Innate Spellcasting. The dryad’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14). The dryad can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: druidcraft
3/day each: entangle, goodberry
1/day each: barkskin, pass without trace, shillelagh
Magic Resistance. The dryad has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Speak with Beasts and Plants. The dryad can communicate with beasts and plants as if they shared a language.
Tree Stride. Once on her turn, the dryad can use 10 feet of her movement to step magically into one living tree within her reach and emerge from a second living tree within 60 feet of the first tree, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the second tree. Both trees must be Large or bigger.
Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit (+6 to hit with shillelagh), reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage, or 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage with shillelagh.
Fey Charm. The dryad targets one humanoid or beast that she can see within 30 feet of her. If the target can see the dryad, it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed. The charmed creature regards the dryad as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under the dryad’s control, it takes the dryad’s requests or actions in the most favorable way it can.
Each time the dryad or her allies do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until the dryad dies, is on a different plane of existence from the target, or ends the effect as a bonus action. If a target’s saving throw is successful, the target is immune to the dryad’s Fey Charm for the next 24 hours.
The dryad can have no more than one humanoid and up to three beasts charmed at a time.
I don't see these used often enough...
agree. I just randomly bought a PDF on running fun brawls in Taverns. As part of the PDF he gives 10 fun examples of a unique taverns including one with 6 huge tress growing as part of the building. The resident Dryad cut a deal with owner to save the trees and in exchange the Dryad does favors for the owner and long term patrons. Really cool idea!
How is shillelagh a once a day spell for a Dryad, but a cantrip for a druid?
It effectively wouldn't be a CR1 creature anymore. Shillelagh is cast as a bonus action, meaning the Dryad can cast it and still attack in the same round. This means the Dryad's 'real' average damage output per round is 400% higher than it appears (2 compared to 8), and it's attack bonus is 300% higher than it appears.
The new Ghosts of Saltmarsh supplement does a nice job of creating fun seafaring scenarios. One of the superior ship upgrades listed is "Living Vessel" where the ship's hull is made of living wood crafted by master shipwright Eladrins in the Feywild. I like the idea of a dryad, enthralled with stories of the open ocean choosing to serve aboard such a living ship, having bonded to the tree used in its construction. As a crew member, she brings to the table goodberry rations (maybe tastes like cranberries for that ocean-spray feel), ability to speak with aquatic beasts and plants, and she can oversee the natural healing of the ship when it becomes damaged.
"Would you like to hear the reports from the seagulls, Captain?"
I really enjoy this new supplement.
As it stands it should be using entangle and fey charm non-stop anyway, and it can't use barkskin and entangle at the same time. Since it's almost never going to use shillelagh, giving it more uses of it would barely change the dryad, because fighting in melee combat is the last thing it wants to be doing being a squishy support caster. All it would really do is remove their slight vulnerability to having dispel magic cast on them, dropping their shillelagh.
homebrewing a hellscape version of this for my Evil Dead segment of my current campaign.
A hellscape version appears in Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, but they just use banshee stats for ‘em.
my hellscape is based on Evil Dead/Dante's Inferno with a few other crossover bits related to my player's character's origins.
I need a bit of advice. I'm trying to create a character who was raised and bonded with a young Dryad. He left the forest briefly to learn the ways of the Druid to find someway to remove her from the forest safely in hopes to hide her from a sorcerer who constantly came to see her. Years later just as he returned with the solution, the sorcerer came and took her while he was at the process of safely transporting her.
I'm having trouble with the background, personal characteristics, character details (faith in particular [I mean, really? What do Dryads worship?]) as well as any other useful suggestions.
Can I have any help?
Mielikki is the Forrest Queen, so that might be a good choice. Silvanus, Eldath, or any other nature deity should work well.
For the background, Hermit or Outlander could work, both are separated from civilization.
They only have one weapon, and it's kinda like an extension of her body. Wouldn't need to cast it more than once a day.
Upvoting this.
It may also be worthwhile looking into elven deities, as they have the most dealings with Fey.
Some elven nature cults can actually convert their faithful into Dryads, so acolyte is also a solid background choice.
I just realized that the most efficient way a Dryad could use Barkskin would be to cast it on one of its charmed defenders, not itself.
In fact, it’s entire ability set (especially goodberry), with this “recruitment” and support strategy.
Favors? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Nylea would also be another good one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ul-cZyuYq4
Is there any way I could make this a harder creature to fight? I wanted to make a level 10 boss but a dryad would fit best in my campaign.
Well, the obvious stuff would be make it’s barkskin AC into permanent Natural Armor, 150 or so Hit points, and raise all its DCs and Ability Score bonuses by +2 (increase score by 4).
For more uniquely Dryad stuff, make Entangle at-will, and let the boss use Entangle and Charm as legendary actions. For its third, double-expensive Legendary Action, let it heal itself and an ally. That will keep with the normal dryad‘s theme of supporting its minions.
is there a way to get dryads as a familiar or minion?