WotC_Dave: Druid!

[TerraDave]

Yes, there is a draft druid. From his blog.

So Yeah, the Druid
Posted By: WotC_Dave, 3/26/2008 9:32:01 AM


The mention of the druid in my last blog entry was semi-intentional. I finished my design work on the druid over the weekend.

Now before anyone gets completely crazy, it’s worth noting what my job is: mechanical designer. That means I’m sometimes (but not always) the very first person to work on a particular design. But I’m no means the last. At this point, the druid class I wrote up has a conceptual buy-off from the immediate members of my team and the lead developer. But it could—and maybe should—change radically as it works its way through the design/development/ playtesting/editing /folding/spindling/ mutilating process. So keep that in mind.

(As an aside, my stuff gets altered beyond recognition all the time—that’s part of the business. I’m the department’s Harlan. Nothing wrong with that. Heck, I wrote the original Ninja of the Crescent Moon. Some of my stuff should get altered beyond recognition.)

So what’s the druid look like right now? Some tidbits:

• Call his role “hybrid.” But don’t assume that he can cover all roles. Just a couple of ‘em.
• If you like what the 3.5 Player’s Handbook II did to the 3.5 druid, then you’ll probably like this guy, too.
• He doesn’t do much with the classical Greek elements (air/fire/earth/wat er), but he’s got a lot of weather-related magic. Again, that’s the direction we were taking the class in latter-day 3.5 products.
• Not a lot of animal summoning. Plenty of wild shape.

And what’s in my druid file? The class description, of course, and all the powers (eighty of ‘em at this point, give or take). Plus there are some druid (and druid-friendly) feats, four paragon paths, an epic destiny (available to those who aren’t druids, too), and some rituals. Oh, and some druid-friendly magic items.

In other words, he’s ready for playtesting. Anyone wanna DM?

Out of Context: The Dwarven alphabet is much easier to decipher if you hold it right side up.

Music: Timbalada, Timbalada (Beware, album cover is NSFW)

 

[Gargazon]

Aslong as he doesn't end up being like the WoW Druid before he got that massive buff, I am fine with the 'Hybrid' role.

I'm actually really interested how they do this. Perhaps like WoW (uh-oh, I mentioned it twice) he has a set selection of wildshapes from the beginning, and selects power which he can use in these shapes. For example, he has his defender form (which is sufficently vague in its descriptive text to stop everyone going 'Oh snap, bear form from WoW!' and allow you to be a mini-Tyrannosaurus) and may choose to focus on defender form powers, or maybe striker form powers, or controller form powers (I imagine the druid would not be capable of being a leader, purely because weather control magic + being a dirty great animal does not promote that idea) or maybe spread out his selections and become a jack-of-all-trades, who doesn't necessarily replace a party member so much as make up for their absence in some way.

I really liked the wildshape change in PH2, so I like this idea.

 

[HeinorNY]

Timbalada??? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

[Protagonist]

"eighty of ‘em at this point, give or take" - unless PHB n>1 classes get less, this tells us a bit about what to expect from the PHB I power selection as well

 

[Wormwood]

• If you like what the 3.5 Player’s Handbook II did to the 3.5 druid, then you’ll probably like this guy, too.

Sold.

PHB2 atoned for some of 3e's most serious sins, and the fact that it was a design preview of 4e is a large factor in my current fanboism.

 

[Prodigal_Sun]

Originally Posted by TerraDave
• If you like what the 3.5 Player’s Handbook II did to the 3.5 druid, then you’ll probably like this guy, too.

Sold.

PHB2 atoned for some of 3e's most serious sins, and the fact that it was a design preview of 4e is a large factor in my current fanboism.

Seconded

PHBII druid is pure awesome

 

[Snarls-at-Fleas]

Yes, there is a draft druid. From his blog.

So Yeah, the Druid

In other words, he’s ready for playtesting. Anyone wanna DM?

Hell, yeah!!!

 

[CleverNickName]

Your stock is rising, 4E.

 

[I'm A Banana]

The "Hybrid" is going to be interesting...

It's a tough trick to pull off, being able to fill more than one role enough to really FILL the roles, but without making other characters from those two roles obsolete at the same time.

Somewhere between 3e's bard uselessness and 2e's elf fighter/cleric/wizard uberness lies a sweet spot that's hard to get for the hybrids.

 

[MaelStorm]

Thx Dave. This gives me hope, as I miss the Druid very much. If you want some playtesters feel free to colour me very interested. That would give me a reason for playing 4E instead of wanting to DM only in 4E.