I would like to recommend druids get lairs, if they apply for it, or, say, they are part of the Stewards Faction.
These lairs can only be used in certain areas, Like the Moldmire/Underwater/Hidden Pond/ etc... depending on the lair theme.
These lairs will represent a theme that the druid represents. Water elementals, fire elementals, the windy canyon for a druid specializing in 'flying creatures' and as they lair upgrade, the Druid can interact with a placable that permits them theme relevant wildshapes. For example, the druid with the 'lava grove' can turn into a fire elemental, or maybe a small wyrmling (red). The druid with the water grove can get an underwater breathing wildshape early in their career.
Further, for region themed groves, you can get them the 'grove perks' that the Moldmire has, and permit conflict and PvP in this manner. As it stands, I am only aware of the Moldmire having this scripted benefit of the 'raid' where you gather saturated leystones, or the druid benefits from the ritual. Druid lairs, as they upgrade, and are relevant, can become a part of the region system where it will alert PCs who travel that something is going on.
I just think it'd be a pretty good idea to turn Lairs = druid Grove.
Meh.
Druids don't dig lairs, they merely take a guiding control over specific regional ecosystems, e.g. the Moldmire.
Which is an awesome place for druids and has a cool theme! More of those, please! The new lairs system, on the other hand, doesn't make much sense.
There's also a MAJOR MASSIVE IMPORTANT lair available to most druids in-the-know... so again, redundant.
Maybe not lairs per se, but triggers that alarms the druid when he's in his (apped approved) area, or ability to summon specific stuff once/day (or reset) depending on his area... They get grove already.
Allow non-druids to do some sort of dark ritual that the druid needs to stop.
Quote from: Knight Of Pentacles;414641Allow non-druids to do some sort of dark ritual that the druid needs to stop.
Ok. I will prepare one <3
Druid lairs seem fairly silly, why not just expand the grove system. I know EFU:M had one and it was neat. Granted it was for Stewards of the Ark only. The sad thing is they really create very little conflict. No one really goes after the ley stones (to my knowledge) or nor do I see rituals done there (scripted or not) but of course that might be my limited nature playing this setting.
I do rituals all the time myself honestly, however I do think the system could be expanded! I think a combination of our current ritual system+the grove system of last chapter could create a unique thing for groves. As it seemed to be, last chapter druids of the stewards could claim groves for themselves from the existing ones, I'd have something like that but put it forth for ALL druids, so it doesn't limit them and tie them down to being a steward if they want to get a grove, I -really- liked the ley-line system, the only downfall I feel is that again it was only open to Stewards, which I don't argue that Stewards with their knowledge could pass through all Ley-lines, but maybe a grove owner could open the ley-line of his grove, and no others allowing one way travel. (unless steward, or other faction with such capabilities, special exceptions due to plot or loot.) Additionally each grove having a cool ritual with some thematic loot and powers like the existing ones that only the grove owner can perform, but ANY druid or spellcaster can attempt to disrupt. Lastly, have the grove have spawns fitting to the grove area (like moldmire has all the mold-stuff) and have the grove owner become neutral to the grove spawns!
All of these give solid perks, and seem very viable in my opinion. Now there is the fact of limited grove area's, that can be remedied quite easily, have some area's be major grove area's (Moldmire, Shroomstalk Forest, Hidden Pond, ect.), and then have lesser grove area's which are smaller groves in weaker less ley-strong places that can be claimed too but have no benefits beyond perhaps creature neutrality or such. This would create conflict for Druids to aspire to greater position in their circles, and promote conflict amongst them, naturally, the strongest druids will have the strongest circles, the weaker will be stuck to lesser until they are strong enough to move to try and claim a greater grove for themselves. I think Viably, the circle area to begin with should also be a non-food resting area to whoever owns the grove, lesser or not, as this would be their home essentially, and as a grove owner you have really gotten to know the land in which you protect (the creature neutrality solves the potential issue of "enemies nearby"). Claiming a grove can work a lot like one would claim property, except a DM would be needed to oversee a grove being claimed, I do not however think this should be a App thing.
Only issues I think come with this is the fact that you need a DM to set you up for a grove, however, I can't see it being overly complicated beyond setting the entire system up in the first place, I know DM's are busy, but this would create yet another thing for Druids to keep occupied, and give some more substance to the idea of Groves which to Druids are a big thing. Also, I'm not sure if Ley-lines are a thing in this chapter, but they would be pretty wicked to see return if they are not, and they would fit into the grove system perfectly. Lastly, I know some people may say "This restricts druids to certain area's to have a grove, instead of being able to be creative and find some place to mark it as theirs". Well, thats why lesser groves exist, because whether people think so or not, the ley pools in certain places in the underdark stronger than others, and not every grove is going to be as impressive as the moldmire, or the shroomstalk! If you want a grove in some obscure crazy place, well first its going to have to make sense (Such as the area being in a place of nature-purity, not infested with undead like the boneyard, or abberants like the beyond or badlands.), and then your likely going to have to claim and sanctify it to nature (This would have to be DM-approved, and would create a lesser grove, Greater groves are not able to be created other than existing ones starting out unless a DM feels an area is fitting for such.)
Thoughts? It's a lot of work, but it would be an extremely cool system, and if your going to do work on a grove system in the first place, you might as well do it cool the first time, so there aren't a lot of future posts like this current one ^_^