Druid, Groundskeeper (3.5e Class)
Groundskeeper Druid
A Druid who has trained in nature yet retain their natural form, The Groundskeeper Calls additional companions to aid them in protecting the land. The two classes have much overlap, with a few major differences between them. The Groundskeeper does not shape shift, instead Channeling power into their companion and eventually calling more than one at a time. In addition,the Groundskeeper is a spontaneous caster, while most Druids must memorize their spells each day.
Experienced Groundskeepers tend to be feared in most cities once they have a small heard of wild beasts following them.
Making a Groundskeeper Druid
Groundskeepers fill a similar role as druids and clerics in an adventuring party. With good healing capabilities, excellent druid spell list buffs, and access to the summon nature’s ally spells their spellcasting is on par with the other two classes. Unlike other spontaneous casters, Groundskeepers rely on Wisdom rather than Charisma for their spellcasting stat.
Abilities: Wisdom is the spellcasting stat for the Groundskeeper and should be the main focus. Take care in close combat, as you have no shapeshifting ability or heavy armor.
Races: Any race may become a Groundskeeper Druid, though they usually come from more rural areas.
Alignment: Any Neutral.
Starting Gold: 1d4×10 gp.
Starting Age: Complex.
Hit Die: d8
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | Spells per Day | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Animal Companion, Nature Sense, Wild empathy | 3 | 0+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Woodland stride | 4 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Trackless step | 4 | 1+1 | 0+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Resist nature’s lure | 5 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Animal Companion | 5 | 2+1 | 1+1 | 0+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Animal Companion | 5 | 2+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Animal Companion | 6 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | 0+1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Animal Companion | 6 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Venom Immunity | 6 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | 0+1 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Animal Companion | 6 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Animal Companion | 6 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | 0+1 | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Animal Companion | 6 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | A Thousand Faces | 6 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | 0+1 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Animal Companion | 6 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +8 | +5 | +9 | Timeless body | 6 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | 0+1 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Animal Companion | 6 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | 6 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | 0+1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Animal Companion | 6 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | 6 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 2+1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Animal Companion | 6 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Groundskeeper.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Groundskeepers are proficient with the following weapons: Club, Dagger, Dart, Gauntlet, Heavy Mace, Javelin, Light Mace, Morningstar, Quarterstaff, Shortspear, Sickle, Sling, Spear, Unarmed Strike.
Groundskeepers are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. A Groundskeeper may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. (See the ironwood spell description) She may also wear armor made from the natural scales of a creature such as a dragon.
A Groundskeeper who wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited shield is unable to cast Druid spells and loses control of her animal companion(s) for 24 hours thereafter.
Spells: A Groundskeeper casts divine spells, which are drawn from the druid spell list. Her alignment may restrict her from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time.
To learn or cast a spell, the Groundskeeper must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Groundskeeper’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the Groundskeeper’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a Groundskeeper can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Groundskeeper. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. When Table: Groundskeeper indicates that the Groundskeeper gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on her Wisdom score for that spell level.
The Groundskeeper’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A Groundskeeper begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of your choice. At most new Groundskeeper levels, she gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Groundskeeper Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a Groundskeeper knows is not affected by her Wisdom score; the numbers on Table: Groundskeeper Spells Known are fixed.)
Upon reaching 3rd level, and at every odd Groundskeeper level after that (5th, 7th, and so on), a Groundskeeper can choose to learn a new spell in place of one she already knows. In effect, the Groundskeeper “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level Groundskeeper spell the Groundskeeper can cast. A Groundskeeper may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that she gains new spells known for the level.
As noted above, a Groundskeeper need not prepare her spells in advance. She can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming she has not yet used up her allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.
| Level | Spells Known | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |
| 1st | 4 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | 6 | 3 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | 6 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | 6 | 4 | 3 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 21 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 21 | — | — | — |
| 12th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 13th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 21 | — | — |
| 14th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
| 15th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 21 | — |
| 16th | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | — |
| 17th | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 21 |
| 18th | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 19th | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 20th | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
1 Provided the Groundskeeper has a high enough Wisdom score to have a bonus spell of this level.
Bonus Languages: A Groundskeeper’s bonus language options include Sylvan, the language of woodland creatures. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.
A Groundskeeper also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level Groundskeeper. Druidic is a free language for a Groundskeeper; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Groundskeepers are forbidden to teach this language to non-druids.
Druidic has its own alphabet.
Wild Empathy (Ex): A Groundskeeper can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The Groundskeeper rolls 1d20 and adds her Groundskeeper level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result.
The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the Groundskeeper and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A Groundskeeper can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a –4 penalty on the check.
Animal Companions (Ex): When a Groundskeeper goes through her training, she begins learning to interact with the natural world and communes with animals. Over time, she gains their trust and they follow her as Animal Companions. She has one which she bonds with first, often a unique creature with a deep bond, and then later gains a following of a particular type of creatures.
At 1st level, the Groundskeeper gains a companion as any other druid, but instead of changing companions, she gains additional companions. All of her animal companions are the same level.
At 5th level, The Groundskeeper gains an additional animal companion selected from the following list: Bat, Rat, Raven, and Tiny Viper. Each time you would gain another animal companion after 5th level, gain one of the same type.
Trackless Step (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a Groundskeeper leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Resist Nature’s Lure (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a Groundskeeper gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of fey.
Venom Immunity (Ex): At 9th level, a Groundskeeper gains immunity to all poisons.
Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 15th level, a Groundskeeper no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place.
Ex-Groundskeepers
A Groundskeeper who ceases to revere her ancestors or nature, changes to a prohibited alignment, or teaches the Druidic language to a non-druid loses all spells and Groundskeeper abilities (not including weapon, and armor). She cannot thereafter gain levels as a Groundskeeper until she atones (see the ‘’atonement’’ spell description).
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