About Druid variants [Archive] - Wizards Community

About Druid variants [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Drascin
02-01-07, 08:16 AM Okay, lately I'm playing my n-th Druid character, and finding myself disliking the perspective of Wildshape. Yes, it is amazingly powerful, I know. Too much so, in fact, from my previous experiences on playing a druid. Since I always feel bad about overshadowing teammates, I will have to limit myself heavily from using it to appease my rather strict conscience, and there's the fact that my character dislikes the lack of communication ability and the total dependence on animal shapes to fight (he's very much a proud guy, almost stupidly so).

All in all, I won't be using Wildshape much, if at all. And I hate having features I don't really use. So I'm looking into some Druid variants that exchange Wildshape for some other thing. The only idea I found in the books I have is the Shapeshift variant in PHB2, but it doesn't really tick: it is still transforming wholly into another creature and losing ability for speech and magic, and losing my dear companion too, which I'm not doing voluntarily. I dunno, isn't there some partial-shift variant? Channeling the wild through yourself for combat bonuses, not changing completely. Something akin to the Shifter's abilities, but more varied, maybe? Or a kind of hunter's Rage, entering an animalistic mindframe for a while in exchange for heightened abilities and perceptions and such. So, I humbly ask you, O People Who Know a Heck of a Lot More than I Do, is there something like that in any WotC book?

If there isn't, I guess I'll have to try to make it myself, but I don't know if my DM will be okay with that. If I do, I'll be sure to run it past you guys first ;)
Sines
02-01-07, 08:32 AM Theres the aspect of nature in Unearthed Arcana which seems to be what your going for. You can grow claws and wings, boost your strength by 8, dropping dex by 4 (And vice versa) and as you get new forms you can take on thier aspects, be like a plant or elemental.

I like it, much simpler, less overpowered.
Rayous
02-01-07, 08:46 AM If you can use any ebberon material the racial substitution levels for shifter lose wild shape and get a beast spirit instead. The beast spirit gives you some bonuses, and when you summon you can transfer the spirit to the summons to enhance them.

*Edit* sorry, my bad, thats the first level sub for animal companion, the 5th level wildshape sub is wild shifting-
Wild Shifting +N / day
You have the option of using your Wisdom modifier (instead of your Constitution modifier) when determining how long your Shifting lasts.
Wild Shifting +N / day – you get N additional uses of Shifting each day
Wild Shifting (improved dmg 1)
The natural weapons you gain (if you have Longtooth, etc.) do damage as if you were a creature 1 size larger.
Wild Shifting (improved dmg 2)
The natural weapons you gain (if you have Longtooth, etc.) do damage as if you were a creature 2 sizes larger.
*
Drascin
02-01-07, 09:07 AM If you can use any ebberon material the racial substitution levels for shifter lose wild shape and get a beast spirit instead. The beast spirit gives you some bonuses, and when you summon you can transfer the spirit to the summons to enhance them.

Sounds neat, but that would require being a Shifter, and I don't think I can change race in mid campaign :P. Thanks anyway.

Theres the aspect of nature in Unearthed Arcana which seems to be what your going for. You can grow claws and wings, boost your strength by 8, dropping dex by 4 (And vice versa) and as you get new forms you can take on thier aspects, be like a plant or elemental.

...That does indeed interest me. Unearthed Arcana, you say? I'm not really sure wether that book has been even published in my country, but I'll try to get ahold of it if possible.
Shadowfax7
02-01-07, 09:16 AM I thought there was a variant which allowed you to exchange Wild Shape for Rage, or something like that ??
NineInchNall
02-01-07, 02:01 PM You can also find all the variants here (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/variantClasses.htm).

Wheeee.
Shadowfax7
02-01-07, 08:45 PM Ahh, the Druidic Avenger in UA is the variant I was thinking of.
Szatany
02-02-07, 02:59 AM So, I humbly ask you, O People Who Know a Heck of a Lot More than I Do, is there something like that in any WotC book?

If there isn't, I guess I'll have to try to make it myself, but I don't know if my DM will be okay with that. If I do, I'll be sure to run it past you guys first ;)

Here you go, a variant for druids who don't want to shapechange (9 ways to go). (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=690858)
It's not from any wotc book, but since you are ready to write your own version, you can also use mine if you like it ;)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Drascin 02-01-07, 08:16 AM	Okay, lately I'm playing my n-th Druid character, and finding myself disliking the perspective of Wildshape. Yes, it is amazingly powerful, I know. Too much so, in fact, from my previous experiences on playing a druid. Since I always feel bad about overshadowing teammates, I will have to limit myself heavily from using it to appease my rather strict conscience, and there's the fact that my character dislikes the lack of communication ability and the total dependence on animal shapes to fight (he's very much a proud guy, almost stupidly so). All in all, I won't be using Wildshape much, if at all. And I hate having features I don't really use. So I'm looking into some Druid variants that exchange Wildshape for some other thing. The only idea I found in the books I have is the Shapeshift variant in PHB2, but it doesn't really tick: it is still transforming wholly into another creature and losing ability for speech and magic, and losing my dear companion too, which I'm not doing voluntarily. I dunno, isn't there some partial-shift variant? Channeling the wild through yourself for combat bonuses, not changing completely. Something akin to the Shifter's abilities, but more varied, maybe? Or a kind of hunter's Rage, entering an animalistic mindframe for a while in exchange for heightened abilities and perceptions and such. So, I humbly ask you, O People Who Know a Heck of a Lot More than I Do, is there something like that in any WotC book? If there isn't, I guess I'll have to try to make it myself, but I don't know if my DM will be okay with that. If I do, I'll be sure to run it past you guys first ;)
Sines 02-01-07, 08:32 AM	Theres the aspect of nature in Unearthed Arcana which seems to be what your going for. You can grow claws and wings, boost your strength by 8, dropping dex by 4 (And vice versa) and as you get new forms you can take on thier aspects, be like a plant or elemental. I like it, much simpler, less overpowered.
Rayous 02-01-07, 08:46 AM	If you can use any ebberon material the racial substitution levels for shifter lose wild shape and get a beast spirit instead. The beast spirit gives you some bonuses, and when you summon you can transfer the spirit to the summons to enhance them. Edit sorry, my bad, thats the first level sub for animal companion, the 5th level wildshape sub is wild shifting- Wild Shifting +N / day You have the option of using your Wisdom modifier (instead of your Constitution modifier) when determining how long your Shifting lasts. Wild Shifting +N / day – you get N additional uses of Shifting each day Wild Shifting (improved dmg 1) The natural weapons you gain (if you have Longtooth, etc.) do damage as if you were a creature 1 size larger. Wild Shifting (improved dmg 2) The natural weapons you gain (if you have Longtooth, etc.) do damage as if you were a creature 2 sizes larger. *
Drascin 02-01-07, 09:07 AM	If you can use any ebberon material the racial substitution levels for shifter lose wild shape and get a beast spirit instead. The beast spirit gives you some bonuses, and when you summon you can transfer the spirit to the summons to enhance them. Sounds neat, but that would require being a Shifter, and I don't think I can change race in mid campaign :P. Thanks anyway. Theres the aspect of nature in Unearthed Arcana which seems to be what your going for. You can grow claws and wings, boost your strength by 8, dropping dex by 4 (And vice versa) and as you get new forms you can take on thier aspects, be like a plant or elemental. ...That does indeed interest me. Unearthed Arcana, you say? I'm not really sure wether that book has been even published in my country, but I'll try to get ahold of it if possible.
Shadowfax7 02-01-07, 09:16 AM	I thought there was a variant which allowed you to exchange Wild Shape for Rage, or something like that ??
NineInchNall 02-01-07, 02:01 PM	You can also find all the variants here (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/variantClasses.htm). Wheeee.
Shadowfax7 02-01-07, 08:45 PM	Ahh, the Druidic Avenger in UA is the variant I was thinking of.
Szatany 02-02-07, 02:59 AM	So, I humbly ask you, O People Who Know a Heck of a Lot More than I Do, is there something like that in any WotC book? If there isn't, I guess I'll have to try to make it myself, but I don't know if my DM will be okay with that. If I do, I'll be sure to run it past you guys first ;) Here you go, a variant for druids who don't want to shapechange (9 ways to go). (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=690858) It's not from any wotc book, but since you are ready to write your own version, you can also use mine if you like it ;)