Author Topic: Druid categories?  (Read 1643 times)

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Offline Bruce

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Druid categories?
« on: October 29, 2017, 10:34:31 AM »
I am making a druid for an upcoming one shot game. I am using the cleric template and was trying to decide what two categories would be best used by a druid. The first is obviously the Outdoor category, but what should  the other one be? I was thinking combat but does it make sense for a druid to be able to fight like a warrior?
I could of course only choose one category and just add the extra free ranks to any one of the favored categories....

What do you all think?
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Offline Zhaleskra

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Re: Druid categories?
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2017, 10:37:23 PM »
Well, the classical RPG druid is only loosely based on the historical druid. If you don't want to go with Combat, I'd go for Subterfuge, as different terrains can lead to different options for sneaking around and attacking suddenly.
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Offline Bruce

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Re: Druid categories?
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2017, 09:26:07 PM »
Well, the classical RPG druid is only loosely based on the historical druid. If you don't want to go with Combat, I'd go for Subterfuge, as different terrains can lead to different options for sneaking around and attacking suddenly.
Interesting and I am taking that into consideration, but a question for now:
Is Combat as a favored category a viable option for a druid, meaning does it make sense?
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Offline ImaginosMusic

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Re: Druid categories?
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2017, 10:16:46 PM »
It's a rough world out there and Druids need to protect themselves. Maybe 3 ranks to combat as a self-defense/defense of nature measure?  I don't think they should heavily specialized in combat, but I don't see some specialization as out of the question.

Offline Bruce

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Re: Druid categories?
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2017, 06:12:41 PM »
It's a rough world out there and Druids need to protect themselves. Maybe 3 ranks to combat as a self-defense/defense of nature measure?  I don't think they should heavily specialized in combat, but I don't see some specialization as out of the question.
True, but they also have their druid powers (spells) to help with that.
One automatically gets a few ranks in two combat skills as part of their adolescence but that is minimal. If I make the combat category for a druid favored then they will have access to all the combat skills. I'm not sure if that makes sense. Then again the few literary fiction druids that come to mind could give a pretty good beat down.
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Offline Zhaleskra

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Re: Druid categories?
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2017, 06:38:53 PM »
I don't understand why this is still a thing. Why do people think that not having a category as a favored category means you cannot take skills from it? Because that's not how it works. It just costs 4 instead of 2. For professional magic spheres, sure, you can't take it if you don't have the talent.
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Offline Bruce

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Re: Druid categories?
« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2017, 07:27:56 PM »
I don't understand why this is still a thing. Why do people think that not having a category as a favored category means you cannot take skills from it? Because that's not how it works. It just costs 4 instead of 2. For professional magic spheres, sure, you can't take it if you don't have the talent.
For my players anything unfavored may as well be restricted. Spending 4 points to just gain one rank in a skill is severely limiting especially for lower levels.
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Offline Glenn_Gould

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Re: Druid categories?
« Reply #7 on: November 01, 2017, 03:18:17 AM »
Regarding the question of combat as a favored category for the druid, I'd say: Surely, why not? Everyone is a fighter, isn't she? The question, as always, is: How do you want to play!? I think a druid offers multiple chances to create a different gameplay: A druid could use talents like "speak to animals", skills like  "beastmastery" and "animal handling" or  his spells to call the forces of nature, like "summon animal" and so on. He could disguise as plant or animal magically, via talent (shapechanger) or stay in the back hidden by subterfuge. I think, such a character who doesn't fight by himself could be a lot of fun.

I play a hunter/ranger in one campaign whom I try to develop in such a direction.