So, my group and I are getting ready for a new campaign and I decided to play a Firbolg Druid. The problem is that I can't do the hippy, one with nature slant that seems to be a stereotype anymore.
My solution to this is to have my Druid of the moon be a more literal Druid of the moon by worshipping and following Selune. My question is, is that at odds with being a Druid? Can a Druid worship and follow Selune and just use their natural inclination towards nature to serve her purposes or are they mutually exclusive practices?
There are several dieties in the core books that would, and indeed mention, have druids worshipers. There is no single unified druid culture that has to exist. Your circle could be dedicated to Selune and the moon, and another circle could be dedicated to the sun and be your mortal enemies. Hawks and mice are not friends, despite both being beasts. There's plenty of space for dogmatic differences among druids.
I currently play a lizardfolk moon druid who comes from a tradition dedicated to planar balance. They basically feel that anything NOT of the prime material has no place on the plane and they seek to destroy these things. (We've been saying the Faewild and Shadowdark are the sister planes so they're fine with inhabitants from either, but elementals need to **** right off)
Dont worry about comforming to stereotypes of what druids are, There are too many pulling in different directions - 2000AD's Slaine, Celtic and fey legends to name a few. (by the by, hippies gave little thought to the land considering the state woodstock was left in) Even 5th ed doesn't subscribe to one druid fits all - the recent canon sporedruid is a druid who animates the dead - yeah no hippies there, more voodoo bog witch or schlock 70 serial murder video bad guy. You might want to come up with a group, commonly 'circles' in previous editions that aspire to a common goal that your druid is / was a part of. They can be big (prevent the elemental planes leaking into the natural world and bring about the end of the world) or small (protect the tiny forest glade of Smallwater) As for why you may be in the big world by yourself? It might be an 'amish' coming of age deal - you are to experience what the world offers, see its horrors so you can recommit to the circle with no doubts in your heart that you tend to the land and keep it pure.
I just want to say, religion is different than class. any person can have any religion and any class associated with a religion/God never requires that religion to unlock features of the class. it is up to you the player to present a story that the DM can work with. I have always looked at druids as a sort of nature flavoured jedi order, I.e. the forces of nature gives them power, but they are free to practice(religion)in their own way.
I just want to say, religion is different than class. any person can have any religion and any class associated with a religion/God never requires that religion to unlock features of the class. it is up to you the player to present a story that the DM can work with. I have always looked at druids as a sort of nature flavoured jedi order, I.e. the forces of nature gives them power, but they are free to practice(religion)in their own way.
may the force (of nature) be with you!
But the Jedi were a religious order...
You can play a Druid as a nature Jedi, but that’s making a moral choice. You could play a Druid as a nature sith as well, but that’s a different specific choice.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s several ways to play a Druid and there’s no specific god you have to worship or gods you can’t worship with the right spin.
sure it was a religious order but druids, also, cannot be completely separated from religion because the power has a divine source. it is obvious that we agree on the druid - religion question. I was just offering a general idea that a group can have many subgroups with different practices, I didn't want a cross franchise debate.
Giga, Druid source power isnt necessarily divine. Its up to the DM but it usually comes down to what came first, the followers or the god? and furthermore, what came first the planet or the things that grew on it that it barely feels. It might just be the planet is a battery of life and occasionally people tap into its ponderous thoughts and apply themselves to what they interpret as its desires.
Going right to the start however, the mindflayers and aboleth came first surviving the collapse of the previous reality and 'cheating' there way into this one. Nature may abhor a vacuum but it abhors anomalous manipulators who dont know when their time is up much, much more.
So historians, the reason you go insane trying to piece together illithid and aboleth history is because it predates existence, wipe the heresy out - with nature powers!
5th ed lumps druidism / daernism back in with fey / feywyld - a source of non divine magic and elemental inner planes, also non divine energy sources. Gods are outerplanar types - prayer junkies everyone of them. The planes of elements lead deeper to the birthplace of all life the radiant plane and its twin the negative energy plane. Ok admittedly the plane of radiance kills you faster than the negative one but thats because you werent made to handle LIFE. But what if you siphoned it and leashed it through the world you live in, the forests and the stream, the sea and the mountain? Your a druid and life itself is your source, but the land is your guard against its dangers.
Alternatively you could have druids with gods, but that makes the weird restriction on metal armour (throwback to iron / fey) less explainable and means the nature cleric sublcass wouldnt be needed. You can shoe horn it into making sense, but thats up to you. Have fun with your character concepts!
Drawing on the divine essence of nature itself, you can cast spells to shape that essence to your will. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the druid spell list.
I think we may have conflicting definitions of Divine. I understand magic to be either Arcane (secrets, unexplained) or Divine (of god(s) or godlike). I see no reason to change druids in the divine source of magic sense. but I certainly endorse DM's discretion, if it comes to that.
I have to say you have brought up some interesting concepts about Iron. I am quite sure I will incorporate that in some way with my games, Thanks
I would like to point out to all, the source books cover the OP subject of Druids and Gods/Goddesses. and they do a good job of covering what was discussed in this thread.
Cheers
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So, my group and I are getting ready for a new campaign and I decided to play a Firbolg Druid. The problem is that I can't do the hippy, one with nature slant that seems to be a stereotype anymore.
My solution to this is to have my Druid of the moon be a more literal Druid of the moon by worshipping and following Selune. My question is, is that at odds with being a Druid? Can a Druid worship and follow Selune and just use their natural inclination towards nature to serve her purposes or are they mutually exclusive practices?
That's not at odds with being a Druid in the slightest. Check with your DM and if s/he agrees, write up your back story and go for it. It sounds fun!
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There are several dieties in the core books that would, and indeed mention, have druids worshipers. There is no single unified druid culture that has to exist. Your circle could be dedicated to Selune and the moon, and another circle could be dedicated to the sun and be your mortal enemies. Hawks and mice are not friends, despite both being beasts. There's plenty of space for dogmatic differences among druids.
I currently play a lizardfolk moon druid who comes from a tradition dedicated to planar balance. They basically feel that anything NOT of the prime material has no place on the plane and they seek to destroy these things. (We've been saying the Faewild and Shadowdark are the sister planes so they're fine with inhabitants from either, but elementals need to **** right off)
I'm glad you hear! Thank you guys! Just wanted to make sure it seemed kosher before pitching the idea to my DM and getting a facepalm haha.
Dont worry about comforming to stereotypes of what druids are, There are too many pulling in different directions - 2000AD's Slaine, Celtic and fey legends to name a few. (by the by, hippies gave little thought to the land considering the state woodstock was left in) Even 5th ed doesn't subscribe to one druid fits all - the recent canon sporedruid is a druid who animates the dead - yeah no hippies there, more voodoo bog witch or schlock 70 serial murder video bad guy. You might want to come up with a group, commonly 'circles' in previous editions that aspire to a common goal that your druid is / was a part of. They can be big (prevent the elemental planes leaking into the natural world and bring about the end of the world) or small (protect the tiny forest glade of Smallwater) As for why you may be in the big world by yourself? It might be an 'amish' coming of age deal - you are to experience what the world offers, see its horrors so you can recommit to the circle with no doubts in your heart that you tend to the land and keep it pure.
Have fun with it.
I just want to say, religion is different than class. any person can have any religion and any class associated with a religion/God never requires that religion to unlock features of the class. it is up to you the player to present a story that the DM can work with. I have always looked at druids as a sort of nature flavoured jedi order, I.e. the forces of nature gives them power, but they are free to practice(religion)in their own way.
may the force (of nature) be with you!
Jesus Saves!... Everyone else takes damage.
But the Jedi were a religious order...
You can play a Druid as a nature Jedi, but that’s making a moral choice. You could play a Druid as a nature sith as well, but that’s a different specific choice.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s several ways to play a Druid and there’s no specific god you have to worship or gods you can’t worship with the right spin.
sure it was a religious order but druids, also, cannot be completely separated from religion because the power has a divine source. it is obvious that we agree on the druid - religion question. I was just offering a general idea that a group can have many subgroups with different practices, I didn't want a cross franchise debate.
Jesus Saves!... Everyone else takes damage.
Giga, Druid source power isnt necessarily divine. Its up to the DM but it usually comes down to what came first, the followers or the god? and furthermore, what came first the planet or the things that grew on it that it barely feels. It might just be the planet is a battery of life and occasionally people tap into its ponderous thoughts and apply themselves to what they interpret as its desires.
Going right to the start however, the mindflayers and aboleth came first surviving the collapse of the previous reality and 'cheating' there way into this one. Nature may abhor a vacuum but it abhors anomalous manipulators who dont know when their time is up much, much more.
So historians, the reason you go insane trying to piece together illithid and aboleth history is because it predates existence, wipe the heresy out - with nature powers!
5th ed lumps druidism / daernism back in with fey / feywyld - a source of non divine magic and elemental inner planes, also non divine energy sources. Gods are outerplanar types - prayer junkies everyone of them. The planes of elements lead deeper to the birthplace of all life the radiant plane and its twin the negative energy plane. Ok admittedly the plane of radiance kills you faster than the negative one but thats because you werent made to handle LIFE. But what if you siphoned it and leashed it through the world you live in, the forests and the stream, the sea and the mountain? Your a druid and life itself is your source, but the land is your guard against its dangers.
Alternatively you could have druids with gods, but that makes the weird restriction on metal armour (throwback to iron / fey) less explainable and means the nature cleric sublcass wouldnt be needed. You can shoe horn it into making sense, but thats up to you. Have fun with your character concepts!
From the druid description:
Spellcasting
Drawing on the divine essence of nature itself, you can cast spells to shape that essence to your will. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the druid spell list.
I think we may have conflicting definitions of Divine. I understand magic to be either Arcane (secrets, unexplained) or Divine (of god(s) or godlike). I see no reason to change druids in the divine source of magic sense. but I certainly endorse DM's discretion, if it comes to that.
I have to say you have brought up some interesting concepts about Iron. I am quite sure I will incorporate that in some way with my games, Thanks
I would like to point out to all, the source books cover the OP subject of Druids and Gods/Goddesses. and they do a good job of covering what was discussed in this thread.
Cheers
Jesus Saves!... Everyone else takes damage.