Using Kits

A druid kit works with the basic PH druid or with any of the branches described in the previous chapter. Thus, a desert druid could be a Savage (coming from a primitive desert tribe), a Wanderer (traveling the desert wastes), a Guardian (protecting a certain oasis), or some other kit.

Branch and Kit

When building your druid character, choose the branch first, as it has specific ability score requirements. After that, pick from any of the applicable kits. However, make sure you have enough proficiency slots to take the weapon and nonweapon proficiencies required by both the branch and the kit--although in many cases branch/kit proficiency requirements overlap.

DM Restrictions

Prior to letting players select kits, the DM should examine each kit and decide whether it fits the overall campaign. The DM might want to restrict some kits to NPCs or prohibit others altogether.

The DM also may wish to make changes or add material to some kits, to better match the conditions of a particular campaign. Take the Savage druid, for instance. If the campaign already features a primitive tribe of, say, pearl divers, the DM might adjust the Savage kit to fit established details of that tribe's cultural background for instance, the DM might make swimming a required or bonus proficiency.

Reaction Bonuses and Penalties

Druid kits occasionally receive reaction bonuses or penalties as part of their special benefits and hindrances. A reaction adjustment due to either the druid kit's requirements or an extreme Charisma score (PH, p. 18) is expressed as a bonus (+1, +2, etc.) or a penalty (-1, -2, etc.).

When rolling 2d10 for encounter reactions (Table 59, DMG, p. 103), the DM must subtract the bonus or add the penalty--not the other way around. For instance, the druid Snapdragon has a combined +7 reaction adjustment bonus for her high Charisma and her druid kit. The DM then subtracts 7 from the 2d10 encounter reaction roll to reflect the bonus, due to the way Table 59 in the DMG is designed.

Kits and the Character Record Sheet

To record a druid kit on your character record sheet (pgs. 125-127), take the following steps:

· Add the name of the druid kit following the druid's branch. For instance, a druid with the Hivemaster kit and the plains druid branch would be written as: plains druid (Hivemaster).

· When recording the character's proficiencies, put an asterisk next to those the character received free through the druid kit. This will help you and your DM remember how many proficiencies the character is due.

· Where you have space (on the back of your character sheet or on a separate piece of paper), write down the kit's special benefits, hindrances, and any other features you wish to recall quickly. You also can use the space provided on a copy of the druid character sheets.

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