Pacifist Druid (Character Kit)

__NOTOC__
==Pacifist==
The Pacifist druid believes in the sanctity of all life, but especially that of creatures with animal Intelligence or higher.
Role: The restrictions on the druid's actions (below) make this a challenging role to play, and one that works best within a party of good-aligned adventurers. To give the player of a Pacifist druid a chance to shine, the DM should design adventures in which the character can help negotiate a diplomatic settlement of a crisis between neighboring lords or where party members sometimes can win over opponents by negotiation or moral persuasion.
For example, suppose a tribe of goblins menaces human lands. The DM alone knows that the goblins actually were displaced from their old caverns by an evil vampire and would return home if someone destroyed the vampire. A scenario like this gives a clever Pacifist druid, such as Lark (above) a chance to talk to the goblins, discover why they intruded into human land, then convince the party to ally with them against the vampire.
Branch Restrictions: None.
Weapon Proficiencies: Recommended—staff.
Secondary Skills: Farmer, groom.
Nonweapon Proficiencies:
* Bonus—healing.
* Recommended—(general) brewing, cooking; (priest) herbalism, religion, spellcraft; (warrior) animal lore, survival.
Equipment: A Pacifist like Lark can purchase no weapons except darts or a staff. She should spend her entire initial allotment of gold pieces on equipment, as she loses unspent starting money in excess of 1 gp.
Special Benefits: The Pacifist druid can use some or all of her weapon proficiency slots to buy nonweapon proficiencies.
Pacifists such as Lark have the ability to speak soothing words to ease tempers and calm savage beasts. This power can remove the effects of a fear spell, calm an enraged animal, or pacify a hostile crowd. Lark can use this power a number of times per day equal to her experience level. Using soothing words accomplishes one of the following:
* Negates one fear spell (or similar monster ability) on a single victim;
* Halts a single creature's berserker rage; or
* Temporarily calms down a number of animals, characters, or monsters (whose combined levels or Hit Dice total no more than twice the druid's level). A calmed group usually remains calm for 1d4+1 rounds, as long as others refrain from hostile action against them, their allies, or their property. During this time, the druid or others can attempt to escape or to negotiate a resolution to the situation.
Special Hindrances: You, the player, must role-play this druid as a strict pacifist. A character like Lark does not totally oppose others who do harm when necessary—after all, animals kill for food. However, she never injures a person or animal herself. In addition, she encourages her companions to use the minimum required force during encounters: to ask foes to surrender before attacking them, let retreating enemies flee if she thinks they won't be a menace again, and so on.
Use of herbal brews or magic that does not permanently harm enemies is perfectly appropriate. For instance, Lark can entangle foes, turn them into trees, use sleeping poison, etc. However, she absolutely refuses to let harm come to captives or innocents under her care; in fact, she uses her powers and risks her life to protect them.
The Pacifist druid's code against violence does not extend to evil undead. These creatures are already dead but need help finding their rest; in other words, the druid will destroy them.
Like all Pacifists, Lark eats only vegetarian meals. (You, the player, decide whether your Pacifist character eats fish.) She won't prevent others from eating meat, but usually expresses disapproval.
High-level Pacifists find themselves disadvantaged when attempting to advance a level, as winning a druidic challenge usually requires violent behavior. However, if Lark wanted to even up her chances in the challenge, she either could get her opponent to agree to a nonviolent contest, or she could win using harmless tricks or magic.
Finally, the player cannot roll or choose the following secondary skills: armorer, hunter, trapper/furrier, or weaponsmith.
Wealth Options: 3d6x10 gp.