Druid Ethics Questions

[Cryov]

Hey All,
I am playing a Chaotic Neutral Goblin Goliath Druid.
I have a few things in mind for this character and I want to see if it falls within the realm of Neutral and following Druidic Code.

Druids of course can hunt to eat.
Would it be unreasonable to also sell fur as a source of occasional income?

How about just hunting animals for pelts for income?

Can I use Call Animal to get a Deer to come to my goblin and his dino companion so they can eat it?
(I know I can but its the ethics part of it...)

[Andre Roy]

Here's my 2 copper on the subject:

1) I don't think it is unreasonable. The druid is making full use of the carcasse (he uses the meat and organs for food, and selling/trading the pelt/leather is making sure it will be put to good use). Of course, we're assuming the Druid is be respectful towards the dead animal.

2) I would say no, as he would be showing disrespect towards the animal by leaving the carcasse behind and, depending on what is valuable, might be part of an extinction process (like for bisons/buffalo in the USA and Europe) that would be unnatural and disruptive for the balance.

3) Maybe a bit borderline, but unless the ability specify the exact used allowed, so long as you can justify it, your GM might allow it.

[Claxon]

I would say that a druid can hunt an animal for his own personal needs, most specifically to eat. In the process of preparing the animal, it would be reasonable to harvest the fur for your own use. If you did not need the fur (but needed to eat) it would reasonable to sell the fur.

However, I wouldn't permit hunting solely to sell furs, nor to sell meat. That does not maintain reverence for nature, in my mind.

However, this will all depend on your GM. So the best person to ask is them.

[Hubaris]

Survival of the fittest is a natural thing as well so its not entirely out of bounds to think that a Druid can think them self some sort of apex predator that bends nature with its powers (CN).

Not all Druids have to be peace, animal loving characters really, and I think its a matter of perspective and what about nature they revere (such as how unforgiving it is, how much it may harden a person, how it can build them up to find their own enlightenment, the natural balance a storm causes to rich and poor, the beauty of a wolf pack taking down something bigger than them, etc).

tl;dr I don't think its unreasonable for a Druid to hunt and sell animal items.

[Weirdo]

Agreed with Andre Roy and Claxon. I don't have a problem with druids selling skins, but they would have to approach it - like all hunting - respectfully, making use of as much of the animal as they can and not overhunting particular species. I also believe that a druid should hunt primarily for their own survival, or possibly for the survival of their immediate companions or community.

Evil druids may get more leeway, as evil is more willing to exploit others and has a lower value for life.

[Ascalaphus]

If you take a "use the whole animal" approach, I think you're going in the right direction for showing respect to nature.

Also, I think druids shouldn't be overly concerned with earning money - that's more of a civilization than a nature thing. You don't have to take a vow of poverty, but earning money shouldn't be the focus of your life.

Obviously, this somewhat bumps against the importance of WBL. Just like a good cleric giving money to the poor instead of buying gear with it. A GM should keep these things in mind and take note that WBL (for balancing encounters) is about how much money you have invested in gear, not how much money you've had overall but spent on non-PC-power things.