Variant Druid ideas

[Pielorinho]

I'm getting ready to resume playing a 13th-level druid; for reasons of streamlining gameplay, my DM would like me to drop both the animal companion class feature and the spontaneous summoning class feature. Can y'all help me figure out some alternative abilities? I know that Complete Divine suggests dropping these two traits in favor of barbarian rages and fast movement, but that doesn't really match the character (a slow-moving, phlegmatic dwarf with strong ties to earth magic).

Some ideas I've had:
-Choosing another set of spells to spontaneously cast.
-Gaining the Defensive Stance ability from the Dwarven Defender. (possibly knocking it down in power--it's pretty good).
-Gaining some number of feats (I have no idea what would be appropriate).
-Gaining some aspects of the half-earth-elemental template from Manual of the Planes.
-Gaining aspects of the half-earth elemental but only when wildshaped.

Daniel

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Swapping out the animal companion for a feat sounds about right. There's a feat on WotC that grants you an animal companion, and there's a flaw called Loner in some Dragon that takes away your companion or familiar and grants you a feat.

For the spontaneous casting, maybe you could look at the alternate abilities from the Dwarf sorcerer substitution levels? One of 'em is called Stoneborn Sorcery or summat, and gives you some nifty things when you're touching the ground.

Races of Stone has some good earth-magic stuff.

 

[Li Shenron]

-Choosing another set of spells to spontaneously cast.

This would be fair to replace the spontaneous summoning. What about spontaneously cast the spells listed in the Earth domain? All of them are anyway in the druid's list, but use the druid level (not the earth domain level which is often lower!).

More difficult to replace the companion. I assume it makes no sense to replace it with a familiar (an earth-type mephit would be nice, but you'd still have to bother with the extra critter, which I think your DM doesn't want). I like the defensive stance, it's very appropriate for a dwarven earth-based druid! If complete divine suggests Rage in place of the companion, it should be fair to give the defensive stance instead.

 

[Tetsubo]

I agree that Animal Companion = Feat.

How about a DR rating in place of the spon. summoning spells? That would tie into the Earth aspect of the character. I think a DR of 3/- would be reasonable.

 

[Pielorinho]

I agree that Animal Companion = Feat.

I'm surprised that animal companion=feat--but on thinking about it, I guess I shouldn't be, given that leadership is also a feat. (We've disallowed leadership from our game because it's both very powerful and spotlight-hogging). There are some pretty uber druid feats in Complete Divine; I might see if my DM would let me take one of those instead of the animal companion.

Spontaneously casting the earth domain spells is a possibility, but, and I hate to be negative, it's a sucky one. The earth domain spells include very few spells that are broadly applicable--wall of stone is probably the best one, and even that won't be useful in every battle the same way that Summon Nature's Ally is. If I go for a set of spontaneous castings, it'll need to be a set that applies in a majority of battles.

The dwarven defender would definitely fit, flavorwise, but it's extremely powerful, far better than rage. IIRC, the abilities are:
+2 str (vs. +4 for rage)
+4 con (same)
+2 on all saves (vs. +2 on will for rage)
+4 dodge AC bonus (vs. -2 for rage)
Can't move from one spot (vs. can't do things like spellcasting for rage)

Perhaps toning this down would work? e.g., +2 on str, con, and natural armor; no save bonus? That's still pretty sweet, but not uber.

DR would be a possibility, too; I'll run that by my DM. Does anyone have Complete Divine and can verify that the movement/rage are the only benefits the savage druid gets, and spontaneous casting/animal companion are the only benefits the savage druid loses?

Thanks!
Daniel

 

[Thondor]

I really don't see how losing an animal companion is at all equal to a feat. Animal companions improve as they go along feats don't. This tells me that you need a) a special ability that improves or b) possibly more skill points
First I should say that IMO animal companions, bonded mounts, and familiars are unbalancing, few people take these into account when comparing classes.
However you need something to make up for it and that id definetly more then a feat.
suggestions:
monk bonus to AC=stony skin (not the wisdom based, could start with a +1)
+2 skill points per level and track
paladin's smite evil or remove disease
Bardic (Druidic) Knowledge - in many cultures Druids are the keepers of history and Lore
Turn undead at half-druid level.

As for your spontaneous casting:
There are only two levels without fire related spells in them 8th and 9th, pick your spells if you have more then one option and be a pyro.
or you could just go with
Sun, Fire, Water, Plant, Air, domains (some of wich only have Druid spells in them)

 

[Pielorinho]

I really don't see how losing an animal companion is at all equal to a feat. Animal companions improve as they go along feats don't.

That's sorta my thinking; on the other hand, cohorts improve, too. Like I said, I think leadership is the world's most powerful feat, though.

monk bonus to AC=stony skin (not the wisdom based, could start with a +1)

Ooh, interesting! Note that at 13th level, though, this would be a +2 bonus; that's a bit weak, IMO, compared to having an animal companion. Maybe combined with something else would be good?

There are only two levels without fire related spells in them 8th and 9th, pick your spells if you have more then one option and be a pyro.
or you could just go with
Sun, Fire, Water, Plant, Air, domains (some of wich only have Druid spells in them)

That's possible, but like I said, he's very much geocentric. I might hunt through sourcebooks for earthy spells and put together a list: use barkskin for the second-level slot, for example, with the idea that it's really graniteskin. The joy of spontaneous casting, though, is that you should be giving up the specific for something that's often very useful in the moment (healing, summoning, and inflicting can prove useful in almost any fight); it's rare that I'll be wanting to cast barkskin in the middle of a fight. And magic stone is barely useful at first level; beyond third level (when Produce Flame outstrips it), it's practically useless.

Daniel