DRUIDS: Naturally Adept
Both official D&D Content, as well as 3rd Party partners, are doing a good job of expanding the Druid class beyond the stereotypical tree lover. With Subclasses like the Circles of Stars, Dreams, Wildfire, Blighted and more, it prompts you as a player to deep dive into the possibilities of a bond with nature. Let’s look at some questions to ask to flesh out a Druid character. I have some fun examples listed below as well:
Why do I have a connection with Nature, and what aspect am I connected with?
The answers can be based on the region you grew up in or trained in. It can also be be based on your upbringing, like being taught astrology and fully believing in the power of the Stars because that’s what your tribe believes in. It can also come from belief or communication with a God. You may not be a traditional Cleric or Paladin (though you can multi-class), but perhaps you defend nature as mandated by Sylvanus.
What is my relationship with Nature?
So you’re connected with the land, but what do you do with that connection? What does it ask of you? You can be The Protector - one sworn to defend the land from people who would tear down trees, start fires or poach animals. You can be the Idealist - one who wants to make the world as beautiful as your own grove, so you grow flowers, vines around any man-made structure to spread the beauty. You can believe in Order - one who knows the cycle of life and death well and helps to continue that cycle while aiming to stop those that would try to break it with unnatural life. You can be the Consumer - getting your power from eating, breathing in, or even smoking the nature around you. You might not have an agenda beyond spreading the good vibes that your particular brand of mushrooms can bring.
EXAMPLES
When building your character, if you ask yourself that questions, you can develop a full-fledged Druid with clear point of view and a flavor beyond the basic stereotype. Here are a few examples I was able to come up with:
The Arctic - Growing up in the harsh lands of Icewind Dale, you have an affinity for Ice. Most of your spells deal with control and manipulation of water and temperature. You have many polar bear and wolf friends. You watch out for the townsfolk, and keep the area clear of Yetis or other creatures that seek only to kill. You usually use your Wildshape feature for added speed and stability in the snow, and for intimidation of those that would do harm.
The Swamp Lord - Nature isn’t beautiful. It’s just a cycle of life and death. There are too many Druids out there planting flowers, so you focus on balancing that with decay. Your spells are Necrotic or Poisonous, many delivered through toxic green fumes, murky waters and murderous plants. The ground needs nutrients to grow, and those nutrients come from the natural decay of creatures. You don’t consider yourself evil; in fact, you choose your targets from those you would deem hurtful, but the natural order must continue. You turn into a snake to slither stealthily into a camp or spy on people up in the trees.
The City Dweller - You didn’t grow up in the wilderness, but you still have a natural connection. As an orphan on the streets, you found you could talk to rats, cats and dogs. They helped you find food and avoid danger. As you grew older, you expanded your network to pigeons and even house plants and flowers. There isn’t an inch of the city you don’t have eyes and ears reporting back to you. You feel free when you avoid crowds by running as a rat in the sewers or fly above the rooftops as a pigeon.
The Mountaineer - You are as rugged as the barren mountain passes you call your home. There aren’t many plants and animals to converse with, but that’s okay. The stone speaks loud enough. You learn to shape it to your will. You create barriers and projectiles in combat. You can sense rare minerals or the rumbling of a Giant’s stomach from 500 feet away. You protect the gentler folk in the towns around you whether you’re appreciated or not. Some parts of the mountain are tough for even you to climb, so you turn into a ram when needed.
The Seafarer - The spray of the ocean and calls of the seagulls bring you peace. You make your living on a ship, and you hope to never set foot on land again. You can stay underwater for hours looking for pearls, treasure or just enjoying a swim. You can alter wind currents or storms to favor your vessel. And you lost count of how many times you helped defend from pirates and creatures. You scout approaching vessels or islands as a bird for danger before reporting back to your captain.
CONCLUSION
There are so many other different connections with nature you can make as a player. You can flavor it to any kind of adventure or campaign settings as well. Think of the possibilities of a Drow Underdark Druid, a Desert Druid in a Dune-like setting, or a Druid manipulating people against their will in a Dark Fantasy setting.
The point is, if the majority of an adventure will not be taking place in a pleasant forest, that’s not a reason to eliminate a Druid as a class. Their spells can be quite powerful, and wildshaping can be extremely useful during exploration. The ability to have a Fly or Swim speed, to fit in small spaces or see and hear far better than your normal self is an amazing feature.
The Druid is the ultimate adaptable Class for D&D. They can fit in any setting, so have fun with them and throw your DM off when you decide to transform into a creature that they don’t have a mini prepared for!
