I am more skeptical of the outright need for Oceans druid (since Land-Coast and Moon both already can lean heavily on an aquatic theme). But honestly, why not?
I read the ocean (was it “sea”?) druid, and it just didn’t look very flavorful. I mean, I guess it’s got power, but I don’t really understand the fantasy.
You are right - Circle of the Sea. I agree that it feels way more specific, and it is mostly a fantasy that you can fulfil by Land and Moon already. I’m not sure that I would ever actually play this one unless I was in a particularly seafaring campaign. But overall I like that they are coming up with interesting alternative uses for wild shape. Wrath of the Sea seems great.
I will say that I ran a pirate game that featured a coast druid who absolutely would have taken this subclass. Most characters in that game were sea elves, water genasi, tritons, or otherwise seafarers. One was D’anne Bonny, a barbarian who would have loved the new weapon mastery rules.
I think druid suffers from a lack of flavor in general. There are a few good subclasses now, but Druid mostly just doesn’t have much going on when compared to the flavors of other classes.
Idk. I’m going in the opposite direction. Shadowdark has brought such a fresh enjoyment to the game for me, taking everything I like as a DM from 5e, cutting out all the cruft and bullshit, and condensing it all into a sweet ichor-like-syrup. Player characters can actually go down, I don’t have books worth of subclasses to know (all of which have long since blended together), classes are distinctive and specialized; I can’t recommend it strongly enough.
Ok but College of Dance seems awesome!
I am more skeptical of the outright need for Oceans druid (since Land-Coast and Moon both already can lean heavily on an aquatic theme). But honestly, why not?
I read the ocean (was it “sea”?) druid, and it just didn’t look very flavorful. I mean, I guess it’s got power, but I don’t really understand the fantasy.
You are right - Circle of the Sea. I agree that it feels way more specific, and it is mostly a fantasy that you can fulfil by Land and Moon already. I’m not sure that I would ever actually play this one unless I was in a particularly seafaring campaign. But overall I like that they are coming up with interesting alternative uses for wild shape. Wrath of the Sea seems great.
I will say that I ran a pirate game that featured a coast druid who absolutely would have taken this subclass. Most characters in that game were sea elves, water genasi, tritons, or otherwise seafarers. One was D’anne Bonny, a barbarian who would have loved the new weapon mastery rules.
I think druid suffers from a lack of flavor in general. There are a few good subclasses now, but Druid mostly just doesn’t have much going on when compared to the flavors of other classes.
My personal opinion is that’s because the majority of their flavor is sucked up by wild shape
Idk. I’m going in the opposite direction. Shadowdark has brought such a fresh enjoyment to the game for me, taking everything I like as a DM from 5e, cutting out all the cruft and bullshit, and condensing it all into a sweet ichor-like-syrup. Player characters can actually go down, I don’t have books worth of subclasses to know (all of which have long since blended together), classes are distinctive and specialized; I can’t recommend it strongly enough.