SEVEN Druid Subclasses PEACH

[Twizzly513]

Hello Playground.

The idea behind this project of mine was to create a more flavorful druid. For me, at least, I've always felt the Circle of the Land environments were not focused enough on the habitat itself. If I want to play an ocean druid, then heck, I want an OCEAN druid, not an ocean druid. With that in mind, I've created a subclass for each environment listed under the circle of the land (arctic -> tundra, coast -> ocean, grassland -> plains) except for the underdark druid because I've never heard of anybody playing or having any interest at all in playing one. I'll make it if people would like, but I didn't see a point.

I took a formatted version from my much larger homebrew compendium, so it should all look nice I hope. :smallbiggrin:

If you see anything that seems unbalanced or that could be done better, please let me know (politely)! Big shoutout to WHK aka /u/GenuineBelieverer for allowing me to begin this process, as the desert druid is largely a druid-adapted version of his desert cleric subclass. However, I included it so that the full set would be present for you, and I'd still like to know if people think they have been correctly balanced and fixed for a druid versus a cleric.

I've compiled all seven of them into one google doc here (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gu_6atrWhnCAVY3JjH0RzFHvNdtaYIsr3SAQrWzgD5o/edit?usp=sharing). I have a pdf but in my incredibly small attention span I couldn't figure out how to link it here, so if anybody knows how I could distribute the link, I'll put that in if I can.

[Maat Mons]

Okay, so you've got swamps and the ocean. How about lakes and rivers?

Also, I recommend generalizing "swamp" to "wetland." That covers not just swamps, but marshes, bogs, fens, peatlands, mangroves, and floodplains.

I'll agree that "underdark" seems pretty far afield from traditional druid themes. But I feel that "caves" would fit quite well. I'm not really sure what themes you'd be able to incorporate, besides bats, bears, stalagmites, and darkness though.

Rainforests are a pretty significant biome that I don't feel is thematically at all similar to temperate or boreal forests. Also, maybe "forest" should be renamed to "woodlands," to make it more distinct from "rainforest."

How about shrublands? I'm sure outrunning seasonal wildfires must keep these druids in top shape.

I think "ocean" should instead be called "coastal." I really feels like an air-breathers perspective on things. For one thing, it's themed on waves and storms, which are of little consequence to creatures that never venture anywhere near the surface. For another, it gives a swim speed and waterbreathing, which anyone from an aquatic race would already have. And, finally, a druid from a race that dwells beneath the surface of the ocean wouldn't consider "ocean" a biome, anymore than we consider "land" to be one. They'd have their own druidic sects devoted to the abyss, benthos, cold seeps, hydrothermal vets, kelp forests, open waters, tidal zone, and whatever you call the water right below the polar ice cap. (Edit: Oh, and reefs. can't forget about reefs.)

And maybe mountains should be highlands?

[Twizzly513]

Okay, so you've got swamps and the ocean. How about lakes and rivers?

An interesting idea, but I feel like a lake or river is usually secondary to the area around it. For instance, depending on the circumstance, either could be superseded by, say, a plains druid or forest druid. Few druids would live truly on a lake or river as opposed to next to or near one.


Also, I recommend generalizing "swamp" to "wetland." That covers not just swamps, but marshes, bogs, fens, peatlands, mangroves, and floodplains.

Ah, I was so busy using the environments from the book that I forgot how narrow their applicable definitions were.


I'll agree that "underdark" seems pretty far afield from traditional druid themes. But I feel that "caves" would fit quite well. I'm not really sure what themes you'd be able to incorporate, besides bats, bears, stalagmites, and darkness though.

Now there's a theme I can much more easily get behind. I'm going to look into this...


Rainforests are a pretty significant biome that I don't feel is thematically at all similar to temperate or boreal forests. Also, maybe "forest" should be renamed to "woodlands," to make it more distinct from "rainforest."

I honestly feel like the forest druid as it is could represent a druid from a rainforest quite well. The theme of the forest, to me, feels very similar to that of a rain forest, with the stealth and mystery. Rainforests can be even more easy to get lost in.


I think "ocean" should instead be called "coastal."

Agreed, and fixed. I can't really remember why I changed it in the first place.


They'd have their own druidic sects devoted to the abyss, benthos, cold seeps, hydrothermal vets, kelp forests, open waters, tidal zone, and whatever you call the water right below the polar ice cap. (Edit: Oh, and reefs. can't forget about reefs.)

Now don't go and get me all excited :smallwink:


And maybe mountains should be highlands?

I see where you're coming from with the idea, given how narrow mountain can seem, but I think that "the mountains" as an area is broad enough to justify its own environment. I've added on an "s" (Circle of the Mountains) to hopefully accentuate this concept.