That is a bit odd. I guess worshipping society instead of nature, so druids as non-god worshippers is the concept and connection?
I'd
However, fans of Critical Role might think of someone that gives themself wholly to Predathos, without a deal but out of a desire to see Predathos do what Predathos does, and is granted power not via a deal but to further the charge of Predathos, might be an anti-cleric.All of that is true, but it is a sidestep away from my point.
The druid is all about the natural balance. The original AD&D PHB druid was shades closer to the Celtic origins than the current version - but contained no reference to an opposition to undead. The same is true of 2nd edition. However, those of us that played in that era often interpreted that druids should oppose undead heavily as it was against the natural order. For many, the druid stance against undead is obvious, prominent, and significant - not because someone told us, but because it just makes so much sense.
And as this is an RPG, and RPGs work best with good storytelling, and good storytelling often relies upon conflict ... it feels like a gap to not have that oppositional anti-druid that turned their back on the ideals of the druids for some reason and aligns with the exact oppositie.
Yes, I can do this role with an evil cleric, an evil paladin, an evil sorcerer, an evil warlock, an evil necromancer wizard, etc... but it seems like a gap in the design that we don't have this obvious opposition in the core RPG after all of these years. It even plays into some believed Celtic Druid beliefs - beliving that the soul passed from body to body at death rather than passing on to another place. Where do those druidic beliefs and liches overlap on a ven diagram? That depends upon your interporetation of liches ... or shadows ... or wwaiths and wights ...
The original celtic druid didn't know about undead. The 1st edition celtic druid was all about Life and death. Not Undeath. this is an incredibly amount of energy to twist that completely opposite it's intended role. A 1st edition druid could kill anyone, ressurrect anyone and still be within ethos. Preventing soul from passing on and putting it in a dead body complete violation of the natural order. 1st edition druids were all about preserving the natural order above all.
t will be noted that the spells usable by druids are more attuned to nature
and the outdoors than are the spells of other clerics or magic-users.
20
CHARACTER CLASSES (DRUID)
Nonetheless, druids serve to strengthen, protect, and revitalize as the
usual cleric does. The more powerful druidic spells, as well as their wider
range of weaponry, make up for the fact that druids are unable to use any
armor or shields other than leather armor and wooden shields (metallic
armor spoils their magical powers). They must speak or read spells aloud.
Due to their involvement with living, growing things, d
ruids have no
power to turn or control undead, demons, or devils.
Druids can be visualized as medieval cousins of what the ancient Celtic
sect of Druids would have become had it survived the Roman conquest.
They hold trees (particularly oak and ash), the sun, and the moon as
deities. Mistletoe is the holy symbol of druids, and it gives power to their
spells. They have an obligation to protect trees and wild plants, crops, and
to a lesser extent, their human followers and animals. Thus, druids will
never destroy woodlands or crops no matter what the circumstances. Even
though a woods, for example, were evilly hostile, druids would not destroy
it, although nothing would prevent them from changing the nature of the
place if the desire and wherewithal existed. In similar fashion, they avoid
slaying wild animals or even domestic ones except as necessary for self-
preservation and sustenance.
If druids observe any creature destroying their charges, the druids are
unlikely to risk their lives to prevent the destruction. Rather, it is probable
that the druids will seek retribution and revenge at a later date as