Druid

Druids are custodians of natural balance, wielding primal magic drawn directly from Solaris itself. Balancing destructive and nurturing powers, they can call forth healing energies or unleash devastating elemental forces with equal skill. Their profound connection with nature grants them unique shapeshifting abilities, allowing them to assume animal forms for adaptability in various situations. While their magical resistance is formidable, they favor medium armor that maintains mobility without disrupting their connection to natural energies. Their primary stat attribute is intellect, with vitality as a close secondary.

Nature's Power

Druids draw their power from the primal energies that flow through all living things on Solaris. This connection manifests in their ability to manipulate elements, communicate with plants and animals, and channel natural forces. Their spells can cause vines to entangle foes, summon healing rains, or call down lightning strikes. Unlike Mages who study arcane formulas, Druids gain their abilities through deep spiritual communion with the natural world, often experiencing profound visions during meditative trances within sacred groves. This intuitive understanding makes their magic less predictable but often more powerful than conventional spellcasting when in environments teeming with life.

Shapeshifting

The most distinctive ability of Druids is their capacity to adopt animal forms. This transformation is not mere illusion—it is a complete physical metamorphosis that grants them the abilities and instincts of the creature they become. Beginning Druids typically master a small number of forms native to their home regions, while experienced practitioners can assume dozens of different shapes, from tiny insects for scouting to powerful predators for combat. Legendary Druids can even take on the forms of mythical beasts or blend aspects of different animals into hybrid shapes uniquely suited to specific challenges. In the Wildlands, some Awakened Druids have developed techniques to incorporate plant characteristics into their transformations, becoming living embodiments of nature's wrath.

Origins

The Druidic tradition originated with the ancient Grovekin of the Hinterfall Jungle, who discovered how to commune with the world's primal forces through deep meditation. When the Black Empire drove them from their ancestral homes, these Grovekin scattered across Solaris, sharing their knowledge with receptive individuals of various races. The practice evolved dramatically at the Sacred Grove in the Osperian Forest, where Grovekin elders developed the first shapeshifting techniques. After the fall of the Black Empire, Druidic practices flourished in the restored Wildlands, where Queen Yasmine's Awakened Grovekin established the Circle of Renewal. Today, while the Wildlands remains the spiritual center of Druidic practice, many learn their craft at the College of Natural Harmony in Elyndaar City, where ancient techniques are preserved and taught alongside new innovations.

Magical Affinity

Druids show exceptional aptitude for Nature magic, which forms the core of their practice. This affinity allows them to accelerate plant growth, communicate with animals, and channel life energy for healing. Many Druids also develop strong connections to Elemental magic, particularly Earth for stability and protection, and Water for healing and divination. Some incorporate Air magic for weather manipulation and enhanced mobility. Those who focus on the balance between life and death may study Shadow magic, understanding that decay is a natural part of the cycle. In the Wildlands, Awakened Druids have pioneered techniques merging Nature and Chaos magic, tapping into the unpredictable power of evolution itself, while those from the World Below often develop affinities for unique applications of Cie magic to enhance their communion with subterranean ecosystems.

Notable Races

Grovekin are the quintessential Druids, their inherent connection to plant life and natural cycles making their practices particularly potent, especially within the Sacred Grove of the Osperian Forest. Solarians excel as Druids, their crystalline physiology resonating with the fundamental energies that flow through Solaris, allowing them unique insights into the planet's life force. Beastkin Druids are renowned for their exceptional shapeshifting abilities, maintaining greater awareness during transformation and achieving forms impossible for others, particularly those from the Hinterfall Jungle. Human Druids often bring innovative approaches to traditional practices, with some integrating techniques from their original timelines to create entirely new Druidic paths. Protokin from the World Below have developed a unique branch of Druidic practice focused on fungi and subterranean ecosystems, establishing vast mycelial networks that span entire regions of the underdark. Vegonian Druids, while rare due to cultural tensions, are among the most powerful practitioners when they embrace the path, their natural affinity for adaptation allowing them to thrive in the harshest environments of the Kazarial Desert.

Professional Pursuits

Druids naturally gravitate toward professions that complement their connection to the natural world and healing abilities. Many become skilled Enchanters, infusing natural materials with magical properties without disrupting their essence, a practice especially common among those trained in the Wildlands. The Explorer's path also attracts many Druids, their shapeshifting abilities and natural adaptability making them exceptional scouts in uncharted territories. In Elyndaar City, some Druids pursue the Scientist's discipline, applying analytical methods to understand and preserve endangered ecosystems. Those with leadership inclinations may become Commanders of conservation efforts, organizing groups to protect threatened wilderness areas from exploitation. Druids from the Osperian Forest often develop skills as Crafters, creating tools and garments from sustainably harvested materials that harmonize with natural energies. The most traditional Druids, particularly those from isolated communities in the Hinterfall Jungle, combine their practice with the Bartender's art, brewing potent elixirs and remedies from rare herbs and fungi that can heal ailments resistant to conventional magic.