Although druids usually share a common goal, one radical group of druids is unlike any other. While the majority of druids attract and befriend animals, these protectors of nature actually repel living creatures. Forming an exclusive and somewhat unpopular branch of the druid class, these druids adopt the unpredictable temperament of powerful storms.
The storm druid is a variant druid. Unless otherwise noted, a storm druid advances in the same manner as a regular druid (same Hit Die, base attack bonus, saving throw bonuses, skill points, and so on). When a character elects to take a level of druid or storm druid, she may not later take levels in the other class. This prevents the character from gaining the benefits of a 1st-level druid twice.
Alignment: Storm druids are almost universally chaotic neutral.
Hit Die: d8.
The storm druid’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Deafness Immunity, Nature Sense |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Frightful Presence (Animals), Thunder Strike (1/day) |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Wind Sense +1 |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Resist Nature’s Lure |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Electricity Resistance 5 |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Thunder Strike (2/day) |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Frightful Presence (Magical Beasts, Fey and Vermin) |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Venom Immunity, Wind Sense +2 |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Electricity Resistance 10 |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Thunder Strike (2d6 electrical damage, 3/day) |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Improved Initiative |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | A Thousand Faces |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Timeless Body |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Electricity Resistance 15, Thunder Strike (permanent deafness, 4/day), Wind Sense +3 |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Frightful Presence (All Types) |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Electricity resistance 20, Thunder Strike (4d6 electrical damage, 5/day) |
| Level | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 13th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 15th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 16th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 18th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 19th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 20th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
All of the following are class features of the storm druid. A storm druid retains the druid’s spellcasting ability as well as nature sense (1st level), resist nature’s lure (4th level), venom immunity (9th level), a thousand faces (13th level) and timeless body (14th level). She loses all other druid class abilities, including wild shape and acquiring an animal companion.
Spontaneous Casting: Unlike typical druids, the storm druid does not channel stored spell energy into summon nature’s ally spells. Instead, she can “lose” a prepared spell (of equal or higher level) to cast a spell from the following list, provided she can cast spells of the appropriate level:
Deafness Immunity (Su): At 1st level, the storm druid becomes totally immune to deafness, magical or otherwise.
Frightful Presence (Ex): A storm druid of 2nd level or higher can unsettle animals with her mere presence. The ability takes effect whenever the druid attacks or charges. Animals within a radius of 30 feet are subject to the effect if they have fewer HD than the druid.
A potentially affected animal that succeeds on a Will save (DC 10 + ½ druid level + druid’s Charisma modifier) remains immune to that druid’s frightful presence for 24 hours. On a failed save, the animal becomes shaken for 4d6 rounds. Animal companions and familiars of the storm druid’s allies ignore his frightful presence.
At 8th level, the storm druid’s frightful presence also affects magical beasts, fey and vermin.
At 16th level, the storm druid’s frightful presence affects creatures of all types.
Thunder Strike (Su): Once per day, a storm druid of 2nd level or higher can discharge a powerful electrical jolt that also creates a thunderclap with a successful melee attack. The storm druid must declare her intent to use this ability before she makes her attack. If successful, she deals an additional 1d6 points of electricity damage and forces her opponent to make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ storm druid level + Constitution modifier) or become deafened for 3d6 rounds. A failed attack still consumes one use of this ability. The storm druid can use this ability once per day at 2nd level, and one additional time per day at 6th, 11th, 15th and 20th level. This ability cannot be used more than once per round.
At 11th level, the electrical damage increases to 2d6.
At 15th level, the deafness caused by this ability is permanent.
At 20th level, the electrical damage increases to 4d6.
Wind Sense (Ex): As she gains experience, the storm druid learns to read air currents and instinctively reacts to slight shifts in the wind, such as those created by a moving object or spell effect. At 3rd level, she gains a +1 insight bonus on all Reflex saving throws. This bonus increases to +2 at 9th level and +3 at 15th level.
Electricity Resistance (Su): At 5th level, the storm druid gains resistance to electricity 5. This resistance increases by 5 for every 5 additional storm druid levels (resistance 10 at 10th level, 15 at 15th, and 20 at 20th).
Improved Initiative: At 12th level, the storm druid gains the Improved Initiative feat.
Source: Dragon Magazine #328 (Page 87)