druids, do they need a God? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

druids, do they need a God?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
true_blue
Jun 21, 2004 13:06:01 One of my players currently is running a druid. She's just learning how to play and about Dragonlance. Our group ranges from good to evil...with things working out amazingly well.

When the issue came up of her choosing a god, I got to thinking. I'm not a big fan of druids having to choose a god. It seems then they would think about the god's interests and live by the ethos of that one god. I went ahead and let her be a druid without having to choose one. I consider her dedicated to nature and she does a good job of trying to protect it and the animals found within. I like the idea of her getting her powers from nature. I just like the feel of it better than if she had a god and was sort of a specialty priest.

Was wondering if anyone else did this with their druids or had any comments.
#2
cam_banks
Jun 21, 2004 13:25:07 Chislev is nature, for all intents and purposes. Her druids can think of her in any way they like, but they won't get power to cast spells and use supernatural or spell-like abilities unless she gives it to them. Or Habbakuk, or Zeboim.

The trick of this is, either you cast spells because one of the gods is involved, or you draw power from the world around you to do so. That's what mysticism is, and if you're looking for a druid-like character that doesn't revere a god but gets their power directly from nature, consider altering the druid class' spell progression by giving it the mystic spells known and spells per day, but no domain. Allow the character to choose spells known from the druid list, and there you go.

Cheers,
Cam
#3
darthsylver
Jun 21, 2004 13:47:18 Come on Cam what's the prob. I mean if the Character reveres nature and Chislev is nature who is to say that Chislev will not grant spells and magic to the character.

Every character does not have to conform to every rule if the DM wants to play outside the lines.

I mena if you look at things there seem to be very few people who are clerics.

Druids are essentially clerics of Chislev, Habbakuk, and Zeboim.

Bards are essentially clerics of Branchala

Knights of the Sword are clerics of Kiri-Jolith, Paladine and Habbakuk

Monks are clerics of Majere and Zivilyn

Wizards of High Sorcery are clerics (sorta) of Solinari, Lunitari, and Nuitari

Knights of the Skull are (or were) clerics of Takhisis.

It is almost like every god of light has a specialty priest that is called anything but priest or Cleric.
#4
cam_banks
Jun 21, 2004 13:54:38
Originally posted by darthsylver
Come on Cam what's the prob. I mean if the Character reveres nature and Chislev is nature who is to say that Chislev will not grant spells and magic to the character.

Every character does not have to conform to every rule if the DM wants to play outside the lines.

That'd be why I gave the suggestion regarding mysticism and adjusting the druid class to suit.

I mena if you look at things there seem to be very few people who are clerics. Druids are essentially clerics of Chislev, Habbakuk, and Zeboim. Bards are essentially clerics of Branchala.
Knights of the Sword are clerics of Kiri-Jolith, Paladine and Habbakuk. Monks are clerics of Majere and Zivilyn. Wizards of High Sorcery are clerics (sorta) of Solinari, Lunitari, and Nuitari.
Knights of the Skull are (or were) clerics of Takhisis.

It is almost like every god has a specialty priest that is called anything but priest or Cleric.

It's a fact that many character classes or roles in the current setting have divine patronage, although this shouldn't imply that they are clerics or priests of that divine patron. In your list above, only druids, knights of the Sword and knights of the Skull use divine spells. Bards don't - they're wild magic users, like sorcerers. It's arcane magic. Monks don't cast spells at all, and don't need the gods around to do what they do. Wizards align themselves with the gods of magic and in doing so, their arcane magic is enhanced, but they're not divine spellcasters nor are they priests.

Every god (with the exception of the gods of magic) has clerics. A handful have other adherants to whom they grant power, such as druids and rangers, but don't confuse that kind of divine power with patronage.

Cheers,
Cam
#5
true_blue
Jun 21, 2004 14:08:31 Well, as she is a new player and we have been using this way for a little bit, I don't want to just change her character around. I'm wroking with her little by little getting her to know more about d&d and dragonlance.

I dunno...I really don't see any reason in changing her to ambient magic. I don't think that it has to be if you can cast spells on the fly..you have no deity or come by it naturally. But if you cast spells from memorizing/preparing you have a deity.

I think also a little bit of my reservation of making her have a god is from also alignment shifts. She doesnt always do bad/evil things but then agains he alwayds doesnt do the right thing either. I like seeing druids being able to do whatever alignment they want..and still revere nature and get all their powers from the same source. Some druids would protect a forest by scaring away loggers..and others would kill them outright because of it. I still think they should have a fraternal bond and get their spells from nature...who appreciates the balance in having both sides of the spectrum.

Also..for soem reason I'm not a big fan of there being 3 deities for nature. I know the theme of threes in Dragonlance. I really don't see Zeboim as a deity for nature... I can see it for just the seas and oceans and such but thats about it. I just would rather see Chislev have all the druids...some are evil and some are good..with a lot of them being neutral. Chislev understands the balance and the need for both alingments.

Just my two cents.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 true_blue Jun 21, 2004 13:06:01	One of my players currently is running a druid. She's just learning how to play and about Dragonlance. Our group ranges from good to evil...with things working out amazingly well. When the issue came up of her choosing a god, I got to thinking. I'm not a big fan of druids having to choose a god. It seems then they would think about the god's interests and live by the ethos of that one god. I went ahead and let her be a druid without having to choose one. I consider her dedicated to nature and she does a good job of trying to protect it and the animals found within. I like the idea of her getting her powers from nature. I just like the feel of it better than if she had a god and was sort of a specialty priest. Was wondering if anyone else did this with their druids or had any comments.
#2 cam_banks Jun 21, 2004 13:25:07	Chislev is nature, for all intents and purposes. Her druids can think of her in any way they like, but they won't get power to cast spells and use supernatural or spell-like abilities unless she gives it to them. Or Habbakuk, or Zeboim. The trick of this is, either you cast spells because one of the gods is involved, or you draw power from the world around you to do so. That's what mysticism is, and if you're looking for a druid-like character that doesn't revere a god but gets their power directly from nature, consider altering the druid class' spell progression by giving it the mystic spells known and spells per day, but no domain. Allow the character to choose spells known from the druid list, and there you go. Cheers, Cam
#3 darthsylver Jun 21, 2004 13:47:18	Come on Cam what's the prob. I mean if the Character reveres nature and Chislev is nature who is to say that Chislev will not grant spells and magic to the character. Every character does not have to conform to every rule if the DM wants to play outside the lines. I mena if you look at things there seem to be very few people who are clerics. Druids are essentially clerics of Chislev, Habbakuk, and Zeboim. Bards are essentially clerics of Branchala Knights of the Sword are clerics of Kiri-Jolith, Paladine and Habbakuk Monks are clerics of Majere and Zivilyn Wizards of High Sorcery are clerics (sorta) of Solinari, Lunitari, and Nuitari Knights of the Skull are (or were) clerics of Takhisis. It is almost like every god of light has a specialty priest that is called anything but priest or Cleric.
#4 cam_banks Jun 21, 2004 13:54:38	Originally posted by darthsylver Come on Cam what's the prob. I mean if the Character reveres nature and Chislev is nature who is to say that Chislev will not grant spells and magic to the character. Every character does not have to conform to every rule if the DM wants to play outside the lines. That'd be why I gave the suggestion regarding mysticism and adjusting the druid class to suit. I mena if you look at things there seem to be very few people who are clerics. Druids are essentially clerics of Chislev, Habbakuk, and Zeboim. Bards are essentially clerics of Branchala. Knights of the Sword are clerics of Kiri-Jolith, Paladine and Habbakuk. Monks are clerics of Majere and Zivilyn. Wizards of High Sorcery are clerics (sorta) of Solinari, Lunitari, and Nuitari. Knights of the Skull are (or were) clerics of Takhisis. It is almost like every god has a specialty priest that is called anything but priest or Cleric. It's a fact that many character classes or roles in the current setting have divine patronage, although this shouldn't imply that they are clerics or priests of that divine patron. In your list above, only druids, knights of the Sword and knights of the Skull use divine spells. Bards don't - they're wild magic users, like sorcerers. It's arcane magic. Monks don't cast spells at all, and don't need the gods around to do what they do. Wizards align themselves with the gods of magic and in doing so, their arcane magic is enhanced, but they're not divine spellcasters nor are they priests. Every god (with the exception of the gods of magic) has clerics. A handful have other adherants to whom they grant power, such as druids and rangers, but don't confuse that kind of divine power with patronage. Cheers, Cam
#5 true_blue Jun 21, 2004 14:08:31	Well, as she is a new player and we have been using this way for a little bit, I don't want to just change her character around. I'm wroking with her little by little getting her to know more about d&d and dragonlance. I dunno...I really don't see any reason in changing her to ambient magic. I don't think that it has to be if you can cast spells on the fly..you have no deity or come by it naturally. But if you cast spells from memorizing/preparing you have a deity. I think also a little bit of my reservation of making her have a god is from also alignment shifts. She doesnt always do bad/evil things but then agains he alwayds doesnt do the right thing either. I like seeing druids being able to do whatever alignment they want..and still revere nature and get all their powers from the same source. Some druids would protect a forest by scaring away loggers..and others would kill them outright because of it. I still think they should have a fraternal bond and get their spells from nature...who appreciates the balance in having both sides of the spectrum. Also..for soem reason I'm not a big fan of there being 3 deities for nature. I know the theme of threes in Dragonlance. I really don't see Zeboim as a deity for nature... I can see it for just the seas and oceans and such but thats about it. I just would rather see Chislev have all the druids...some are evil and some are good..with a lot of them being neutral. Chislev understands the balance and the need for both alingments. Just my two cents.