Standard Class Features
"I am a Druid, I have special abilities that are more powerful than your entire class!" 'Nuff said.
- Spells: Spellcasting is one corner of the trifecta that is Druid. The fact that it will receive its own section in the guide should attest to its awesomeness.
- Bonus Languages: I only mention this because Druid is the only class that adds an automatic language (not to be confused with bonus languages), Druidic. This language is usually the major stumbling block for players wishing to enter the Fochluchan Lyricist prestige class.
- Animal Companion (Ex): At first glance, you'd wonder what makes your animal companion so awesome, but you realize how very useful an obedient animal can be for you. Especially after you buff it into an engine of destruction. This will also get its own section, review the different companions you can get.
- Nature Sense (Ex): Sort of like the ugly sweater your grandmother gives you: love her, hate the gift.
- Wild Empathy (Ex): Animal Diplomacy. But it's a lot harder to get an animal to be helpful, because the check is harder to modify.
- Woodland Stride (Ex): While it's not exactly a medal-winner in its own right, it helps you if you have to be the scout.
- Trackless Step (Ex): Nice if you're being followed, but...that's about it.
- Resist Nature’s Lure (Ex): If you're facing a lot of Fey, it's okay, but otherwise it's just a step along the path toward...
- Wild Shape (Su): This is the reason you picked Druid. It's own section is later, but suffice it to say that this is where the Druid's Real Ultimate Power comes from.
- Venom Immunity (Ex): At least we won't have to worry about assassins...
- A Thousand Faces (Su): Free disguising is good, but true seeing has been available for a while.
- Timeless Body (Ex): Say goodbye to aging penalties! If you're starting at this level, feel free to age yourself to venerable for the extra untyped +3 to mental stats.
Alternate Class FeaturesMany of these abilities are situational, so I won't rank any of them. Decide which ones you like best for yourself.
Alters Armor/Weapon ProficienciesDeadly Hunter (UA, p 58): Gain bonus to AC when unarmored and fast movement (as monk). Gain favored enemy, track, and swift tracker as a ranger. Lose armor and shield proficiency and wild shape.
Druidic Avenger (UA, p 51): No Animal Companion or Spontaneous Casting, penalty to Wild Empathy. Gain Fast Movement and Rage.
Fangshields Druid 4 (CoV, p 40): Must be non-humanoid. Spontaneous Curing. Replaces Resist Nature's Lure.
Halfling Druid 1 (RotW, p 157): Add Climb, Hide, Jump, and Move Silently to skill list. 6 skills points per level. Spontaneous Casting (Special list of spontaneous spells), Enhanced Link (bonus to ride animal companion)
Half-Orc Druid 6 (RoD, 159): d10 hitdice, Add Intimidate as class skill. 6th level: Augmented Nature's Allies (+4 Str/Con on SNA's), lose one wildshape/day.
Goliath Druid 1 (RoS, p 151): Elemental Bond (better earth summons, can't summon other elements)
Spontaneous Affliction (EoE, p 21): lose ability to spontaneous SNA, gain ability to sicken humanoids.
Spontaneous Rejuvenation (PHB2, p 39): Lose spontaneous SNA spells. Gain the ability to sacrifice spells to give allies fast healing.
Aquatic Druid (Storm, p 50): Choose an aquatic animal companion.
Druidic Avenger (UA, p 51): No Animal Companion or Spontaneous Casting, penalty to Wild Empathy. Gain Fast Movement and Rage.
Elemental Companion (CM, p 33): Gain an Elemental as a companion instead of an animal.
Halfling Druid 1 (RotW, p 157): Add Climb, Hide, Jump, and Move Silently to skill list. 6 skills points per level. Spontaneous Casting (Special list of spontaneous spells), Enhanced Link (bonus to ride animal companion)
Half-Orc Druid 1 (RoD, 159): d10 hitdice, Add Intimidate as class skill. Animal Companion gains Toughness.
Goliath Druid 6 (RoS, p 151): Earth Companion (animal companion gains earth-type and some stat changes)
Phynxkin Companion (DrM, p 13): Gain a phynxkin instead of your normal animal companion.
Plant Companion (DragMag 357): Gain a plant companion instead of an animal.
Shapeshifter (PHB2, p 39): Lose animal companion and wildshape. Gain the ability to change into several forms, with set bonuses, at will.
Shifter Druid 1 (RoE, p 126): Add Balance, Climb, and Jump to class skills. Beast Spirit (grants powers and abilities as level increase). Replaces animal companion.
Urban Companion (City, web): Instead of a normal animal companion, instead gain something similar to a familiar.
Urban Sense (City, web): Lose nature's sense, gain a +2 bonus to sense motive and knowledge: local checks.
Druidic Avenger (UA, p 51): No Animal Companion or Spontaneous Casting, penalty to Wild Empathy. Gain Fast Movement and Rage.
Half-Orc Druid 4 (RoD, 159): d10 hitdice, Add Intimidate as class skill. Bully Animal (use Str instead of Cha for wild empathy), lose resist nature's lure.
Root Walker (DS, p 9): Lose Woodland Stride, Resist Nature's Lure, and Wild Empathy. Gain Wild Empathy towards vermin; move over earth, stone, and rock debris; and +4 bonus on saving throws against spell like abilities of abberations.
Voice of the City (City, web): Lose wild empathy to gain the ability to communicate with people who speak languages you do not know.
Crowd-Walker (City, web): Exchange woodland stride for the ability to move in crowds more easily.
Root Walker (DS, p 9): Lose Woodland Stride, Resist Nature's Lure, and Wild Empathy. Gain Wild Empathy towards vermin; move over earth, stone, and rock debris; and +4 bonus on saving throws against spell like abilities of abberations.
Sandskimmer (Sand, p 47): Gain Sandskimmer, lose Woodland Stride.
Go to Ground (City, web): Lose trackless step, gain the ability to hide from Urban Tracking.
Fangshields Druid 4 (CoV, p 40): Must be non-humanoid. Spontaneous Curing. Replaces Resist Nature's Lure.
Half-Orc Druid 4 (RoD, 159): d10 hitdice, Add Intimidate as class skill. Bully Animal (use Str instead of Cha for wild empathy), lose resist nature's lure
Heat Endurance (Sand, p 47): Gain Heat Endurance, lose resist nature's lure.
Iron Constitution (City, web): Lose Resist Nature's Lure. Gain the Strong Stomach feat, and +2 bonus to saves against disease.
Planar Druid 4 (Pla, p 31): Gain Knowledge: The Planes as a class skill. Resist Planar Might (+2 bonus to saves to resist spell-like abilities of outsiders). Lose Resist Nature's Lure.
Root Walker (DS, p 9): Lose Woodland Stride, Resist Nature's Lure, and Wild Empathy. Gain Wild Empathy towards vermin; move over earth, stone, and rock debris; and +4 bonus on saving throws against spell like abilities of abberations.
Shifter Druid 4 (RoE, p 126): Add Balance, Climb, and Jump to class skills. Reckless Nature (+2 initiative checks and reflex saves, -2 to will saves) replaces Resist Nature's Lure
City-Shape (City, web): Smaller wild shapes, but gain the ability to change into vermin.
City-Soul (City, web): Lose the ability to wild shape into an elemental, turn into animated objects instead.
Aspect of the Dragon (DrM, p 11): You don't gain wildshape. Instead take on various aspects of dragons.
Drow Druid (DotU, p58): Wildshape into a monstrous spider instead of animals.
Halfling Druid 5 (RotW, p 157): Add Climb, Hide, Jump, and Move Silently to skill list. 6 skills points per level. Undersized Wildshape (wildshape limited to smaller forms, usable more times per day)
Half-Orc Druid 6 (RoD, 159): d10 hitdice, Add Intimidate as class skill. Augmented Nature's Allies (+4 Str/Con on SNA's), lose one wildshape/day.
Fangshields Druid 5 (CoV, p 40): Must be non-humanoid. Wild Shape Hands (form hands while wildshaping)
Fangshields Druid 7 (CoV, p 40): Must be non-humanoid. Wild Shape (Humanoid), lose 1 use of wild shape.
Goliath Druid 12 (RoS, p 151): Earth Wild Shape (change into an earth elemental instead of plant)
Shapeshifter (PHB2, p 39): Lose animal companion and wildshape. Gain the ability to change into several forms, with set bonuses, at will.
Shifter Druid 5 (RoE, p 126): Add Balance, Climb, and Jump to class skills. Wild Shifting (can use racial shifting an extra time per day, and add Wisdom bonus to duration. At 8th level claws are treated as one size larger, at 15th level they are treated as two sizes larger. Gain additional uses each time you would gain more uses of wildshape.). Replaces normal wildshape ability. At 16th level, gain the ability to change into an elemental as normal.
Waste Vermin Wildshape (Sand, p 47): Wildshape into a wasteland vermin, lose 1 wildshape/day.
Planar Druid 9 (Pla, p 31): Gain Knowledge: The Planes as class skill. Planar Tolerance (become attuned to planes). Lose Venom Immunity.
Halfling Druid 13 (RotW, p 157): Add Climb, Hide, Jump, and Move Silently to skill list. 6 skills points per level. Camouflage. Lose Thousand Faces.
Planar Druid 13 (Pla, p 31): Gain Knowledge: The Planes as class skill. Counter Summoning (counter summon monster spells). Lose Thousand Faces.
- this version changes a lot of things, and it's one of the few upgrades to the base druid chassis.
Alters:
Wild Shape - forms must be carnivorous or omnivorous animals that eat carrion. No plant or elemental forms.
Spells - A much larger list of spontaneous casting, several of which are very nice. Spontaneous castings is delayed until 3rd level
Animal Companion - same rules as wild shape
Poison Immunity - traded for disease immunity
Turn Undead - At 12th level, the Wild Reaper gets Turn Undead - qualifying the druid for DMM
A Thousand Faces - traded for a +4 bonus to saving throws against death effects and level drain
Fast healing 1 - gained at 16th level, increases to
fast healing 3 at 20th
Ability damage healing 1 - gained at 17th level, increasing to
ability damage healing 2 at 20th
Timeless Body is delayed until 19th level
