Druid Pirate? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Druid Pirate? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kitaki
12-24-06, 05:05 PM I am currently trying to build up a backstory for a Druid Pirate for my DMs future pirate based adventure, anyone have tips on how to play him, his animal companion will always be a shark named Billy(not going to change).
Rell
12-26-06, 10:53 AM Ok... First, I really dislike such modern, common names as Billy in my games. A bit like playing a guy named "Bob the samurai". But that's your choice, it's not in my game, and you said you wouldn't change it, so I'll have to live with it.

A pirate druid could, I guess, come in two flavours. Either the landgrubber exile, a classical druid of the woods and glades who got shangaied, lost his grove, was hunted by a powerful foe, or for a reason or another was brought to the sea despite his will. Or he could have been brought there by a personal reason, such as following a pirate he's fallen in love with (Think Orlando Bloom), or having something to do (finding back an ancient flooded cromlech ?) that he can't do on dry ground. So this guy is an alien in a foreign land. He misses the land, is probably made fun of, and can be pretty melancholic. But he could be growing to like the new element, to learn to speak to it and everything. Something of a coming of age experience. But then, I'd think his favorite animals would be underdeck rats and seabirds, not sharks.

Or the druid could be one with the sea. He was born in a small fishing village, or in a bustling free harbour. He could swim before he could walk. That's more of a stereotype : whatever you write up about him, think sea.

Anyway, pirates are wanderers, and thus could be seen as the rangers of the sea. Because pirates live at the surface of the sea, maybe they don't have so much contact with fish and marine life, but there's still all the seagulls - which can bring excellent news from afar. Maybe spells linked with the sea and the wind - and there must be some in the Stromwrack book - would be best for this guy : maybe he can help his ship manoeuver with them. Also, be careful with fire spells. I know the druid has many of them, but you don't want to sink.
Good luck !
JulesCARV
12-26-06, 12:07 PM I hate to bring up such a bad movie, but I'm thinking of Kevin Costner's character in Waterworld. Except without the silly gill on his neck.

Maybe he was born on a long-term expeditionary mission, like the Sacajawea's kid on the Lewis and Clark expedition -- except more sea based, and less land based. The crew are always on the move aboard sailing ships, making maps, documenting life forms, etc, living off of fish, moluscs, kelp, and whatever they can trade for with the local Locathah tribes. The druid grows up on ship, constantly at sea.

That could be a background in itself, but if you want more tension, or a more bitter ending to his childhood to suit him as a piratical adventurer, the expedition gets back home, and their years of scientific and geographic study are expropriated for private commercial gain: locathah tribes sitting on undersea gold mines are enslaved, fishing trawlers are sent to areas noted to be rich in fish, and so on. He's disgusted by the greed and shortsightedness of the financiers and businessmen on land, and returns to sea as a pirate, swearing to keep the sea free of greedy exploiters from the land.
Kitaki
01-04-07, 11:09 PM Actaully Billy isn't itself a more modern name, its a childish alternative to the name Bill, which is in and of itself a shortened version of William. (If you were to look at my Uncle Bill's ID it says William, think Bobby, Bob, Robert)

I do like your idea of keeping the seas free of greed explioters fron the land JulesCARV.
Doomed_Penguin
01-05-07, 03:51 PM Druids worship nature. The sea is a part of nature. You don't need much of a backstory. Druids are commonly pirates (see the back of phb2). It makes perfect sense.
camirblu
01-08-07, 09:36 PM A water-oriented druid would be frightening to behold. I'd talk with your DM about incorporating a few more wind spells into the game, and see about some interesting watery dieties. The sea is an incredibly powerful force, and depending on the tale or legend you're looking at, could have a variety of personalities.
Bill Bisco: Average Adventurer
01-09-07, 11:20 AM Druid Pirates are awesome. Remember that this guy doesn't have to be nice. In fact, I think many Pirates would want to have a druid on their boat, since the Druid is capable of repairing it, as well as healing the crew members.

Sea Travel is an excellent choice for a Druid. What better chance to meet so many different types of creatures?
ZolDarklock
01-10-07, 01:28 AM looking at your stats, drop the druid and be a ranger who specializes in ocean tracking "yes it's very possible and actually realistic", ocean survival, and ocean creatures, also might want to think about a few levels as a swashbuckler... first become a fighter4, then up to a ranger9 if you dual weapon, then a swashbuckler? might consider even specializing with a spear, trident, even a bow or other such weapon if you do drop the swashbuckler class

PS. put your next ability score raises to strenght and constituion to get them to an even number, the go strenght the rest of the way

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kitaki 12-24-06, 05:05 PM	I am currently trying to build up a backstory for a Druid Pirate for my DMs future pirate based adventure, anyone have tips on how to play him, his animal companion will always be a shark named Billy(not going to change).
Rell 12-26-06, 10:53 AM	Ok... First, I really dislike such modern, common names as Billy in my games. A bit like playing a guy named "Bob the samurai". But that's your choice, it's not in my game, and you said you wouldn't change it, so I'll have to live with it. A pirate druid could, I guess, come in two flavours. Either the landgrubber exile, a classical druid of the woods and glades who got shangaied, lost his grove, was hunted by a powerful foe, or for a reason or another was brought to the sea despite his will. Or he could have been brought there by a personal reason, such as following a pirate he's fallen in love with (Think Orlando Bloom), or having something to do (finding back an ancient flooded cromlech ?) that he can't do on dry ground. So this guy is an alien in a foreign land. He misses the land, is probably made fun of, and can be pretty melancholic. But he could be growing to like the new element, to learn to speak to it and everything. Something of a coming of age experience. But then, I'd think his favorite animals would be underdeck rats and seabirds, not sharks. Or the druid could be one with the sea. He was born in a small fishing village, or in a bustling free harbour. He could swim before he could walk. That's more of a stereotype : whatever you write up about him, think sea. Anyway, pirates are wanderers, and thus could be seen as the rangers of the sea. Because pirates live at the surface of the sea, maybe they don't have so much contact with fish and marine life, but there's still all the seagulls - which can bring excellent news from afar. Maybe spells linked with the sea and the wind - and there must be some in the Stromwrack book - would be best for this guy : maybe he can help his ship manoeuver with them. Also, be careful with fire spells. I know the druid has many of them, but you don't want to sink. Good luck !
JulesCARV 12-26-06, 12:07 PM	I hate to bring up such a bad movie, but I'm thinking of Kevin Costner's character in Waterworld. Except without the silly gill on his neck. Maybe he was born on a long-term expeditionary mission, like the Sacajawea's kid on the Lewis and Clark expedition -- except more sea based, and less land based. The crew are always on the move aboard sailing ships, making maps, documenting life forms, etc, living off of fish, moluscs, kelp, and whatever they can trade for with the local Locathah tribes. The druid grows up on ship, constantly at sea. That could be a background in itself, but if you want more tension, or a more bitter ending to his childhood to suit him as a piratical adventurer, the expedition gets back home, and their years of scientific and geographic study are expropriated for private commercial gain: locathah tribes sitting on undersea gold mines are enslaved, fishing trawlers are sent to areas noted to be rich in fish, and so on. He's disgusted by the greed and shortsightedness of the financiers and businessmen on land, and returns to sea as a pirate, swearing to keep the sea free of greedy exploiters from the land.
Kitaki 01-04-07, 11:09 PM	Actaully Billy isn't itself a more modern name, its a childish alternative to the name Bill, which is in and of itself a shortened version of William. (If you were to look at my Uncle Bill's ID it says William, think Bobby, Bob, Robert) I do like your idea of keeping the seas free of greed explioters fron the land JulesCARV.
Doomed_Penguin 01-05-07, 03:51 PM	Druids worship nature. The sea is a part of nature. You don't need much of a backstory. Druids are commonly pirates (see the back of phb2). It makes perfect sense.
camirblu 01-08-07, 09:36 PM	A water-oriented druid would be frightening to behold. I'd talk with your DM about incorporating a few more wind spells into the game, and see about some interesting watery dieties. The sea is an incredibly powerful force, and depending on the tale or legend you're looking at, could have a variety of personalities.
Bill Bisco: Average Adventurer 01-09-07, 11:20 AM	Druid Pirates are awesome. Remember that this guy doesn't have to be nice. In fact, I think many Pirates would want to have a druid on their boat, since the Druid is capable of repairing it, as well as healing the crew members. Sea Travel is an excellent choice for a Druid. What better chance to meet so many different types of creatures?
ZolDarklock 01-10-07, 01:28 AM	looking at your stats, drop the druid and be a ranger who specializes in ocean tracking "yes it's very possible and actually realistic", ocean survival, and ocean creatures, also might want to think about a few levels as a swashbuckler... first become a fighter4, then up to a ranger9 if you dual weapon, then a swashbuckler? might consider even specializing with a spear, trident, even a bow or other such weapon if you do drop the swashbuckler class PS. put your next ability score raises to strenght and constituion to get them to an even number, the go strenght the rest of the way