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I would like to request advice on character advancement, spell selection, skills and feats, as well other such things.
Also general thoughts on the overall concept and consideration of certain details. In the implications hinted at in her backstory, though not outright stated, for those that can guess on what these may be. The reason being that they are admittedly a more sensitive subject for many, and one that I may need care in handling.
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral*
Traits: Enemy of Slavers, Overwhelming Beauty
Alternate Racial Traits: Fey magic, fey thoughts, low-light vision, powerful presence
Class: Feyspeaker (Druid)
Personality: Nature and the magic from within were her most trusted allies, of which she will hold most dear, and even those companions she might find herself traveling with would find a certain distance. Distrust and suspicious with be in her thoughts when first meeting others, though this shall generally be hidden by a charm and sense of amused detachment.
Yet despite this, inside is the scars of her past. Hidden with a playful coyness or soft mockery, depending on her mood. One moment she may be teasing others with a smile towards those around her, yet then reveal sudden snark or biting tongue. For those who she comes to consider friends though, a warmth and openness may begin revealing itself.
Backstory (I will be expanding this): Born with clear marks of her fey ancestry and growing up to have an enticing beauty, she was kidnapped in her youth and forced into the life of slavery. Trained to serve the master who purchased her, and exploited for her looks as an exotic possession to show off or used for pleasure. Such parts of her past she tries to block out of her mind as much as possible, and will be unwilling to discuss it with any but those she most trusts.
After a few years of such a life, she was later be rescued by an old hermit who would teach her the way of the druids and nature before eventually sending her off to learn on her own given how her fey blood altered how she learned magic. It coming more from emotion and passions, then the more meticulous and meditative ways known by her mentor.
While at first uncertain of her path, going where ever the winds would take her or the whispers of the land,she would encounter settlements and those who she observed with distrust yet curiosity. The young woman came to a crossroads of civilization and nature, the fey blood influencing who she was yet still finding herself drawn to that of her own race.
In time, she would come to use her beauty to her own advantage, yet always be careful so as to avoid ever being enslaved again. At times even having her mistreatment cloud how she treated others, and finding herself actually taking secret pleasure from manipulating others. Yet she reserved a special passion towards those involved in the buying to selling of slaves, seeking to at first convince them from their path and if this fails punishing those who would commit such acts.
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Explanation of Alignment
*Yes Chaotic Neutral alignment is generally avoided or frowned upon by most DMs, given how disruptive such an alignment can be and how many players use such to do whatever the hell they want. Myself, I have chosen this alignment because, in part, it follows the “any neutral” requirement of the druid class but also because she will seek after herself above all else. Her freedom, her path, and her desires.
Apart from having an understandable issue with slavers, given her own personal experience enslaved, she will not see the world so much in the light of such concepts as good and evil. If personally unaffected, she will generally not involve herself one way or another. She will be distrusting, suspicious, yet curious of others. Except for those who gain her trust, for those companions that she becomes emotionally connected with, she will generally ignore most or simply not care. That, and whenever others disrespect nature or harm animals as this will earn her disapproval or even wrath.
If the party she joins wishes to take a certain path or adventure, even save others from evil, she will follow... though perhaps not always without complaint. At the request of those she likes, trusts, and respects, for those she sees as family, the young woman can usually be found willing to put her own life at risk and set aside her own desires for them. Those those she does not like, cause her harm, or betrays her. This will instead reveal a certain cruel mischievousness or dark passion to harm or torment.
This sounds like a perfect opportunity for your Druid to worship Calistra and have a Wasp Familiar. It would work well with the feeling she harbors to slavers and help encourage her to take revenge when able. I find the characters with the chaotic neutral alignment often have issues with motivation when nothing is hitting their 'hot points'. Giving the character a tie to the Calistrian church will give her role playing opportunities to link herself, and care about, things that don't directly effect her.
Just saying, Feyspeaker isn't the only fey-themed druid. There's the Veiled Adept archetype too, or even a Fey trickster mesmerist. I'm not sure what you're aiming for in mechanics so I'm wary about suggesting feats etc.
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Much appreciated suggestions DeathlessOne! Calistra sounds all but perfect, and a warp familiar would be interesting.
The only hitch that I can see is that I didn't actually plan for the character to take her charm and allure farther then a certain playfulness, teasing, or manipulativeness and looking up the goddess it appears part of her worship may involve a certain sexual aspect that could be a problem given certain experiences the character had as a slave.
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Avr, there are a few reasons I picked Feyspeaker. One, I wanted a druid that could not wild shape into elementals, as my concept would be more against such. Also the fact that it gives additional spells, more skills and skill points, while also generally being a charisma based caster like a sorcerer while still keeping a far stronger focus on druidic magic and abilities.
For myself, it was a nice blend of the druid and sorcerer giving up only what I wanted to put aside. It is the closest I could find on playing what I felt a fey focused caster would be in my eyes, especially since the Feyspeaker has long been a class I want to play and this gives me the opportunity to do so with what I feel a pretty strong concept.
Hmm, admittedly a Fey Trickster could work as well. More, offers Fey Veil and also allows her to actually being able to become a fey at 20th level would be an appropriate capstone by picking Unearthly Grace. Something for me to consider, though a loss of higher level spells would be missed and a few other things from being a druid as well all things considered.
As a druid focusing on spellcasting I guess you'll want a domain for the extra spell slots then. Fire seems appropriate to what I expect will be a dangerous temper, or perhaps plant for more fey flavour. If you're willing to spend a trait (perhaps gained via a drawback since you have 2 picked already) then the plant/thorns subdomain or the air/lightning subdomain would work even better IMO.
If you want to cast spells without others knowing that you're doing so then the deceitful and cunning caster feats are essential. The fleeting spell metamagic could be very handy for trickery - an entangle which you can dismiss at a moments' notice for your allies to charge through for example.
If you go with the fire or lightning domains then you might want instead to improve your blasting ability, Spell focus followed by spell specialization and/or Varisian tattoo, & later spell penetration are the basic feats there.
There's any number of good sorc/wiz spells you might pick up from enchantment and illusion. If you pick up any single-target enchantments you might get the trick spell metamagic to enhance them (if you're any sort of Calistrian), though those tend not to be the most combat-efficient. I expect you'll want some sort of invisibility from one of those bonus spells too, anything from vanish to greater invisibility.
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Hmm, I believe I will go with the Swamp Domain in this case.
The reason being in part because this domain provides two spells that allow the summoning of wasps, cape of wasps and insect plague, while burst of nettles can relate to "stinging" though not directly related to warps. It works pretty well, especially in consideration of her getting a wasp familiar.
Though the thorns subdomain could also work perhaps.
The deceitful and cunning caster feats can also be of benefit, and the trick spell and even fleeting metamagic feat can also be of aid.
Much appreciated suggestions DeathlessOne! Calistra sounds all but perfect, and a warp familiar would be interesting.
The only hitch that I can see is that I didn't actually plan for the character to take her charm and allure farther then a certain playfulness, teasing, or manipulativeness and looking up the goddess it appears part of her worship may involve a certain sexual aspect that could be a problem given certain experiences the character had as a slave.
Glad I could be helpful. A good thing to remember is that how devoted the character is to Calistra, and how deep you engage in 'worship', is entirely up to you. There are plenty of worshipers of Calistra that focus on one or two aspects of her portfolio (trickery and revenge) rather than on the 'free love', so to speak. Your character doesn't have to become a priest of Calistra, merely revere her enough to devote herself to the cause.
Because of her backstory, she sounds like she is not above using certain talents (ie, manipulation and false seduction techniques) in order to get what she wants, and to punish those who grossly offend her morals. I really think it is a great match for what you have come up with.
I also agree with the Swamp domain choice, especially if you are going with a spellcasting druid. I tend to favor the animal companion for survivability reasons (and having a familiar and a companion is just awesome). Love the swamp them.
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Other things you may want to look into include the following:
Feat: Fey Obedience
Diety: The Lantern King
Prestige Class: Feysworn
All of which fit your build concept and come from the recently new book "The First World - Realm of the Fey".
And what if your slavery actually took place in the First World...
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So I just got a pdf copy of The First World: Realm of the Fey and while I do find a lot of exciting ideas within, I am not certain that your suggestions might be t he best choice for this particular character.
The slavery taking place in the First World is an interesting idea though, yet I am not sure if you're suggesting that she was kidnapped by someone of the fey/an eldest or something else.
One consideration I do have, if we were to include your suggestions, is that perhaps The Lantern King or one under him rescued her. Thus making her beholden into him which could explain the Fey Obedience and Feysworn options.
What leaves me uncertain in using such suggestions is because I am actually pretty strongly sold with her worshipping Calistria and getting options from that. Her connect with The Lantern King and taking options for such I believe would conflict.