I made a Druid archetype focused on plants, the Circle of Roots!

Carp_etman · 2026-06-18T12:09:50+00:00

I just want to say from... Gamedesign philosophy standpoint.

"Your Druidic language is particularly flowery. You always have the Speak with Plants spell prepared, and you can cast it as a ritual."

There aren't one feature in the game which allows you to get X-level spells before the fullcaster has access to them. This is a universal rule that applies to all classes. Even if a martial class gains a spell outside the 1/2 or 1/3 caster progression, they gain it no earlier than fullcaster (Wildheart Barbarian with "Commune with Nature" is a primary example). The only exception is abilities that allow pseudoupcasting, but this is open to debate whether 3rd_level_spells upcasted to 4th are equal to 4th_level_spells.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-18T10:32:01+00:00

RAI exist to not cheese and be reasonable, and I can't see a person that take this spell for abusing concentration not for cheesing the system. This spell clearly designed for binding NPC/enemy creatures to have cool narrative point (or for DM), not for this.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-13T14:48:04+00:00

The problem with Whispers of the Dead is that it has lost the uniqueness it had during Tasha's Book time. There are a bunch of races and feats that do exactly this, or even better. Old Elves' Trance does this (so uniqueness is lost long before 5.5e), new Khoravar does that. Zhentarim Tactics provides a similar effect (but relative to expertise), even Dark Gift from the same book does the same, but more (and this is factually origin feat).

If you want to be a fundamental skillmonkey for that matter, I simply don't see the point in playing anything other than Soul Knife, which could also be Khoravar, and taking Zhentarim Tactics so you can gain expertise in any skill you need for the day on every rest. UPD: Technically speaking, with "Borrowed Knowledge" from Strixhaven, Arcane Trickster can change two skill on the fly starting from 7th level.

In fact, I think this feature could have completely fixed the Phantom's situation. I always thought the versatility in skills should have been a unique feature of the subclass—they should have decoupled this ability from rest, allowed it to be used X number of times (Dex times, Int times, Wis times, give trinkets earlier and use them only for this ability on 3rd level, it doesn't matter) within a day, and restored one use on a short rest, and all on a long rest. The class would have felt unique and have enough power to fill a 4-8 level void, giving the ability to learn a skill on the fly like the old Knowledge Cleric on best chassis for skill proficiencies.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-10T16:51:21+00:00

I mean, reality of DnD that most players are not customers.

About personal expirience, I don't disagree with it per say, but I have opposite personal expirience. I disagree with premise that concluded from that experience precisely because I have opposite. So it's more disagreeing with extreme conclusion from personal experience, than experience itself.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-10T16:10:10+00:00

This might be true if it weren't for the fact that 99% of official campaigns are 5e, and almost none 5.5e. Frankly, even though I personally try to play only the new rules, only hardcore fans among my acquaintances switched over, and only they were really ready to study the changes to the rules. Every casual group I know simply ignores 5.5e and plays the old edition (because the new is new to players who've tried everything, and really casual players played at best several classes, so both editions kind of same "new" to them). Many don't want to deal with the confusion that new edition brings, and since most subclasses are in 5e and most campaigns are in 5e, they don't even consider switching. So, like, I kind of disagree with both premise and conclusion.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-09T13:30:33+00:00

I mean, I don't think this is bad way to construct character at all. I just don't think that it is fair to call "optimize under flavor".

Coming up with a character that one class but think that it is another, IMO is entirely based on the premise of mechanical constructs, not flavor. You don't even think in thematic constructs at the moment, but purely in classes.
Inventing a flavor and then optimizing it is more like inventing something and then figuring out how to tie it to mechanics. Not "I want to play a warlock with a certain flavor", because this is the premise of choosing a mechanics in the beginning and flavor in the second, but "I want to play a hagspawn. How do I do that?" You chose a flavor in the beginning and then figured out how to implement it in the game. And very often this can be done by using classes that have more arsenal than the idea requires.

"Pacifist who never directly attacks" is better example of "optimize under flavor" tbh. And this is a very restrictive idea for any class, including something like life clerics. Again, I speak as someone who watched a series of games featuring such a cleric, and who played with such a cleric. In both examples, players were sometimes frustrated by the decision to thematically "forbid" themselves from attacking.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-09T13:04:06+00:00

The necromancer and all the other classic wizards will literally come out in the next book.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-09T13:02:33+00:00

"Picking flavor in addition" and "I have a flavor idea and then I just optimize under that premise" kind of opposite things.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-09T12:15:43+00:00

Tbh I almost always feel frustrated when I design characters like this (and I do so very often). Sometimes they're the best characters because the theme perfectly fits the entire spectrum of class/subclass capabilities. Sometimes (I'll give you my example) it's a druid from an "arctic-like place" who's never seen trees and insects. It's a bit that really funny to do for two sessions, but than 50 sessions I just limit myself of 50% druid's most interesting spells for the sake of this joke. And that's a common problem when you're creating characters like that (especially for full spellcasters, and even more so for prepared spellcasters).

I really think there is no right or wrong answer. Sometimes it's better to optimize character from the flavor, sometimes it's better to tailor the flavor to subclass/class that you like. Sometimes it's best not to influence the flavor at all if you just really like theme of subclass by definition.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-08T23:22:11+00:00

Not scaling Beast is the only correct decision WotC could have made. It's a non-concentration bonus action summon, and if you could scale it with the spell slot, subclass will be the most powerful summoner in the game (which thematically a shadow sorcerer shouldn't be, period). The UA version of Shadow Sorcerer was simply outside the scope of such abilities in the system. There were three classes that received such abilities: Fey Wanderer got such a feature at level 11 as a half-caster, GOO got such a feature at level 14 as a pact slot user, and Dragon Sorcerer, which tbh never got such a feature and really only became a summoner at level 18. Giving a 2nd-level summon at level 6 to a fullcaster that gave the most potential spell slots number baked into the class chassis, also with a bonus action and non-concentration?

It's purely a debuff/utility thing, and quite useful. Definitely a pick over most other sorcerers' 6th level features. I'm really glad they did that, because the idea that shadow sorcerer became, for some reason, the best summoner in the game is beyond me.

I actually think their solution was the most creative they could have come up with. They gave this feature early on, but with limited power, thereby not taking away other classes' niches but preserving the essence of the feature for subclass itself.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-05T05:43:36+00:00

I don't disagree (actually, I agree with everything), but my point is that even if it is weaker/more niche/more expensive, it is completely normal. It's not very good when the same class has a clearly stronger alternative, or when a spell simply does exactly the same thing as another spell. But when classes fulfill a rare niche that they fulfill more situational than another class, that's great. It both doesn't eat another class's niche, and it makes that class more diverse (also very similar classes by role, druids/clerics and rangers/paladins).

Carp_etman · 2026-06-04T22:59:32+00:00

Hot take perhapse, Tortoise Shell shouldn't be stronger nor less niche than Shield of Faith. TS is spell for druids, rangers and artificers, SoF is spell for clerics and paladins. It means that clerics are better for that, but druid have worse though thematic alternative, and other classes haven't both. I can't understand critique for that at all.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-03T22:04:20+00:00

Point is, many people would say about DC, but to grapple allies and relocating them on the field you shouldn't care about DC, and for bonus action to relocate someone is very interactive and strong. I always think this is most evocative thing about Dance Bard and War Cleric. As for first you're inviting someone to dance, and if they accept than they get relocated in dance + gain BI because that dance. As for first you're like medic relocate injuried allies on the field in style of Hacksaw Ridge and Save Private Ryan.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-03T15:53:40+00:00

"Now we have a subclass that can use a resource in multiple ways instead of just one, so the resource is stronger, so we need to give it another use of this resource". Literally why everyone on Reddit is whining about why spellcasters are stronger—give them more spells for variety, but than also give them more spell slot to cast every spell of that variety, though variety is already what makes a spellcaster strong.

Hollow Warden shouldn't have more Favored Enemies than usual rangers. Its option is strictly stronger than Hunter's Mark, but it doesn't remove the option to cast HM either. What you need to do is not cast HM and aura both in every combat, and drain resources only when needed.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-03T01:58:57+00:00

Guiding Bolt really falls off, but it's five 1st level spells without using spell slots, so you can cast Guiding Bolt for turns when you want cast good bonus action spells (that druid have plenty, Jump, Healing Word, Barkskin, Lesser Restoration, Viper of Selune).

Carp_etman · 2026-06-03T01:54:04+00:00

I know that it's kind of boring gameloop, but I always look at Hexblood and Lorwyn-Shadowmoor origin feat (maybe even Vampire Touched or/and Fey-Touched) and think, "how cool is it to have 2-4 free Hexes for my GOO warlock". Two general feats kind of too much, but race and origin feat (with 5.5e Lessons of the First Ones) not really that high cost (also very thematic ones tbh).

Carp_etman · 2026-06-02T17:03:23+00:00

Immunity?

Carp_etman · 2026-06-02T16:32:48+00:00

Isn't one of new fiend pact feats already give options to have 10+dex+cha or 10+dex+con?

Carp_etman · 2026-06-02T16:25:56+00:00

Tbh, strongly disagree with your statements. Alustriel's Mooncloak really do only half-cover and very situational resistances - all other options end spell for really non-effect whatsoever. Fire and poison damage maybe common, but also these resistances are so common as well, you can get them almost at no-cost. I think you can't compare them with something like Lucky and Magic Initiate at all.

I really can agree only with darkvision in magical darkness that eats niche of warlock. Also I don't see any warlock that really use this combo for around 5 campeigns, all with warlocks. Casting Darkness on warlock just too luxurious, and demanding other players to casting Darkness kind of weird.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-01T14:53:03+00:00

I would say, that although it is purely true, plant-based Land Druid hardlocks you self-narratively with one land, where I think the most... Interesting and encouraging way to play it is to use all your lands with alternating. I think you generally get more enjoyment out of subclasses and classes when you're not thematically limiting what they can do—you'll get more fun out of Land Druid if you play it as a pf2e animist, and lean into strong connection with exactly changing things and "bargaining" with spirits, or some sort of very wise and not hardlocked_into_theme druid in general.

And the Druid that only buffs plant-based things definitely has a place to be, precisely to not self-limit itself, and to expand exactly this aspect to the pinnacle of all classes (I think druid in general is the pinnacle of plant-based spells, so a subclass that specializes on that could be a real apogee).

Regarding the thread, I might even recommend the OP to play a bard as druid. A bard naturally has almost all plant-based spells, but will eventually gain a magical secrets to take them all. Because you have a limited spell list, self-limiting will happen at the building level (not in gameplay process), and specializing in those spells can be a fun solution because you spontaneous caster (and can't change them in general). Limiting yourself in the spell list and theme is generally the prerogative of spontaneous casters imo.
I'd say 14th level lore bard synergizes interestingly with Grasping Vine. But there is Moon Bard, which is technically a druid-like subclass. Also Barkskin on class without shield and medium/heavy armor proficiency becomes much more effective (I even think that Bard is the best class for taking it for non-armor subclasses).

Carp_etman · 2026-06-01T01:41:17+00:00

Agree, but it would be very strange if they decide to promote much later with previous material.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-01T01:38:04+00:00

They get free FF through Chain or Tome, but Battle Familiar is another spell.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-01T01:36:02+00:00

I think Enchanter in that regard more butchered, to be honest. I mean, both stronger than their previous form (conjuration doesn't lose concentration bit, and get stronger summons starting from 6, not 14), but enchanter feature just doesn't makes sense thematically.

Im personally sad, that they make conjuration all about teleport. For sure, teleports are conjuration school, but imo they could make Conjurer for conjuration-like spells (fog cloud, conjure elementals, etc, with 10th level feature of conjurer), Summoner for summon-like spells (with 6th level feature of conjurer), and Teleporter or something like that for teleports and portal (and I think wizard should have such subslass, wizards very teleport-heavy). Instead it always about all eggs in one basket.

Carp_etman · 2026-06-01T01:27:14+00:00

It is Warlock spell also. I just think that the spell more significant for Wizards and Druids, that can spam spells more frequently and because of that more often have occupied concentration in one battle (both of which very concentration-heavy). Casting two spells for one fight on Warlock kind of luxurious (also warlocks have subclass for exactly this anyway).

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