Multi- and Dual-Class Druids
This section elaborates on the options for players who wish to role-play
multi- or dual-class druids. The choices and descriptions are culled from a variety
of sources, including the PH and DMG.
Multi-Class Druids
Only half-elves can be multi-class druids. Multi-class druids must abide by
the weapon, shield, and armor restrictions of their branches. The PH (pgs. 22, 44) mentions the half-elf's options of druid/fighter, druid/ranger, druid/mage,
and druid/fighter/mage. (Some earlier printings incorrectly cite only the
druid/fighter combination on
p. 44.)
Druid/Fighter. The core AD&D rules permit the druid/fighter.
Druid/Ranger. The core AD&D rules permit the druid/ranger. The Complete Ranger's Handbook, p. 79, gives guidelines for playing such characters: A Nature deity of good
alignment must exist whose specialty priests are all druids. This priesthood
must ally with a group of rangers. Any half-elf druid/ranger must obey the level
limits for demihumans (DMG, p. 15), making it unlikely for the character to compete for high levels of druidic
power. The druid/ranger's multiple interests antagonize conservative druids,
and the character usually suffers from divided loyalties. (Create a similar
character with fewer problems by giving a druid/fighter the Avenger or Beastfriend
kit, described in the next chapter.)
Druid/Mage and Druid/Fighter/Mage. The core AD&D rules permit the druid/mage and druid/fighter/mage. While these
combinations exist, they remain rare and require the DM's permission. They
cannot wear armor or use shields, and must limit their weapons to those permitted
to druids.
Dual-Class Druids
All normal rules for dual-class characters apply to druids. The druid's
restriction to neutral alignment limits the options to bard/druid, fighter/druid,
wizard/druid, and thief/druid. Some druids prefer to see the upper ranks of the
Order filled by "pure" druids those who have devoted their lives solely to the
Order. Dual-class characters sometimes face prejudice from other druids.
Fighter/druids. Often acting as wandering guardians of Nature and country folk (much like
neutral rangers), fighter/druids also can become hermit-knights, living away from
society and defending a particular grove with their lives. Fighters who become
druids often do so because they seek spiritual growth, because they have grown
disgusted with the world of man, or occasionally as penance for a particular
misdeed.
Druids who become fighters, on the other hand, want to take a more direct
approach to defending the wilderness; others seek to attune themselves to Nature by
mastering their own bodies using eastern-style fighting arts, often becoming
rather enigmatic Zenlike warrior-mystics.
Wizard/druids. Looked upon with deep suspicion by most other druids, wizard/druids generally
find themselves stereotyped as untrustworthy or scheming. Conservative
elements within the druidic order often attempt to block wizard/druids from reaching
12th level. If they fail, they deliberately encourage rising druids to challenge
the dual-class character to a duel in preference to other targets.
Wizards usually become druids for philosophical reasons: either a fear that
unrestrained use of magical or divine forces threatens the cosmic balance, or a
desire to learn the druidic arts to better understand the workings of Nature.
Druids who study wizardry most often see this magic as another part of Nature to
study and master.
Thief/druids. Such combinations appear rarely, since the city serves as the optimum home
base for the thief. As with wizard/druids, people tend to distrust thief/druids.
A druid who becomes a thief usually does so after becoming disillusioned with
the druidic order. A thief becomes a druid usually as the result of highly
unusual circumstances an outlaw flees to the wilderness to escape pursuit only to
befriend a local druid, come to love Nature, and decide to adopt a new way of
life.
High-level Dual-Class Druids. A dual-class character who achieved a high level as a fighter or wizard
before becoming a druid has an edge in the challenge a druid faces to advance beyond
11th level. For fairness, the Order generally bans such player characters from
initiating challenges; they can gain experience levels above 11th only to fill
a vacancy.
DMs with a taste for political intrigue may permit an exception if the
character receives special dispensation from the druidic order. This means a
dual-class druid must have a sponsor: in theory, a higher-level druid who attests to the
character's fairness and commitment to the Order. In practice, the sponsor is
often a druid who wants a dangerous rival removed and believes the dual-class
character has a good chance of doing so! In the case of wizard/druids, however,
the Order often (but not always) forbids wizard spells during the challenge.
A peculiar situation can occur if a character has achieved 12th to 15th level
as a druid, then adopts another class. In effect, such characters have "dropped
out" of the Order. Although inactive as druids, they retain their former Hit
Dice and hit points. When they wish to use their druidic powers again (after
achieving one level more in the new class than their druid level), they must
challenge an incumbent for the high-level druidic position they once held.
A dual-class character who loses the challenge must drop a level, as usual
but then may face another challenge and another, until the player character
eventually wins a position or falls to 11th level. As a result of this danger,
dual-class player characters usually prefer to switch classes before reaching 12th
level or after exceeding 15th level.
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