Within the order of the wilds lingers a power beyond the marvels of civilization. Furtive yet undeniable, these primal magics are guarded over by servants of philosophical balance known as druids. Allies to beasts and manipulators of nature, these often misunderstood protectors of the wild strive to shield their lands from all who would threaten them and prove the might of the wilds to those who lock themselves behind city walls. Rewarded for their devotion with incredible powers, druids gain unparalleled shape-shifting abilities, the companionship of mighty beasts, and the power to call upon nature’s wrath.
Role: While some druids might keep to the fringe of battle, allowing companions and summoned creatures to fight while they confound foes with the powers of nature, others transform into deadly beasts and savagely wade into combat. Druids worship personifications of natural powers or nature itself. Typically, this means devotion to a nature deity, though druids are just as likely to revere vague spirits, animalistic demigods, or even specific awe-inspiring natural wonders.
Alignment: Any neutral
Hit Die: d8
Parent Classes: Beastmaster and Geomancer.
Starting Wealth: 2d6 × 10 gil (average 70 gil.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gil or less.
Class Skills
The druid’s class skills are (and the key ability for each skill) Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points Per Level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Main Ability Scores:
The druid mainly focuses on STR/DEX for combat, CHA for their class features, and WIS for their class features and spells.
Table: Druid
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | MP | Spell Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | 3/4 | Good | Bad | Good | — | — | — |
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Nature Bond, Spell Proficiency, Cantrips, Nature Sense, Wild Empathy, Limit Breaks | 3 | 1st |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Druidic Talent, Woodland Stride | 4 | 1st |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Trackless Step, Favored Terrain (1st) | 5 | 2nd |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Druidic Talent, Resist Nature's Lure, Homefield Advantage | 6 | 2nd |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Clear Mind I, Wild Shape (1/day) | 8 | 3rd |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Druidic Talent, Geosynchronous | 11 | 3rd |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Wild Shape (2/day), Favored Terrain (2nd) | 15 | 4th |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Druidic Talent, Homefield Advantage (+10'), Nature's Armor (+2) | 20 | 4th |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Wild Shape (3/day), Venom Immunity | 26 | 5th |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Clear Mind II, Druidic Talent | 32 | 5th |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Wild Shape (4/day), Favored Terrain (3rd), Nature's Resilience | 39 | 6th |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Druidic Talent, Homefield Advantage (+10', minute duration), Nature's Armor (+3) | 47 | 6th |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Wild Shape (5/day), Plant Whisperer | 56 | 7th |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Druidic Talent, Path of Trees | 65 | 7th |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Clear Mind III, Wild Shape (6/day), A Thousand Faces, Favored Terrain (4th) | 75 | 8th |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Druidic Talent, Homefield Advantage (+10'), Nature's Armor (+4) | 86 | 8th |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Wild Shape (7/day), Timeless Body | 98 | 9th |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Druidic Talent, Geostep | 110 | 9th |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Wild Shape (at will), Favored Terrain (5th) | 122 | 9th |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Druidic Talent, Clear Mind IV, Home Ground, Homefield Advantage (10 minute duration), Nature's Armor (+5) | 135 | 9th |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the druid.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
The druid is proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, power rod, power staff, scimitar, scythe, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form she assumes with wild shape (see below).
The druid is proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, she may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. A druid may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. The druid is proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones. As long as the druid wears non-prohibited armor and shields, she can cast spells without spell failure.
A druid who wears prohibited armor or uses a prohibited shield is unable to cast druid spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.
Limit Breaks (Su)
At 1st level, the druid chooses between two limit breaks (Enlarging Protectors or Domain Ascendancy), both of which count as Enlarging Protectors for Archetype replacements.
Enlarging Protectors (Su): This Limit Break allows the druid to enhance all allied animals within 30 feet, enlarging them by 1 size step. This lasts for a duration of 1 round + 1 round per four druid levels after 1st. This limit break only requires a swift action.
Domain Ascendancy (Su): This Limit Break allows the druid to enhance the domain spells gained from her nature bond. For 1 round + 1 round per four druid levels after 1st, she may activate her domain spells without affecting her daily uses of them, even if she has no daily uses remaining. In addition, those spells are treated as if they were empowered, increasing their variable, numeric effects by 50%. This does not stack with the Empowered Spell metamagic feat. This limit break only requires a swift action.
Also at 1st level, the druid gets access to a second Limit Break (Entanglement Field).
Entanglement Field (Su): This Limit Break causes the area around the druid in a 30-ft.-radius to erupt in a growth of grass and roots. All enemies treat the area as difficult terrain and if they are within the area of effect are immobilized unless they make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half of the druid’s level + her Wisdom modifier) for a duration of 1 round + 1 round per four druid levels after 1st. All allies within the area of effect can ignore any difficult terrain for the duration of the limit break. This limit break only requires a swift action.
Spells
A druid casts druidic spells, which are drawn from the druid spell list. A druid begins play with 3 1st level druid spells of her choice. The druid also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to her Wisdom modifier to add to her list of spells. Each time a character attains a new druid level, she gains two spells of her choice to add to her list of spells. The two free spells must be of spell levels she can cast. Like most mages, a druid can find or purchase scrolls with spells to add to her repertoire. A druid does not incur spell failure chance so long as she isn’t wearing prohibited armor or shields.
To learn or cast a spell, the druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Wis 11 for 1st-level spells, Wis 12 for 2nd-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a druid’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the druid’s Wisdom modifier. In addition, a druid gains additional MP for having a high attribute (Wisdom).
A druid must spend 1 hour each day in a trance-like meditation on the mysteries of nature to regain her daily allotment of MP.
Spell Proficiency (Ex)
Druids are considered to have the Precise Shot feat while casting spells, using class features that require ranged touch or using any magical items that require ranged touch.
Cantrips
Druids learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume MP and may be used again. Druids begin with 4 0-level spells and gain an additional 0-level spell every three levels after 1st level.
Bonus Languages
A druid’s bonus language options include Sylvan, the language of woodland creatures. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.
A druid also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level druid. Druidic is a free language for a druid; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to non-druids. Druidic has its own alphabet.
Nature Bond (Ex)
At 1st level, a druid forms a bond with nature. This bond can take one of two forms:
The first option; is a close tie to the natural world, granting the druid two of the following cleric domains: Air, Animal, Earth, Erosion, Fire, Ice, Lightning, Plant, Travel, Vermin, Water, or Weather. When determining the powers and bonus spells granted by these domains, the druid’s effective cleric level is equal to her druid level and uses her Wisdom modifier instead of Charisma.
The second option; is to form a close bond with an animal companion. A druid may begin play with an animal that can be chosen from any of the Animal Companions available to the beastmaster. This functions as a beastmaster’s Animal Companion class feature, but her animal companion only gains d8 hit dice. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the druid on her adventures.
Unlike normal animals of its kind, an animal companion’s Hit Dice, abilities, skills, and feats advance as the druid advances in level, using the beastmaster’s animal companion table for progression. If a character receives an animal companion from more than one source, her effective druid levels stack for the purposes of determining the statistics and abilities of the companion. Most animal companions increase in size when the druid reaches 4th or 7th level, depending on the companion. In addition, if the druid chooses an animal companion with nature’s bond, the druid’s animal companion loses Shared Senses and gains Shared Spells: The druid may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her animal companion (as a touch spell) instead of on herself.
If a druid releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer in the environment where the new companion typically lives. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.
Nature Sense (Ex)
A druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.
Wild Empathy (Ex)
A druid can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The druid rolls 1d20 and adds her druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the druid and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A druid can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a –4 penalty on the check.
Woodland Stride (Ex)
Starting at 2nd level, a druid may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. Thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion, however, still affect her.
Druidic Talents (Su)
Also, at 2nd level, a druid gains a set of talents that will boost her power and spells. Starting at 2nd level and every two druid levels thereafter, a druid gains a druidic talent. Unless specified otherwise, a druid cannot select an individual talent more than once.
- A complete list of druidic talents can be found here: Druidic Talents
Trackless Step (Ex)
Starting at 3rd level, a druid leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Favored Terrain (Ex)
Starting at 3rd level, a druid may select a type of terrain from the table below. The druid gains a +2 bonus on Initiative checks and Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks when he is in this terrain. While on one of her favored terrains, the druid suffers no impairment to movement from difficult terrain (this does not extend to abilities that duplicates the effects of difficult terrain).
At 7th level and every four druid levels thereafter, the druid may select an additional favored terrain. In addition, at each such interval, the skill bonus and initiative bonus in any one favored terrain (including the one just selected, if so desired), increases by +2.
If a specific terrain falls into more than one category of favored terrain, the druid’s bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.
Table: Favored Terrains
| Favored Terrains |
|---|
| Cold (ice, glaciers, snow, and tundra) |
| Desert (sand and wastelands) |
| Forest (coniferous and deciduous) |
| Jungle |
| Mountain (including hills) |
| Plains |
| Planes (pick one, other than Material Plane) |
| Swamp |
| Underground (caves and dungeons) |
| Urban (buildings, streets, and sewers) |
| Water (above and below the surface) |
Resist Nature’s Lure (Ex)
Starting at 4th level, a druid gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like and supernatural abilities of fey. This bonus also applies to spells and effects that target plants, such as blight, entangle, spike growth, and warp wood.
Homefield Advantage (Su)
At 4th level, a druid has learned to access her favored terrain, wherever she may be. Once per day, as a swift action, she may treat the area within a 30-ft radius burst centered on her as one of her favored terrain (chosen upon activation). This ability lasts for 1 round per druid level. She gains an additional use of this ability at 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th level.
At 8th level, a druid’s homefield advantage radius increases by 10-ft.
At 12th level, the homefield advantage’s radius increases by another 10-ft. The duration for this ability is now in minutes per druid level.
At 16th level, the homefield advantage’s radius increases by another 10-ft.
At 20th level, the duration for this ability is now 10 minutes per druid level.
Wild Shape (Su)
At 5th level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into any small or Medium animal and back again once per day. Her options for new forms include all creatures with the animal type. This ability functions like the beast shape I spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The form chosen must be that of an animal the druid is familiar with.
A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)
A druid can use this ability an additional time per day at 7th level and every two druid levels thereafter, for a total of seven times at 17th level. At 19th level, a druid can use wild shape at will. As a druid gains in levels, this ability allows the druid to take on the form of larger and smaller animals, and plants. Each form expends one daily usage of this ability, regardless of the form taken.
At 7th level, a druid can use wild shape to change into a Large or Tiny animal. When taking the form of an animal, a druid’s wild shape now functions as beast shape II.
At 9th level, a druid can use wild shape to change into a Huge or Diminutive animal or a Small or Medium plant creature. When taking the form of animals, a druid’s wild shape now functions as beast shape III. When taking the form of a plant creature, the druid’s wild shape functions as plant shape I.
At 11th level, a druid can use wild shape to change into a Large plant creature. When taking the form of a plant, the druid’s wild shape now functions as plant shape II.
At 13th level, a druid can use wild shape to change into a Huge plant creature. When taking the form of a plant, the druid’s wild shape now functions as plant shape III.
Clear Mind (Ex)
At 5th level, a druid can regain her MP quicker. The druid must be relaxed and must be free from overt distractions, such as combat raging nearby or other loud noises. For example, she could be riding in the back of a carriage and benefit from this ability. The druid does not gain this recovery if she is asleep or unconscious. The druid regains 1 MP per hour. This increases by 1 for every five druid levels after 5th.
Geosynchronous (Su)
Starting at 6th level, while in any favored terrain that the druid has chosen, she gains a +1 insight bonus to attack rolls and saving throws against creatures and a +1 insight bonus to all skill checks used in that terrain. These bonuses last as long as she remains in the specific location. These bonuses increase by +1 at every five levels gained after 5th.
Nature’s Armor (Ex)
At 8th level, a druid learns to use the natural cover her favored terrain provides. Whenever she is on one of her favored terrains, a druid receives a +2 natural bonus to AC. This bonus increases by 1 at 12th, 16th and 20th level.
Venom Immunity (Ex)
At 9th level, a druid gains immunity to all poisons, including the poison status effect.
Nature’s Resilience (Su)
At 11th level, whenever a druid is on one of her favored terrains, she gains a bonus equal to her favored terrain bonus on all saves against extraordinary, spell-like and supernatural abilities.
Plant Whisperer (Su)
At 13th level, a druid’s connection to nature becomes strong enough that she can always hear plants whispering. She is treated as constantly under the effects of speak with plants. Once per day, she can spend 10 minutes in communion with the plants to learn the answers to her questions, as commune with nature.
Path of Trees (Su)
At 14th level, once a day, a druid can step within a tree and then teleport from that tree to another one in a manner similar to the tree stride spell. She gains an extra use of this ability each day at 17th level, and a third use of this ability at 20th level. Furthermore, a druid of 18th level or higher can use this ability to teleport to any other tree of its type up to 100 miles away.
A Thousand Faces (Su)
At 15th level, a druid gains the ability to change her appearance at will, as if using the disguise self spell, but only while in her normal form.
Timeless Body (Ex)
After attaining 17th level, a druid no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the druid still dies of old age when her time is up.
Geostep (Su)
At 18th level, a druid’s connection with the earth is so great that she is able to move through it with unparalleled ease. In a favored terrain she has chosen, she is able to teleport a distance equal to her movement speed as a move action.
Home Ground (Su)
At 20th level, the druid knows every tree, every deer, every blade of grass, and every scuttling beetle of her home. The druid selects a specific area relevant to the campaign, such as a prominent forest, mountain, or even a patch of sea. The druid is constantly under the effect of commune with nature with regards to that area and can change the facts she gleans from the spell when she gains her MP each day. In addition, while on her home ground, the druid gains a +4 bonus to her caster level.
Favored Class Bonuses
Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a favored class, some races have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored classes. The following options are available to the listed race who have druid as their favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the listed favored class reward.
- Dwarf: Select one domain power granted at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the druid’s Wisdom modifier. The druid adds +1/2 to the number of uses per day of that domain power.
- Elvaan: Add +1/3 to the druid’s natural armor bonus when using wild shape.
- Galka: Add +1/3 to the druid’s natural armor bonus when using wild shape.
- Half-Breed: Select one domain power at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the druid’s Wisdom modifier. The druid adds +1/2 to the number of uses per day of that domain power. For half-breed druids whose nature bond gives them an animal companion, add +1 skill rank to the animal companion. If the half-breed ever replaces her animal companion, the new companion gains these bonus skill ranks.
- Hume: Add a +1/2 bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks to change a creature’s attitude.
- Lambkin: Select one domain power granted at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the druid’s Wisdom modifier. The druid adds +1/2 to the number of uses per day of that domain power.
- Mandragora: Add a +1/2 bonus on concentration checks. This bonus doubles in a forest or swamp terrain.
- Mithra: Add +1 hit points to the druid’s animal companion. If the druid ever replaces her animal companion, the new animal companion gains these bonus hit points.
- Moogle: Add a +1/4 luck bonus on the saving throws of the druid’s animal companion.
- Orc: Add +1/2 to the damage dealt by the druid’s animal companion’s natural attacks.
- Sahagin: Add a +1 bonus on wild empathy checks to influence animals and magical beasts with the aquatic subtype.
- Sylph: Add a +1/2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) checks relating to weather and flying animals.
- Tarutaru: Add +1 hit points to the druid’s animal companion. If the druid ever replaces her animal companion, the new animal companion gains these bonus hit points.
- Varg: Add a +1/2 bonus on wild empathy checks and a +1/2 bonus on Handle Animal skill checks.
Archetypes
- A complete list of druid archetypes can be found here: Druid Archetypes
