Draconic Druid Alternative Class Feature [Archive] - Wizards Community

Draconic Druid Alternative Class Feature [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
AvonRekaes
12-29-07, 11:26 PM Hey there folks. I'm here to share an alternative class feature for the druid (ala PHBII "expanded classes").
Here it is in pdf format: Dragon-Hearted Nature (http://www.anthonyjturco.com/dnd/Dragon-Hearted%20Nature.pdf)
A player in one of my games is playing a dragonblood druid and he wanted some class features to make him more dragonlike. He brought up a good point that dragons are the original druids in Eberron and that his blood and chosen path in life should lead to some unqiue synergy.
So I turned the druid's propensity for shapeshifting into permanently taking on draconic aspects little by little until you resemble something more like a half-dragon (in appearance, not necessarily stats).
I think a common knee-jerk reaction some people might have is that I'm giving away too much, but I feel that the complete lack of versatility from losing wild shape is a huge loss to the druid class. Most of the abilities you get you can have by wild shaping into an appropriate animal (multiple natural attacks, flying, special vision, increased physical stats). Wild shape also lasts for hours anyway, so I felt the permanent duration of these changes wasn't too big a deal (plus it's about a thousand times easier to keep track of than the headache of wild-shaping).
You get the breath weapon at the same levels and frequency as elemental wildshape, so I thought that was an even trade.
Along the way I did feel as though I needed something else to balance this with, so I took away the animal companion (after all, dragons are mostly solitary creatures, even in Eberron).
Also, the lack of the druid's better weapon and all armor proficiencies I think directly balances the natural armor and natural weapons.
So, enjoy. Opinions welcome!
Belabras
12-30-07, 02:25 PM I'd have made the claws both functional and 1d4 damage for that first level benefit (after all, it's no more than shifters or kenku get, and is actually worse than the draconic feat Dragon Claws). Otherwise, this looks great.

Really cool adaptation imho.
AvonRekaes
12-31-07, 12:47 PM I was sort of simulating the benefit of a normal 1st level druid wielding a scimitar two-handed. Also the ability to make a single claw attack at 1-1/2 strength is to make up for the lack of, say, wild shaping into an animal form that has Pounce.

Glad you liked it though. Thanks for the input!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
AvonRekaes 12-29-07, 11:26 PM	Hey there folks. I'm here to share an alternative class feature for the druid (ala PHBII "expanded classes"). Here it is in pdf format: Dragon-Hearted Nature (http://www.anthonyjturco.com/dnd/Dragon-Hearted%20Nature.pdf) A player in one of my games is playing a dragonblood druid and he wanted some class features to make him more dragonlike. He brought up a good point that dragons are the original druids in Eberron and that his blood and chosen path in life should lead to some unqiue synergy. So I turned the druid's propensity for shapeshifting into permanently taking on draconic aspects little by little until you resemble something more like a half-dragon (in appearance, not necessarily stats). I think a common knee-jerk reaction some people might have is that I'm giving away too much, but I feel that the complete lack of versatility from losing wild shape is a huge loss to the druid class. Most of the abilities you get you can have by wild shaping into an appropriate animal (multiple natural attacks, flying, special vision, increased physical stats). Wild shape also lasts for hours anyway, so I felt the permanent duration of these changes wasn't too big a deal (plus it's about a thousand times easier to keep track of than the headache of wild-shaping). You get the breath weapon at the same levels and frequency as elemental wildshape, so I thought that was an even trade. Along the way I did feel as though I needed something else to balance this with, so I took away the animal companion (after all, dragons are mostly solitary creatures, even in Eberron). Also, the lack of the druid's better weapon and all armor proficiencies I think directly balances the natural armor and natural weapons. So, enjoy. Opinions welcome!
Belabras 12-30-07, 02:25 PM	I'd have made the claws both functional and 1d4 damage for that first level benefit (after all, it's no more than shifters or kenku get, and is actually worse than the draconic feat Dragon Claws). Otherwise, this looks great. Really cool adaptation imho.
AvonRekaes 12-31-07, 12:47 PM	I was sort of simulating the benefit of a normal 1st level druid wielding a scimitar two-handed. Also the ability to make a single claw attack at 1-1/2 strength is to make up for the lack of, say, wild shaping into an animal form that has Pounce. Glad you liked it though. Thanks for the input!