Druid

When this skill is purchased, the character embraces the animalistic power of nature and gains the ability to call upon their guardian animal totem and merge with it, transforming their body into a bipedal version of the character’s guardian totem animal. All armor and items worn are unchanged in the new form.

When a character transforms, they must drop to their hands and knees or crouch for 1 minute to roleplay the shift. During this time, the character puts on the appropriate costuming for the animal which must be at least a mask and a tabard approved by Plot. The character can be attacked and harmed during this time and no skills or abilities can be used. The Druid may call latent spell defenses or invoke spell defenses from items, however. Taking damage will not interrupt the transformation unless the Druid is rendered unconscious or worse. If the character is interrupted, they do not use the skill for that Tag Cycle.

When transformed, the Druid gains the following abilities:
• +20 Body Points
• +1 Strength Bonus
• +1 Damage Bonus with their claws only
• One special ability based on the type of totem (see table below)
• Immunity to all charm effects
• Immunity to Fear
• May still use their Druid skills, even Nature Magic

They also suffer the following detriments while shapeshifted:
• They cannot speak common and therefore cannot use any skills, spells, powers, or items that require a verbal, but can understand what others are saying, and can be understood by Druids.

Category
Examples
Special Ability

Avians
Eagles, etc
Critical Attack 1x,
Flight levels 1 and 2

Insects
Ants, Beetles
20 Natural Armor,
Acid Spit: 18 points of damage x2

Bears
+10 Body Points,
+1 Strength Bonus, Non-Combinable

Canines
Wolves, Hyenas
+1 Damage Bonus,
Master Parry, Track By Scent

Felines
Lions, Tigers
+1 Damage Bonus,
Critical Attack, Track By Scent

Primates, Equines
+1 Damage Bonus,
Feat of Strength x2

Reptiles
Snakes, Lizards
10 Natural Armor, Threshold of 2 (stackable),
Poison Spit: Blindness

Scorpions
20 Natural Armor,
Poison Spit: 24 Point Damage x2

Spiders
10 Natural Armor,
Webbing x3

The character must receive approval from the Plot Director for their totem animal and the final category benefits. If a character has a totem that is not represented in the above table, the closest match will be assigned.

While in their aspect, the character appears as a half animal half man version. The character gains no special movement powers or the ability to walk on four (or more) legs. While in animal form, the character may use their Druid skills and Nature Magic spells. They still need to say the appropriate verbal but, in-game, the characters around them do not understand what they are saying. Also, they may use any latent spell normally. When the character changes back to their natural form and they are down Body Points, the bonus Body Points the character gains from changing are the first to be lost. Therefore, if the character normally has 20 Body Points and uses this skill they would have 45 Body Points. If the character was down 18 Body Points when they changed back, they would be at 20 Body Points – the normal for their natural form. Willingly changing back to their natural form takes the character however long it takes to remove their costume.

The change normally lasts 1 hour, but the character may change back to their natural form at will. If while in the animal form, the character is brought to the Brink of Death, they are forced back into their natural form.

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.

The character may only purchase Aspect of the Beast or Elemental Quintessence, not both. Once learned this skill cannot be unlearned in order to purchase the other skill.

This ability allows the character to turn one or both hands into claws and allows them to use an approved LAIRE claw in combat dealing 1 point of magical damage with each blow. The claws are part of the character's body and may not be coated with poison as doing so would poison the character. Even if the character were immune to the poison, the poison would be expended when applied. The character’s claws take damage and any damage dealt to the claws is taken from the character’s Body Points.

Damage Bonuses and special weapon attacks, like the Slay, Stun, Waylay, Assassinate, etc. skills, with the exception of the Speed skill and Inspire and Heroism spell songs, may not be used with the Claws skill. However, the character’s Strength Bonus does add to the damage.

Claws always swing for magic damage. The character has the option of using their Elemental Pool Points to increase the amount and type of damage dealt.

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill

This skill uses the Druid’s influence and tie to nature to compel all natural animals within hearing range or Line of Sight of the character to obey their commands for 30 minutes. When the skill’s duration ends, all incomplete commands are forfeit, and the animals will return to their own will and react according to their nature. This skill can be countered by sorcery or any other spell or ability that charms the animal.

This skill is not a charm effect and only works on characters with the Animal type on their card (see LAIRE’s Codex of Monstrous Creatures).

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.

This skill makes the character a Druid and gives the character access to the Druid Advanced Career Skill List.

With this skill, the character gains a limited immunity to necromancy. The character is immune to any undead creation spell in the Necromancy School. Damaging spells from that school still effects the character normally and a Death Slave spell effects the character as a Kill spell would. Undead creating sorcery rituals effect the character, but they are at half power, in other words, half the normal Body Points, Power Points, Strength Bonus, skills, etc. and is wracked with constant pain and agony.

This skill also allows the Druid to communicate with animals and plants at will. The Druid’s words are understandable to the people around them, but the responses from the plant or animal are not. The animals or plants are not automatically friendly or benevolent towards the Druid.

This ability will work on some “monsters” that are natural creations of the Mother. The player must learn about these in-game. For plants or animals not played by an NPC, a Marshal is required to use this skill. If none is available, the plant or animal has nothing to say

When the character learns the Elemental Pool skill, they gain one element of their choice that they can use with their pool. This skill allows them to attune themselves to one new element each time this skill is purchased.

This skill can only be purchased five times. Also, each purchase of this skill counts as a new master level skill.

Once this skill is purchased, the character gains an Elemental Pool. For each purchase of this skill, the character gains 20 Elemental Pool Points. The character may use this to deal magical damage of the type given in the table below. The character must choose one element from the table below when the skill is purchased. Later, the character can learn the Elemental Attunement skill to learn to wield more elements from the table below.

The character may use this pool to throw the elemental damage at a rate of one EPP for one point of damage up to the maximum of the character’s current pool total. The character may use this skill to increase the damage of their weapon strikes in addition to changing the type of damage to the element called upon. The character may use any amount of their available Elemental Pool to increase their damage on a one for one basis.

The character can also use their Elemental Pool to protect themselves and others from an elemental attack. The character can place a latent Elemental Protection that will stop any one elemental attack on a character for 15 EPPs. It will stop any elemental damage – even one augmented by a Warlock skill or damage suffixed with “Eldritch”, any spell from an elemental school, or damage from a physical elemental attack. The defense will not stop effects from physical attacks, for example: Slay, Assassinates, Disarms, Stuns (but it does stop the damage), etc. The Druid does not need to specify what the element is when the protection is granted and the Elemental Protection does not stack with itself.

Finally, the Druid may cast Nature Magic from their Elemental Pool in addition to no normal Power Points. It costs a number of EPPs equal to twice the listed Power Point cost.

This skill requires the use of a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill. Additionally the character must include the element called upon in the verbal when used as an attack. This skill can be delivered by touch or through a weapon. If delivered through a weapon, the targeted character must be struck, and unlike Channeled spells, weapons and shields will stop the attack. If the character misses their target or the target uses a martial skill to stop the attack, the skill is not used.

When this skill is purchased, the character embraces the elemental power of nature and gains the ability to call upon one element (chosen when the skill is purchased) and merge with it, transforming their body into a partial elemental. All armor and items worn are unchanged in the new form.

When a character transforms, they must drop to their hands and knees for 1 minute to roleplay the shift. During this time, the character puts on the appropriate costuming for the elemental which must at least be a mask and a tabard. The character can be attacked and harmed during this time and no skills or abilities can be used. The Druid may call latent spell defenses or invoke spell defenses from items, however. Taking damage will not interrupt the transformation unless the Druid is rendered unconscious or worse. If the character is interrupted, they do not use the skill for that Tag Cycle.

When transformed, the Druid gains the following abilities:

• +20 Elemental Pool Points

• Deals 2 points of damage for each EPP used when using their embraced element.

• Claws always swing the embraced element and magic

• One special ability from the table below

• Immunity to all charm effects

• Immunity to Fear

They also suffer the following detriments while shape shifted:

• The character becomes somewhat non-corporeal and loses the ability to wield weapons or shields.

Element
Special Ability

Air
Thunder and Lightning x3

Earth
Flesh to Stone/Stone to Flesh x2

Fire
Total Power Lava Burst x2

Water
Arctic Wind x3

Life
Elemental Life x2

Death
Elemental Death x2

For air, earth, fire, an water, the abilities are stopped by defenses that stop spells (including absorption which gives the appropriate Power Points). For life and death, the abilities are physical effects and are stopped by any magical defense that stops a physical attack. The abilities require no verbals and the player should suffix the spell effects with the word “…Spell”.

While in their quintessence form, the character appears as their character with aspects of the element. The character gains no special movement powers.

The change normally lasts 1 hour, but the character may change back to their natural form at will. If while in the quintessence form, the character is brought to the Brink of Death, they are forced back into their natural form.

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.

The character may only purchase Aspect of the Beast or Elemental Quintessence, not both. Once learned this skill cannot be unlearned in order to purchase the other skill.

For each use of this skill purchased, the character may become undetectable while standing next to a tree or shrub. Once invoked, the character may not move or speak or the effect is negated and the ability is used. To use this ability, the player stands next to a tree or shrub and crosses their hands or weapons over their head.

This skill cannot be used while in combat. This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.

This skill allows the character to meld with nature and fall asleep for as long as the character wants, but:

• The time specified has to be longer than one week,

• The Duration has to specified at the time the skill is used, and

• Has to be used in a natural surrounding.

While hibernating, the character is safe from all outside harm and cannot be found. The character does not need to eat, sleep or excrete. They do not age nor do they have any sense of the outside world or the passage of time.

If this skill is used between Events, the character does not need to pay their upkeep and cannot learn any new skills.

To use this skill, the character cannot be in danger of being attacked, engaged in combat, and must sit and meditate for 1 hour. This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.

Nature Magic is unique to Druids and their connection with The Mother.

Special Rules of Nature Magic:

Nature Magic works just like any regular low magic school; it must be learned rank by rank, requires the use of the correct full verbal and costs Power Points. Standard spell defenses will stop the effects of these spells – Negation, Spell Shield, etc – except the character gains no Elemental Pool Points or Power Points if an Absorption spell is used. A character can use the Redirect skill to redirect a Nature Magic spell.

Nature Magic spells cannot be used with Warlock skills, Create Scroll skill, or Sorcery Rituals.

Grants access to Rank 2 Nature Magic spells. All spells unlocked by this rank skill are detailed below.

Grants access to Rank 3 Nature Magic spells. All spells unlocked by this rank skill are detailed below.

Grants access to Rank 4 Nature Magic spells. All spells unlocked by this rank skill are detailed below.

When this skill is used the character becomes one with the land, rendering the character inoffensive to plants and animals for 10 minutes. Plants and animals may not attack the character but may attack anyone that may be with them. If the character willingly attacks any plants or animals while this skill is active, the creatures will fight back. A character that does so, loses access to all Followers of the Mother spells and abilities until the end of the next Tag Cycle, and must contact a Plot Marshal.

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.

This skill makes the character completely immune to all diseases, natural or magical. If the character loses their focus, they lose the protection of this skill.

This skill makes the character completely immune to all poisons, natural or magical, when invoked. The skill can be called as a defense to an attack, however the character must be conscious in order to use the skill.

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus.

Once learned, this skill makes the character unable to be tracked either by skill, scent or other tracking abilities. The character may opt to leave tracks if they wish, but then any character with the appropriate skill can track them.

This skill will not prevent the character from being scried upon with sorcery.

When this skill is purchased, the character gains the ability to transform into a normal animal with stats from the normal form of the animal from the Codex of Monstrous Creatures each time the skill is used. All armor and items worn – magical or otherwise – change into the new form and any access to them is lost, however, the benefits of any magic item is still available to the character except magic items that need to leave the character to be useful.

When a character transforms, they must drop to their hands and knees for 1 minute to role-play the shift. During this time, the character puts on the appropriate costuming for the animal. The character can be attacked and harmed during this time and no skills or abilities can be used. The Druid may call latent spell defenses or invoke spell defenses from items, however. Taking damage will not interrupt the transformation unless the Druid is rendered unconscious or worse. If the character is interrupted, they do not use the skill for that Tag Cycle.

They also suffer the following detriments while shapeshifted:

• They cannot speak common, but can understand what others are saying

• They lose access to all skills, abilities, racial abilities, Body Points, etc of their old form and completely take on the stats of their new form.

• Cannot perform any physical activity the animal cannot naturally perform, for example, opening doors, writing, riding a horse, cooking dinner, etc.

• Cannot use any weapons or shields

While shape changed, the character appears as a completely normal and natural version of the animal form chosen.

When the character changes back to their natural form and they are down Body Points, they are down the same amount of Body Points in their normal form. If this would normally put them at zero or less Body Points, the character is at 1 Body Point.

The change normally lasts 1 hour, but the character may change back to their natural form at will. If while in the animal form, the character is Mortally Wounded or brought to the Brink of Death, they are forced back into their natural form. The character may expend another purchase of this skill at the end of the duration to continue staying in their shapeshifted form without changing back first.

To use this skill the character must have weapons and costuming appropriate to the animal form. Plot has the final say on the stats of the animal and if it is appropriate.

This skill requires the use of the character’s focus and a verbal, which must be at least 5 syllables, not including the skill’s name, and must contain some reasonably recognizable version of the name of the skill.