Hello everyone,
I would like to propose an idea to you, it seems to me like the druid cannot be used as a healing class at all. I have read through everything and have found that there are no archetypes that even touch the healing realm. Sure druids have ACCESS to "cure light wounds" etc... with their spells, though if your making a druid you most likely will never touch these. They are usually a waste of space in your spells known... again this is fine seeing as how druids are geared and focused more like a warrior then a healer. Even the shaman archetypes have nothing to do with healing and only deal with "totems" sure okay thats great now we got a new variant on the druid class which is the same front line warrior just with different flavour of shapeshifting. I believe that druids can be warriors yes, however they are also naturalist who commune with nature.
Healing as a druid should be drawn from nature, like in real life all modern medicine have a large base route in nature, before modern medicine came along we would of looked to nature to provide us the benefits we need to aid us and we required natural healers who knew what did what and how to us it to benefit the body. In a fantasy sense, druids draw energy and life force from the earth, which is where there power originates from. Certain druids use it do combat and to defend there villages. Others use it to aid those who have fallen ill or become injured, using a mixture of Herbal remedies and Magical energy drawn from the elements.
Like a cleric gets there powers from the deity they worship, druids get there power form the earth they worship. I think you at least allow the druids to have a healing archetype which allows them to have the option of becoming a natural healer, using a lot of similar features that the clerics get like channel energy. Though by becoming a healer you sacrifice aspects of being a druid which grant you the ability to be a hardy fighter.
I was thinking the same thing but in a mildly different way, my opinion on the subject is that druids are not as good at healing or doing damage, but better at transferring existing energy.(Dealing damage and healing.)I have always thought that the plant/creature side of druids spells was really just lacking.
I would love to see a druid using a similar ability to channel energy though.
I have not play tested the spells below, just thinking that it might add some flavor to this conversation.
Leaching Vine
Level druid 1
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
EFFECT
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
1 living target
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
A vine darts forth from your arm (ranged touch), on a successful hit the vine sucks the opponents blood 1d4/level (max 5d4) damage. You heal yourself half of the damage dealt(Minimum 1hp)
Objects, undead, constructs, or anything else that is not a water based life form is not damaged by the spell.
Invasive Species
School transmutation; Level Druid 2,
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a seed)
EFFECT
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
1 living target
Duration 1round/lvl
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
A seed covered in a layer of force fires from your fingertips(ranged touch) which deals 1 force damage. A plant roots and grows as it deals severe wounds over time. The plants hp is equal to half the damage it deals. On the same round it is injected it drains 1d4 hp. On each consecutive round the plant obtains a damage bonus equal to it's current hp. A creature with hands may pull out the rooting plant as a swift or move action, in turn this deals all of the plants current hp as damage. The plant does not disappear at the end of the spells duration. It just stops feeding off of it's current host. You must remove this plant before you heal (it is rather hard to heal a wound with a tree in your arm.) If a monster is killed with the drain effect of the spell they become a plant of the same CR. (Not under the control of the druid by any means.)
Vine Wall
School transmutation (creation); Level Druid 2
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
EFFECT
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect One Vine Wall
Duration 1round/lvl
DESCRIPTION
This spell allows you to summon a 5 feet long by ten feet high mass of vines for 1round/lvl. It has a health of 1d4/lvl (max 5d4) and has vulnerability to cold, fire, and slashing damage.It takes no part in the initiative.The vines threat range is that of a medium monster regardless of how many are stacked together. The Vines do not deal damage, instead it can cause a opponent that walks through it's threat range and fails a CMD check to become grappled. The Vine wall has a chance at catching projectiles and other types of objects within it's threaten range as well, all projectiles CMD is equal to the attack roll. Your vines CMB is equal to your caster level plus your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier, whichever is highest. A creature that's grappled takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity. A creature capable of spell casting that is bound by this spell must make a concentration check with a DC of 15 + the spell's level to cast a spell. A grappled creature can slip free as a move action, making a Strength or Escape Artist check. The DC for this check is equal to the DC of the spell.or cut the vines. It is a 1-inch-diameter vine 4 hit points, AC 10. If this spell blocks any area of effect before it detonates (such as a fireball) it detonates early centered on one side of the Vine Wall.
A Vine Wall can prevent damage dealt by area effect spells or similar effects. For example, if you can remove line of sight or contain the blast from a fireball.
Aspect of Hawk
School transmutation; Level Druid 2
Casting 1 standard action
Components V, S, F (a wing feather)
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration 1 min./level Max 10
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)
The target sprouts wings and can fly at a speed of 60 feet (or 40 feet if it wears medium or heavy armor, or if it carries a medium or heavy load). It can ascend at half speed and descend at double speed, and its maneuverability is good. Using a fly spell requires only as much concentration as walking, so the subject can attack or cast spells normally. The subject of a fly spell can charge but not run, and it cannot carry aloft more weight than its maximum load, plus any armor it wears. The subject gains a bonus on Fly skill checks equal to 1/2 your caster level.Called shots to the wings are easy to make (–2 penalty). A flying creature shot in the wing must make a Fly check to avoid descending involuntarily (DC 5 + damage dealt to wings over time) failing by 5 or more means plummeting to the ground .
Attacked While Flying -You are not considered flat-footed while flying. If you are flying using wings and you take damage while flying, you must make a DC 10 Fly check to avoid losing 10 feet of altitude. This descent does not provoke an attack of opportunity and does not count against a creature’s movement.
Collision While Flying - If you are using wings to fly and you collide with an object equal to your size or larger, you must immediately make a DC 25 Fly check to avoid plummeting to the ground, taking the appropriate falling damage.
Avoid Falling Damage - If you are falling you can make a DC 10 Fly check to negate the damage. You cannot make this check if you are falling due to a failed Fly check or a collision.
Should the spell duration expire while the subject is still aloft, the magic fails abruptly. The subject falls the distance, taking 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet.