Druid spells are intended to strengthen, protect, and revitalize a party as a cleric, but his spells are more attuned to nature.  Their spells are more powerful as attacks than clerics, and they can use a greater variety of weapons (the restriction against drawing blood does not apply), but they may not use any metallic armor or shield.  Since such metallic protections would prevent the druid from being able to perform his magic, he may only wear leather or padded armor or none, and may carry only wood shields.

  Spells are spoken or read aloud.  There is no dispel power over undead or other creatures such as clerics use, because druids are involved with living things of this world.  Although they have many of the same healing spells as clerics, they do not have these available at level one.

  Trees are sacred to the druid, especially oak and ash; they also do homage to the sun and moon personified.  (They are animists, worshipping the spirits in these objects.)  Mistletoe is the principle holy symbol of the druid; the quality of the mistletoe may control the efficacy of spells.  They protect trees, wild plants, and crops as a primary religious duty, followed by a duty toward druidic followers and animals.  They oppose the destruction of forests and other natural environs absolutely, and oppose killing animals except when necessary for survival.  They may eat meat.  Druids are unlikely to risk their own lives in protecting their charges, but will usually take vengeance later.

  At level 3, the druid can identify plant type, animal type, and pure water.  He can also pass through overgrown areas such as tangled thorns and briar patches at normal movement rates without leaving a trail.

  At level 7, the druid is immune to the charm spells of such woodland creatures as dryads, nixies, and sylphs.  Such a druid also is able to change once per day to any mammal, once to any reptile, and once to any bird.  The creature must be a real natural creature not smaller than a bat, bullfrog, or bluejay, up to about twice the weight of the druid.  The change will also heal d6x10% of any damage taken by the druid.

  Druids speak druidic as an additional language.  Beginning at level 3, the druid learns one language per level chosen by the character from these languages:  centaur, dryad, elfish, faun, gnome, green dragon, hill giant, lizardman, manticore, nixie, pixie, sprite, treantish.  These languages are in addition to those learned as part of the character's language limit, so the druid may exceed the number of languages he may know by intelligence and race.

  Druids fight and save as clerics, but are +2 against fire and lightning and all other electrical attacks.  They may use any magic item not limited to a particular class except those weapons and armor which are prohibited to them, and may use any clerical items which are not written (such as scrolls and books).  They may use druid scrolls.

  There are only nine druids of level twelve; each has three assistants.  These assistants are the same level for each druid, but each druid has higher level assistants according to the relationship between their current experience.  Thus, the twelfth-level Druid with the least experience (in points) is served by three level-one druids, and the one with the most experience is served by three ninth-level druids.  The single thirteenth-level Archdruid is served by three initiates of the eighth circle, and the fourteenth-level Great Druid is served by nine initiates of the ninth circle.  These servitors and protectors are not henchmen; the druids may have henchmen in addition to this.

  A character may only achieve twelfth-level Druid if there is a vacancy or he bests one of the nine current Druids in spell or hand-to-hand combat.  If the combat is not mortal, the loser drops to the beginning of level eleven, initiate of the ninth circle.  This process is repeated for becoming the thirteenth-level Archdruid (with the loser reverting to Druid) and the fourteenth-level Great Druid (with the loser reverting to Archdruid).

  Advancement table:

  There may be one Great Druid in each major area, such as a major nation or a continent.  Above this is the Grand Druid, of which there is only one in the world; attaining this position is handled as becoming the Great Druid.  He is served by nine twelfth-level Druids who give up their position in the hierarchy of their native land to serve him.  The Grand Druid may cast up to six spells of each level plus additional spells of any levels totaling six additional levels.  Three Archdruids who have advanced to this level in his service as Druids roam the world in service to him; they have four additional spell levels.

  The Grand Druid oversees all druidic activity in the world.  It is not an exciting position for an adventurer.  However, at any time after he has attained five hundred thousand additional experience points, he may retire and move on to greater things.  To do this, he gives up his position, his six bonus spell levels, and begins counting experience again from one point.  He is now a level sixteen Hierophant Druid; he may advance as high as level twenty-three, gaining one hit point per level, and a number of additional powers.

  The spells of the hierophant remain at the maximums for the Grand Druid, minus the six bonus spell levels.  The casting ability continues to rise with level for any spells for which the caster's  level is a factor in the casting.

  At level 16, the character is immune to all natural poisons, including monster poisons, however delivered, but not mineral poisons or poison gas.  His age is extended by a number of decades equal to his level.  His health (and ability scores) are those of the prime of life.  He may alter his appearance at will, within one segment, with up to a 50% change in height and weight, any age from child to very old, and any humanoid or human type body and facial features.  The alteration is not magical, not detectable by anything less than a true seeing spell.

  At level 17 the character can hibernate, suspending animation for up to a number of decades equal to his level without aging, enter the elemental plane of earth at will in one round, and conjure a water elemental (as the information below) once per day.

  At level 18, the elemental plane of fire can be entered and an air elemental may be conjured.

  At level 19, the elemental plane of water can be entered, and conjuration extends to para-elementals of the planes of magma and smoke.

  At level 20, the elemental plane of air is added, and para-elementals from the planes of ice and ooze.

  At level 21, the para-elemental planes may be entered at will.

  At level 22, the plane of shadow may be so entered.

  At level 23, the character can move freely through any of the inner planes, roam inner planes probability lines, and dwell on the plane of concordant opposition.

  In all cases, the druidic power to enter a plane includes the power to live there as if a native creature.  There is no time limit on the character's ability to remain there.

  Heirophants conjuring elementals, either as abilities of their level or by use of druidic spells, have a percent chance equal to their level of getting exactly the creature they desire.  If that roll fails, they will get the creatures determined randomly, according to the plane from which the creature is summoned.  The creatures summoned will be exceptional examples, with added hit points equal to the caster's level up to the maximum normally possible for the creature type.  All such summoned creatures obediently and selflessly serve the Hierophant, regardless of alignment or nature.

  Hierophant advancement table:

  Any Occidental Elves except Drow, Half-elves, Hobbits, and Occidental Humans may be Druids.

The site which inspired this site....

The best new role playing game....

A consideration of time travel....

Other writings by the author....

For your added enlightenment....