D&D 2E 2E Druid as 4e Wizard Variant: Advice?

[ferratus]

I really like the idea of the Druid being a divine controller, so I've been considering doing it largely based on the wizard class. I always thought of the druid as primarily a spellcaster since my exposure to the druid class was through 2e. I didn't like the druid in 3e, where it became a beastform shapechanging brute. There was always the possibility of turning into an animal in 2e to fight, but it wasn't considered to be the primary focus of the character. He seemed, to me anyway, to be much more the commander of the natural world.

4e, according to Races & Classes, seems to be going with a more 3e approach to the druid, so I figured I'd do a slight redesign on the wizard to get closer to the druid I want.

CLASS TRAITS

Role: Controller.
Power Source: Nature. You draw your energies from the life-giving energies of the Feywild, allowing you to influence the natural world to your advantage.
Key Abilities: Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom
Armor Training: Leather
Weapon Proficiencies: club, sickle, dart, spear, knife, sling, staff.

Pretty straightforward stuff. So where the advice parts come in is classifying various powers that druids used to have in their 2e spell lists, and classifying them as at-will, per encounter, and per day abilities.

I also need advice on how to handle the class abilities. Obviously, shapechanging is the biggest problem, so I'm planning to put a lid on that by requiring that they learn the form of a specific animal at a time. So they gain the totem form of a bear, rat, tiger, wolf, boar, raven, etc.

 

[tombowings]

I like it. I like it a lot.

 

[keterys]

How are you planning on using Con and Int as its key abilities?

I had been thinking more just Wis + Cha, myself.

Oh, and I really think hide armor is in order.

 

[Sadrik]

I have always been a fan of the concept that a druid is essentially an arcane caster. Since the feywild is a major source of arcane power this actually makes sense in 4e.

Giving them even more zappy, blasty stuff, is "cool". The wild shape ability is just a daily power that lasts a certain amount of time. I can see them having having powers like:
Eagle Shape- transform into an eagle for 1 hour w/ stats given.
Bear Shape- transform into a bear for 1 hour w/ stats given.
Tiger Shape- transform into a tiger for 1 hour w/ stats given.

encounter powers might be:
tiger's claws- your hands gain claw attacks
bat's hearing- hear like a bat
spider's webs- create webs
fish's breath- concentrate to breath water

at will "cantrips" might be:
eagle sight- concentrate to see a far distance
owl vision- concentrate to gain low light vision (or darkvision)
cover tracks- concentrate to cover your tracks in natural setting

 

[keterys]

I'd actually suggest skipping shapeshift almost entirely... that angle will already be covered by the 4e class, it's a pain in the butt to balance, and it distracts from your primary effect. Less kitchen sink, more focus, and all that.

That probably explains the Con, though - for shapeshifting.

 

[HeinorNY]

Entangle
Grasses, weeds, bushes, and even trees wrap, twist, and entwine about creatures, holding them fast wherever they go and causing them to become entangled.

Encounter [ ] Nature, Implement
Standard Action Area burst 2 within 20 squares
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Reflex

Hit: The target is slowed (save ends). If the target fails the first saving throw against this power, the target becomes immobilized (save ends).

 

[HeinorNY]

Speak with Animals Druid Orison
You can comprehend and communicate with animals.

At-will [ ] Nature
Minor Action Ranged 5

Effect: You are able to ask questions of and receive answers from natural beasts, although the spell doesn’t make them any more friendly or cooperative than normal.
Sustain minor: You can sustain this power indefinitely

 

[HeinorNY]

Call Lightning
Calls down lightning bolts on your enemies

Daily[ ] Nature, Implement
Standard Action Area burst 2 within 20 squares
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Reflex

Hit: 2d8 + Wis modifier lightning damage, and target is stunned until the end of your next turn.
Miss: 1d8 + Wis modifier lightning damage.

 

[Cactot]

Entangle
Grasses, weeds, bushes, and even trees wrap, twist, and entwine about creatures, holding them fast wherever they go and causing them to become entangled.

Encounter [ ] Nature, Implement
Standard Action Area burst 2 within 20 squares
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Reflex

Hit: The target is slowed (save ends). If the target fails the first saving throw against this power, the target becomes immobilized (save ends).


Call Lightning
Calls down lightning bolts on your enemies

Daily[ ] Nature, Implement
Standard Action Area burst 2 within 20 squares
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Reflex

Hit: 2d8 + Wis modifier lightning damage, and target is stunned until the end of your next turn.
Miss: 1d8 + Wis modifier lightning damage.

Awesome powers, but what level are they, they are pretty awesomely powerful. Call lightning has a max damage of 525! (25 square area, assuming a +5 wis modifier) or much higher than that if at a higher level than 1 (up to
900 at level 30!) The "on miss" damage isnt too bad either.

 

[ferratus]

Yeah, those are the abilities and spells that I need classified.

The old class abilities are:

Identify Plants, Animals and Pure Water (Orison or skill bonus?)
Pass through Overgrown areas (Orison to ignore overgrown difficult terrain)
Languages of Woodland Creatures (probably Sylvan language like in 3e)
Immune to Charm Spells cast by Fairies (worth keeping?)

The last of course is shapechanging, which will require the most detailed attention. Like I said, I plan to return it to being a minor part of the character, so I'm not looking to make it too powerful (at least before they turn into elementals).

Spells: Here is a list of spells. I'm wondering which would be best as at will, per encounter, or per day:

Level 1
Entangle: Per encounter
Endure Cold/Heat
Faerie Fire - Orison
Shillelagh - At will (bonus to club attacks)
Locate Animals and Plants - Orison?
Pass Without Trace - ?

Level 2
Barkskin
Charm Person or Animal
Dust Devil
Flameblade
Goodberry
Heat Metal
Animal Messenger
Obscurement
Produce Flame - At will, natch
Snake Charm
Warp Wood

Level 3
Flame Walk
Hold Animal
Meld Into Stone
Plant Growth
Pyrotechnics
Snare
Spike Growth
Starshine
Stone Shape
Summon Insects
Tree
Water Breathing
Water Walk

Level 4
Call Woodland Beings (Minions?)
Control Temp 10' radius
Giant Insect
Hallucinatory Terrain
Hold Plant
Plant Door
Reflecting Pool
Speak with Plants
Sticks to Snakes

Fifth Level Spells
Air Walk
Animal Growth
Commune with Nature
Control Winds
Moonbeam
Pass Plant
Rainbow
Wall of Fire

Sixth Level Spells
Summon Aerial Servant
Conjure Elemental
Fire Seeds
Horrid Wilting
Liveoak
Wall of Thorns
Weather Summoning

Seventh Level Spells
Changestaff
Chariot of Sustarre (why did this spell go away in 3e?)
Control Weather
Creeping Doom
Earthquake
Reincarnate - Ritual obviously
Transmute Metal to Wood
Wind Walk


This is all from the 2e player's handbook, so there might be some other druid spells from 3e that haven't been listed here. Obviously the power levels will change quite a bit, but I'm not too worried about how powerful the abilities are... just what they might look like, and whether they are per day, per encounter, or at will abilities.