Druid
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Description
Ah, druids, those massively overpowered, shape-changing testaments to how ego-freaky tree-huggers can get in their games. I mean, seriously, what's not to love about a class that can turn into a tree and then kick more ass than a whole village full of evil lumberjacks?
If you want to get your spell-casting without vocal cords or hands badassery, if you still think "Beastmaster" was one of the best movies ever made, if you secretly yearn to turn into fluffy animals and bite monsters heads off, this, sir or madame, is the class for you!
So play one! But beware, we buffed up everybody else, so your awesome may not shine quite so brightly!
But don't take my word for it, watch this video from a random internet nerd.
Alignment: Any neutral
Hit Die: d6
Starting Wealth: Each character begins play with basic (non-armor) clothing worth 10 gp or less.
Class Skills: The druid's class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Table: Druid
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | 0th | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Nature bond, nature sense, orisons, 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 nature's lure, wild shape (1/day) | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | - | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Wild shape (2/day) | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | - | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Wild shape (3/day) | 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 | Wild shape (4/day) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | - | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Wild shape (5/day) | 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 | Wild shape (6/day) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Timeless body | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Wild shape (7/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 | Wild shape (8/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 | Wild shape (at will) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Class Features
- Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, scythe, 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. Druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.
A druid who wears prohibited armor or uses 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. A druid must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
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 Table: Druid. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells).
A druid must spend 1 hour each day in a trance-like meditation on the mysteries of nature to regain her daily allotment of spells. 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 choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.
- Spontaneous Casting
A druid can channel stored spell energy into summoning spells that she hasn't prepared ahead of time. She can “lose” a prepared spell in order to cast any summon nature's ally spell of the same level or lower.
- 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.
- Orisons (Sp)
Druids can prepare a number of orisons, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table: Druid under “Spells per Day.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.
- 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.
- Nature Bond (Ex)
At 1st level, a druid forms a bond with nature. This bond can take one of two forms.
Bonus Cleric Domain
The first is a close tie to the natural world, granting the druid one of the following cleric domains: Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, Water, or Weather. When determining the powers and bonus spells granted by this domain, the druid's effective cleric level is equal to her druid level. A druid that selects this option also receives additional domain spell slots, just like a cleric, although these spell slots are not reflected in either table 'Druid' or 'Epic Druid'. She must prepare the spell from her domain in this slot and this spell cannot be used to cast a spell spontaneously.
- d20pfsrd list of Cleric Domains
Animal Companion
The second option is to form a close bond with an animal companion. A druid may begin play with any of the animals listed in Animal Choices. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the druid on her adventures.
(Editor: Details on how animal companions work can found be here: Animal Companions
Unlike normal animals of its kind, an animal companion's Hit Dice, abilities, skills, and feats advance as the druid advances in level. If a character receives an animal companion from more than one source, her effective druid levels stack for the purposes of determining the statistics and abilities of the companion. Most animal companions increase in size when their druid reaches 4th or 7th level, depending on the companion. If a druid releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer in the environment where the new companion typically lives. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.
FYI There are feats intended for Animals. Here are a few:
- Jumper
- Lithe Attacker
- Master of Your Kind
- Narrow Frame
- Stable Gallop
- Sure Footed
- Valiant Steed
- 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. Thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion, however, 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 and supernatural abilities of fey. This bonus also applies to spells and effects that target plants, such as blight, entangle, spike growth, and warp wood.
- Wild Shape (Su)
At 4th 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 beast shape I 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. 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 an additional time per day at 6th level and every two levels thereafter, for a total of eight times at 18th level. At 20th level, a druid can use wild shape at will. As a druid gains in levels, this ability allows the druid to take on the form of larger and smaller animals, elementals, and plants. Each form expends one daily usage of this ability, regardless of the form taken.
At 6th level, a druid can use wild shape to change into a Large or Tiny animal or a Small elemental. When taking the form of an animal, a druid's wild shape now functions as beast shape II. When taking the form of an elemental, the druid's wild shape functions as elemental body I.
At 8th level, a druid can use wild shape to change into a Huge or Diminutive animal, a Medium elemental, or a Small or Medium plant creature. When taking the form of animals, a druid's wild shape now functions as beast shape III. When taking the form of an elemental, the druid's wild shape now functions as elemental body II. When taking the form of a plant creature, the druid's wild shape functions as plant shape I.
At 10th level, a druid can use wild shape to change into a Large elemental or a Large plant creature. When taking the form of an elemental, the druid's wild shape now functions as elemental body III. When taking the form of a plant, the druid's wild shape now functions as plant shape II.
At 12th level, a druid can use wild shape to change into a Huge elemental or a Huge plant creature. When taking the form of an elemental, the druid's wild shape now functions as elemental body IV. When taking the form of a plant, the druid's wild shape now functions as plant shape III.
- d20pfsrd bestiary for animals
- d20pfsrd bestiary for elementals
- d20pfsrd bestiary for plants
- d20pfsrd spell entry for Beast Shape
- d20pfsrd spell entry for Elemental Body
- d20pfsrd spell entry for Plant Shape
- 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 spell, but only while in her normal form.
- 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.
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).
Druid Example Build
For those who are non-expert in this class, or who are busy, or who simply don't want to spend hours digging around feats, here's an example build. Note: This is not a suggested build. Heck, it's probably even not very good. But what it WILL do is let you play without hours of investment, and it will perform more than adequately. If you want to tweak, feel free!
Spell-Flinging Naturalist
Human, base stats: Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, int 8, Wis 18, Chr 14.
Example Feats
1st Level: Dodge, Still Spell. These are always useful. Always.
3rd Level: Spell penetration. Because caster level checks are HARD.
5th Level: Natural Spell. Dude. This is WHY you play a Druid.
7th Level: Wild Speech. Because talking bears are AWESOME.
9th Level: Spell focus. Let's see them make THIS saving throw.
11th Level: Selective Spell. This means a lot less apologizing after the Firestorm goes off.
13th Level: Maximize Spell. heh heh he ha ha HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!
15th Level: Greater Spell Penetration. Punch it through, baby.
17th Level: Greater Spell Focus. Even harder saves.
19th Level: Spell Perfection. What? Double the effects of four feats on my favorite kill-o-zap spell? YES, PLEASE.
Epic Druids
Table: Epic Druid
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | 0th | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th | 16th | 17th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21st | +15/+10/+5 | +13 | +7 | +13 | - | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 22nd | +16/+11/+6 | +13 | +7 | +13 | Paragon of Nature I | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 23rd | +16/+11/+6 | +14 | +8 | +14 | Improved Wild Shape: Beast Shape IV | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 24th | +17/+12/+7 | +14 | +8 | +14 | - | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 25th | +17/+12/+7 | +15 | +9 | +15 | - | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 26th | +18/+13/+8 | +15 | +9 | +15 | Improved Wild Shape: Form of the Dragon I | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 27th | +18/+13/+8 | +16 | +10 | +16 | - | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 28th | +19/+14/+9 | +16 | +10 | +16 | Paragon of Nature II | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 29th | +19/+14/+9 | +17 | +11 | +17 | Improved Wild Shape: Form of the Dragon II | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 30th | +20/+15/+10 | +17 | +11 | +17 | - | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 31st | +20/+15/+10 | +18 | +12 | +18 | - | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 32nd | +21/+16/+11 | +18 | +12 | +18 | Improved Wild Shape: Form of the Dragon III | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 33rd | +21/+16/+11 | +19 | +13 | +19 | - | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 34th | +22/+17/+12 | +19 | +13 | +19 | Paragon of Nature III | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 35th | +22/+17/+12 | +20 | +14 | +20 | - | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 36th | — | — | — | — | Apotheosis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Epic Class Abilities
- Paragon of Nature
Beginning at 22nd level, the Druid becomes the living embodiment of Nature. This close bond empowers the Druid in three ways. At 22nd level, the Druid may choose their first paragon power, and then at 28th and 34th levels, they may choose the others. All Druids get all Paragon powers if they reach high enough level, but the order in which they are chosen is often different. Each paragon power may only be chosen once.
- One With the Green
- The Druid gains the 'Plant' sub-type. See: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/creature-types#TOC-Plant
- As a result, the Druid gains all the 'plant' traits, both good and ill. For example, the Epic Druid who chooses One With the Green is no longer proficient with anything but natural weapons, and cannot wear any armor. However, the Epic Druid also gains the long list of abilities of the Plant sub-type, namely:
- Low-light vision.
- Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms).
- Immunity to paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep effects, and stunning.
- Proficient with its natural weapons only.
- Not proficient with armor.
- Plants breathe and eat, but do not sleep.
- Note that this change is extremely apparent: The Druid gains a mass of vegetation as hair, their skin becomes green, they crave sunlight, etc. Of course, as always, the Druid may conceal their nature with Thousand Faces...but why would they want to?
- Beast Beneath the Skin
- The Druid gains a perfect understanding of the true glory and power of the animal. Any spells the Druid casts upon their animal companion has double the duration. Note that this does not stack with any other ability which increases spell durations. The Druid's animal companion gains a +1 bonus to AC, Str, and Con for every two Druid levels above 20th the Druid possesses. Any time the Druid casts an Enchantment spell on any creature with the animal type, they must roll 2d20 for any saves or Spell Resistance and take the result that the Druid prefers. Finally, all animals feel kinship with the Druid. Any time a creature with the animal type wishes to attack the Druid for the first time in a given encounter, they must roll a Will saving throw against a difficulty of 10 + one half the Druids Druid level + the Druids Wis modifier. If this save is failed, the animal hesitates in the attack and loses its attack action for the round. Once this save is successfully made, a creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours.
- Call of the Wild
- The Druid feels the true calling of Nature in their very soul. While in natural terrain you may always find food for yourself, with no need to roll and no need to spend time foraging. If you place any traps, magical or otherwise, into natural terrain, they receive a +20 bonus to their DC to be spotted and disarmed. Your overland travel speeds are all doubled in any natural terrain, you never take any penalties for hustling any length of time in natural terrain, and you may hustle all day to double your overland travel daily numbers again while in natural terrain. Lastly, you may now 'stack' the effects of your Wild Shape. Whenever you use Wild Shape to assume any form, you may choose one additional trait from any of the spells your Wild Shape can replicate and use it with the chosen shape as a bonus ability.
- Improved Wild Shape
At 23rd level, the Druid's Wild Shape ability allows them to use Beast Shape IV.
At 26th level, the Druid's Wild Shape ability allows them to use Form of the Dragon I.
At 29th level, the Druid's Wild Shape ability allows them to use Form of the Dragon II.
At 32nd level, the Druid's Wild Shape ability allows them to use Form of the Dragon III.