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I’m starting a new Play-by-Post game (Labyrinth Lord with the Advanced Edition Companion [AEC]) shortly, and decided to create a Druid as I haven’t played one in quite some time. While going through the list of first-level spells (AEC p. 83), I remembered why – there is nothing there that is really useful underground, except perhaps shillelagh. So that is a problem with most campiagns spending at least some of their time in the dungeon. Nature certainly exists underground, and I imagine that Druids can draw their power from the earth, and should not be limited in their usefulness to just above-ground campaigns. They should also have some level of control over the classical four elements – earth, air, fire and water. With these points in mind, here are some ideas for new spells and abilities for Druids.
New Class abilities
- Tracking – Druids can follow the track of any being connected to the earth, with success based on the age of the track.
- Detect illusion – Druids can see the true nature of any being or item with concentration, as long as the illusion is created by someone/something no more than one HD higher than the Druid’s level.
- Enhance/dim light – The Druid can make brighter or dimmer natural sources of light, phosphorescent cave lichens, for example.
New spells
- L1 Sticks to Arrows – The Druid would need to carry a supply of sticks at least the length and circumference of an arrow, and once equipped can ‘shoot’ the sticks as if they were shot from a bow. For the duration of each shot, the spell mutates the stick into a straight and sharp arrow until just after it strikes its target. The sticks do the same damage and have the same range as a short bow. The Druid can shoot two such arrows per level, with a spell duration of four turns. So at first level, they could shoot one stick and wait a bit to shoot the second. The sticks/arrows get +1 to-hit at first level, then an additional +1 to-hit for every two caster levels thereafter.
- L1 Hurl Stone – This allows the Druid to have a sling, without needing the actual weapon. It is more accurate than a sling but with the same range. The stones have +1 to-hit at first level, then an additional +1 to-hit for every two caster levels thereafter. The duration is four turns.
- L1 Obscure – This allow the Druid to camouflage small animals or items and have them blend into the background so they are not visible without a save vs. magic. The area of effect and quality of the obscurment would get better with caster level.
- L1 Control Water – Causes flowing water to increase or decrease in flow strength – the area of effect and duration would increase with the caster level. Perhaps a small, trickling stream could be turned into a flowing brook at first level, while a river could be turned into dangerous rapids at higher levels (think Arwen in the movie The Lord of the Rings).
- L2 Imbue Magic – causes any weapon to be considered ‘magical’ for purposes of hitting a being that can only be damaged by magical weapons, but it does not increase the to-hit or damage capability of the weapon that is so imbued. The virtual bonus is +1 at second level, then increased by +1 for every three caster levels, so +2 at 5th level, +3 at 8th level, and +4 at 11th level (the maximum ‘bonus’).
- L2 Create Whirlwind – Allows the Druid to create mini-tornadoes, whose strength and size increase with caster level.
L3L4 Fireball – Same as 3rd level M-U spellL3L4 Lightning Bolt – Same as 3rd level M-U spell
L6L7 Earthquake – Same as 7th level cleric spellL6L7 Wind Walk – Same as 7th level cleric spell
I dunno. Giving the druid the ability to cast fireball and lightning bolt at just over 4,000 XP when a magic user can’t cast those spells until 20,000 XP seems a step not towards “balancing” the druid, but towards overpowering the class completely.
Very good point, I hadn’t noticed that AEC Druids are granted spell levels 1, 2 and 3 at class levels 1,2 and 3. Then I went back and looked at the AD&D Druid, and it is the same exact spell progression. Making them 4th level spells would be a bit more balanced, with Druids getting their first 4th level spell at 20,001XP.
Editing to add, the level 7 cleric spells have the same issue, clerics get their first 7th-level spell at 800k XP, while Druids get their first 7th-level spell at just over 300k XP. Now I’m curious why the XP/spell requirements for Druids are so low when compared to the other spellcasting classes.
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