Thursday, November 12, 2015

Holmes Rules: The Druid (Part 2)

[the write-up for the druid subclass can be found here...go and read that first, if you haven't already done so. This is "spell section" for the character]

Druid Magic

The magic of the druid subclass differs very little from magic of the cleric besides the actual spell effects. There are no "reverse" spells for druids; all druids have the exact same selection to choose from. Druidic magic is neutral in nature, and its effects will detect as neither good nor evil. Druids do not make, nor make use of spell scrolls.

The following spells are available to druids:

FIRST LEVEL DRUID SPELLS
1. Animal Charm - This spell is the same as the 2nd level cleric spell snake charm, save that it applies to all normal animals.
2. Detect Pits and Snares - The spell is the same as the 2nd level cleric spell find traps, save that it may only be employed in natural environments (outdoors or subterranean caverns, for example).
3. Divination - By studying her surroundings and "reading the signs" the druid is able to gain some insight into the wisdom of a particular course of action. The player may ask the DM a single question, and the DM should provide a suitable answer (yes, no, or maybe).
4. Entangle - Range 60 feet; Duration 1 turn. Causes the vegetation in an area 40' x 40' to ensnare and trap any creature that passes through the area, holding them fast; creatures are allowed a saving throw to escape being caught, though their movement will be slowed.
5. Obscurement - Duration 1 turn per level. Creates an opaque cloud of misty vapor measuring 10' x 10' x 10' centered on the caster.
6. Predict Weather - Allows the druid to predict the weather up to 12 hours in advance and to know if the current weather has been modified by magic.
7. Resist Cold - This spell is the same as the 1st level cleric spell.
8. Speak with Animals - This spell is the same as the 2nd level cleric spell.

SECOND LEVEL DRUID SPELLS
1. Circle versus Animals - Duration 3 turns. Creates a zone of protection (5' radius, centered on caster), that no animal can enter or pass through. Includes all normal beasts and birds, as well as giant-sized or enchanted ones, but not fantastical monsters (like basilisks and chimeras).
2. Heat Metal - Range 30 feet; Duration 6 rounds. Causes ferrous metal targeted (as much as that worn by a man-sized target) to become searing hot over the course of the spell's duration. The first two rounds the any metal worn becomes uncomfortably hot; the next two rounds it is hot enough to cause blisters and inflict D4 points of damage per round; the final two rounds the metal becomes searing hot, inflicting 2D4 damage and causing crippling injury to hands holding metal items and unconsciousness (and lasting scars) to individuals wearing helmets. Soft materials (padding, etc.) exposed to the metal will smolder and burn and will not prevent damage. Fire resistance magic will prevent this spell from having any effect.
3. Hold Animal - As the 2nd level cleric spell hold person, save that it only applies to animals.
4. Plant Door - Duration 1 turn per level. The druid may temporarily merge with a tree, like a dryad; the spell ends when the caster leaves the tree. The druid is aware of everything that occurs around the tree; if the tree is destroyed she must exit the tree or be killed as well.
5. Plant Growth - 160 feet. Causes the vegetation in an area 20' x 20' per level of the druid to grow into a thick, dense jungle that blocks sight and which creatures must hack down to force their way through (at a rate of 10 feet per turn for human-sized creatures, double for larger).
6. Resist Fire - This spell is the same as the 2nd level cleric spell.
7. Speak with Plants - As speak with animals, but applies to plants and plantlike beings.
8. Warp Wood - Range 60'. Causes wood targeted (as much as a pole arm shaft or half dozen arrows per level of the druid) to become twisted and useless. Can be used to hole a wooden boat.

THIRD LEVEL DRUID SPELLS
1. Animal Summoning I - Duration 10 turns. Summons one large animal (elephant, rhino, etc.), three medium animals (lions, bears, wild horses, etc.), or six small animals (wolves, lynxes, badgers, etc.). The animals should be native to the local; they will obey the druid for the duration of the spell.
2. Call Lightning - Range 720 feet; Duration 1 turn. This spell only works outdoors, and there must be storm clouds present. The druid calls lightning from the sky to strike any target in range; each bolt does 6D8 damage to a target (or half with a successful saving throw). The druid may call down one bolt per minute (every six rounds), for a total of ten bolts over the course of the spell.
3. Change Shape - Druid may take the shape of an animal, from a small as a bullfrog or bat, to as large as a black bear (no more than double the caster's weight). The transformation heals the caster 50% of damage sustained (if any) prior to assuming the new form; otherwise, the animal shape has the same hit points as the druid. The spell lasts until the druid chooses to regain her original form.
4. Circle versus Plants - As circle versus animals, but prevents of plants and plantlike beings, even magical creatures (golems made of wood, shambling mounds, etc.).
5. Hold Plants - As hold animal, but works on plants and plantlike beings (dryads, treants, etc.).
6. Pass Plant - The druid enters a tree (as with plant door), but may exit another tree of the same type up to a quarter-mile distant. If there is no other tree within range, the druid simply exits the tree entered.
7. Produce Fire - Range 40'. Creates a sudden conflagration in a circle of 12' diameter. Anything in the area takes D8 damage and (if combustible) is set alight.
8. Resist Lightning - As resist cold or resist fire save that it applies to lightning and electrical attacks.


FOURTH LEVEL DRUID SPELLS
1. Animal Summoning II - As animal summoning I, but double the numbers.
2. Commune with Nature - Similar to divination, the druid may gain insight into the answers for three questions posed. Knowledge should be near total and accurate, but must pertain to nature or issues regarding the natural world. This spell may only be used once per adventure.
3. Insect Plague - Range 360 feet; Duration 1 turn. Conjures a vast swarm of stinging vermin that the druid can use to drive off creatures with less than two hit dice. Creatures with less than five hit dice must succeed at a saving throw or will likewise be driven to flee or seek shelter. The swarm cloud has a 180 foot radius and is 60 feet high.
4. Plant Travel - As pass plant, but any large (living) plant may be used and the druid may traverse any amount of intervening space.
5. Speak with Stone - As speak with animals, but applies to rocks, stones, and rocklike beings.
6. Summon Weather - This spell is a minor form of control weather; it functions the same, but weather summoned must be consistent with the climate and season of the druid's locale.
7. Turn Wood - Range 20 feet per level; Duration 3 turns. Creates a wedge of force 120 feet wide that shoots forth from the druid, pushing aside any wooden objects in its path: weapon hafts, shields, arrows, trees, etc. Creatures holding such items will either be pushed back, or find their wooden items splintered and scattered (taking D6 damage in the process). Objects turned may not enter the path created by the spell until the duration expires or is dispelled; the druid herself is unaffected by the spell.
8. Wall of Fire - Range 60 feet. Conjures a curtain of flame with a height and length that cannot exceed 1200 square feet (for example 30' x 40' or 60' x 20'). The flame is opaque and objects beyond the wall are not visible. Creatures of less than four levels/hit dice cannot cross the wall of fire; creatures that do cross the flame take 2D6 damage. The wall lasts as long as the druid concentrates (takes no other action).

FIFTH LEVEL DRUID SPELLS
1. Animal Summoning III - As animal summoning I, but quadruple the numbers.
2. Conjure Elemental - Summons a single elemental force of a chosen type (fire, earth, water, etc.) with hit dice equal to the caster's level. The elemental serves the druid so long as concentration is maintained (i.e. takes no other action); if control is lost, the elemental immediately turns on its master. The druid must remain within 240 feet of the the elemental at all times, and may banish the elemental at any time unless control is lost. The elemental lasts until banished, dispelled, destroyed, or the druid dies.
3. Control Weather - Duration 6 turns. For the duration, the druid may control and freely change the weather within a half mile radius of her location. Typical effects include: summoning clouds, rain, snow, fog, storms (with lightning), tornadoes, or clearing the skies. It takes D6 rounds for any atmospheric change to take effect. This spell may only be cast in the outdoors.
4. Metal to Rust - Range 60 feet. Causes all metal on target creature to instantly rust to pieces, exactly as if struck by a rust monster. Creatures of metal (iron golems and such) receive a saving throw to avoid being destroyed.
5. Nature's Prison - Range 30 feet. Target creature is merged with natural feature (a tree, large boulder, marsh, pond, etc.). The feature must be at least as large as the creature to be imprisoned, and the subject is allowed a saving throw to resist. The creature's captivity lasts until the druid allows its release or until dispel magic is successfully cast on the prison object; destruction of the object does not free the prisoner.
6. Reincarnation - Forces the spirit of a deceased individual into a magically created body. The forces involved are difficult to control and the body may bear no resemblance to the original. Roll D8: 1-2 body is an animal (usually mammalian), 3-5 body is human, 6 body is demihuman (even chance of dwarf, elf, or halfling), 7-8 body is sentient woodland creature (centaur, dryad, etc.). The DM determines ability scores randomly (3D6) for the new body, and there is an even chance of either sex. Reincarnated individuals retain their memories and personality and (if meeting the requirements) may continue to advance in their original class. Non-animal bodies that aren't eligible for a class (for example, a magic-user in a dwarf body), may keep their old class abilities, but may not advance.

[this was a tricky list, in part because I had specific limits in mind for how many spells I wanted at each spell level (for example, there was going to be a re-skinning of creeping doom called "wrath of nature," but I ended up doing nature's prison instead, feeling it was more thematically appropriate). Please note that, as with illusionist spells, some high level cleric/magic-user spells to which these would otherwise refer are unavailable in Holmes (that's why, for example, control weather doesn't say "see the 6th level M-U spell"). Another difficulty is that some monsters referenced by druid spells (elementals, for example) are not found in the Holmes rulebook...how to handle such a thing when I want a "conjure elemental" spell? On the one hand, the lack of rules provides an opportunity to do things like "lightning elementals" and "plant elementals;" on the other hand, this is just a spell list, not a bestiary. In the end, I punted...I referred to monsters for which there are no Holmes stats. Maybe a different project/post]

[a couple more notes: was pretty pleased at how these turned out. I think the list has a much tighter focus than the standard druid list, really working with the druid's control of animals, plants, and elemental forces. Metal-to-rust makes so much more sense than metal-to-wood (why would a druid be able to transform an inorganic substance into an organic one?) and turn wood ends up be the woodsy equivalent of part water ("Clear me a path through the jungle!"). Folks will note that the druid's magical ability to change shape ("wild shape" in D20 parlance) is now simply a spell...one gained at the same level as they would normally receive the wild shape ability. Again, this makes more sense...it's a magical ability (i.e. a spell); human druids don't just suddenly become therianthropes]

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