Hi Guys. Just posting a quick idea I thought might make a nice addition to the current druid archetypes.
I noticed that the Druid has access to the Fire Domain, as well as having a good amount of fire spells, but no real thematic archetype made for the kind of Druid who would utilize them. So, I propose a new Druid Archetype; the Volcanic Druid.
The idea is simple, since it's based off the current Terrain Archetypes, though naturally I didn't want to restrict this class to just fire, and ensured earth and lava added to it's theme. So, here it is:
VOLCANIC DRUID
A volcanic druid sees beyond the crust of the earth to the bubbling heat that slumbers below, ever watching it's heated temperament and keeping it in check, should the land split and it's untamed fury burst forth. The molten rock and searing fires are home to these few druids, but to those that dwell atop volcanoes or in the deep earth find the warmth comforting.
Nature Bond: A volcanic druid may select the Sun and Destruction domains in addition to the choices normally allowed, but may not select the Water or Plant domains.
Wild Empathy: A volcanic druid’s wild empathy functions only on creatures that have the earth or fire subtype, as well as reptilian creatures that live in volcanic regions; however, she can improve the attitude of any such creature with Intelligence 2 or less regardless of type, including mindless creatures.
Molten Native: At 2nd level, a volcanic druid gains an insight bonus on Initiative checks and Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, Survival, and Swim checks equal to 1/2 her druid level in volcanic terrain, and she cannot be tracked such environments.
This ability replaces woodland stride.
Magmatic Movement: At 3rd level, a volcanic druid suffers no penalty to speed or on Acrobatics, Climb, or Stealth checks in volcanic terrain or weather conditions and can walk across molten rock or basalt without breaking through, and takes only the minimum damage from it's heat. She also gains a swim speed equal to her land speed if swimming through lava, if she can endure it.
This ability replaces trackless step.
Volcanic Endurance: At 4th level, a volcanic druid ignores the effects of a hot climate as if using endure elements. She is also gains resistance equal to half her druid level against fire and inhaled dangers.
This ability replaces resist nature’s lure.
Wild Shape: A volcanic druid gains this ability at 6th level, except that her effective druid level for the ability is equal to her druid level – 2. A volcanic druid cannot use wild shape to adopt a plant or aquatic elemental form. At 10th level she can assume the form of a Small or Medium magma elemental, at 12th level a Tiny or Large magma elemental, and at 14th level a Diminutive or Huge magma elemental. This effect functions as Elemental Body (treating the magma elemental as an earth elemental, though in place of darkvision you gain resist fire 20, vulnerability to cold, and the burn ability.).
Heatcaster: At 9th level, a volcanic druid can see normally in smoke, ash, or similar natural vision impairment. In addition, she can prepare any druid spell with the earth subtype as a fire spell, with an identical effect but inflicting fire damage instead of it's regular damage.
This ability replaces venom immunity.
Oozing Lava: At 13th level, a volcanic druid can assume the form of a creeping pool of lava at will. This is equivalent to fluid form, but the druid moves 10ft slower, and does fire damage equal to 1d6 to anything she touches. While in this form, the druid gains a circumstance bonus on Stealth checks made in volcanic terrain equal to her druid level.
This ability replaces a thousand faces.
Of course, with a Terrain based class, there should be a Terrain Domain to suit it. So, here is the Volcanic Domain
VOLCANIC DOMAIN
Granted Powers: You can draw the powers of the Earth's molten substances, and create an unrivaled volcanic fury.
Spit Magma: As a standard action, you may spit a blob of molten magma towards an opponent within 30ft as a ranged touch attack. The magma does 1d6 of fire damage and causes targets to take another 1d3 of damage each round if they do not clean it off. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Volcanic Gas: Once per day, you may crack the earth and cause volcanic fumes to rise up from it's depths. The cloud of gas functions like Fog Cloud, though it deals 2d6 fire damage when created (but not afterwards) and all those in it's cloud take 1d3 constitution damage as a poison effect unless they roll a Fortitude save (DC equal to 10 + 1/2 your cleric level + your Wisdom modifier).
Domain Spells: 1st- Produce Flame, 2nd- Tar Ball, 3rd- Ash Storm 4th- Volcanic Storm, 5th- Obsidian Flow, 6th- Geyser, 7th- Tar pool, 8th- Wall of Lava, 9th- Meteor Swarm
And that's pretty much it. I hope this gets out there, we're seriously lacking a Druid in the 'burning and brimstone' department. and if you got this far thank's for reading!
Based on how specific this is, I would either change it so it is a mountain druid with some fire abilities, or turn it into some kind of prestige classes.
Making the class features slightly more general will let the druid use special abilities more often. I don't think many volcanoes pop up in game.
I use to have a Druid subtype based on cleansing and rebirth that centered on forest fires. I had been reading about redwood trees and how they need forest fires to thrive(their bark is resistant to fire: fire kills pests that eat the tree, it removes dead parts of the tree that it can no longer feed and replenishes the surrounding soil).
Based on how specific this is, I would either change it so it is a mountain druid with some fire abilities, or turn it into some kind of prestige classes.
Making the class features slightly more general will let the druid use special abilities more often. I don't think many volcanoes pop up in game.
I based most of this off the Aquatic and Arctic druid types, since they're a more elemental based archetype, so most of what I've put is a reshaped version of those.
And volcanoes might not pop up often, but it doesn't limit the druid to them. it expands mostly to regions of extreme earthen heat, such as geysers, steam fissures, tar pits, deep earth and volcanic sea beds too. All of which would appear in wilderness. Though the volcanic druid would be able to use his powers anywhere, so long as there's earth.