Swamp Druid (CDH)

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==Swamp Druid==
The swamp druid's role centers around guarding marshes, fens, bogs, wetlands, and swamps, as well as the abundant plant and animal life within them. Willoo, an average swamp druid (pictured next page), resembles a normal forest druid, but his particular habitat makes him less socially acceptable. He opposes anyone who would drain his swamp in the name of "progress," even if such land were needed for farming or urban construction. Swamp druids often live as hermits; the more sociable among them sometimes serve as priests for outlaws hiding in the swamps or for lizard men who lack their own shamans.
Minimum Ability Scores: Wisdom 12, Charisma 12.
Races Allowed: Human. Optional—saurial (9).
Armor and Weapons Permitted: Leather armor, wooden shield; club, dagger, dart, khopesh, scimitar, scythe, sickle, sling, spear, staff.
Weapon Proficiencies: Recommended—any two of the above.
Nonweapon Proficiencies:
* Required— (general) swimming; (priest) herbalism; (warrior) survival (swamp).
* Recommended— (general) seamanship (for small boats), weather sense; (priest) healing, local history; (warrior) animal lore.
Spheres of Influence: All, Animal, Divination*, Elemental (earth, water), Elemental* (air, fire), Healing, Plant, Weather.
Granted Powers: A swamp druid has the following granted powers:
* Has an immunity to insect-transmitted diseases common to swamps, such as malaria, and a +2 bonus on saving throws vs. any other diseases.
* Receives a +1 reaction adjustment from normal animals that live in swamps (such as crocodiles) and from monsters whose habitat is a swamp or marsh for instance, black dragons, bullywugs, and lizard men.
* Learns the languages of intelligent humanoids and monsters that inhabit the swamp (black dragons, bullywugs, lizard men, shambling mounds, will o' wisps, etc.), gaining one extra proficiency slot for this purpose every three levels (at 3rd, 6th, etc.). (Note that to "speak" with a will o' wisp, a swamp druid needs a light source, such as a hooded lantern, to signal with.)
* Identifies plants, animals, and pure water with perfect accuracy at 3rd level.
* Passes through overgrown areas and mud at the full movement rate without leaving a trail at 3rd level. The swamp druid can use this power to cross quicksand without sinking.
* Uses the animal friendship spell (which usually affects only normal or giant animals) at 5th level to influence semi-intelligent swamp-dwelling monsters or those of animal Intelligence. The effects on such monsters, including catoblepas, hydra, lernaean hydra, and pyrohydra, remain those of animal friendship. The druid has to want to befriend the monster, not use it as sword-fodder.
* Shapechanges into a normal reptile, bird, or mammal up to three times per day at 7th level. The druid can assume only the form of real-world creatures that live in swamps or wetlands (crocodile, frog, marsh bird, snake, etc.). The druid can adopt each animal form (reptile, bird, or mammal) once per day.
* Casts an insect plague (as the spell) once per day at 7th level. This power works only when the druid is within the boundaries of a swamp or marsh.
Special Limitation: Willoo's clothes, like those of most swamp druids, frequently look caked with mud and often drip with swamp water. He always has a faint odor of the swamp about him. His lack of cleanliness gives him a -1 penalty to reaction adjustment from most people and a -3 penalty regarding upper-class individuals, such as gentry or nobles.
Holy Symbol and Grove: The grove usually lies deep within a marsh or swamp—a stand of beautiful mangroves, weeping willows, swamp oak, or the like. Many groves are actually islands, sometimes guarded by natural traps such as quicksand. A swamp druid uses as a holy symbol a vial of water from a sacred swamp grove.