The Druid
Original: by David Sustarre
The druid is a sub-class
of
PRIEST.
They are the only absolute
neutrals (see ALIGNMENT),
viewing good and evil, law
and chaos,
as balancing forces of nature
which are necessary for the continuation of all things.
As priests of nature, they
must have a minimum wisdom of 12 and a charisma
of 15.
Both of these major attributes
must exceed 15 if a druid is to gain a 10% bonus to earned experience.
It 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.
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, druids 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 && revenge at a later date as
opportunity presents itself.
In connexion with their nature
worship, druids have certain innate powers
which are gained at higher
level.
At 3rd level (Initiate of the 1st Circle), a druid gains the following abilities:
1. ldentification of plant type <Plant Lore>
Q:
Can a druid who was trained in a
forested
area identify desert plants
or other
flora in unfamiliar terrain?
How about
on other planets or
planes?
A:
This is up to the DM. The decision will
depend
upon the nature of the campaign
world,
how bright the druid is, and on
how much
knowledge his teachers have.
One can
certainly learn to identify plants
one has
never seen if one has access to
reliable
descriptions. A druid might also
gain
this information through research or
from
a sage. A 5%-per-level chance to
know
if a plant or animal is poisonous,
edible,
etc., is fair.
(137.68)
2. Identification of animal type <Animal Lore>
3. Identification of pure water
* Wilderness Movement
<T1: Pass Without Trace>:
4. Power
to pass through overgrown areas (undergrowth of
tangled
thorns, briar patches, etc.) without leaving a
discernible
trail and at normal movement rate (q.v.)
At 7th level (Initiate of the 5th Circle), the following additional powers are gained:
*Immunity
to Fey Charm:
1. Immunity from charm spells
cast by any creature basically
associated with the woodlands,
i.e. dryads, nixies,
sylphs,
etc.
* Shapeshift:
2. Ability to change form
up to three times per day, actually becoming, in all respects save the
mind, a reptile, bird or mammal.
A. Each type of creature form can be assumed but once per day.
B. The
size of creature form assumed can vary from as small as a bullfrog,
bluejay
or bat to as large as a large snake, an eagle,
or a black bear (about double the weight
of the druid).
C. Each
assumption of a new form removes from 10% to 60% (d6, multiply by 10)
of the
HP
of damage, if any, the druid has sustained prior to changing form.
Q:
Will a druid who shape changes
into
another form burst out of his
equipment
as if he were a lycanthrope,
or does
his equipment
change
with him as in polymorph
self
spells?
A:
The druids equipment changes along
with
him, so none of it is destroyed.
(136.52)
Q:
Can a druid change form into a
giant
version of a normal animal as
long
as the new form is within the
weight
restriction?
A:
Interpreting the rules strictly, druids are
limited
to the shapes of animals whose
normal
forms are within the weight limits.
Some
DMs, however, allow changes to any
animal
form, in sizes up to the weight
limit.
How you do it doesn't really matter,
as long
as you are consistent. Some DMs
may limit
druids to the use of animal types
that
the druids have actually seen or that
naturally
occur in the druids locale.
(136.52)
Q:
Can a druid change shape into a
magical
mammal, fish, or reptile,
like
a unicorn or pseudo-dragon?
A:
No, he can change shape only into normal,
nonmagical
animals.
(136.52)
Q:
Can a druid choose the animal
forms
into which he will shape
change
on a given day -- say, three
particular
bird forms?
A:
Druids are limited to one mammal, one
bird,
and one reptile form per day; three
of a
kind isn't allowed.
(137.68)
ADQ:
How long does it take a druid to
Shapechange?
ADA:
According to the description of
this
9th spell, 1 segment. The
druidical
version is identical to the
spell,
except that only certain forms
can be
assumed; all other details
(except
components, as it's not a spell
but an
ability) are the same.
(Polyhedron
#12)
* Druid's
Cant: Druids
have their own secret language, and all speak it in addition to their
other tongues (alignment,
common, and others known).
Upon
becoming a
3rd level druid (Initiate
of the 1st Circle), and with each level increase
thereafter, a druid gains
a language of his choice: centaur, dryad,
elvish,
faun,
gnome,
green
dragon, hill giant, lizardman,
manticore,
nixie,
pixie,
sprite,
treantish.
In melee combat, druids fight
as clerics, but they do suffer somewhat from
their inability to wear
protective armor of metal.
* Saving
Throw Bonus:
They likewise make
saving
throws (q.v.) as clerics, but against fire
&& lightning (electrical)
attacks they get a bonus
of +2 on their dice rolls.
Magic Items: Druids
can use those magic items not otherwise proscribed which are for
all classes and those for
regular clerics which are not written, i.e. books
and scrolls.
<revise to make an exception
for druid scrolls>
High-Level
Druids: At the upper levels there are only a
limited number of characters.
At
12th level (Druid) there can be but <nine> of these nature priests.
Each such 12th level druid
is the leader of a body of lesser druids and will have an entourage of
three of their underlings,
i.e. the lowest (in experience)
Druid (12th level) will have three Aspirants (1st level) to serve him or
her,
while the highest (in experience)
will have three Initiates of the 7th Circle (9th level).
Initiates of the 8th and
9th Circles are under direct supervision of the three Archdruids and The
Great Druid respectively.
Above all other druids is
a lone figure, The Great Druid.
The supreme druid is always
attended by nine Initiates of the 9th Circle.
(Note: It is possible that
other henchmen and hirelings, as well as
worshippers, will be found
with any particular druid. All servitors of upper level
druids are faithful protectors.
They are not otherwise considered henchmen (q.v.)
per
se.)
At such time as a druid class
player character attains XP sufficient to advance him or her to Druid (12th
level),
the corresponding powers
are gained only:
1. If there are currently fewer than nine other characters of Druid level, or
2. The PC bests one of the
nine Druid level characters in spell or hand-to-hand combat.
If the combat is not mortal,
the losing combatant drops the exact number of XP necessary to place him
or her in the beginning of the next lower level.
If the PC succeeds, he or
she becomes a Druid, with full powers,
and the former Druid (assuming
case 2, above) becomes an Initiate of the 9th Circle.
If the PC loses, he or she
remains at lower level and actually has fewer XP in the bargain.
This process is repeated
with respect to a Druid becoming an Archdruid and for an Archdruid becoming
the Great Druid.
Multiple attempts to move
upwards are possible as long as the character survives.
Experience Points | Experience
Level |
8-Sided
Dice for Accumulated Hit Points |
Level Title | Proficiencies | Abilities | Saves | THACO | NPC
XP |
- | - | - | - | - | - | 16.17.18.20.19 | 20n | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | ^ | ^ | - |
0 ---- 2,000 | 1 | 1 | Aspirant | 2/3,
speak druidic |
+2 saves vs. fire & lightning | 10.13.14.16.15 | 20 | - |
2,001 ---- 4,000 | 2 | 2 | Ovate | - | - | ^ | ^ | - |
4,001 ---- 7,500 | 3 | 3 | Initiate of the 1st Circle | 1 language | identify plant,
identify animal, identify pure water, pass without trace |
^ | ^ | - |
7,501 ---- 12,500 | 4 | 4 | Initiate of the 2nd Circle | 2 languages | - | 9.12.13.15.14 | 18 | - |
12,501 ---- 20,000 | 5 | 5 | Initiate of the 3rd Circle | 3 languages | - | ^ | ^ | - |
20,001 ---- 35,000 | 6 | 6 | Initiate of the 4th Circle | 3/4,
4 languages |
- | ^ | ^ | - |
35,001 ---- 60,000 | 7 | 7 | Initiate of the 5th Circle | 5 languages | immunity to woodland charm,
wild shape |
7.10.11.13.12 | 16 | 1427 (T1) |
60,001 ---- 90,000 | 8 | 8 | Initiate of the 6th Circle | 6 languages | - | ^ | ^ | - |
90,001 ---- 125,000 | 9 | 9 | Initiate of the 7th Circle | 7 languages | - | ^ | ^ | T3.101:
3840 |
125,001 ---- 200,000 | 10 | 10 | Initiate of the 8th Circle | 8 languages | - | 6.9.10.12.11 | 14 | - |
201,001 ---- 300,000 | 11 | 11 | Initiate of the 9th Circle | 4/5,
9 languages |
- | ^ | ^ | - |
300,001 ---- 750,000 | 12 | 12 | Druid (High Druid - OSRIC) | 10 languages | Followers | ^ | ^ | - |
750,001 ---- 1,500,000 | 13 | 13 | Archdruid | 11 languages | Followers | 5.8.9.11.10 | 12 | - |
1,500,001 ---- 3,000,000 | 14 | 14 | The Great Druid | 12 languages | Followers | ^ | ^ | - |
3,000,001 ---- 3,500,000 | 15 | 15 | The Grand Druid | 13 languages | - | ^ | ^ | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | ^ | - |
1 ---- 500,000 | 16 | 15 + 1 | Hierophant Druid | 5/6,
14 languages |
- | 4.7.8.10.9 | 10 | - |
500,001 ---- 1,000,000 | 17 | 15 + 2 | Hierophant Initiate | 15 languages | - | ^ | ^ | - |
1,000,001 ---- 1,500,000 | 18 | 15 + 3 | Hierophant Adept | 16 languages | - | ^ | ^ | - |
1,500,001 ---- 2,000,000 | 19 | 15 + 4 | Hierophant Master | 17 languages | - | 2.5.6.8.7 | 9 | - |
2,000,001 ---- 2,500,000 | 20 | 15 + 5 | Numinous Hierophant | 18 languages | - | ^ | ^ | - |
2,500,001 ---- 3,000,000 | 21 | 15 + 6 | Mystic Hierophant | 6/7,
19 languages |
- | ^ | ^ | - |
3,000,001 ---- 3,500,000 | 22 | 15 + 7 | Arcane Hierophant | 20 languages | - | ^ | ^ | - |
3,500,001 and up | 23 | 15 + 8 | Hierophant of the Cabal | 21 languages | - | ^ | ^ | - |
<I added some columns here>
SPELLS
USABLE BY CLASS AND LEVEL -- DRUIDS (CLERICS)
Druidic
Level |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - |
8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - |
9 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
10 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
11 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
12 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
13 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
14 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
ADQ: Do druids get bonus spells for high
WIS as clerics do?
ADA: Druids ARE clerics, and of course
gain the bonuses. Non-cleric casters of cleric
spells (such as paladins) do not gain the
bonus spells.
(Polyhedron #22)
Druids as a class do not
dwell permanently in castles, or even in cities or
towns. All druids prefer
to live in scared groves, dwelling in sod, log, or
stone buildings of smallish
size. When attaining levels above the 11th,
characters will generally
inhabit building complexes set in woodlands and
similar natural surroundings.
Question: I read that
Magic-Users
automatically know the Read Magic Spell.
Do Druids automatically
know the Speak with Animals spells?
Answer: Druids are
a sub-class of Clerics and therefore they pray for their spells.
They only need to pray and
meditate in order to know the Speak with Animals spell.
Question: Why should
Druids
be able to wear leather armor,
since it is made of the
hides of the animals they worship?
Answer: Druids do
not worship animals, they worship all
aspects of nature. This
includes the “survival of the fittest”
process, whereby some animals
are killed to provide food,
protection, or some other
benefit for another species. Since the
Druid is as much a part
of nature as the things which make up
his environment, it is quite
natural for a Druid to use the remains
of a fellow creature for
food, armor, or whatever. — J. Ward, W.
Niebling
* * *
SA:
Loss of neutral alignment equals loss of druid powers.
Originally by Dennis Sustarre
Reduce - Reuse - Recycle
AT A GLANCE:
A sub-grouping of clerics
which tends to worship outside of the standard Temple-complexes are the
druids, who wander the land, or are organized into loosely-affiliated "circles"
throughout the Realms.
These druid-circles tend to fill the same
requirements as hierarchies within the clerical faiths, but are much smaller
and there is less definition about which activities fall under which headings.
ELMINSTER'S
NOTES:
In the northern Realms from the Sword
Coast to Impiltur, druids in lightly
settled areas have tended to gather in small groups, often with rangers
and other allies, for mutual protection, and in order to accomplish their
common goals more easily.
These groups, usu. consisting of a dozen
or less druids and 20 or less others, vary widely in prominence and working
relationships; in some, the druids live together in a woodland grove, and
in others, they are widely scattered, with other group members serving
as go-betweens; in some groups the druids and rangers deal as equals; and
in others the druids are revered by the others who work with them.
The groups are known as "Circles;" the
term serves to illustrate the unending cycles of natural processes, and
to emphasize that no one creature is intrinsically superior to another.
In the Dalelands,
recent warfare has destroyed that last two known and established Circles:
the Circle of
Shadowdale and the Battledale
Seven, although a few individuals from each of the groups have survived.
The Circle of Shadowdale's one-time roster
is given with the census of Shadowdale. <>
In number and power, it is typical of
these groups.
Many circles still exist elsewhere in
the Realms, in wooded areas, and these may be of great local importance,
often working with non-human woodland beings to maintain wilderness areas
and keep the peace in their territories.
In the Realms at large, these circles make
up a network of communication and aid among those who venerate Chauntea
and similar Powers.
In general, the Druids of the Realms seek
balance between man and nature, at the expense of neither.
The druids, while relatively weak in the
Dalelands at the moment, have several major areas of power, incl. the Border
Forest, the forest of Gulthmere, and in particular the Moonshae
Isles.
In the last, the druids are worshipers
of a possible aspect of Chauntea known as the Earthmother, and are the
native faith in the area. <>
The conflict between these druids and
the faiths of the invading settlers is more extreme than is normally found
in the Realms, but is as much the result of the conflicting cultures on
those islands as on differences of faith.
GAME INFORMATION:
Druids of the same circle may worship
different deities, though in general, druids of the same circle tend to
worship the same god.
Common Powers venerated by the Druids
are Eldath,
Silvanus,
Chauntea
(in places) and the
Elemental
Lords, in particular
Grumbar
and Kossuth (earth and flame,
respectively).
PC druids do not begin the game as members of a Circle, but may form such circles if they find other druids and either accept them or are accepted into their ranks.
Great and Grand Druids are singular beings,
and there is only a single such individual for a 500-mile AREA about the
abode of such an individual. <>
Each is entrusted to the organization
and protection of the Cirlcles and other druidic shrines within that domain.
The precise borders of a Great Druid's
domain are nebulous at best.
On location of high level druids:
When a druid reaches sufficient level
to challenge another druid of his or her position, a sign will be sent
by the Power the druid worships indicating the location of the druid sought,
unless the first druid knows the second druid's location already.
Silvanus
(Patron of Druids)
Eldath
(Guardian of Druid Groves)
L12 : There are only 9 of
these guys
L12.1 = 3 L1 druids
L12.2 = 3 L2 druids
L12.3 = 3 L3 druids
L12.4 = 3 L4 druids
L12.5 = 3 L5 druids
L12.6 = 3 L6 druids
L12.7 = 3 L7 druids
L12.8 = 3 L8 druids
L12.9 = 3 L9 druids
(note: 12.1 denotes the
L12 druid with the lowest XP, and 12.9 denotes the L12 druid with the highest
XP)
(note: the L12 followers
are not cumulative. at L12, a druid will always have 3 followers --
what happens is that he
'swaps out' (umm, 'upgrades') his 3 lower level followers for 3 higher-level
followers, every time he advances within one of the 12.x categories.
so, every time a L12 druid
gains XP, check the chart - he might be getting a follower upgrade!)
L13: There are only 3 of
these guys
L13 = 3 (6?) L10 druids
(note: not specified)
L14: There is only 1 Great
Druid
L14 = 9 L11 druids
<see Unearthed Arcana
for L15>
L15: There is only 1 Great
Druid
L15 = 9 followers (L=x?)
of special sort + 3 archdruid (L13) messengers
(note: details are sketchy,
here. as well, it is implied that there is more than 3 L13 druids, contradicting
the PH in this case)
(I don't know how it works
out in other settings, but in the FR,
I am pretty sure that there
are multiple L14 druids (say, one for every nature deity, or region : one
for each 'Circle' of druids, not to be confused with the Circles in the
level titles, but *only 1* L15 druid, who presides over all.)
L16+: All followers leave
Handy Haversack wrote:
Hi Gary,
I was doing a bit of inspirational reading in the preface to the AD&D PHB last night and noticed that you thanked one Dennis Sustare. I was wondering if you could tell us who this fellow was, in terms of his connection to D&D, and whether he granted his name to the seventh-level druid spell Chariot of Sustarre. Thanks.
Michael
Sure:)
Dennis sent in the material
that was used to make the druid a class rather than a sort of evil human
monster as it had been in the OD&D
game.
The spell in question was
ondeed named in his honor.
Cheers,
Gary
DMPrata wrote:
Gary, if I may pester you
with a quick Greyhawk question :) .... You pretty much pioneered what became
the 2E concept of the specialty priest, with clerics of different deities
being granted varying powers. Clerics of Ehlonna, for example, were given
the ability to track as rangers, and could cast animal friendship at 5th
level. Did you intend for these extra abilities to also apply to druids,
or did you feel that their basic class abilities (charm immunity, shape
change, etc.) were sufficient?
Thanks for your time and Merry Christmas!
Yuletide Lashings, DMPrata!
Quit posting here and get to worlk on your CZY module for the C&C game
Seriously, as far as I was concerned the druid class was sufficiently powerful without added spells or abilities as awarded to clerics of specific deities.
Christmas best wishes,
Gary
Barrataria wrote:
Dear Sir:
I posted this question on a board belonging to one of your co-writers, and got no answer, so I'm hunting you down here.
Did any of your players in Lake Geneva advance a druid character to high levels? I always wonder how high-level play with the most senior druids in AD&D (and all their followers, pets, multiple heat metal spells, and so forth worked out for you all, if it ever came up). How high did you advance Curley Greenleaf?
I'm very, very glad to see your virtual presence again in these parts, but mostly am thankful that you are feeling better, for your own sake and your family's peace of mind.
Bruce
Hi Bruce,
As I am busy editing I must
be more terse than desirable.
Sorry....
Tim Kask, a regular in the Greyhawk Campaign, played a druid, and as I recall that PC got up to around 10th level.
Curley
Greenleaf made it to 7th level druid.
I have lost his CRS
though:(
Cheers,
Gary
Barrataria wrote:
Thanks! And never a need
to apologize for answering no matter how terse you may be! I've wondered
for quite some time about that... 10th isn't so awfully high for druids
as to be followed around by 9 nasty underlings, so I guess that particular
challenge didn't come up for you as DM.
Sorry to hear about the demise of Curley Greenleaf... I think character sheet loss is the most tragic way for them to go...
BB
High level druids are not
much for dungeoneering, eh?
My own PCs and those of a
couple of others I DMed for were often followed by a train of henchmen,
typically when the session
involved only one or two players and the situation at hand was demanding.
Cheers,
Gary
Col_Pladoh wrote:
Is the druid actually an
archetype? I think not.
Only in AD&D.
Quote:
That said, the concept of
the druidical nature priest as has recently come to be accepted by the
uncritical is covered as a form of shamanism in the optional Shamanism
& Witchery rules. I believe that book will be published in hardbound
version by Troll Lord Games next year or in 2006.
I've seen the Shamanism Ability
from Lejends Magazine,
and while I think it's a
fine addition to the game it doesn't seem to capture the same "feel" as
the AD&D druid (even if that "feel" is ahistorical ).
dcas wrote:
Col_Pladoh wrote:
Is the druid actually an
archetype? I think not.
Only in AD&D.
Then is is actually not
an archtype at all, as you note below.
I almost prefer the druid
as a monster as was the case when I added them to
OD&D
In any event,
the Romans stamped Druidism out so thoroughly
as to leave no trace of what its practitioners actually believed,
only that they birned a
lot of people alive at needfire (ceremonies).
the Romans were not gentle,
but they surely did not like either the Carthaginian or Celtic
religions. - Witches, Wizards, Warlocks, Sorcerers
Quote:
Originally Posted by weasel
fierce
In AD&D, I wonder about
the bard's connection to druids. Where did the inspiration for this come
from ?
Historically, bards
were a class of druid.
We don't know much at all
about what the druids did in their religious practices, but we know their
organization into three branches--the priests, lawyers (ovates), and bards.
IMO druids do not serve
any deity other than Nature and its manifestations.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heathansson
Hello, Colonel!
Hope you're feeling better!!!
Just a question that stretches
back down the eons to 1e.: why do druids use scimitars?
It just seems curious with
the Celtic connection.
Heh,
It is because the scimitar is as close a sword weapon I could come up with to match the druids' mistletoe-harvesting sickle.
Cheers,
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heathansson
Thanks! That's kinda what
I thought.
The primary appeal of the
Druid class from a creative standpoint is that the Romans were so thorough
in destroying them and their religion that we know virtually nothing about
either
Cheers,
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray
Mouser
Hmmm, I thought polytheists
and pantheists were supposed to be more accepting of diversity than monotheists.
Yet another shattered presumption!
BTW, wasn't there at one point a Part XIII to this Q&A thread? What everhappened to old number 13? Is it now defunct?
Gray Mouser
the Romans were generally
tolerant, but they found the Druidical religion so abhorrant as to exterminate
it... more totally than they did the Cartheginian one.
When these boards crashed
many months back a thread was totally zapped.
Perhaps it was Part XIII.
I don't remember that clearly.
Cheers,
Gary
HeavenShallBurn,
The short answer is that the Romans did not approve of human sacrifices to gods, despite their incredible barbarity in regards to the shows held in the coliseum.
Thanks for the good words regarding my S&S yarns
Cheers,
Gary
James M: 2. You're
specifically thanked in the credits of Supplement III to OD&D, where
you're called "the Great Druid."
There's also a druid
spell in AD&D called "Chariot of Sustarre," which was named in your
honor.
What role, if any, did
you have in the creation and/or development of the druid class?
Dennis Sustare: When the thief class was released in the Greyhawk supplement, as an addition to the original fighter, cleric and magic-user, we became interested in other possible classes beyond these four. I wrote up and mimeographed a set of rules for a new druid class, for our internal play. After some playtesting in our game, I revised it with a new mimeograph rule set, still just for our own use. But when we went to early GenCons, a copy got into Gary's hands, and thanks to some advocacy by Tim Kask, they revised the rules once more and published them in the Eldritch Wizardry supplement. Tim added the Chariot spell at the time (it was not one of my original spells, and the misspelling of my name was deliberate). I consider this my first published game design, although Bunnies & Burrows was released the same year (1976).
<note: the idea of the chariot might come from Greek myth. see the myth of Phaeton.>
James M: 3. What
were your inspirations in creating the druid class?
I once surmised that
the class had been based on the character of Dalan from Henry Kuttner's
"Elak of Atlantis" tales, while Erik Mona of Paizo mentioned Talbot Mundy's
Tros of Samothrace as a likelier possibility. Were either of us close to
the mark or was there a different inspiration for the class?
Dennis Sustare: Nope,
sorry. I never read the Talbot Mundy stories, though on looking them up
now, they sound interesting.
I read lots of Kuttner and
Moore, but don't recall ever reading the Elak stories.
Instead, I was familiar with druids from literature about early England, especially during Roman times. The most immediate inspiration, of course, was their mention as a monster in Greyhawk (but not as a character class). Initially, I was trying to make them related totally to plants and animals, but felt they needed a little more firepower (literally).
- Grognardia (Interview:
Dennis Sustare)
A clever young druid named Eve
Used magic, her foes to deceive.
When other spells were spent,
She'd change to an ent
To make like a tree, and leave.
-- Toni Leigh Perry
1. SUBCLASS = C
2. SOCIAL CLASS MINIMUM = LMC (11: ULC)
3. ABILITY SCORE MINIMUMS
STRENGTH = 6 (7d6)
INTELLIGENCE = 6 (4d6)
WISDOM = 12:16 (8d6)
DEXTERITY = 6 (5d6)
CONSTITUTION = 6 (6d6)
CHARISMA = 15:16 (9d6)
COMELINESS = 3 (3d6)
4. XP BONUS = 10% if both WIS and CHA are 16+
5. POSSIBLE RACES & MAX. LEVEL ATTAINABLE = Gray
elf (max), high elf (max),
valley elf (max), wild elf (max),
wood elf (max), half-elf (max),
halflings(all), humans (23)
6. MULTI-CLASS POSSIBILITIES = DF, DR, DM,
DT
7. HIT DIE TYPE = d8
8. MAXIMUM NUMBER OF HIT DICE = 15
9. SPELL ABILITY = yes
10. ARMOR PERMITTED = leather || padded
11. SHIELD PERMITTED = wooden
12. WEAPONS PERMITTED = aklys,
club,
dagger,
dart,
garrot,
hammer, lasso, sap, sling, scimitar*,
spear,
staff,
staff sling, sword (khopesh),
whip
13. OIL PERMITTED = yes
14. POISON PERMITTED = DM's option
15. ALIGNMENT = N
16. STARTING MONEY = 30-180 gp
17. WEAPON PROFICIENCIES = 2, 1/5 levels (1st: 2, 6th: 3, 11th: 4,
etc.)
18. NON-PROFICIENCY PENALTY = -4
19. NON-WEAPON PROFICIENCIES = 3, 1/5 levels
(1st:3, 6th: 4, 11th: 5, etc.)
20. STARTING AGE = elf (500 + 10d10), half-elf (40 + 2d4), human (18
+ 1d4)
21. COMBAT = C
22. SAVING THROWS = C (+2 vs. fire and lightning)
23. MAGIC ITEMS = Druids
can use those magic items not otherwise proscribed which are for all classes
and those for regular clerics which are not written, i.e. books and scrolls.
<revise to make an exception
for druid scrolls>
* ADQ: Might a druid
be able to use a
short or broad sword instead
of a scimitar?
Each has roughly the same
amount of metal.
ADA: No. THe source
of this prohibition
has nothing to do with the
spellcasting
or amounts of metal. It
relates to a
belief, attributed to AD&D
druids,
that weapons with straight
blades (vs.
curved) are not ethically
permitted.
Druid daggers will also
be of the curved
variety (not an uncommon
type).
(Polyhedron #12)