Elemental Druid
Since the Dissolution campaign is set entirely in a city, we will experiment with some alternate class features for druid characters, based around the concept of an "elemental druid". That is, a druid who's connection to nature stems from a connection to the four elements, rather than plants and tree hugging. Some of this is based on ideas from ancient Greece about these four elements, in different combinations, forming all matter.
Druids can use any of the following substitutions when taking a druid level.
Bonus Languages
In place of Sylvan, an elemental druid may treat one of the elemental languages (Auran, Terran, Ignan, or Aquan) as a bonus language.
Elemental Companion
Level: Druid 1
Requirements: Knowledge (the planes) 1 rank, Speak Language (Auran, Terran, Ignan, or Aquan)
Replaces: Nature bond, wild empathy.
Benefit: You gain the companionship of a Small elemental (air, earth, fire, or water; your choice).You must speak the language of your chosen elemental companion (Auran, Terran, Ignan, or Aquan, respectively).
The elemental increases in size and ability as you gain levels. This progression totally replaces the standard table of druid companion abilities. BAB always matches hit dice.
| Change to Base Stats | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Druid Level | Base Stats | Size | HD | Str | Dex | Con | Int | Special |
| 1st | Small Elemental | S | 2 | - | - | - | - | Link, share spells |
| 2nd | Small Elemental | S | 2 | +1 | - | +1 | - | |
| 3rd | Small Elemental | S | 3 | +1 | +1 | +1 | - | Evasion |
| 4th | Medium Elemental | M | 4 | - | - | - | - | Ability score increase |
| 5th | Medium Elemental | M | 5 | +1 | - | - | - | |
| 6th | Medium Elemental | M | 5 | +2 | - | +1 | +1 | Devotion |
| 7th | Medium Elemental | M | 6 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +1 | |
| 8th | Medium Elemental | M | 7 | +3 | +1 | +1 | +1 | |
| 9th | Medium Elemental | M | 7 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +1 | Ability score increase |
| 10th | Large Elemental | L | 8 | - | - | - | - | |
| 11th | Large Elemental | L | 8 | +1 | - | - | - | |
| 12th | Large Elemental | L | 8 | +2 | +1 | +1 | - | |
| 13th | Large Elemental | L | 9 | +2 | +2 | +1 | - | |
| 14th | Large Elemental | L | 9 | +2 | +2 | +2 | - | Ability score increase |
| 15th | Large Elemental | L | 9 | +3 | +2 | +2 | - | Improved evasion |
| 16th | Huge Elemental | H | 10 | - | - | - | - | |
| 17th | Huge Elemental | H | 10 | +1 | - | - | - | |
| 18th | Huge Elemental | H | 11 | +1 | - | +1 | - | |
| 19th | Huge Elemental | H | 11 | +2 | +1 | +1 | - | |
| 20th | Huge Elemental | H | 12 | +3 | +1 | +1 | - | Ability score increase |
Alternately, instead of growing larger, you may choose to restrict your elemental's physical size in favor of becoming more intelligent. This follows the same progression at first, but diverges at level 10, like so:
| Change to Base Stats | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Druid Level | Base Stats | Size | HD | Str | Dex | Con | Int | Special |
| 10th | Medium Elemental | M | 8 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +2 | Iron Will, DR5/-, feat and skill list of Large Elemental |
| 11th | Medium Elemental | M | 8 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +2 | May use magical rings |
| 12th | Medium Elemental | M | 8 | +3 | +2 | +3 | +2 | May use magical amulets & bracers |
| 13th | Medium Elemental | M | 9 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | |
| 14th | Medium Elemental | M | 9 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +3 | Ability score increase |
| 15th | Medium Elemental | M | 9 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +3 | Improved evasion |
| 16th | Medium Elemental | M | 10 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | skill list of Huge Elemental, +2 natural armor |
| 17th | Medium Elemental | M | 10 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Improved Initiative |
| 18th | Large Elemental | L | 11 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | |
| 19th | Large Elemental | L | 11 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | |
| 20th | Large Elemental | L | 12 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +4 | Ability score increase |
Elemental Sense
Level: Druid 1
Requirements: Knowledge (the planes) 1 rank
Replaces: Nature sense
Benefit: The druid's insight into the elements and how they mix provides a +2 bonus on Knowledge (the planes) and Craft (alchemy) checks.
Crowd-Walker
Level: Druid 2
Requirements: none
Replaces: Woodland stride
Benefit: When moving through a crowd, the crowd-walker moves at his normal rate, rather than requiring two squares of movement for every square as is normal. In addition, light debris does not impede his movement, and he treats heavy debris as light debris. Any other sort of rough terrain impedes him normally, however.
Ally Infusion
Level: Druid 3
Requirements: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks
Replaces: Trackless Step
Benefit: When summoning a creature with the Summon Nature's Ally spell, the druid selects an element to infuse into the summoned creature, which gains advantages based on the element chosen:
- Air: +1 Reflex save, +10' movement, +1 reflex bonus to AC
- Earth: +1 Fortitude save, +4 natural armor
- Fire: +1 Reflex save, +1d4 fire damage, Vulnerability to water or cold
- Water: +1 Fortitude save, DR 3/fire, Vulnerability to fire
None of the above apply if summoning an actual elemental. In such cases, however, this ability guarantees that each of the elemental's hit die generate at least 50% of the maximum hit points. (That is, when rolling the elemental's HD to determine hit points, any die that come up less than half the die's maximum value are treated as if they came up at half the maximum value, rounded up.)
Balanced Essence
Level: Druid 4
Requirements: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 2 ranks, Heal 2 ranks
Replaces: Resist Nature’s Lure
Benefit: The druid gains awareness and limited control over the combination of the elements making up his own body, gaining +4 on saving throws against disease.