Prestige druid?

[Theo R Cwithin]

Has anyone run across (or made) a 3.5e prestige druid, in the same vein as the "prestigious character classes" mentioned in UA? The idea is to replace the normal druid base class (or the PHBII shapeshifter druid) with a prestige class aimed at, for example, 6th-ish level rangers, nature clerics, and the like.

I've googled around a bit and can't find anything suitable. Just asking here before I djinn one up on my own. Thanks.

 

[steeldragons]

I don't have anything made up (sorry) but just thinking out loud...

I've often thought the base druid seems/seemed to be a little too much concerned with the animal or plant-side of things (summoning, control, including the shapeshifting) and, though it was in the spell lists, not enough concerned with the elemental...element, of nature.

How about a prestige class, starting at 6th or 7th level, of an Elementalist Druid?

You could make 4 different ones and break it up into earth, air, fire, water...or (personally, I'd do) 5: earth, air, fire, water, weather (kinda an air/water combo)...or just ball it all into one, since really with druids being concerned with "the Great Balance" probably wouldn't pick/focus on one or the other (assuming you use this sort of flavor with your druids). Liiiike... Intiate of the Holy Cauldron or Chalice (in which all 4 elements are joined together) or something like that.

Or you could follow modern-day pagan symbolism/understanding of druidism and make a prestige class like, "Ivy Knight", "Oak Speaker", "Stag Prince." Basically, just keep all of the base powers and throw in some extra as concerns...for the examples I just gave: Ivy Knight: winter/cold; Oak Speaker: communing/divinations; Stag Prince: animal speaking/summoning and/or transformation.

I could probably come up with some more...gimme a minute.
--Steel Dragons

 

[steeldragons]

Actually, here's what I have/use for my campaign world. Feel free to borrow if any of it is useful.

Druids in Orea: The Ancient Order of Mistwood

All Druids on Orea begin as members of the Ancient Order of Mistwood and are subject to the orders of their ruling body, the Grove. Druids who disobey or attempt to leave the Ancient Order are often hunted down. There are few in the entirety of Orean history who have lived lives outside of the Grove’s rule.



Their command of the elemental forces of Orea is so great that Orean druids do not need to memorize specific spells each day but are able to harness spell effects (as their level allows) when situations arise. I.e. A second level druid (of average wisdom) can still not cast more than 2 1st level spells per day. But she does not need to decide what they are at the start of the day.



All druids of the Grove begin with a druids’ cloak. This magic item acts as a cloak of blending in natural settings, including caves or underground terrain, making the druid effectively invisible so long as he/she does not move. Note this illusion only effects the sense of sight.


The cloak also offers +1 protection for all elemental-based attacks, including wood and stone, and +1 to savings throws involving them (fire, cold, ice, lightning). These bonuses apply to most elementally-based creatures as well, but not necessarily their attack. i.e. A treant attacking with their limbs, or an animated tree under the treant’s control, would allow the druid his bonuses. A siren, an elemental creature of water, attempts to charm with her song, the druid would not receive his bonus. If the treant picked up an axe (for whatever reason) and started swinging, that also would not be covered by the cloak’s protection magics.


The powers of the cloak will only manifest when worn by a druid.



Druid’s also receive, at the onset of their training, a spear tipped with a leaf shaped blade. This leaftip or druid's spear is highly prized and sacred to the druid but does not carry any magical properties, initially. As a druid proceeds with their training, their bond with the energies of Orea increases and is able to be channeled into the wood and ore of the spear. Effectively giving it a magical charge for combat purposes as follows: +1 at 4th level; +2 @ 8th; +3 @12th.


The charging of the weapon takes a few seconds and may only be done with the sacred leaftip spear of the order of Mistwood, not any other weapon.


Like the cloak, the spear's properties are only manifest in the hands of a druid (since it is the druid channeling the natural energy that gives it its charge. The spear itself has no special properties.) and receives whatever magical charge that druid possesses. i.e. A leaftip spear dropped by a 3rd level druid and picked up by a 10th level druid could then be considered to have a charge of +2 while wielded by the 10th level druid.



All other druid abilities (speaking with animals, shapeshifting, using trees as transporters, yada yada etc.) are gained/bestowed as stated in the Player’s Handbook.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

I really like the flavor of your druids' leaftip. Open up some really nice possibilities for plot hooks, as well as provides a reason for a PC to actually keep a weapon over the course of a camapaign. Consider it yoinked

Actually, I agree about the lack of focus on weather/elements in the core druid, and will likely work that into a prestige druid in some form. At the moment, I'm really just looking for a way to rejigger the existing druid into a prestige class. The idea is that, since they are an order, new druids happen "by invitation only" on the basis of past accomplishments. Thus, IMC no lowly 1st level characters are ever allowed to become druids!

Right now, I'm thinking I'll just adjust the Shapeshifter druid variant into a 15-level class (like the "Prestige Paladin", for ex) with a buy in of something like:
* BAB +4;
* ability to cast endure elements as a divine spell; and
* Knowledge(Nature) 8 ranks
or something along those lines. By using the shapeshifter druid, a character taking the PrC gains a stereotypical druidy shape-change ability at about the same time in his career as if he'd taken levels in a normal core druid. I'll likely add in a touch of specialization ability (eg, to focus on plant, animal or storm aspects) in order to increase the power a tad so the class is a bit more attractive as a PrC.