DRUID Question

[Amberjack]

Does any one play Druids, and if so how. Just curious, as was looking at the
druid the other day and was wondering how to best play one, as his abilities
look somewhat weak, especially as a first level character. Not looking for a
super druid, but something more.

[Library Ogre]

I love druids; I put a lot of work into them for Mysteries of Magic (the section on them is 12 pages long). However, they are not powerhouses... they're knowledge monkeys.

A Druid can read runes if you don't have a diabolist handy. He can find ley lines, if you lack a wizard. He's got a good number of lore and science skills, so they're going to know a lot of things... but they should stick back in combat.

At 1st level, you've got 2 spells. Globe of Daylight has the obvious uses, but don't forget the 30' range; it makes a great distraction to have it come up someone else. Repel Animals is most useful against cavalry... nothing says "broken charge" like a Repel animals.

Druids at second level aren't much better, though with Chameleon, they can hide better when they need to (like with that Globe of Daylight trick)

At third level is when a druid really comes into his own. He's got a good array of healing powers (Negate Poisons/Toxins, Heal Wounds, and his Healing Touch for Animals), and he can also use control the beasts. Buy some dogs, and use this to direct them precisely. Also, take control of any animals who may attack you, or be used against the party (remember Chameleon!)

Your next big jump comes at 6th level, when you can shapeshift and summon canines.

[Yisterwald]

I've been playing PFRPG off and on since the first printing of 1st edition, and in all that time I've seen very few Druid NPCs, and only one Druid PC. He was a regular in my campaign years ago, before 2nd Edition. To be fair, he was a terrific character. But the guy who played him was a terrific roleplayer -- the kind of guy who could make almost any character conception work, and could roll with the punches when something went wrong.

I think Druids can work well, but they are less flashy than most other classes, and seem to be at their best in a group that emphasizes story more than character powers and abilities.

[Amberjack]

Thanks for the input, which was about what had expected.
What is everyones opinion of combining or adding the Mystic Herbalism from Rifts-England, and or some of the spells/ Abilities of the Old Believer from Rifts-Mystic Russia. Or maybe even a few spells from the Biomancer from Rifts- South America. Just to add a slight bit more dimension to the character, without going crazy . I hope

[Cinos]

I've never had anyone play a druid for any reason (They've choosen Merchent, Noble and Vagabond, even Fletcher and Blacksmith before Druid).

Cinos

[Yisterwald]

Heh -- back before 2nd Edition I had a player want to enter a campaign already under way, but the problem was the party was kind of out in the middle of nowhere. The player said he didn't mind class restrictions: "Just fit me in any logical way -- I'll deal with it," he told me. The party was currently resting and recouperating at a small, outpost-type logging camp. I had a Druid NPC available for him to play, a couple of Vagabonds, and some Lumberjacks. (anybody remember those from the 1st Edition version of Old Ones?) There might have been a few other options, but the pickin's were slim, and the Druid was the highest level character available -- about in line with the party at the time.

Eddie took a Lumberjack.

[J. Lionheart]

Druids in first edition and Druids in second edition or hugely different beasts. A first edition druid is known as a "Totem Shaman" in second edition, and isn't in the main book. The replacement 2E druid is much more based around natural balance, sacrifice, and ritual, while the the 1E druid / 2E totem shaman is more about animal powers and metamorphosis.

The 1E druid was really cool, but had the huge downfall that until you were like 10th level, using your main power was as like as not to permanently destroy your character. It was like giving a person a priest, and telling them that they might lose their character if they used a prayer.

[RockJock]

The Druid works well as sort of a wilderness scout. They are never going to be the greatest fighters in a group, but there is no reason they can't hold their own.

They are a support character. Their healing abilities are always helpful to the group, plus they can be used to get you in good with a town or community lacking in health care. They also work well as a Wilderness Scout type character. The problem is a Ranger with Healings psychics and a couple of magic items can beat the Druid at his own game, plus have superior combat abilities. If this is the kind of game you play, just make sure the Druid gets the toys as well.

I also think it might be worth while to take a look at the Rifts England Druids. Not all of them are going to have the Mystic Herbalist abilities, but I think at least some would. You may also want to take a look at some of the nature oriented Priests in Rifts Japan. I can also see some Druids being closer to actual priests of nature oriented gods. I might think of giving some Druids a prayer of intervention or something in the right situation.

The problem with the basic druid is there are a good number of classes that are similar, and better at a specific field. If you want the wilderness scout then a Ranger, a Psi-Healer for a healer, Warlock for "nature magic", Beatmaster for the animial trainer and such.


As for the use of other magic related spells like Nature Magic, or Ocean Magic I would definately allow them as substitutions to the Druids normal spell selections, but I am not sure if I would allow extras.

I keep rambling, but somewhere else to look is the Spirit West magic/shaman classes.

[t0m]

i played a 1st ed druid that got stuck as a animal and wandered off man i was pissed, things were going great until that happened...

[Avatara]

just so you know the first edition druid is in 2nd edition. You can find it in the mount nimero book. My one friend had a druid character 1st edition style. He changed into a wolf and got stuck. I was a wizard at the time and got a brilliant idea. I made him my familiar using the rules from night bane through the glass darkly. A great book for magic characters, and for making spells.

In the end I made him into the most powerful character in the party. Gave him the ability to speak, made it that he would not die in 6 years time, gave him ice breath and increased hit points. Considering that there was only 4 of us and the gm had a hard time realising that some monsters are just a little too strong to throw at us I thought it was a good idea. It only cost me some where along the line of 50 ppe to do.

Mind you nothing is quite as frightening as seing a Giant wolf (size of behemoth) being ridden by a lightning wielding elf.

god how i wish my ride exotic animal skill was higher...

[Avatara]

btw the cost was permanent

[Avatara]

no point now

[Torval]

I'm pulling this old thread back up because I thought it would be better than making a new one and I didn't really find the answer I was looking for.

My question is very simple. Why would a druid bother traveling with a group of adventurers? It has been a while since I've read their descriptions but I seem to remember them being awesome in their own respect and natural environment but I couldn't find a really solid reason that they would go adventuring. Any comments or ideas?

[Torval]

Our last campaign had a druid PC. He was kind of an environmentalist, who traveled with a cause and viewed the adventuring party as a means to an end.

btw, Torval, I'm in South City, do you have an established gaming group up there in Lake St. Louis?

Yes. We play every week or at least every other week but with the holidays coming up we will probably end up taking a break for a month or two. That's how it always seems to happen this time of year.

[Library Ogre]

Druids travel very poorly. In places like the Northern Wilderness, you're more likely to run into them, but an adventuring druid is going to have trouble taking his level advancement tests.

As for why they may adventure, it may be simply to gain experience of the wide world. If their settlement has enough druids and apprentice druids, one may simply say "I'm going walkabout to bring back new ideas and learn things."

[Torval]

Druids travel very poorly. In places like the Northern Wilderness, you're more likely to run into them, but an adventuring druid is going to have trouble taking his level advancement tests.

As for why they may adventure, it may be simply to gain experience of the wide world. If their settlement has enough druids and apprentice druids, one may simply say "I'm going walkabout to bring back new ideas and learn things."

The reason that I am asking is because I was thinking of rolling one up for as a character for me to play when we start a new campaign. I'm having trouble getting my mind around anything that doesn't sound seem to completely break the way the class works in order to play him though. Are there other druid classes in a Rifts book or any other Palladium book that would maybe work better?

[The Dark Elf]

I think that the druids in 2nd edition are one of the most interesting classes presented.

I thnk that the power level is just right for what a druid (IMO) should be. the skills and powers also grow and the right level.

The worst thing (but also the most interesting) is the five laws, especially the rebound. But I guess planting some trees also makes for interesting play.

If your druid wants to tag along with a player group then maybe he's there to ensure that the rebound law created by these players is controlled (I know it doesnt effect them directly but this is roleplay) so that they may continue their quest for good.

[RockJock]

Why does anyone adventure? Maybe the Druid is the last of his tribe. He was out in the wilderness when they were slaughtered by a known or unknown villain. He might be out to smite some evil and the group meets those needs better then the Druid alone.

There are some Druid like classes such as the Beast Master that are fun to play. The Shaman classes are fairly Druid-like, but still different. For some reason the Druid is one of those classes that seems to be used with non human/elf/dwarve races very often. A Wolfen or Krakoran(spell? the fox guys) has a few racial abilities that really fit well with the class. Another is the Danzi. The Danzi spirit marks, natural abilities, and aversion to metal weapons really fits well.

[Torval]

Thanks for the ideas. I decided to go with the Old Believer OCC out of Mystic Russia. I spent the time to tweak it a little bit in order to make it work completely in an SDC environment but I think it will work well.