Urban Classes

[devilbat]

What issue is it in particular. I might have it in a back issue.

The Urban Druid is in Dragon issue #317.

I've got one in my Waterdeep campaign. The characters are only first level, so I haven't seen much of it yet, but I read the article.

The druid worships the purity of society and the city. Basically the spell lists are changed to a more urban themed set, the abilities are 1/City sense, favored city and city companion, 2/ Crowdwalk, 3/ alley fighting, 4/ favored city 2, Disease Immunity, 5/ Urban shape 1/day and so on.....

Urban shape allows you to take on the shape of small or medium urban creatures that are humanoid or in the urban companion list. At higher levels, the urban druid can take the shape of objects, such as a door or wagon. At 16th, they can take the shape of a small, medium, large or huge animated object.

 

[Ghoti]

What issue is it in particular. I might have it in a back issue.

Issue #317

 

[diaglo]

What issue is it in particular. I might have it in a back issue.

Dragon 317 article by James Jacobs

 

[Desdichado]

Wasn't there an urban druid in UA? Or just the ranger?

 

[Voadam]

Fantasy Flight Games' Cityworks has 3 urban core classes (acrobat is one and I forget the other two), and I think an urban druid variant.

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=36_37&products_id=500&affiliate_id=17596

For $5 it is worth checking out the pdf IMO.

 

[Whimsical]

I'm running an Urban Druid as an NPC for the Shackled City game that I'm running. It's a cross between bard and druid. It has all of the social skills and K:knowledge, K:nobility, & K:history. Instead of affecting plants & animals, it receives a lot of the enchantment and divination spells from the bard list. But I also recommend mixing in the urban-themed spells listed in Races of Destiny.

My druid of the city of caludron has an animated caludron as her "animal companion". I'm working on creating custom "Summon [urban] ally" spells for her that includes animated objects, domesticated animals, and "the town guard". She casts her spells by saying "spirit of Caludron, grant your caretaker the power to...[blah blah blah]". I know I shouldn't be having so much fun with an NPC, but this character fits so well with Shackled City. But even though she should be the logical "face" of the party, I'm leaving that to the other players even though their characters aren't as good as she is at gathering info and diplomacy.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I'm playing a straight druid as an urban character at the moment.

... actually, I take that back - I'm playing a UA 'swift and deadly' druid as an urban character. Trades out Wild Shape, gets some rangery and monky class abilities in return.

I'm basically running him as a forensic investigator - spells like Stone Tell, Speak with Plants, and the like give investigative avenues that no other class has. In conjunction with a cleric for Commune and Speak with Dead, and a Psion for Object Reading etc, there's pretty much nothing the team can't talk to...

Unlike the usual wildernessy deities, he's a Helm worshipper, and his animal companion is a swarm of cats. I didn't find I needed to change around skills or spells to get the feeling I wanted.

-Hyp.

 

[Tarangil]

It's possible for Barbarians to be Urban.

Who do you think would be good bouncers at the Taverns?

 

[Samloyal23]

An urban druid is an interesting idea but hard to do well. I didn't think the presentation in The Dragon was that great, but it has potential. You have to include the actions of people as part of the ecology of the city, the ebb and flow of economics as an elemental force of nature. If you need some great inspiration, watch the movie Network, Ned Beatty has a brilliant speech about the divine nature of market forces that could easily be given a druidical twist...