Faerie Follower (Druid)
Druids can be kind of a tricky class to create new archetypes for; they have a fairly well-defined and narrow focus (nature), and don’t deviate from it all that much. They also come equipped with a suite of cool nature-themed abilities right from the get-go. So when creating a new druid archetype, it is critical to find some aspect of nature that isn’t already explored. To that end, I created a druid that celebrates nature’s monstrous champions, the fey.
New Druid Archetype
Faerie Follower
As their name implies, faerie followers are druids who have devoted their time and attention to the worship of fey creatures, believing them to be the ultimate incarnation of nature. Because of their close association with fey, faerie followers have learned to unlock magical abilities not normally available to other druids. In addition, their practices have granted them a number of unique abilities, and accomplished faerie followers can even transform into fey for short periods of time.
Faerie Speech (Ex): Faerie followers learn ancient secrets to communicate with fey and can use their knowledge of such creatures to easily express their ideas. The faerie follower can speak with and understand any fey creature, regardless of what actual language that creature actually speaks. Additionally, the faerie follower can attempt to influence the attitudes of fey creatures she spends at least 1 minute talking to. This functions as the Diplomacy skill, except that the faerie follower rolls 1d20 and adds her level + her Wisdom modifier to the check. Additionally, the faerie follower may substitute her Wisdom modifier for her Charisma modifier on Diplomacy checks made with fey creatures.
This ability replaces the wild empathy class feature.
Fey Magic (Ex): A faerie follower learns secret magic from her communion with fey creatures and through her studies of the fair folk. At 1st level, the faerie follower can choose 2 spells from the bard or sorcerer/wizard spell list, which cannot be of a level greater than the highest-level druid spell she can cast. She treats the chosen spells as though they were on the druid list and can prepare them as druid spells. At each level beyond 1st, she can choose another spell from the bard or sorcerer/wizard spell list, using the same guidelines, to add to the spells she can prepare and cast.
This ability replaces the nature bond class feature.
Fey Resistances (Ex): At 4th level, the faerie follower begins a slow transformation into a fey creature, gaining some of their protective powers. The faerie follower gains DR 1/cold iron and a +1 bonus on Will saves to resist charm and compulsion effects. At 8th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the DR granted by this ability is increased by 1, and the bonus to saving throws is increased by 1.
This ability replaces the resist nature’s lure class feature.
Wild Shape: At 4th level, the faerie follower gains the wild shape ability, as normal; however, she can use it to assume the forms of fey creatures in addition to animal forms. When the faerie follower alters her form using the wild shape ability, she can choose to assume the form of a Small or Medium fey. At 8th level, she can instead assume the form of a Tiny or Large fey. The faerie follower can only assume the forms of animals or fey when using wild shape to replicate the effects of beast shape III or beast shape IV.
When she assumes the form of a fey creature, she gains certain bonuses and penalties based on the size of the form she assumes, as follows.
Tiny Fey: The faerie follower gains -4 size penalty to Strength and a +8 size bonus to Dexterity.
Small Fey: The faerie follower gains a -2 size penalty to Strength and a +4 size bonus to Dexterity.
Medium Fey: The faerie follower gains a +2 size bonus to Dexterity.
Large Fey: The faerie follower gains a +2 size bonus to Strength and Dexterity.
Additionally, the faerie follower gains any of the following abilities if the form she assumes possesses them: burrow 30 feet, fly 30 feet (average maneuverability), swim 30 feet, darkvision, low-light vision, and DR 6/cold iron.
At 8th level, she adds the following to the list of abilities she can gain: special arrows (memory loss or sleep only), and unearthly grace.
At 12th level, she adds the following to the list of abilities she can gain: fly 60 feet (good maneuverability), DR 10/cold iron, and all extraordinary abilities.
At 16th level, the faerie follower gains all supernatural abilities of the chosen form.
At 20th level, the faerie follower gains all of the abilities of the chosen form, including spell-like abilities, though she may only use a spell-like ability gained in this way once per day, even if she would gain the same spell-like ability from another source, The saving throw DC for a spell-like ability gained in this way is Wisdom-based, and uses the faerie follower’s caster level.
The saving throw DC for any ability gained in this way is equal to 10 + 1/2 the faerie follower’s level + the faerie follower’s Wisdom modifier.
This ability modifies the wild shape class feature.
Spell Resistance: A faerie follower eventually becomes resistant to spells and magic of all kinds. At 9th level, the faerie follower gains spell resistance equal to 5 + her class level.
This ability replaces the venom immunity class feature.