Druids of Athas - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Druids of Athas

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
jackmojo
Feb 15, 2006 16:51:11 Hey all,

So I'm playing a druid in a Dark Sun game currently and although I am many levels away from it, I was looking at the Elemental Wildshaping and thinking it doesn't work as well in Dark Sun, mostly as its more of a cleric thing (becoming an elemental and all)

So has any one experimented with alternate options for high level druids in Dark Sun, or if not does any one have any ideas on something to replace it with?

Jack
#2
zombiegleemax
Feb 15, 2006 16:56:56 The immediate thoughts that spring to mind are Drakes maybe?

Another idea, looking at the tables real quick, and taking into account the Druid's wild shaping in 2nd ed (Unlimited, but stuck to gaurded lands)..

Maybe grant him some of the WarShaper's tricks? The One that lets them constantly shift from form to form through-out the wildshape duration, as well as a few gaurded land tricks (The no food and water and invisibility on lands?)

I don't have anything real definate coming to mind, but those lept out.
#3
Pennarin
Feb 15, 2006 18:34:06 Actually if you can get your hands on Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, the second edition Dark Sun supplement detailing the clerics and druids of Athas, you'll see there's a...cosmic connection (for lack of a better expression) between life, nature, druidry, and the four elements on Athas. Its all interconnected. Classic D&D rather suggests that elementals and such come from the elemental planes and are unrelated to the prime material plane, but in Dark Sun the fluff says that everything is made of elemental matter, and that that matter is in its pure form when you go to the elemental planes.

So druids get their spells and powers from Spirits of the Land, which in turn get theirs from a pact - the pact of earth, air, fire, and water - which was signed between the Spirits of the Land and the Elemental Lords. Its perfectly natural for druids to be able to wildshape into elemental form. (Just make sure druids choose not to wildshape into paralemental forms - silt, magma, rain, and sun - because those are in opposition to the pact and the reason for its very existence.)
#4
Pennarin
Feb 15, 2006 18:41:23
So has any one experimented with alternate options for high level druids in Dark Sun, or if not does any one have any ideas on something to replace it with?

Second edition Dark Sun and Planescape reveals that high level athasian druids can visit an elemental plane of their choice and become linked to its element, becoming element-infused druid beings called Ruvoka.

In 3E this might translate to an epic spell of some sort, requiring the OK of the plane's Elemental Lord.
#5
kalthandrix
Feb 15, 2006 19:59:06 Hey- check out the Keeper of the Guarded Land PrC in my sig- totally druid material.
#6
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
Feb 15, 2006 20:18:05
Hey all,

So I'm playing a druid in a Dark Sun game currently and although I am many levels away from it, I was looking at the Elemental Wildshaping and thinking it doesn't work as well in Dark Sun, mostly as its more of a cleric thing (becoming an elemental and all)

So has any one experimented with alternate options for high level druids in Dark Sun, or if not does any one have any ideas on something to replace it with?

Jack

Shapeshifting into one of the four main elements isn't outside the Druids' scope, as Pennarin pointed out. However, personally, I use the Wold Shape alternative called "Aspect of Nature" from Unearthed Arcana, as I feel it is better-suited for Dark Sun Druids (I also use the druid variant which gives them the barbarian rage ability).
#7
zombiegleemax
Feb 21, 2006 16:03:34
Second edition Dark Sun and Planescape reveals that high level athasian druids can visit an elemental plane of their choice and become linked to its element, becoming element-infused druid beings called Ruvoka.

In 3E this might translate to an epic spell of some sort, requiring the OK of the plane's Elemental Lord.

Seems to me this is something that would work nicely as a PRC, actually. Which book is it from? I don't recall having read it offhand, but if I know where to look I can likely locate the related information.
#8
ruhl-than_sage
Feb 21, 2006 16:52:34 The Ruvoka are form Terrors Beyond Tyr.
#9
Pennarin
Feb 21, 2006 17:22:20
The Ruvoka are form Terrors Beyond Tyr.

And the Planescape MC III, in further detail I believe.

Ruvoka are not to be confused with Ukoven, the inhabitants of the island Euripis. (The latter might be connected to all 4 elements at once, a unique setup on Athas.)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 jackmojo Feb 15, 2006 16:51:11	Hey all, So I'm playing a druid in a Dark Sun game currently and although I am many levels away from it, I was looking at the Elemental Wildshaping and thinking it doesn't work as well in Dark Sun, mostly as its more of a cleric thing (becoming an elemental and all) So has any one experimented with alternate options for high level druids in Dark Sun, or if not does any one have any ideas on something to replace it with? Jack
#2 zombiegleemax Feb 15, 2006 16:56:56	The immediate thoughts that spring to mind are Drakes maybe? Another idea, looking at the tables real quick, and taking into account the Druid's wild shaping in 2nd ed (Unlimited, but stuck to gaurded lands).. Maybe grant him some of the WarShaper's tricks? The One that lets them constantly shift from form to form through-out the wildshape duration, as well as a few gaurded land tricks (The no food and water and invisibility on lands?) I don't have anything real definate coming to mind, but those lept out.
#3 Pennarin Feb 15, 2006 18:34:06	Actually if you can get your hands on Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, the second edition Dark Sun supplement detailing the clerics and druids of Athas, you'll see there's a...cosmic connection (for lack of a better expression) between life, nature, druidry, and the four elements on Athas. Its all interconnected. Classic D&D rather suggests that elementals and such come from the elemental planes and are unrelated to the prime material plane, but in Dark Sun the fluff says that everything is made of elemental matter, and that that matter is in its pure form when you go to the elemental planes. So druids get their spells and powers from Spirits of the Land, which in turn get theirs from a pact - the pact of earth, air, fire, and water - which was signed between the Spirits of the Land and the Elemental Lords. Its perfectly natural for druids to be able to wildshape into elemental form. (Just make sure druids choose not to wildshape into paralemental forms - silt, magma, rain, and sun - because those are in opposition to the pact and the reason for its very existence.)
#4 Pennarin Feb 15, 2006 18:41:23	So has any one experimented with alternate options for high level druids in Dark Sun, or if not does any one have any ideas on something to replace it with? Second edition Dark Sun and Planescape reveals that high level athasian druids can visit an elemental plane of their choice and become linked to its element, becoming element-infused druid beings called Ruvoka. In 3E this might translate to an epic spell of some sort, requiring the OK of the plane's Elemental Lord.
#5 kalthandrix Feb 15, 2006 19:59:06	Hey- check out the Keeper of the Guarded Land PrC in my sig- totally druid material.
#6 xlorepdarkhelm_dup Feb 15, 2006 20:18:05	Hey all, So I'm playing a druid in a Dark Sun game currently and although I am many levels away from it, I was looking at the Elemental Wildshaping and thinking it doesn't work as well in Dark Sun, mostly as its more of a cleric thing (becoming an elemental and all) So has any one experimented with alternate options for high level druids in Dark Sun, or if not does any one have any ideas on something to replace it with? Jack Shapeshifting into one of the four main elements isn't outside the Druids' scope, as Pennarin pointed out. However, personally, I use the Wold Shape alternative called "Aspect of Nature" from Unearthed Arcana, as I feel it is better-suited for Dark Sun Druids (I also use the druid variant which gives them the barbarian rage ability).
#7 zombiegleemax Feb 21, 2006 16:03:34	Second edition Dark Sun and Planescape reveals that high level athasian druids can visit an elemental plane of their choice and become linked to its element, becoming element-infused druid beings called Ruvoka. In 3E this might translate to an epic spell of some sort, requiring the OK of the plane's Elemental Lord. Seems to me this is something that would work nicely as a PRC, actually. Which book is it from? I don't recall having read it offhand, but if I know where to look I can likely locate the related information.
#8 ruhl-than_sage Feb 21, 2006 16:52:34	The Ruvoka are form Terrors Beyond Tyr.
#9 Pennarin Feb 21, 2006 17:22:20	The Ruvoka are form Terrors Beyond Tyr. And the Planescape MC III, in further detail I believe. Ruvoka are not to be confused with Ukoven, the inhabitants of the island Euripis. (The latter might be connected to all 4 elements at once, a unique setup on Athas.)