Converting the Urban Druid to Ravenloft

[Hell_Born]

I recently obtained a copy of Dragon #317, and most importantly the Urban Druid Core Class contained within. I'm asking for advice on how to convert the Urban Druid to make it more suitable for Ravenloft, as I belive there is a place for it in the Steampunk Domain I am creating with Moral Machivelli but I don't know how to make it more suitable myself.

If it is needed (and allowed) I can "transcribe" the mechanics of the class to this topic to give you an idea of what needs to be fixed and/or replaced.

[Hell_Born]

Okay, 33 views and no replies? Perhaps I should post the details of the class- that might jog a response. I'll not bother with the table of stats (attack bonus, save bonus ect) because that isn't really any different from the Druid's and because it's the Special Abilities of the class that worry me, not the statistics.

Urban Druid
Alignment: must contain a Neutral or Lawful component and cannot be Chaotic- the article lists availible Alignments as Neutral Good, Lawful Neutral, True Neutral and Lawful evil. I think they missed Lawful Good and Neutral Evil though.

Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge (architecture and engineering/history/local), Profession, Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Survival.

Skillpoints at 1st level: (4+ Int modifier)*4
Skillpoints at each subsequent level: 4+Int modifier

Armour & Weapons Proficiency: Club, Crossbow (Any), Dagger, Quarterstaff, Rapier, Sap, Shortsword. Armour is restricted to Padded, Leather and Studded Leather, though the GM can also let them use any form of light armour with an Armour Bonus of +4 or less. They are proficient with Bucklers, but no other form of Shield. Wearing prohibited armour or a prohibited shield means that the Urban Druid cannot cast spells or use any of their Supernatural Abilities until 24 hours after they divest themself of the forbidden articles.

Spellcasting: Urban Druids are Divine Prepared spellcasters who use Charisma as their spellcasting ability. (I'll include their Spell List in a subsequent post if it's neccessary.)

Spontaneous Spellcasting: Urban Druids can "sacrifice" prepared spells in the same manner as Clerics to cast Repair spells.

Chaotic, Evil, Good and Lawful Spells: Urban Druids cannot cast spells opposed to their Alignment (or that of their Diety, if they worship one).

City Sense (Ex): +2 bonus to Gather Information and Knowledge (Local) checks.

Favoured City (Ex): at 1st level the Urban Druid must select a settlement of at least the size of a small town which it has visited in the past. This city becomes the Urban Druid's Favoured City. An Urban Druid may select an additional Favoured City at levels 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20. Whilst within a Favoured City, the Urban Druid gains a Sacred bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information and Intimidate checks equal to 1/2 their Wisdom modifier. They also receive a +2 Morale bonus to all Will saving throws.

Urban Companion (Ex): Urban Druids receive an Animal Companion, just like a Druid, at 1st level of their choice from the list below (see next post). This is a normal Animal Companion and follows all the rules as such. A Vermin Companion has its Int increased to 1 and has its Type changed to Animal.
If the Urban Companion is released from service or slain, the Urban Druid can summon a new Urban Companion by spending 24 uninterrupted hours in ritual prayers.
Urban Druids of at least 4th level can select from the lists of Alternate Urban Companions- however, the Urban Druid's effective character level is reduced by the amount shown to determine the abilities of these Alternate Urban Companions. If the Urban Druid's level would be reduced to Zero or less, then they cannot have that form of Urban Companion.
Construct Urban Companions simply appear spontaneously after the ritual of summoning, which means the Urban Druid does not need the Craft Construct Feat or to spend GP/XP.

Crowdwalk (Ex): at 2nd level, the Urban Druid gains a +4 bonus to any skill check, Strength check or attack roll required to move through a square occupied by a hostile creature.

Alley Fighting (Ex): at 3rd level, the Urban Druid gains a +1 competence bonus to all attack rolls whilst fighting in an area no wider than its space. Also, melee attacks made against opponents that are around corners ignore the cover save (unless it is total cover) of the target, though the reverse is not true unless the target also has this ability.

Disease Immunity (Ex): at 4th level the Urban Druid becomes immune to all diseases, including supernatural diseases such as Mummy Rot.

Urban Shape (Su): at 5th level, the Urban Druid gains access to the Urban Shape ability. To all extents and purposes, this mimics the Druid Wild Shape ability, except that it is far more specialised; it is limited to creatures with the humanoid shape and to any non-construct creature from the Urban Companion list. At this first access, the Urban Druid can only assume the form of Small or Medium Creatures and can only change shape 1/day.
The Urban Druid gains +1 use per day of the Urban Shape ability at levels 6, 7, 10, 14 and 18. Also, it can become a Large creature at 8th level, a Tiny creature at 11th level and a Huge creature at 15th. Irregardless of the size of the form assumed, it's HD cannot exceed the Urban Druid's level.
At 10th level, the Urban Druid may use this ability to transform into mundane objects with a hardness no greater than 10 (though still limited to the size determined by the Urban Shape ability). The Urban Druid's senses remain unimpaired, but it cannot speak or move in object form.

Construct Shape (Su): this a secondary specialised form of Urban Shape that becomes accessible to the Urban Druid at level 16; it can assume the form of a Small, Medium, Large or Huge Animated Object once per day. This special transformation is in addition to the Urban Shape ability. Whilst in Construct Form the Urban Druid gains all the Extraordinary Attacks and Special Attacks of the Animated Object being mimicked, in addition to having its Type change to Construct for the duration of the transformation.
An Urban Druid may use this ability 2/day at 18th level and 3/day at 20th level. At 20th level the Urban Druid may also become a Gargantuan Animated Object.

Information Network (Ex): upon reaching 9th level, the Urban Druid establishes a network of informants and contacts in a number of cities equal to its Charisma modifier. In these cities the Urban Druid only requires half an hour to make a Gather Information check. In addition, if any event occurs in this city that would be of interest to the Urban Druid then it may make a Gather Information check as a Free Action. The news reaches it in 1D4 hours, unless the Urban Druid is somewhere beyond the range of its contacts.

[Hell_Born]

Standard Urban Companions: Small Animated Object, Bat, Dire Rat, Rat, Cat, Dog, Riding Dog, Light or Heavy Horse, Medium Monstrous Centipede, Small Monstrous Scorpion, Small Monstrous Spider, Pony, Raven, Small or Medium Viper, Owl, Light Warhorse

Urban Companions (-3 levels, CR2): Medium Animated Object, Giant Ant Soldier, Dire Bat, Large Monstrous Centipede, Medium Monstrous Scorpion, Medium Monstrous Spider, Large Viper, Heavy Warhorse

Urban Companions (-6 levels, CR4): Large Animated Object, Carrion Crawler, Hammerer, Otyugh, Huge Monstrous Centipede, Large Monstrous Scorpion, Large Monstrous Spider, Pulveriser, Huge Viper

Urban Companions (-9 levels, CR5): Huge Animated Object, Huge Monstrous Spider

Urban Companions (-12 levels, CR7): Gargantuan Monstrous Centipede, Huge Monstrous Scorpion

Urban Companions (-15 levels, CR9): Gargantuan Animated Object, Gargantuan Monstrous Spider

[Mangrum]

I think it's fine as is. (With the standard Ravenloft alteration to spells.)

[Hell_Born]

You do? Because I was sure there was a review of Dragon #317 and that the Urban Druid one of the things it derided (I know that the Osteomancer, Flux Adept and Cerebrex prestige classes were derided).

Perhaps my apprehension lies more in the spells... I think I can figure out what alterations to make to Citygate (can't cross Domain Borders) and I don't think the Repair Damage (healing spells for Constructs) don't need alterations, but there's one spell that worries me: Susurrus of the City.

Basically it awakens the spirit of the city to answer questions (so long as each question has a single-word answer), but I'm unsure what effects such a spell could have in Ravenloft. It's a 5th level Divination spell.

[Dion of the Fraternity]

From the stats you've presented, I guess that the urban druid needs no tweaking except for the spells, however:

Basically it awakens the spirit of the city to answer questions (so long as each question has a single-word answer), but I'm unsure what effects such a spell could have in Ravenloft. It's a 5th level Divination spell.

This "city awakening" spell may be altered to fit into RL's restrictions on divination, but beyond this I would suggest you don't alter it at all. Instead, you could do cosmetic changes; for example, the voice of the city may sound sinister, or tuned into the "soul" you could say of the domain where the city is located.

Hope this helps!

[Joël of the FoS]

This is the review I mad of this class in my Dragon mag review page (hopefully to be updated soon):

Urban druids
While the concept is interesting, I have to admit I fail to grasp the objective of that new class fascinated by a city like a living organism, changing and evolving under the pressure of one or many of its parts. They are better for combat and look like 'urban rangers' to me, it seems more fit. One new spell is quite cool: Susurrus of the city (a sort of commune for cities, where you ask the city's collective spirit a question. This spell can represent many adventure hooks in any world, RL included).

I like this class, and it's on my list of things to implement in my campaign - potientially cool NPC IMHO.

But there are very few cities large enough in Ravenloft to host one (or a few) of these NPCs, IMHO. Instead of making them atuned to only one city, I'd make them atuned to all the cities and towns within a domain, except Darkon which would be divided in 3-4 parts perhaps. Or with a rule such as "it has to be within two days travel time or whatever similar".

Joël