Druid Grove Guardians [Archive] - Wizards Community

Druid Grove Guardians [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Gabba The Butt
12-14-04, 12:40 AM I am designing a druid grove for a very powerful druid. I was wondering if you guys have any nifty ideas for guardians and defenses that the druid may put in it.
cwslyclgh
12-14-04, 02:33 AM Topiary Guardians from Monster Manual 3 spring to mind,as do Battlebriars if your druid is very powerful.
Gabba The Butt
12-14-04, 10:03 PM Having my chaotic evil band of characters going toe-to-toe against some shrubs seems almost comical. The battlebriar idea has some merit. Any other ideas for beasties this druid may have up his sleeve?
ratt182
12-14-04, 11:00 PM dire animals, treants, spirit of the land, legendary animals, elementals, giant vermin...

I am at work so those are the only ones I can think of off hand. In 2nd ed. I was in a high level evil group and the druids in the grove summoned a phoenix.

...Couatal (sp?)...

Thats all. I'm out.
The Quotation Box
12-14-04, 11:11 PM Knowing nothing about the characters I can only be of small assistance. That said, if the druid is good use a group of celestial owlbears using an advanced HD gargantuan tendriculos, which begins the battle just looking like a hill, as a base for a surprise attack. And you can never go wrong with a few dire bears.
Gabba The Butt
12-15-04, 01:20 AM Thank you for the great ideas. I will put them to good use. The druid is neutral but he is in possession of something of value to the players employer. As for the players characters, they are somewhat of a hodge-podge group. I gave them a lot of freedom that I would not have in a more serious game, but it is our experimenting game. There is a necromancer with a hefty group of undead. There is a stone giant fighter. A Drow sorcerer. A goblin thief. Then there is the “comic relief” of the group, our beloved gnome vampire. As I said, a very unlikely group, all of them evil. They are all between 15 and 18 level. Once again thank you for the ideas. If you have any others please post 'em.

...a giant moving and attacking hill covered in shrubbery creatures.
Slagger the Chuul
12-15-04, 02:27 AM If you've got access to psionics, the Ironglass Rose (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psb/20040521c) would be a solid opponent for melee, and packs some decent artillery for ranged attacks. If you don't have access to psionics, you should be able to ignore the powers and treate it as CR 7 or 8.

Apart from shameless self-promotion, I mention it because it has something for ranged combat, which is pretty lacking in most creatures that normally accompany a druid. The battlebriars are solid, and include a somewhat shorter ranged attack. A combination of one battlebriar with a couple of ironglass roses for fire support (and to entice opponents to enter melee) could be nasty.

I'd also suggest the plague brush, but something about a giant tumbleweed seems slightly cheesy, even if it is formidable. Its a big threat to anyone stuck on the ground, and lacks flexible tactics, but often doesn't need them.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Gabba The Butt 12-14-04, 12:40 AM	I am designing a druid grove for a very powerful druid. I was wondering if you guys have any nifty ideas for guardians and defenses that the druid may put in it.
cwslyclgh 12-14-04, 02:33 AM	Topiary Guardians from Monster Manual 3 spring to mind,as do Battlebriars if your druid is very powerful.
Gabba The Butt 12-14-04, 10:03 PM	Having my chaotic evil band of characters going toe-to-toe against some shrubs seems almost comical. The battlebriar idea has some merit. Any other ideas for beasties this druid may have up his sleeve?
ratt182 12-14-04, 11:00 PM	dire animals, treants, spirit of the land, legendary animals, elementals, giant vermin... I am at work so those are the only ones I can think of off hand. In 2nd ed. I was in a high level evil group and the druids in the grove summoned a phoenix. ...Couatal (sp?)... Thats all. I'm out.
The Quotation Box 12-14-04, 11:11 PM	Knowing nothing about the characters I can only be of small assistance. That said, if the druid is good use a group of celestial owlbears using an advanced HD gargantuan tendriculos, which begins the battle just looking like a hill, as a base for a surprise attack. And you can never go wrong with a few dire bears.
Gabba The Butt 12-15-04, 01:20 AM	Thank you for the great ideas. I will put them to good use. The druid is neutral but he is in possession of something of value to the players employer. As for the players characters, they are somewhat of a hodge-podge group. I gave them a lot of freedom that I would not have in a more serious game, but it is our experimenting game. There is a necromancer with a hefty group of undead. There is a stone giant fighter. A Drow sorcerer. A goblin thief. Then there is the “comic relief” of the group, our beloved gnome vampire. As I said, a very unlikely group, all of them evil. They are all between 15 and 18 level. Once again thank you for the ideas. If you have any others please post 'em. ...a giant moving and attacking hill covered in shrubbery creatures.
Slagger the Chuul 12-15-04, 02:27 AM	If you've got access to psionics, the Ironglass Rose (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psb/20040521c) would be a solid opponent for melee, and packs some decent artillery for ranged attacks. If you don't have access to psionics, you should be able to ignore the powers and treate it as CR 7 or 8. Apart from shameless self-promotion, I mention it because it has something for ranged combat, which is pretty lacking in most creatures that normally accompany a druid. The battlebriars are solid, and include a somewhat shorter ranged attack. A combination of one battlebriar with a couple of ironglass roses for fire support (and to entice opponents to enter melee) could be nasty. I'd also suggest the plague brush, but something about a giant tumbleweed seems slightly cheesy, even if it is formidable. Its a big threat to anyone stuck on the ground, and lacks flexible tactics, but often doesn't need them.