Druids take note!

[--chupacabra--]

Re: speaking while shapechanged

Yeah, I'd thought of that one as well. I've started looking at it this way: once my druid has picked up Natural Spell, then I should be able to speak. The reasoning behind this is that if you can cast spells which have a verbal component, why wouldn't you be able to speak with someone? I mean, a talking animal is kind of freakiy, but a person turning into an animal is even wierder. For now, since my druid hasn't got that feat, I run around and say 'grrr' when wildshaped

Re: metal

As far as I can tell, the druidic stigma with metal has to do with man-made alloys made of multuple components, like bronze, iron, or steel. This is deemed to be an affront to nature, or 'tortured earth.' To be honest, I do not know if this dogma would still apply to something made entirely out of one metalic element, like pure gold or silver armor or weapons, or even rings or amulets. Any input would be welcome on this topic.

Stone tipped spears or flint daggers or knives are easy enough to roleplay. Sickles and scimitars, though? That would have to be one heck of a strong piece of flint, and chipped by an absolute master craftsman. Flint napping is hard! As far as I know, no one has ever found any artifacts from the stone age which were chipped in such a vulnerable shape; i.e. a crescent. Stone kamas, I have seen, but kama is not on the list of druid weapon proficiencey .

But, yeah, some cool spears would be a welcome addition to the wares of the server. Of course the treasure model is bound to spit some out sometimes, but I have yet to come across one.

[Ithildin]

My druid uses his gods favored weapon, a sickle. As for speaking while shapechanged, I usually avoid that but with natural spell I have to agree with chupa it seems like it would be possible with that feat.

[Fizzer]

Personally, I never let my druid characters speak while shapechanged. It just seems well. . . unnatural, lol. Then again a bear calling lightning from the heavens is a little wierd, too. I'm torn on taking this feat. I've been putting it off until I know a little more about how other players and dm's feel about it.

I have taken this feat as magical, talking animals are a staple of D&D type fantasy (we even met one in the campaign of NWN2). However, I would appreciate some input from the druid DM on this as some spells are tailor made for wildshaping (Jagged Tooth etc).

On the talking front, it would be good if we had a set rule - My idea would be to say Wildshaped Druids talk in Druidic tongue only - this way druids could converse with each other in wildshape (and perhaps with other animals??), and knowledgeable folk could converse with them, but druids would either have to change back or engage in 'Lassie talk' (which can be great fun!)

Metal wise I like the ideas of using elements, just like wood and rock being natural for use. No reason an enchanted copper knife couldn't be tough as steel...in D&D folk make glass harder than that!

Anyhow, nice to see we have a community of druids - I look forward to meeting you all in the druid circle when we find it.

Cheers

Zeb

[Ashes Blindwind]

Too true.

Cheers with beers, and I second that emotion.

[valenator]

The druidic aversion to metal only applies to armor; having the metal directly on the druid's body interrupts the druid's connection with nature, hence the inability to cast druidic spells or wildshape for 24 hours after wearing the armor. There is no such stigma applied to metal weaponry.

[--chupacabra--]

The druidic aversion to metal only applies to armor; having the metal directly on the druid's body interrupts the druid's connection with nature, hence the inability to cast druidic spells or wildshape for 24 hours after wearing the armor. There is no such stigma applied to metal weaponry.

To me it just seems like hypocracy to swear an oath on the one hand that I won't exploit an abberation of nature (alloy) in the form of armor, then turn right around and use a forged steel weapon. At the same time, I'm not trying to say that anyone else has to play it that way at all; by the rules a druid is allowed to use steel or iron weapons.

[Jandar]

Druid and Bows

Given that Druids are not supposed to use metal weapons, what is the chance that we might see a Druid weapons hack pak that has "natural" weapons. Guess I will give a bow some consideration since it is easy to play that the arrows have flint or stone points. But as a fall back melee weapon, hard to play that the scimitar is made out of anything buy metal...unless there is a silver ebony...LOL