Non-Forest Druids

[Tiefling]

It seems that most druids in many worlds focus on forests to the exclusion of other forms of ecosystem. It's something of a clichè. Does your world have druids that focus on other biomes? Or druids that wander around appreciating all sorts of nature without feeling tied to any particular manifestation of it?

My own world has all sorts of environments, but the only region that I've really developed is a desert sub-continent. Many druids of the desert dwell there. Many cities also exist by the coasts and rivers, and are home to urban druids. These men find harmony in the cyclical patterns of city life, and appreciate the city as it's own complex ecosystem, home to many forms of life that live off that which the human inhabitants cast aside, as well as off each other.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

If you're looking for rules on this sort of thing, there are lots of sources:

Bastion Press' Druids & Druidism
Mongoose's Ultimate Games Designer's Companion

Both contain rules to adapt druids to specific climates/ecosystems (the first through prestige classes, the second through "terrain adaptations" that are basically druid class variants). I'm sure there are others, too -- no reason to play a strictly forest druid.

 

[Saeviomagy]

City druid

Rats and pidgeons as animal companions

Possibly multi with thief for the social skills.

 

[Severion]

The 2e Druids HB had some good alternate druids.

 

[FungiMuncher]

It seems that most druids in many worlds focus on forests to the exclusion of other forms of ecosystem.

This reminds me of a funny situation. In one campaign there was another player who was a druid. Through the course of the game, on two seperate occasions, his character tried to arrange for the draining of a swamp and the "re" foresting a desert. Fortunately, the GM pointed out that both swamps and deserts are legitimate wilderness areas. Whenever we make new characters, we kid him about making another "Terraforming Driud."

FM

 

[Tonguez]

Use Swamp Druids a lot (use lots of Swamp) and Sea Druids of Course

 

[I'm A Banana]

It's not too hard to vary their abilities.

For my mialage, though, the Final Fantasy Geomancer is probably the most adaptable pseudo-druid around. They give up some of the druid's special abilities in exchange for a LOT of spell power for damage, and versatility -- they can cast spells in any environment. For an adventure that travels a lot, it's a lot of fun.

 

[Chun-tzu]

Mongoose's Ultimate Games Designer's Companion

Both contain rules to adapt druids to specific climates/ecosystems (the first through prestige classes, the second through "terrain adaptations" that are basically druid class variants). I'm sure there are others, too -- no reason to play a strictly forest druid.

Even better, you can download the druid variants from the free preview for The Quintessential Druid from Mongoose's website .

 

[jgbrowning]

This reminds me of a funny situation. In one campaign there was another player who was a druid. Through the course of the game, on two seperate occasions, his character tried to arrange for the draining of a swamp and the "re" foresting a desert. Fortunately, the GM pointed out that both swamps and deserts are legitimate wilderness areas. Whenever we make new characters, we kid him about making another "Terraforming Driud."

FM

I don't know, I like the idea of agressive terrain druids. Imagine an army of tundra druids marching down the boreal forests, slow terraforming them into a "pure" tundra environment.

I've always like the "balance through competition" druid concept as it's really "the only natural way."



joe b.
*champion of a multi-faceted druid concept*

 

[Nightfall]

Tief, I'm waiting for Player's Guide to Clerics and Druids. Mainly because I doubt a druid of Gaurak will be forest friendly.