Druid
"Shh…listen. Hear the wings of the bird taken flight? The wind through the trees to make the leaves dance? It is my dream to not master, but become one with all of this."
The fury of a storm, the gentle strength of the morning sun, the cunning of the fox, the power of the bear—all these and more are at the druid's command. The druid, however, claims no mastery over nature. That claim, she says, is the empty boast of a city dweller. The druid gains her power not by ruling nature but by being at one with it. To trespassers in a druid's sacred grove, to those who feel the druid's wrath, the distinction is overly fine.
Alignment: Neutral good, lawful neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral, or neutral evil.
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills: (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level)
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str).
Druids are Literate (see Languages for details).
Level | BAB | Fort Save | Reflex Save | Will Save | Special | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Animal Companion, Nature Sense, Wild Empathy | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Woodland Stride | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Trackless Step | 4 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Resist Natures Lure | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Wildshape 1/day | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Wildshape 2/day | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Wildshape 3/day | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Wildshape (Large) | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Venom Immunity | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Wildshape 4/day | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Wildshape (Tiny) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Wildshape (Plant) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - |
13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | A Thousand Faces | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Wildshape 5/day | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Timeless Body, Wildshape (Huge) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
16th | +12/+7/+3 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Wildshape Elemental 1/day | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - |
17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | - | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Wildshape 6/day, Wildshape Elemental 2/day | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | - | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Wildshape Elemental 3/day (Huge Elemental) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the druid.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with wild shape (see below).
Druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. (A druid may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. See the ironwood spell description) Druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.
A druid who wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited shield is unable to cast druid spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.
Spells: A druid casts divine spells, which are drawn from the druid spell list. Her alignment may restrict her from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells, below. A druid must choose and prepare her spells in advance (see below).
To prepare or cast a spell, the druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a druid’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the druid’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a druid can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on the table above. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score, see: Bonus Spells. She does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.
A druid prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does. A druid may prepare and cast any spell on the druid spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must go through her daily meditation as a cleric would.
Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells: A druid can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity’s (if she has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions.
Bonus Languages: A druid’s bonus language options include Sylvan, the language of woodland creatures. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.
A druid also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level druid. Druidic is a free language for a druid; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids.
Druidic has its own alphabet.
Animal Companion (Ex): A druid may begin play with an animal companion selected from the following list: badger, camel, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper), or wolf. If the campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the following creatures are also available: crocodile, porpoise, Medium shark, and squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the druid on her adventures as appropriate for its kind.
A 1st-level druid’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As a druid advances in level, the animal’s power increases as shown on the table. If a druid releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.
A druid of 4th level or higher may select from alternative lists of animals (see below). Should she select an animal companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character’s druid level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character’s druid level and compare the result with the druid level entry on the table to determine the animal companion’s powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the druid’s effective level to 0 or lower, she can’t have that animal as a companion.)
Nature Sense (Ex): A druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.
Wild Empathy (Ex): A druid can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The druid rolls 1d20 and adds her druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result.
The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the druid and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A druid can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a –4 penalty on the check.
Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a druid may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.
Trackless Step (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a druid leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Resist Nature’s Lure (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a druid gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of fey.
Wild Shape (Su): At 5th level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into any Small or Medium animal and back again once per day. Her options for new forms include all creatures with the animal type. This ability functions like the alternate form special ability polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. Each time you use wild shape, you regain lost hit points as if you had rested for a night.
Any gear worn or carried by the druid melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When the druid reverts to her true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on her body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in the assumed form fall off and land at the druid's feet.
The form chosen must be that of an animal the druid is familiar with.
A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)
A druid can use this ability more times per day at 6th, 7th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level, as noted on Table: The Druid. In addition, she gains the ability to take the shape of a Large animal at 8th level, a Tiny animal at 11th level, and a Huge animal at 15th level.
The new form’s Hit Dice can’t exceed the character’s druid level.
At 12th level, a druid becomes able to use wild shape to change into a plant creature with the same size restrictions as for animal forms. (A druid can’t use this ability to take the form of a plant that isn’t a creature.)
At 16th level, a druid becomes able to use wild shape to change into a Small, Medium, or Large elemental (air, earth, fire, or water) once per day. These elemental forms are in addition to her normal wild shape usage. In addition to the normal effects of wild shape, the druid gains all the elemental’s extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities. She also gains the elemental’s feats for as long as she maintains the wild shape, but she retains her own creature type.
At 18th level, a druid becomes able to assume elemental form twice per day, and at 20th level she can do so three times per day. At 20th level, a druid may use this wild shape ability to change into a Huge elemental.
Venom Immunity (Ex): At 9th level, a druid gains immunity to all poisons.
A Thousand Faces (Su): At 13th level, a druid gains the ability to change her appearance at will, as if using the alter self disguise self spell, but only while in her normal form. This affects the druid’s body but not her possessions. It is not an illusory effect, but a minor physical alteration of the druid’s appearance, within the limits described for the spell.
Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 15th level, a druid no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the druid still dies of old age when her time is up.
The Druid's Animal Companion
A druid’s animal companion is different from a normal animal of its kind in many ways. A druid’s animal companion is superior to a normal animal of its kind and has special powers, as described below.
Class Level | Bonus HD | Natural Armor Adj. | Str/Dex Adj. | Bonus Tricks | Special |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st–2nd | +0 | +0 | +0 | 1 | Link, Share Spells |
3rd–5th | +2 | +2 | +1 | 2 | Evasion |
6th–8th | +4 | +4 | +2 | 3 | Devotion |
9th–11th | +6 | +6 | +3 | 4 | Multiattack |
12th–14th | +8 | +8 | +4 | 5 | |
15th–17th | +10 | +10 | +5 | 6 | Improved Evasion |
18th–20th | +12 | +12 | +6 | 7 |
Animal Companion Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the companion’s kind, but make the following changes.
Class Level: The character’s druid level. The druid’s class levels stack with levels of any other classes that are entitled to an animal companion for the purpose of determining the companion’s abilities and the alternative lists available to the character.
Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Consitution modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the animal companion’s base attack and base save bonuses. An animal companion’s base attack bonus is the same as that of a druid of a level equal to the animal’s HD. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.
Natural Armor Adj.: The number noted here is an improvement to the animal companion’s existing natural armor bonus.
Str/Dex Adj.: Add this value to the animal companion’s Strength and Dexterity scores.
Bonus Tricks: The value given in this column is the total number of “bonus” tricks that the animal knows in addition to any that the druid might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the animal. The druid selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed.
Link (Ex): A druid can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn’t have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The druid gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.
Share Spells (Ex): At the druid’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts upon herself also affect her animal companion. The animal companion must be within 5 feet of her at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the animal companion if the companion moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the animal again, even if it returns to the druid before the duration expires.
Additionally, the druid may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her animal companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A druid and her animal companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion’s type (animal).
Evasion (Ex): If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.
Devotion (Ex): An animal companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.
Multiattack: An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the animal companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a –5 penalty.
Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an animal companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.
Alternative Animal Companions: A druid of sufficiently high level can select her animal companion from one of the following lists, applying the indicated adjustment to the druid’s level (in parentheses) for purposes of determining the companion’s characteristics and special abilities.
Ex-Druids
A druid who ceases to revere nature, changes to a prohibited alignment, or teaches the Druidic language to a nondruid loses all spells and druid abilities (including her animal companion, but not including weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She cannot thereafter gain levels as a druid until she atones (see the atonement spell description).
Variant: Druidic Avenger
This class option advances as the Druid normally does, except as listed below:
The druidic avenger channels her inner fury to wreak vengeance upon those who injure the natural world. This comes at a price, however, since the avenger must give up some of her own sensitivity to nature.
Class Skills:
Add Intimidate to the avenger's list of class skills. Eliminate Diplomacy from the avenger's list of class skills.
Class Features: The druidic avenger has all the standard druid class features, except as noted below.
- Animal Companion: An avenger does not gain the service of an animal companion.
- Fast Movement (Ex): A druidic avenger's base land speed is faster than the norm for her race by 10 feet. This ability is identical to the barbarian ability of the same name.
- Rage (Ex): An avenger can enter a furious rage, identical to that of a barbarian. An avenger can use this ability once per day at 1st level, and one additional time per day for every five levels above 1st. An avenger does not gain the greater rage, indomitable will, or mighty rage abilities.
- Tireless Rage (Ex): At 17th level and higher, an avenger no longer becomes fatigued at the end of her rage.
- Wild Empathy: A druidic avenger takes a -4 penalty on wild empathy checks.
ACF: Voice of the City
For some, the ability to make oneself understood in the midst of any culture is of far greater value than the ability to influence the beasts of the wild.
Class: Druid, Ranger
Level: 1st.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain wild empathy.
Benefit: Through a combination of body language, tone, and expression, the voice of the city can make herself understood by those who do not speak her language, and she can interpret their meaning the same way. Simple concepts that can be conveyed in a few words (such as "Help!" or "Drop your weapon!") can be conveyed automatically. More complex concepts require her to make a roll: d20 + her class level + either her Wisdom modifier (if trying to understand someone else) or Charisma modifier (if trying to make someone else understand her). Roll each only once per conversation. If she fails, she cannot try to communicate with that specific individual via this ability until she has gained a level. (Thus, it is possible, if she succeeds in one roll but fails in the other, to hold a conversation where she can understand the other speaker but he cannot understand you, or vice-versa.)
The DC of the roll depends on creature type and how closely the individual's language is related to any of her own. The ability works most effectively with other humanoids. In this case, if the individual's language uses the same alphabet as any language she knows, the DC is 20. If it does not, the DC is 30. (See Speak Language, PH 82, for this information.)
The above DCs increase by 5 if the speaker is a fey, giant, or monstrous humanoid; they increase by 10 if the speaker is an elemental. If the other individual is of any other creature type, she cannot communicate via this ability.
If the speaker is deliberately trying to make himself understood, the voice of the city gains a +2 circumstance bonus on this roll. If she is attempting to interpret his speech from outside normal conversational distance (such as eavesdropping), she takes a -4 penalty on this roll.
In addition, she gains Speak Language as a class skill.
Variant: Shapeshift
This class option advances as the Druid normally does, except as listed below:
Class: Druid
Level: 1st
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain an animal companion at 1st level. Nor do you gain the Wild Shape class feature at level 5 (or any of its variations normally gained at higher levels).
Benefits:
Shapeshift – As a Swift Action, you may change into a creature whose abilities are determined by your level any number of times per day for any duration. Note that shapeshifting does not cause you to heal. You do not need to return to your normal form before changing to a different shape. At first level, you can take a Predator Form, which look like a Wolf, Jaguar, or any other terrain or culturally appropriate creature. No mater what it looks like, its ability scores are the same for all Shapeshifting Druids. You cannot speak or cast spell while Shapeshifting (Feat: Natural Spell does not work with Shapeshifting). All your possessions meld into your new form and become non-functional until you return to your normal form. Unless noted otherwise, you remain the same size. Any Natural Weapons that your form has receive an Enhancement bonus on attack & damage equal to ¼th your Druid level & at 4th level are treated as ‘magic’ for purposes of overcoming Damage Reduction. If you become Unconscious or are killed, you revert to your normal form. In effect, this is a simplified Wild Shape.
Gained at level 1:
Predator Form – typically a Wolf, Panther, etc.
a) +4 Enhancement bonus to Strength;
b) +4 improvement to your Natural Armor;
c) base Land speed becomes 50’;
d) gain a Bite attack that does 1d6 if you are Medium;
e) at 5th level, you gain Feat: Mobility when in this form.
Gained at level 5:
Aerial Form – typically an Eagle, Vulture, Bat, etc.
a) +2 Enhancement bonus to Strength;
b) +2 Enhancement bonus to Reflex saves;
c) +2 improvement to your Natural Armor;
d) gain Fly speed 40’ with Good maneuverability;
e) gain a Talon attack that does 1d6 if you are Medium;
f) at 7th level, you gain Feat: Flyby Attack when in this form.
Gained at level 8:
Ferocious Slayer Form – typically Tiger, Bear, Dire Wolf, etc.
a) size increases by one category, which might grant Reach;
b) +8 Enhancement bonus to Strength;
c) +4 Enhancement bonus to Fortitude saves;
d) +8 improvement to your Natural Armor;
e) base Land speed becomes 40’;
f) gain a primary Bite attack that does 1d8 if your original size is Medium;
g) gain two secondary Claw attacks that do 1d6 if your original size is Medium;
h) at 10th level, you gain Feat: Improved Critical (bite) and Feat: Improved Critical (claw) when in this form.
Gained at level 12:
Forest Avenger Form – typically Treant, Shambling Mound, etc.
a) size increases by one category, which might grant Reach;
b) +12 Enhancement bonus to Strength;
c) +4 Enhancement bonus to Fortitude & Will saves;
d) +12 improvement to your Natural Armor;
e) base Land speed becomes 20’;
f) gain a Slam attack that does 1d8 if your original size is Medium;
g) gain Damage Reduction 5 / slashing;
h) at 14th level, you gain Feat: Improved Overrun while in this form.
Gained at level 16:
Elemental Fury Form – an elemental form of Air, Earth, Fire or Water. (Can be different each time you change into this form.)
a) size increases by two category, which probably grants you Reach;
b) +16 Enhancement bonus to Strength;
c) +4 Enhancement bonus to all saves;
e) +16 improvement to your Natural Armor;
f) base Land speed is unchanged and you do not gain a Burrow, Fly, or Swim speed;
g) gain two primary Slam attacks that does 2d6 each if your original size is Medium;
h) gain immunity to Critical Hits;
i) you do not breath;
j) gain immunity to one type of energy determined by the elemental form you chose (can be different each time): Air – Electricity immunity, Earth – Acid immunity, Fire – Fire immunity, Water – Cold immunity;
k) at 18th level, you gain Feat: Great Cleave while in this form.