OSR Let's make Shadowdark classes!

[Andvari]

I was thinking something like Gandalf enchanting an acorn with fire and throwing it to explode.

Fire Seeds (Priest Spell)

The fire seeds spell creates special missiles or timed incendiaries that burn with great heat. The spell can be cast to create either fire seed missiles or fire seed incendiaries, as chosen when the spell is cast. Fire seed missiles: This casting turns up to four acorns into special grenadelike...

adnd2e.fandom.com

 

[Bill Zebub]

At the very least I would pirate the best D&D druid stuff: entangle, faerie fire, speak with plants, shillelagh, plant growth, etc. etc. etc.

The question is, what's the core flavor ability that distinguishes it from other classes, other then the spell list? Wizards get to learn new spells from scrolls. Witches get a familiar. What's the druid mojo? Is it the charm animal as a free spell? My version has shapeshifting into 1 HP, LV 0 critters, but if it's not shapeshifting it should be something iconic.

 

[Bill Zebub]

In the Ranger build video it was mentioned it was a pretty big deal for them to get Longbows due to niche protection for Fighters. I think Druids being full casters shouldn’t get Longbows if you’re following class design guidelines.

I didn't even notice that. Very much agree. The only ranged weapon they should get should be sling, imo.

 

[DarkCrisis]

A lot of great ideas. Making some changes to it that make sense. Still not going to invent new spells though.

And I don't have Cursed Scroll #1 or whatever, so it's just the core book for me.

 

[kapars]

Okay so I found online a Druid thats all about Shapechange. Like by way of The Hobbits, Beorn (or Doric to be more modern). I loved that., But I also wanted a more traditional Druid.

So.

Druid

Weapons: Club, Staff, Short/Long Bows, Spear, Javelin
Armor: Leather, Shield
HP D6
Languages: Primodial, Sylvan, or Elvish

Charm Animals: You know Charm Person but it only works on Animals with a level equal to or below your level.

Spell Casting (as a Priest)

Lvl 1: Feather Fall, Detect Magic, Sleep, Cure Wounds
Lvl 2: Invis, Levitate, Misty Step, Web
Lvl 3: Mass Cure, Restoration, Dispel Magic, Prot from Energy
Lvl 4: Control Water, Regen, Stoneskin, Cloudkill,
Lvl 5: Hold Monster, Heal, Antimagic Shell, Prismatic Orb

Talents: As Priest


Thoughts?

If you are going with a more historic /Priest interpretation you should add Augury into the list. Druids were believed to be Diviners.

Maybe also a bonus to reaction checks with humanoids since they were go-betweens?

Another idea I’ve had is to ignore spellcasting and base it all on languages - I think OSE Advanced has Druids constantly gaining languages to speak to Fey creatures.

What if animal friendship, summoning, plant manipulation, elemental control and all the things typically given to spells is just the Druid being able to speak to anything and asking a favor? An arbiter of everything in nature.

 

[Autumnal]

If you have Kindle Unlimited, definitely check out De Bello Lemures by Thomas Brookside. It’s a novella that’s basically Night of the Dead, Roman Edition. Under the influence of that and countless predecessors, I’d allow Chaotic druids to do some necromancy, too. Not sure what would make good Neutral and Lawful alternatives, though.

 

[DarkCrisis]

The Warden aka the duel wielding Ranger
"You tell 'em I'm comin'! And Hell's comin' with me, you hear? Hell's comin' with me!"

Weapons: Longsword, Shortsword, Dagger, Shortbow
Armor: Leather and Chain
HP: D8

Sterner Stuff: Every even level add 1D2 to HP at level up.

Duel Wield: You can wield 2 weapons and attack with both (roll for each as normal) as 1 action. these 2 weapons must be either 1 Longsword and 1 Short sword or Dagger, 1 Short sword and 1 Dagger, 2 Short swords, or 2 Daggers.

Favored Enemy: Pick one from the list. Humanoids, Goblinoids, Animals, Insects, Plants, Oozes, Draconic, or Unnatural Creatures. You gain +1 to attack and damage when attacking one.

2: Gain 1D4 HP
3-6: +1 to Melee or Ranged Attacks
7-9: +2 to Str, Dex, or Con
10-11: Gain 1 Extra Favored Enemy
12: +2 to a Stat or choose from the list above

 

[Andrew Anderson]

The Warden aka the duel wielding Ranger
"You tell 'em I'm comin'! And Hell's comin' with me, you hear? Hell's comin' with me!"

Weapons: Longsword, Shortsword, Dagger, Shortbow
Armor: Leather and Chain
HP: D8

Sterner Stuff: Every even level add 1D2 to HP at level up.

Duel Wield: You can wield 2 weapons and attack with both (roll for each as normal) as 1 action. these 2 weapons must be either 1 Longsword and 1 Short sword or Dagger, 1 Short sword and 1 Dagger, 2 Short swords, or 2 Daggers.

Favored Enemy: Pick one from the list. Humanoids, Goblinoids, Animals, Insects, Plants, Oozes, Draconic, or Unnatural Creatures. You gain +1 to attack and damage when attacking one.

2: Gain 1D4 HP
3-6: +1 to Melee or Ranged Attacks
7-9: +2 to Str, Dex, or Con
10-11: Gain 1 Extra Favored Enemy
12: +2 to a Stat or choose from the list above

I like the name and concept of Sterner Stuff. For the rest of it, it doesn't seem much like a ranger in terms of outdoors skills or nature orientation. Honestly, it looks more like a Warhammer *Slayer class.
Which leads me to the other big issue: Namely, Favored Enemy. This is one of those talents where if you guess wrong at level 1, you're essentially throwing the talent away. You do have a way to get extra favored enemies in the talents, which is good, but I'm not sure is going to be flexible enough to correct this problem.

I'm still trying to do good advancement tables myself, hindered not least by the fact I am a bad statistician and have to keep a matrix of 2d6 rolls by my computer to figure the odds. Maybe switch the 10-11 and 7-9 rolls would be a strong enough shift to give the flexibility you need?

(and less serious, I think you mean Dual Wield, not Duel Wield. But if I ever do a swashbuckler, I'm stealing the Duel wield title for something.)

 

[Bill Zebub]

(and less serious, I think you mean Dual Wield, not Duel Wield. But if I ever do a swashbuckler, I'm stealing the Duel wield title for something.)

"Duel Weird" would be a great ability name, but I don't know what it would do.

 

[Andrew Anderson]

Weird is Gaelic for fate, right? So something about two fates.