On playing Druids

[Nadaka]

From my own perspective I once played a seshayan druid.

THe seshayan race is originally from alternity, alien flying creatures with sharp teeth and 8 eyes. They are depicted as primal stoneage hunters. And my druid was the same. He was the perfect hunter, he would hunt and kill creatures because that is the natural way of all predators. Of course, waste not, want not. He would consume the flesh of his fallen foes, just as any other predator would. Evil? no, Savage? oh my yes. Though the eating of sentient foes might draw the ire of your paladin...

 

[Moon-Lancer]

i find dragon wildshape is a awsome feat. its in draconomicon its a level 12 feat. Natural spell is a most (as said above) if you go human, try for augment summoning. spell compendium has alot of ass kick spells for the druid. If you dont mind being good, intuitve strike and Exalted wildshape from boed is awsome.

 

[Nightfall]

See I'm not sure he should sacrifice a wildshape to do dragon if it's not apart of his character's "intent". But hey to each their own Rem.

 

[The Forsaken One]

Vow of Poverty

 

[Tonguez]

My favourite Druid was the Dark Hunter who at Lvl 18 even perceived himself as a force of nature (a savage destructive force btw). The Hunter tended to remain in the form of a whirlwind (large air elemental) at all times and would often summon whirlwinds to surround himself. Plus he could use Storm of Vegeance and Chain Lightning etc etc all from long distance.
He had 2 cohorts whio were both werewolfs (one a Marshal the other a Bard).

Anyway in a party Druids have a role of 'Battle Feild control" there spells tend to be long distance and can be focussed on controlling the terrain. Use this to advantage let the fighters do melee while you sit back and chanel the enemy to where they want them.

dungeons - the Cavern Druid tends the lifeways that lie buried beneath the surface, deep in the rocks and life of the caverns. Dungeons cut across thoise lifeways but in time can be reclaimed and become part of the interconnected network which is the underdark

cities - the Urban Druid is a possible variant. Life pervades even the barren stone streets and walls of the City and with their alley cat animal companions the Urban Druid learns to move with the life of the city.

 

[Herobizkit]

I would strongly suggesting scoping out eBay and such for a copy of the AD&D 2nd ed. Druid's Handbook. There are countless druid models, role-playing ideas, and a valuable illustration of the how and the why they do what they do.

Makes me wish I didn't sell mine...

 

[Remathilis]

I would strongly suggesting scoping out eBay and such for a copy of the AD&D 2nd ed. Druid's Handbook. There are countless druid models, role-playing ideas, and a valuable illustration of the how and the why they do what they do.

Thank God I have Core Rules CD-Rom! Druids handbook, here I come!

Vow of Poverty

My DM would blink, then tell me to get out of his house.

i find dragon wildshape is a awsome feat. its in draconomicon its a level 12 feat. Natural spell is a most (as said above) if you go human, try for augment summoning. spell compendium has alot of ass kick spells for the druid. If you dont mind being good, intuitve strike and Exalted wildshape from boed is awsome.

I'll have to look into DWS. Anything that can get more bang out of shapechanging is a bonus. I looked through Spell Compendium; My Gawd! So many nice spells.

Rightt...but does your DM believe that? See it's one thing to say as a player "My druid doesn't revere the god of nature." Your DM might say "Well I'm sorry but you have to!"

My DM has allowed godless clerics, I fail to see the difference. I need to hammer out the fine details, but feel free to give some scarred land druid ideas.

 

[Storyteller01]

So what kind of nature druid do you want to play. I've seen the predator, the plant based, the 'save all cuddly critters, but kill the orcs', and I've seen a few that rever forces of nature such as hurricanes, volcanos, and lightning storms?

What focus would you prefer?

 

[Remathilis]

I'm thinking the "guard the animals, kill the orcs" method might work. However, having that hardened "things die, its nature's way" would add some edge. Probably something along the lines of the guardian/gardener type who is nurturing to life, but unmerciful to "pests" who threaten to harm his charges.

Oh, and a healthy respect for the elemental forces. Fire and Lightning baby!

 

[Henry]

I'm playing a high-level halfling druid currently; Druid is one class for whom strength, dex, and size really don't matter. I'm finding I spend almost nothing on melee or ranged weapons, and what I did spend, has been a waste. Instead, I carry direct damage spells from the PHB and the Spell Compendium; and those creatures for which magic is useless, I summon creatures and augment them (or I wildshape and augment myself). Animal growth and greater magic fang are fantastic spells to have; at high levels, Nature's Avatar and Greater Whirlwind (from SC) are unbelieveable. If you ever get to 17th level, Nature Swarm (coupled with Augment Summoning Feat) is a holy horror to behold (imagine 4 to 10 elementals, with max hit points, +2 bonus to CON and STR, who stick around for 3 hours obeying your commands.)

As for roleplay, there are as many druid philosophies as stars in the sky. Additional templates to follow are the Eberron druids (the Wardens, the Gatekeepers, Greensingers, Ashbound, and Children of Winter) - those are some of the most evocative druid groups I've ever placed into a D&D game.

Wardens - (pardon pun) these are Garden-variety "balance between civilization & nature" druids.

Gatekeepers - these are druids who fought a genocidal war with chaos-aligned otherplanar invaders, and who see aberrations of all kinds as abominations to guard the world from.

Ashbound - these are the "naturist" (naturalist?) fringe of the druids, and a subgroup of them are the "eco-terrorist" types.

Children of Winter - these are nihilistic druids who raise vermin as animal companions and who want to hasten entropy and oblivion in the desire to see a new age dawn. Cool villains and antiheroes all in one!

Greensingers - these are the "fay-lovin'" druids. These are the group that dryads, etc. are most likely to be members of, but they do have a mean streak when someone threatens their forests.