legendary figures who supposedly gained knowledge from them were, like Merlin),

A great many celtic legends have all sorts of shape shifting activities going on though of course 'real' celt druids probably didn't shapeshift or cast spells either

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I have a book of Celtic mythology that I haven't gotten around to reading yet- its nice to know that the people who claimed that this and that person who learned shapeshifting from the Celts/Druids weren't entirely speaking out of their...hats.