Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Hello everybody.I want to tell about the druid class in Project Eternity.How do you think Obsidian can make our beloved class more interesting to play?A big choice of nature powers,shape-shifting,summoning the creatures of mother nature-an ancient treeman is may favorite=).

Some things about how the druids can look-good for me=)

Watch attached pics.

post-46551-0-70242300-1351068505_thumb.jpg

post-46551-0-89318500-1351068516_thumb.jpg

post-46551-0-66585500-1351068530_thumb.jpg

post-46551-0-63814200-1351068567_thumb.jpg

post-46551-0-09869100-1351069292_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Здравствуйте everybody.I хочу рассказать о друид класса в Проект Eternity.How как вы думаете, Обсидиан может сделать наш любимый класс более интересно играть? большой выбор характер полномочий,изменение формы,призывая существ матери-природы-древний treeman-может любимых=).

Некоторые вещи о том, как друиды можете посмотреть-хорошо для меня=)

Смотреть фото прилагается.

For me the druid looks like this

46c42573ed36.jpg

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is idea in game the druid can evolve from(Human,Elf,etc.) to some kind of spirit or manifestation of combine the nature part and part of its being into creature like this

На первой картинке нежить какая-то, кости торчат ) На второй больше на элементаля похож.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Paul yeah=)))lol i like asterix & obeliks=)making of elixirs and potions will be funny=)

Dronios-я и подразумевал типа трансформацию со временем в существо non human=)

Что-то типа : Я просто засуммонил волка и понеслось ? )))
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Можно свзять с натурой друида-нордический характер и тд)

засуммонил поговорил=)

More likely the nature of man=)

And some kind of ultimate ablility to transfer your soul to the stone or tree and from this you are almost invincible=)I am one with the world=)

Edited by AndreyPlatonov
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have only one request to make of Obsidian in regards to druids (and magic in general): If you're going to implement some form of shapeshifting, please make it functionally viable and not god-awful. If you can't figure out how to make shapeshifting functionally viable (which I am guessing must be really hard because I can't think of a single successful example right now), come up with something that isn't shapeshifting, instead.

Edited by Slaunyeh
  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the interesting question becomes how do Druidic magic interact with souls.

 

I can see at least three ways of doing this. One they draw power not only from thier own soul, but also the Soul of the world. Two maybe the draw power from the baser more primal instinctive animalistic part thier soul. Three they summon the souls of animals into themselves to shapeshift. Or any mix of the above.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never thought I'd see a Slav so interested in ancient Celtic religion, at least a fantasized version of it. I guess you really do learn something new every day.

It's closest you can get to play pagan priest, and neopaganism has it's fans.

 

Druids rarely get any attention from designers to make them interesting. You can't commune with fairies or dead (or dead fairies!), you can't burn people in wooden cages or use their heads as missile weapons - already a bit boring. You don't get any political unfluence druids enjoyed, though regular clerics rarely get anything like that too. If anything, druids are usually secluded sages than a powerful cult in fantasy games. Now, there are D&D druids, who are about "balance" - idea probably has it's roots in some of the ancient religions which had priests caretake to holy animals which were forbidden to eat and places forbidden to enter. The problem of balancing two natures of a human (nature and culture) is pretty cool and you can take it into several directions, and maybe the problem of finding place for animals in society. Just having a character who is a concerned veterinarian in a world where souls change bodies could be cool, although idea of protecting animals from abuse would probably feel too modern for lots of people (but, as I said, it's nothing new, there were laws and beliefs akin to that).

 

I prefer AD&D druids over 3ed and overall more restrictions on class. Having a character who believes in natural but can "cheat" and shapeshift while wearing armor and weapons does't seem right to me. When speaking with animals, I'd rather not see a Snow White archetype with cute little wolves and nice little birdies instantly falling for "connected to land" hippie, because, again, it goes against the whole idea of what D&D druids believe in. If a druid wants a help of wolves to kill some orcs, it would be cool if he has to turn into a wolf himself and battle with local alpha for a pack to follow him. That would make much more sense than just casting a "charm" spell or passing "animal empathy" check, because he would follow rules of nature, he should't instantly get on top of food-chain just because he carries a sickle and an oakleaf amulet. This is why his gods, or spirits, if any, give him power - to learn, understand, and to play by the rules of nature, not to cheat around them.

 

What else... in D&D druid books it's often noted that animal companion is an animal which comes to druid's aid at some point of his life and acts as his friend. That's another thing which would seem to make more sense - do not let druid control his summons or his animal companion, it would be nice if they sometimes act on their on natural instincts, maybe retreat when wounded or stay outside of heavy populated areas. Giving animal a command could act as a "animal empathy" check, and if failed, animal would rather act instinctively than intelligently.

 

Well, I could go for a long time as I like treehuggers and often play that class, but it's rather pointless concidering there are already eleven (or eight? I don't remember) classes, so, I think we'd get to treat wounded animal's leg once as a side quest and developers would leave it at that, like they always do. My only hope is that celtic influence over the setting would open at least a few other possibilites and maybe, just maybe I'd get to lead a small army of brownies, fairies and dead against infidels and play all-Faldorn style.

 

By the way, Faldorn was probably my favorite druid from games, all time. Cute little eco-terrorist who hates everything, she was such a treat.

Edited by Shadenuat
  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have always had issues with the philosophical viewpoint espoused by many D&D druids of the concept of an active agent of balance. This idea implies that the druid has access to some formula that allows him or her to determine exactly what steps will be needed to return a system to some prior "balanced" state. This idea is not in of it self terrible, but in practice it usually comes down to life for a life formulations that are seldom satisfying and ignore the idea that taking lives is seldom a perfect equivalent.

 

If a druid values animal life as equivalent to human life, how do they feel about meat eating? Is avenging cows restoring balance? The concept of balance is often poorly defined and virtually impossible to achieve. So we end up with a hippy park ranger that offers little in ideological depth. I think if we move away from the concept of "balance" there is a much rich canon that can be engaged. Either a sort of shamanistic nature spirit tradition or a more cosmic sense of balance, akin to taoism, would offer greater complexity without getting mired in the constant struggle to find a center point.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have always had issues with the philosophical viewpoint espoused by many D&D druids of the concept of an active agent of balance.

If you take the concept straight out of the book it often feels crude (and it's often handled crude with all the hippie or park-ranger attitude developers shove in players throats *ugghh* Ellani *ugggh*), but the basic idea is that Druid in D&D is a mediator between civilized and uncivilized. You could find a lot of druids in books (like the Complete Druid from 2d edition), from some priest who is concerned with agricultural state of his land to barbaric shaman making dealings with monsters for the sake of his tribe. I really like that they don't have an exact "formula" there, and instead present players with a set of archetypes to choose from.

Edited by Shadenuat
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I really hope Shapechanging isn't central to the Druid class, leave that to the Berserkers. Or at least make shapeshifting a sub-class or prestige class based ability. When playing D&D I rarely if ever changed shape as a Druid. Really I guess I just don't like a lot of how Druids are typically depicted in Dungeons and Dragons. When I think of the Druid I think of the powerful and well-educated healer/hermit. I think of the hedge shaman who communes with the spirits of the woods.

 

One of the worst parts about D&D Druids is this constant mantra of balance. Sure to a certain extent it should be apart of the philosophy of the Druids but to use it as the be-all-end-all of description of their ethos does them a great injustice.

Edited by .Leif.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...