Team Brainstorm: Underdark Druid

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

Elfcrusher

Sep 08, 2015 8:38:03

I've been trying to think of new Druid subclasses for a while (something tree/plant based, instead of animals?  Swarm-based?) but in another thread somebody suggested that a Drow Druid would be a great character for Out of the Abyss.

 

That got me thinking...what would a Druid subclass look like that was oriented toward the Underdark?  The word "fungus" keeps popping into my head, but otherwise I got nuthin'.  Nevertheless the concept won't leave my brain.  Presumably the Underdark has an ecology, and therefore there should be guardians of it.

 

So...let's get a brainstorm going.  What are your ideas?

  • What is it called?
  • In what form does Nature appear in the Underdark (other than fungus, of course)
  • What's the concept in 6 or fewer words?
  • What cool powers would such a druid have?
  • What's the role of shapechanging?
#2

The_White_Sorcerer

Sep 08, 2015 13:44:45

Elfcrusher wrote:
#3

Mechatarrasque

Sep 08, 2015 14:49:26

This isn't much of a change, but I toyed with the idea of a Circle of the Guardian Druid, which would be Circle of the Land Druid, but would swap out Nature's Ward for Guardian Form:  At 10th level, you can expend two uses of wild shape at the same time to transform into the Guardian Form for your terrain.

 

For Underdark, the Guardian Forms would be either a roper or an umber hulk

For Swamp, the Guardian Forms would be either a shambling mound or a giant crocodile

For Mountain,  the Guardian Forms would be either a hill giant or a bulette

For Grassland, the Guardian Forms would be either a  bulette or a gorgon

For Forest, the Guardian Forms would be either a troll or a shambling mound

For Desert, the Guardian Forms would be either a gorgon or a salamander

For Coast, the Guardian Forms would be either a giant shark or a giant crocodile

For Artic, the Guardian Forms would be either a troll or young remorez

 

I never got past the conceptual stage, since a PC would be halfway into his/her career before he/she was any different than a land druid.

#4

Clutchbone

Sep 08, 2015 14:58:23

I'd just use Circle of the Land (Underdark). They get some good spells.

#5

Elfcrusher

Sep 08, 2015 19:30:18

The_White_Sorcerer wrote:
(Reply to #5)

Xeviat-DM

Elfcrusher wrote:
#7

RCanine

Sep 08, 2015 22:26:03

Moon Druid is a great class for drow who expect to go into the sunlight, since their light sensitivity wouldn't apply while in wild shape. Now, drow aren't a particularly good class for druids, but /shrug.