Homebrew Druid - Circle of the Swarm

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

SilentSin

Dec 15, 2014 3:17:26

Now that I have the DMG to tell me absolutely nothing useful about how to homebrew classes and sub-classes, I want to see what people think of my variant druid sub class, the swarm druid.

 

I use italicised text to explain my reasoning behind the features and some of their implications.

 

Combat Wild Shape

#2

mellored

Dec 15, 2014 6:26:30

At first glance, it seems overall balanced.

 

Hard to tell though without more indepth analysis (and i don't have the MM yet).

#3

rampant

Dec 15, 2014 10:55:34

I'm confused about Hit die, I didn't think you got hit die in wild shape. Also zIncreasing the HP of wild shape forms vastly increaes druid survivability.

#4

Chiisai_Usagi

Dec 15, 2014 13:38:02

I can't lie,  I read this title and I'm thinking of the opening cinematic to Starcraft 2 Heart of the Swarm.

 

Which is amazingly fun, don't get me wrong.  A druid who can shapeshit into a Hydralisk, a Mutalisk, a Roach, an Ultralisk?!  YES PLEASE!

#5

ShinQuickMan

Dec 15, 2014 15:36:05

The big problem with swarms is that they're jam-packed with a bunch of resistances and immunities. That fact makes this homebrewed Circle even more front loaded than the Moon Circle currently is.

#6

mellored

Dec 15, 2014 16:21:06 		Resistances com paired to what HP? Also, you really should be able to cast plplague of insects..
(Reply to #3)

SilentSin

rampant wrote:
(Reply to #5)

SilentSin

ShinQuickMan wrote:
(Reply to #6)

SilentSin

mellored wrote:
#10

mellored

Dec 16, 2014 10:51:13

SilentSin wrote:
#11

ShinQuickMan

Dec 17, 2014 8:51:28

SilentSin wrote:
#12

SilentSin

Dec 17, 2014 22:45:14

The only way I can see HD healing in wild shape actually working is if the beast HD are completely separate from the druid's own. When a multiclass character spends HD, they have to track exactly which of their die sizes they use. So if a druid uses their beast HD in a d10 or d6 form, they can't be using their own HD.

 

Of course, given that they are by far the tankiest class in the game, they get a free set of beast HP twice per day, and they can use spell slots and bonus actions to heal even more, I'm inclined to simply not let them use their beast form HD at all.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could integrate Insect Plague or provide some other compensation for the weakness of their greater form compared to the moon druid's elementals?