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This is a Druid ACF meant to simulate the idea of merging with the environment and controlling it. It is meant to replace Wildshape, and not be any more powerful than it (Even a bit weaker is fine).
Druid ACF: One with Nature As your body falls unconsious, your mind merges with the plants around you, and you lose all sense of self.
This ability lasts for an amount of rounds equal to 10 rounds * your Charisma modifier. While this is active, you lose your Charisma score (Set it to "-") and fall unconscious until the duration ends. Your body and anything you are wearing change color to match your surroundings, adding 15 to the DC to Spot you, as well as the DC to find you with a Search check. You may control an amount of HD of plants (normal, not creatures with the [Plant] subtype or Awakened plants) within a radius of your HD * 5 feet (Count their Hit Dice as if they were animated objects). They have your mental stats and Will save, and have all other stats as if they were Animated Objects. Altogether, they may take 1 standard and 1 move action, 2 move actions, or 1 full-round action per round between them, but may not move. You can cast spells through the plants, but incur a 1 Caster Level penalty for any affect of the spells based on caster level. If you take the Natural Spell feat, you do not have to incur this penalty.
The amount of uses per day is equal to the amount of total uses you would have of Wildshape, if you had taken it instead of this.
At 8th level, you may control a total number of plants equal to your HD * 1.5 (rounded down). Also, your body's skin hardens, and your body gains a Hardness equal to your HD. If you are hit by magical fire, it negates the hardness until your next action as the woody coating needs to regrow. If you are hit by nonmagical fire, it bypasses the hardness but does not remove it for non-fire attacks.
At 11th level, you may make entities move, if they could not normally do so. They have a speed as an Animated Object of their size.
At 12th level, you may control creatures with the [Plant] subtype or Awakened plants if they fail a Will save opposed by your Wisdom check. They count as a number of entities equal to their HD for the purposes of how many entities you can control with this ability.
At 15th level, you may control animals (Creatures with the [Animal] subtype) with an Intelligence of 2 or less if they fail a Will save opposed by your Wisdom check. They count as a number of entities equal to their HD for the purposes of how many entities you can control with this ability. They count as a number of entities equal to their HD for the purposes of how many entities you can control with this ability.
At 16th level, the controlled entities can, between them, take twice as many actions as previously, but none can take more than 1 standard and 1 move action, 2 move actions, or 1 full-round action per round.
At 18th level, you can control any creature with an Intelligence of 2 or less if they fail a Will save opposed by your Wisdom check. They count as a number of entities equal to their HD for the purposes of how many entities you can control with this ability.
At 20th level, you can control willing creatures of any intelligence. They count as a number of entities equal to their HD for the purposes of how many entities you can control with this ability. Also, your total limit extends to twice your HD.
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Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Need any clarifications?
Normal plants don't have a hit die. So 5 * HD = unlimited plants?
Also, what is this meant to replace?
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On balance: Just because you don't agree with the level of balance doesn't mean that others cannot. While balance is objective, which balance is being aimed at is subjective.
Normal plants don't have a hit die. So 5 * HD = unlimited plants?
Also, what is this meant to replace?
Here's one answer:
Quote:
Originally Posted by master256
You may control plants (normal, not creatures with the [Plant] subtype or Awakened plants) within a radius of your HD * 5 feet, an amount equal to your HD.
And here's the other:
Quote:
Originally Posted by master256
This is a Druid ACF meant to simulate the idea of merging with the environment and controlling it. It is meant to replace Wildshape, and not be any more powerful than it (Even a bit weaker is fine).
Also, HD * 5 is the radius, not the amount of plants.
I thought it was decent. I am not sure if I would be willing to give up wildshape for it. It (as far as I know) brings something entirely new to the druid's toybox.
Is it possible to channel your spells through the plants and animals under your control? Spells are a major part of a druid, whether through a feat like Natural Spell or just added to the description, they need a way to be added into this somehow.
If your body gets found, you are screwed. So the plus to the dc helps alot. Though the enemy is probably too worried getting ripped apart by plants.
The ACF takes away some of the SADness druids are known for, but it's not hard to have two high skills even with point-buy.
So an overall rating:
Let's say Wildshape is a 10/10 (We are comparing to it, so that should be be the marker). As is maybe 5-6, it has very limited use until higher levels, while Wildshape is useful the level you get it; while this needs a bit of a start-up. Add a way to use spells and that could easily make it 7-8.
Take this with a grain of salt, as I normally don't bother judging things.
I'll peach your ACF if you'll peach my PrC !
Just kidding, you don't have to.
I can't honestly say I know much about a druid's wild shape, so I can't say how strong this is compared to. What I do know is that the number of plants clause is confusing. First off, is it a number of HD of plants (Which I will assume is the case) like a necromancer controls HD of undead, or is it a flat number of plants?
Second off, under my assumptions, most plants don't have an HD listed. Plant type creatures do, but most plants don't, so what do they count as? Can you control ALL of them, them costing zilch, or do they count as 1 or .5 HD each?
__________________ Demilich avatar by Smuchmuch. Thank you VERY much!
I can't honestly say I know much about a druid's wild shape, so I can't say how strong this is compared to. What I do know is that the number of plants clause is confusing. First off, is it a number of HD of plants (Which I will assume is the case) like a necromancer controls HD of undead, or is it a flat number of plants?
Second off, under my assumptions, most plants don't have an HD listed. Plant type creatures do, but most plants don't, so what do they count as? Can you control ALL of them, them costing zilch, or do they count as 1 or .5 HD each?
For the second time, each plant counts as one for these purposes. However, I'm considering extending the "each plant has stats as an Animated Object" to the Hit Dice limit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Strife Warzeal
Is it possible to channel your spells through the plants and animals under your control? Spells are a major part of a druid, whether through a feat like Natural Spell or just added to the description, they need a way to be added into this somehow.
I'd say maybe allow spells to be cast at a caster level penalty, and Natural Spell removes the penalty. That would make it a bit better than Wildshape in the spellcasting aspect, as the feat is not required for spellcasting.
EDIT: There, edited the stats to be identical to animated objects, except for the mental stats of the druid; removed the inability to use magic items; and allowed spellcasting at a -1 CL (penalty removed with Natural Spell)
I think I will use this ACF for my next Druid (a Myconid).
As far as balancing goes I'm not really an authority. But I really like the fluff, and never really liked the Wild Shape feature. It may be stronger, but in my opinion druids should be more bonded to plants than to animals. And have control of/perception through a small part of woodland/plant area suits that real fine.
So, I really like it.
(Will have to talk with my DM about it though, and about alternate companions.)
Last edited by Smokin Red : 03-15-2011 at 08:09 AM.
I think I will use this ACF for my next Druid (a Myconid).
As far as balancing goes I'm not really an authority. But I really like the fluff, and never really liked the Wild Shape feature. It may be stronger, but in my opinion druids should be more bonded to plants than to animals. And have control of/perception through a small part of woodland/plant area suits that real fine.
So, I really like it.
(Will have to talk with my DM about it though, and about alternate companions.)
Great, tell me how it goes, and if your DM or you feel any modifications are needed. I'm not quite sure if the Spot DC is enough of an increase, and I've been considering adding a skin-hardening feature at some point to give your body Hardness as an object, or possibly DR/Fire and Magic. (The "and" is so that you won't be killed by a falling torch or something)
DR that's overcome by a material or alignment is doable.
Yeah, hardness would be way easier than trying to manipulate some combo of DR and elemental resistances.
So the only possibilities are Material, Alignment, a certain amount of plusses (such as the Tarraque having DR/+5), or piercing/slashing/bludgeoning? Wow, I would have though it would be possible to make something that can, for example, only be harmed by lightning. Can I say that something has Hardness, but this hardness is negated by damage that is both Magic and Fire? Or that it is removed for one round if hit by magic+fire damage?
They actually don't have DR negated by a specific plus anymore, there's DR/magic and DR/epic, but that's it (as far as magic is concerned).
I mean hypothetically you could say "does not take damage from anything except X" if you wanted, but it'd be a unique ability. Same deal with the magic fire, just add a clause to the hardness that it's bypassed by magical fire if you want to. I don't really think it's necessary, but if you do then just make it up and then try to get the rules-ese as not manipulatable as possible.
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