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View Full Version : Making a non-blaster "primal" spellcaster class.



Yora
2009-09-09, 09:53 AM
I like the idea of spellcasters who channel the raw power of nature, by using the weather againt your enemies as well as control over growth and decay.
The druid class doesn't really adress it so much, as it makes for wonderful melee tanks and can throw around fire and lightning to burn people to ashes.

Healing, shielding allies from harm, and messing with the minds and souls of enemies is more the domain of clerics and other "divine servants".
So I'm getting a bit into trouble with even coming up for a clear concept for a new nature spellcaster class. What would they actually do?

Here are some aspects, which I think fall into the domain of raw natural power:
Growth
Decay
Weather
"Beasts"
Inner "primal" energies

I especially like the aspects of Growth and Decay. They can make crops wither and die, buildings crumble and weapons rust, and then cover everything up again with thick vegetation. Kinda like "Take this! You can't beat nature!" People are insignificant, and where nature once was, it will be again, without leaving any traces that civilization was ever present.
Maybe one could build on this and get into a theme, that every try to overcome or control nature is just futile. People are insignificant and nature can remove them anytime it wants.

On the other hand, when nature can unmade what people created, it can also remake what people destroyed.
My main problem is how to translate this into class features and spells without ending up with a brutal machine of destruction. Maybe summoning beasts and spirits to deal with the last resistance is okay, but mostly I would prefer to make a class that is more supportive in style and uses indirect means to fight its enemies. Competiveness with blasters is not neccessary, but the class should still be able to significantly contribute in "defeating" large group of enemies without beating and burning everyone to death.

So any input is appreciated.

Nero24200
2009-09-09, 03:24 PM
In terms of fluffy goodness, sounds similer to a Spirit Shamen.

If you need ideas for abilities, I'd say for somthing like this, may somthing similer to a warlock would work I.E at will spells all day that are good, but limited in what they can do and possibly a blast-like ability, which instead of damage could say...age the target.

I might also add somthing similer to lay on hands (to represent spiritual healing) and possible benifits that let them do things like seen the unseen (ala true seeing, but extend it to other things as well).

A few other ideas spring to mind, such as the ability to ward off hostile animals and vermin, and maybe even eventually make them unable to willingly attack members of the class.