I've been thinking about a new class for a bit now, and Ti has indicated that he is willing to playtest it. I wanted to post it so that you can all comment.
The short version:
Take a druid. Totally drop wildshape. Make it a spontaneous caster based on CHA. Give it a bit more sklil points and better saves, while lowering the BAB.
The interesting thing is that the class looks REALLY strong to me, especially compared with the sorc. However, it is also HANDS DOWN worse than the old druid.
Thoughts?
[sblock=Proposed New Class]Druids are broken. Sorcs suck. Here's a proposed fix.
The Fey Caster
Hit Die: d6
BAB: poor (as Wizard)
Saves: Good Fort, Ref, and Will
Skill Points at 1st level: (6+int modifier) x4
Skill Points at each additional Level: 6 + Int Modifier
Class Skills: The fey caster's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: As druid.
Code:
[B]The Fey Caster Hit Die: d6
Base
Attack Fort Ref Will
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special [/B]
1st +0 +2 +2 +2 Animal companion, nature sense, wild empathy
2nd +1 +3 +3 +3 Woodland stride
3rd +1 +3 +3 +3 Trackless step
4th +2 +4 +4 +4 Resist nature’s lure
5th +2 +4 +4 +4
6th +3 +5 +5 +5
7th +3 +5 +5 +5
8th +4 +6 +6 +6
9th +4 +6 +6 +6 Venom immunity
10th +5 +7 +7 +7
11th +5 +7 +7 +7
12th +6/+1 +8 +8 +8
13th +6/+1 +8 +8 +8 A thousand faces
14th +7/+2 +9 +9 +9
15th +7/+2 +9 +9 +9 Timeless body
16th +8/+3 +10 +10 +10
17th +8/+3 +10 +10 +10
18th +9/+4 +11 +11 +11
19th +9/+4 +11 +11 +11
20th +10/+5 +12 +12 +12
The listed special abilities are all as listed for the druid, except as noted below.
Wildshape
Does not exist.
Spells
A fey caster casts divine spells, which are drawn from the druid spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or a cleric must (see below).
To learn or cast a spell, a fey caster must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a fey caster's spell is 10 + the spell level + the fey caster's Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a fey caster can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is as given on Table: The CLERIC (in the SRD), EXCEPT that instead of having a domain spell slot, the fey caster's extra slot is reserved for
summon nature's ally spells (though the fey caster can still spontaneously cast such spells as a druid can). In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score.
A fey caster's selection of spells is extremely limited. A fey caster knows spells as indicated on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known, EXCEPT the fey caster is treated for this purpose as one level higher than he actually is, and the fey caster automatically knows the [summon nature's ally[/i] chain of spells. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a fey caster knows is not affected by his Charisma score; the numbers on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known are fixed.) These new spells can be common spells chosen from the druid spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the sorcerer has gained some understanding of by study. The sorcerer can’t use this method of spell acquisition to learn spells at a faster rate, however.
Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered fey caster level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), a fey caster can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the fey caster "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level druid spell the fey caster can cast. A fey caster may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.
Unlike a wizard or a cleric, a fey caster need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his spells per day for that spell level. He does not have to decide ahead of time which spells he’ll cast.[/sblock]