Dryads: the PC Version! {[PEACH]} [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dryads: the PC Version! {[PEACH]} [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Mr_Arcane
10-17-07, 09:23 PM So I saw that somebody wanted to do a Nymph Paladin. It sounded like it might be fun and my mind trailed off to the other nature-related fey in the MM. The Dryad sounded like fun to try and rework to be more be PC friendly. I got to work on it, forgoing the other not so PC-friendly template I have been working on. And without futher ado, I present the Lesser Dryad.

Lesser Dryad
*+2 Cha, +2 Dex, -2 Con, and -2 Str. Lesser Dryads are personable and graceful but not at all strong or hardy.
*Type: Fey
*Size: Medium. Lesser Dryads have a base land speed of 30 ft.
*Low Light Vision
*Oath to the Forest: As a being whose very existence is tied to wood, trees, and the forest, a Lesser Dryad is bound to her tree, but to a lesser degree than her full powered kin. When she decides to take up adventuring, she undergoes a short ritual that allows her to leave her tree and see the world. It starts with Gerhigon (Sylvan for “Separation.”), in which she cuts off a rather large branch from her oak tree. This represents her leaving the oak and “branching out” into a new world.
The Lesser Dryad must keep her oak’s branch on her at all times. The best way to do this, as agreed on by four out of five Sylvan Elders, is to carve the branch into a useful item, such as a ring, necklace pendant, or an arm band. If this method is chosen, the object takes up the space on the body it normally would if it were a magic item. The Oath-item can be enhanced and enchanted as any normal magic item can be. If the Lesser Dryad chooses to not craft it, she can carry it around in a back pack, the branch weighs 10 pounds.
If the branch or item is lost or destroyed she takes 1d4 damage each day she goes without its protective influence and this damage can’t be healed as it normally would with rest, but Cure Wounds spells can provide a temporary solace but the hit points gained disappear in 1d6 hours. Another item can be crafted or another branch can be cut off to restore the bond.
*Vulnerabilities: Lesser Dryads take one and a half times more damage (x1.5) from Cold Iron and Fire. A Lesser Dryad that wears Cold Iron armor or uses Cold Iron weapons takes a -4 penalty to attacks and damage for weapons, and a -4 to armor penalties and armor class.
*Spell-like abilities: As a Lesser Dryad gains more power, she gains the abilities that her more powerful kin get. At 5th level, she gains Tree Shape OR Warp Wood OR Wood Shape at 1 use per day. At 10th level she gains Plant Growth OR Speak with Plants OR Diminish Plants at 1/day and her previous spell become 3/day and she gains another spell from the previous list of her choice. At 15th, she gains Command Plants OR Antiplant Shell OR Charm Person 1/day, her first round of spells become usable 5 times per day (and receives the final spell of the list) and her second choice gains 3 uses per day, plus one other spell on the list. The Caster Level of a spell equal to her hit dice.
* +2 to Knowledge (Nature) and Survival checks.
*Age, Height, and Weight randomization: as Female Elves. Lesser Dryads age when they seperate themselves and, like normal beings, will die when her time is up.
*Languages: Common, Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Elven.
*Favored Class: Ranger (?)
*LA: +0
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The things i am concered about is Favored Class, LA, and maybe that it could be to weak. Some spell-likes later on is nice, but they may lag behind other LA zeros in terms of racial power.
Wharin
10-18-07, 02:53 PM Well, I wouldn't worry about the race being too weak. In fact, I'd say its awfully powerful for a LA +0. Maybe too powerful with the +4 to CHA, making it an obvious choice for any sorceror, despite any weaknesses to fire and cold iron.

What I did like is that you didn't go the obvious route and make Sorceror the favored class, despite the obvious ability fit, and instead went with something more fitting its fluff than its crunch.

Personally, I'd drop the CHA bonus to +2, and I'd say you have a decent race. In the hands of a "responsible" RP'er who actually played up the nature of the Dryad and went with Ranger or Druid, that +4 CHA would be more than fair, but as it stands that +4 CHA to the broad public makes me nervous.
Mr_Arcane
10-18-07, 04:27 PM Yeah. During its intial design, the race did have +2 to Cha. so in essence, it is returning to its "roots." :rimshot:

I am very much aware that was a very bad pun. I appologize.
baby_kamikaize_kobold
10-18-07, 06:19 PM Dear man you should not apologize as no one said it sucked yet.

I like the idea of this race quite nice. But am I to assume that the dryads cast the spells as a sorcerer?
Mr_Arcane
10-19-07, 05:08 PM Like I said, the caster level is equal to her hit dice. I think that if it mentions something like "Creature X prepares and casts spells like Y levels in Class Z" in the MM, it means that the creature is treated like a member of the class in terms of spellcasting and preperation. Spell-like Ability rules are in the MM on page 315 as well as a feat for making SLAs a bit nastier.
baby_kamikaize_kobold
10-20-07, 02:24 PM Ok makes sense.

(by the way are the geko folk complete yet?)
Another_Poet
10-20-07, 05:10 PM All in all I like it. However, I would change a little bit about her vulnerabilities to cold iron. I would make the following changes:

-Lesser Dryads cannot wear metal armour. If they do so, they take the same penalties as if they separated from their oak branch.

-Lesser Dryads have DR1 per HD, weak against Cold Iron. Thus, a Lesser Dryad Rgr 3 has DR3/Cold Iron. This replaces the 1.5x damage from CI and Fire. However, the -4 penalties still apply when wearing/wielding Cold Iron.

I think trading metal armour for a scaling DR would be a balanced trade off and seem more like a full dryad without becoming too powerful. But maybe my thoughts here are too different flavour-wise than what you had in mind. Overall I like the idea a lot, especially the separation thing and the oak ring/bracelet/whatever.

Nice work!
ap
Niren
10-20-07, 09:52 PM Have you considered Warlock as a favored class?
Mr_Arcane
10-21-07, 02:10 AM baby_kamikaize_kobold- Yes. I am considering them complete. I should get to work on announcing that...

Another_Poet- I like that idea of not being able to wear metal armor and trading it with DR. I do think having +1/ cold iron seems a bit excessive though.

Niren- That might be possible but Warlock seems to dark a class for a thematically good race. Look at the names of the invocations: Fell Flight, Curse of Despair, The Dead Walk, just to name a few. But I suppose you could change the names, flavors, and mechanics for a more fey-ish feel (Like Fell Flight into Faeries' Flit, Nymph's Kiss ((borrowed the name from the exhalted feat)) from Curse of Despair, and Creeping Vines from The Dead Walk). there was that bit about some Warlocks gaining thier powers from a fey source. Heck, I might have to try and do that myself sometime.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mr_Arcane 10-17-07, 09:23 PM	So I saw that somebody wanted to do a Nymph Paladin. It sounded like it might be fun and my mind trailed off to the other nature-related fey in the MM. The Dryad sounded like fun to try and rework to be more be PC friendly. I got to work on it, forgoing the other not so PC-friendly template I have been working on. And without futher ado, I present the Lesser Dryad. Lesser Dryad +2 Cha, +2 Dex, -2 Con, and -2 Str. Lesser Dryads are personable and graceful but not at all strong or hardy. Type: Fey Size: Medium. Lesser Dryads have a base land speed of 30 ft. Low Light Vision Oath to the Forest: As a being whose very existence is tied to wood, trees, and the forest, a Lesser Dryad is bound to her tree, but to a lesser degree than her full powered kin. When she decides to take up adventuring, she undergoes a short ritual that allows her to leave her tree and see the world. It starts with Gerhigon (Sylvan for “Separation.”), in which she cuts off a rather large branch from her oak tree. This represents her leaving the oak and “branching out” into a new world. The Lesser Dryad must keep her oak’s branch on her at all times. The best way to do this, as agreed on by four out of five Sylvan Elders, is to carve the branch into a useful item, such as a ring, necklace pendant, or an arm band. If this method is chosen, the object takes up the space on the body it normally would if it were a magic item. The Oath-item can be enhanced and enchanted as any normal magic item can be. If the Lesser Dryad chooses to not craft it, she can carry it around in a back pack, the branch weighs 10 pounds. If the branch or item is lost or destroyed she takes 1d4 damage each day she goes without its protective influence and this damage can’t be healed as it normally would with rest, but Cure Wounds spells can provide a temporary solace but the hit points gained disappear in 1d6 hours. Another item can be crafted or another branch can be cut off to restore the bond. Vulnerabilities: Lesser Dryads take one and a half times more damage (x1.5) from Cold Iron and Fire. A Lesser Dryad that wears Cold Iron armor or uses Cold Iron weapons takes a -4 penalty to attacks and damage for weapons, and a -4 to armor penalties and armor class. Spell-like abilities: As a Lesser Dryad gains more power, she gains the abilities that her more powerful kin get. At 5th level, she gains Tree Shape OR Warp Wood OR Wood Shape at 1 use per day. At 10th level she gains Plant Growth OR Speak with Plants OR Diminish Plants at 1/day and her previous spell become 3/day and she gains another spell from the previous list of her choice. At 15th, she gains Command Plants OR Antiplant Shell OR Charm Person 1/day, her first round of spells become usable 5 times per day (and receives the final spell of the list) and her second choice gains 3 uses per day, plus one other spell on the list. The Caster Level of a spell equal to her hit dice. +2 to Knowledge (Nature) and Survival checks. Age, Height, and Weight randomization: as Female Elves. Lesser Dryads age when they seperate themselves and, like normal beings, will die when her time is up. Languages: Common, Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Elven. Favored Class: Ranger (?) LA: +0 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The things i am concered about is Favored Class, LA, and maybe that it could be to weak. Some spell-likes later on is nice, but they may lag behind other LA zeros in terms of racial power.
Wharin 10-18-07, 02:53 PM	Well, I wouldn't worry about the race being too weak. In fact, I'd say its awfully powerful for a LA +0. Maybe too powerful with the +4 to CHA, making it an obvious choice for any sorceror, despite any weaknesses to fire and cold iron. What I did like is that you didn't go the obvious route and make Sorceror the favored class, despite the obvious ability fit, and instead went with something more fitting its fluff than its crunch. Personally, I'd drop the CHA bonus to +2, and I'd say you have a decent race. In the hands of a "responsible" RP'er who actually played up the nature of the Dryad and went with Ranger or Druid, that +4 CHA would be more than fair, but as it stands that +4 CHA to the broad public makes me nervous.
Mr_Arcane 10-18-07, 04:27 PM	Yeah. During its intial design, the race did have +2 to Cha. so in essence, it is returning to its "roots." :rimshot: I am very much aware that was a very bad pun. I appologize.
baby_kamikaize_kobold 10-18-07, 06:19 PM	Dear man you should not apologize as no one said it sucked yet. I like the idea of this race quite nice. But am I to assume that the dryads cast the spells as a sorcerer?
Mr_Arcane 10-19-07, 05:08 PM	Like I said, the caster level is equal to her hit dice. I think that if it mentions something like "Creature X prepares and casts spells like Y levels in Class Z" in the MM, it means that the creature is treated like a member of the class in terms of spellcasting and preperation. Spell-like Ability rules are in the MM on page 315 as well as a feat for making SLAs a bit nastier.
baby_kamikaize_kobold 10-20-07, 02:24 PM	Ok makes sense. (by the way are the geko folk complete yet?)
Another_Poet 10-20-07, 05:10 PM	All in all I like it. However, I would change a little bit about her vulnerabilities to cold iron. I would make the following changes: -Lesser Dryads cannot wear metal armour. If they do so, they take the same penalties as if they separated from their oak branch. -Lesser Dryads have DR1 per HD, weak against Cold Iron. Thus, a Lesser Dryad Rgr 3 has DR3/Cold Iron. This replaces the 1.5x damage from CI and Fire. However, the -4 penalties still apply when wearing/wielding Cold Iron. I think trading metal armour for a scaling DR would be a balanced trade off and seem more like a full dryad without becoming too powerful. But maybe my thoughts here are too different flavour-wise than what you had in mind. Overall I like the idea a lot, especially the separation thing and the oak ring/bracelet/whatever. Nice work! ap
Niren 10-20-07, 09:52 PM	Have you considered Warlock as a favored class?
Mr_Arcane 10-21-07, 02:10 AM	baby_kamikaize_kobold- Yes. I am considering them complete. I should get to work on announcing that... Another_Poet- I like that idea of not being able to wear metal armor and trading it with DR. I do think having +1/ cold iron seems a bit excessive though. Niren- That might be possible but Warlock seems to dark a class for a thematically good race. Look at the names of the invocations: Fell Flight, Curse of Despair, The Dead Walk, just to name a few. But I suppose you could change the names, flavors, and mechanics for a more fey-ish feel (Like Fell Flight into Faeries' Flit, Nymph's Kiss ((borrowed the name from the exhalted feat)) from Curse of Despair, and Creeping Vines from The Dead Walk). there was that bit about some Warlocks gaining thier powers from a fey source. Heck, I might have to try and do that myself sometime.