True Druid for your critique

[Nifft]

So why would a character want to wildshape into a rat, if he can wildshape into a dire rat?

Actually a character CANNOT Wild Shape into a normal Rat until 11th level, when he gets to take any Tiny form.

Dire Rats are too big to fit some places, ya know. (This innuendo has been left unmodified for hong.)

To answer your question: to sneak around places where Dire Rats are not welcome, but normal rats may be overlooked.

-- N

 

[Mordane76]

clark,

L10: Wildshape (6/day), Venom Immunity (Ex)
L11: DR 3/cold iron, Wildshape as move action
L12: Wildshape (plant), A Thousand Faces (Su)
L13: DR 4/cold iron, Wildshape as free action (limit once per round)
L14: Wildshape (huge)
L15: DR 6/cold iron, Wildshape (unlimited times/day)

In the space of five levels, your Druid goes from being able to wildshape 6 times a day to being able to do it at will, once per round if he so feels? And, I could go from being a rat (Tiny, gained at 9th) to being an elephant (Huge, IIRC) as a free action, as at Drd15? This is my biggest problem with this alternative version -- I'll agree that animal companion is a fairly useful ability (especially given its expanded guidelines in 3.5), to go from 6/day to infinity in the space of 60K of experience just seems a bit too much.


It looks like you've blended the Shifter PrC into the Druid after cutting out the animal companion. I suppose, at least there aren't things better than plant in here (like say, magical beasts, dragons, abberations)... then there'd be trouble.


Also, one of your selling points on your modification is the "drop" of the alignment restriction, but your write-up says that your Druid must be TN. So, which is it?

 

[anon]

Unlimited wildshape does sound great, but I think in reality 6 times a day is not that far off from unlimited. What I mean is this--in a typical adventuring day a druid probably does a bit of scouting in bird form, then a lot of fighting in one maybe two or three forms (lion, tiger, bear), then might scout around again or flee, then off to camp. At least this is my experience at lower levels. I honestly don't have much experience at higher levels (13+) so I'm not sure how well it balances in the scheme of things. My basic response is: How many times are you likely to wildshape in one day? Even given a huge choice. I suppose I could push that ability to L20, if you think it's that valuable. Perhaps it can be the ultimate true druid ability?

You are right that it is partly a mix of the Shifter class, though that was not my intent. I never was particularly fond of the Shifter, to be honest. I wanted to develop a druid that had aspects of fey, better elemental affinity, and better wildshaping. I would never allow forms other than elemental or animal forms, runs counter to the basis of the class. Well perhaps I would allow fey forms sometime...

Alignment is actually listed at the top as being a "loss", meaning only that it is more restrictive than the PHB Druid.

Thanks for the responses so far, totally helpful.

 

[SylverFlame]

The lose of animal companion is not all that big a deal either. If your druid gets the spell "Animal Friend" (is that it's name?) then they get the EXACT SAME ability by casting the spell once every level. Hmm, use one spell per day to emulate a class ability, and only have to do it once per level. The lose of the ability means nothing, of course, the druid having the ability only matters because they start play having cast the spell.

EDIT: Spelling

 

[Nifft]

The lose of animal companion is not all that big a deal either. If your druid gets the spell "Animal Friend" (is that it's name?) then they get the EXACT SAME ability by casting the spell once every level

Uh, that SPELL is how the CLASS ABILITY was implemented. He's discussing removing the CLASS ABILITY, so removing the SPELL is implied.

Now, in 3.5e, there's not even that ambiguity -- THERE IS NO SUCH SPELL. Since he's discussing a 3.5e class, there's no ambiguity.

-- N the unambiguous

 

[Staffan]

Unlimited wildshape does sound great, but I think in reality 6 times a day is not that far off from unlimited.

That is also supported by the item creation guidelines, where a 5/day item costs the same as an unlimited item. Of course, there are exceptions (like healing), but for most things 5/day or 6/day is pretty close to unlimited.

 

[anon]

Nature's Child

Added something for a bit more balance, perhaps...

L1: Nature Sense (Ex), Wild Empathy (Ex), Nature's Child (Ex)
L2: Woodland Stride (Ex), Trackless Step (Ex)
L3: Wildshape (1/day, small)


Nature's Child: If you stay in an area you are not native to longer than your True Druid level in days you suffer one point of damage, as well as a -1 morale penalty to attacks, saves, ability and skill checks, until you return to your native environment for a full day. The hit point loss increases by one each additional day. You may cure the damage but it returns the next day at the increased level (eg. 2 points the second day). The morale penalty increases by -1 for each additional period equal to your True Druid level.

For example a True Druid 3 would able to go to a non-native area without problem for three days. Every day thereafter they would take a hit point loss of 1 point (4 days 1 point, 5 days 2 points, 6 days 3 points, etc), for every three days beyond the first she has an additional -1 morale penalty.​

The hit point damage will not by itself kill the True Druid but will cause unconsciousness if the True Druid is brought below 0 hit points. For the purposes of this ability you must choose one of the following natural environments: desert, hills/mountains, forest, plains, seas/rivers, skies, underground. When on another plane, this effect begins immediately. Note: this should be interpreted rather strictly, staying in a city but walking "outside" every so often would not be acceptable.

[edit for grammar]

 

[SylverFlame]

Uh, that SPELL is how the CLASS ABILITY was implemented. He's discussing removing the CLASS ABILITY, so removing the SPELL is implied.

Now, in 3.5e, there's not even that ambiguity -- THERE IS NO SUCH SPELL. Since he's discussing a 3.5e class, there's no ambiguity.

-- N the unambiguous

Sorry. Have not had the opportunity to peruse the 3.5 rules (read: am broke university student).

 

[Saeviomagy]

Nature's Child: If you stay in an area you are not native to longer than your True Druid level in days you suffer one point of damage, as well as a -1 morale penalty to attacks, saves, ability and skill checks, until you return to your native environment for a full day. The hit point loss increases by one each additional day. You may cure the damage but it returns the next day at the increased level (eg. 2 points the second day). The morale penalty increases by -1 for each additional period equal to your True Druid level.

For example a True Druid 3 would able to go to a non-native area without problem for three days. Every day thereafter they would take a hit point loss of 1 point (4 days 1 point, 5 days 2 points, 6 days 3 points, etc), for every three days beyond the first she has an additional -1 morale penalty.​

When on another plane, this effect begins immediately.

[edit for grammar]

So such a druid wouldn't be able to go to the beastlands...

Beyond that, it's not much of a balance factor. It just heavily restricts the use of the character, to the extent that most players simply won't bother taking your class. When the class is viable (not taking the penalty) it's too good (because this disadvantage isn't there to balance), and when the penalty applies, the class probably will not be taken.

This just leads to dodgy NPC only classes, because the DM never really has to care about that sort of restriction (witness the forsaker).

 

[anon]

Interesting. I anticipated that reaction would be the opposite--that is, that the penalty would be seen as too weak. But you are essentially claiming that it makes the class completely unappealing...

Still, I like the ability. It ties in nicely with the Dryad's Tree Dependence. I want there to be a game mechanic that ties the True Druid back to a place or a setting. I don't want the class to simply be a shapechanger that adventures. This ability forces the character (and player) to actually think about the fact that they are out of their native environment, to remember their place in the world.

Maybe you would like it if I added:
Adapt feat
You adapt yourself to another environment. May be taken more than once, each time choosing a new enviroment.