Pacifist
The Pacifist druid believes in the sanctity of all life, but especially that
of creatures with animal Intelligence or higher.
Role: The restrictions on the druid's actions (below) make this a challenging role
to play, and one that works best within a party of good-aligned adventurers. To
give the player of a Pacifist druid a chance to shine, the DM should design
adventures in which the character can help negotiate a diplomatic settlement of a
crisis between neighboring lords or where party members sometimes can win over
opponents by negotiation or moral persuasion.
For example, suppose a tribe of goblins menaces human lands. The DM alone
knows that the goblins actually were displaced from their old caverns by an evil
vampire and would return home if someone destroyed the vampire. A scenario like
this gives a clever Pacifist druid, such as Lark (above) a chance to talk to the
goblins, discover why they intruded into human land, then convince the party
to ally with them against the vampire.
Branch Restrictions: None.
Weapon Proficiencies: Recommended-- staff.
Secondary Skills: Farmer, groom.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus-- healing. Recommended--(general) brewing, cooking; (priest) herbalism, religion, spellcraft;
(warrior) animal lore, survival.
Equipment: A Pacifist like Lark can purchase no weapons except darts or a staff. She
should spend her entire initial allotment of gold pieces on equipment, as she
loses unspent starting money in excess of 1 gp.
Special Benefits: The Pacifist druid can use some or all of her weapon proficiency slots to buy
nonweapon proficiencies.
Pacifists such as Lark have the ability to speak soothing words to ease
tempers and calm savage beasts. This power can remove the effects of a fear spell, calm an enraged animal, or pacify a hostile crowd. Lark can use this
power a number of times per day equal to her experience level. Using soothing
words accomplishes one of the following:
· Negates one fear spell (or similar monster ability) on a single victim;
· Halts a single creature's berserker rage; or
· Temporarily calms down a number of animals, characters, or monsters (whose
combined levels or Hit Dice total no more than twice the druid's level). A calmed
group usually remains calm for 1d4+1 rounds, as long as others refrain from
hostile action against them, their allies, or their property. During this time,
the druid or others can attempt to escape or to negotiate a resolution to the
situation.
Special Hindrances: You, the player, must role-play this druid as a strict pacifist. A character
like Lark does not totally oppose others who do harm when necessary--after all,
animals kill for food. However, she never injures a person or animal herself.
In addition, she encourages her companions to use the minimum required force
during encounters: to ask foes to surrender before attacking them, let retreating
enemies flee if she thinks they won't be a menace again, and so on.
Use of herbal brews or magic that does not permanently harm enemies is
perfectly appropriate. For instance, Lark can entangle foes, turn them into trees, use sleeping poison, etc. However, she absolutely
refuses to let harm come to captives or innocents under her care; in fact, she
uses her powers and risks her life to protect them.
The Pacifist druid's code against violence does not extend to evil undead.
These creatures are already dead but need help finding their rest; in other words,
the druid will destroy them.
Like all Pacifists, Lark eats only vegetarian meals. (You, the player, decide
whether your Pacifist character eats fish.) She won't prevent others from
eating meat, but usually expresses disapproval.
High-level Pacifists find themselves disadvantaged when attempting to advance
a level, as winning a druidic challenge usually requires violent behavior.
However, if Lark wanted to even up her chances in the challenge, she either could
get her opponent to agree to a nonviolent contest, or she could win using
harmless tricks or magic.
Finally, the player cannot roll or choose the following secondary skills:
armorer, hunter, trapper/furrier, or weaponsmith.
Wealth Options: 3d6x10 gp.
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