Welcome back readers! It has been nearly three years since our last book was published. A great many things have changed, and we have all had to learn to live with some less than awesome truths about the world, but now more than ever, the diversion of TTRPGing and the company of good friends is needed. To that end, in preparation for the forthcoming Into the Breach: the Druid, I sit down with fellow Pincushioner, long time friend, and gaming brother Frank Gori to chat about the druid class. A class that is very close to my heart for a great many reasons.
JH: First of all, I would like to thank you for taking the time to sit down and answer my questions!
FG: Anytime.
JH: Can you give the readers a little about yourself and your role at The Flying Pincushion?
FG: Co-owner/Co-Lead Developer and rule of cool enthusiast.
JH: Starting off with the easy questions, what is your favorite thing about the druid class?
FG: Versatility first and foremost. I can make a melee Druid that loves to wildshape, or a sharpshooting elvish druid, or a druid that rides a tiger and uses a spear, or a blaster caster, or a summoner or a hybrid of any of those. Druids can adapt to just about any role you want them to be in without multiclassing or you can do some crazy things with just a dip into something else.
JH: The druid class has been around a good long while in a number of editions, why do you think it has such longevity?
FG: There’s a mystique to them. Everyone knows we’re not designed to sit behind a desk all day and all of us have some level of connection to the natural world. If your heart ever gets broken by plastic litter in a lake there’s a little druid in you. It’s a relatable mystique.
JH: As the druid stands in its current Pathfinder form as a base class, if you could add or remove one ability, what would it be?
FG: I don’t think “trackless step” has ever come up for any Druid I have ever played, mostly tracking comes up with rangers and PCs are on the other side of it. It matches the class theme but rarely shines in use.
JH: As we all know, druidry was an ancient form of real life religion, and persists in one form or another today. What do you think the challenges of this fact are when writing about them in a fantasy setting?
FG: As versatile as they are I just don’t see a silly Druid as a respectful choice. They are otherwise kind of a staple class/option in fantasy.
JH: Animal companions are a big part of the druid class, do you have a favorite animal, and if so, why?
FG: Yak/Bull/Oxen all use the same statline/progression and they are tanky mounts that hit like a truck. Something about riding 1k lbs of muscle and horns appeals to me.
JH: The druids spell list is often touted as one of the best around, why do you think this is?
FG: It’s a full caster that has their entire spell list available to call, which is second only to the wizard list but with healing. They get midrange HD, oftentimes an animal companion that can tank, and an array of useful skills and class features. It IS the BEST class.
JH: The druid is a class all about nature, the elements, and balance. Do you think there is a right and/or wrong way to play them given the inherent ethics the class seems to have?
FG: Druids even in fantasy settings are in conflict with civilizing forces, trying to combat that is a little hopeless at times even with god tier power so to me there’s a tinge of sadness in every druid.
JH: Now for an extra tough question, the druid as noted above seems to have a set of ethics and a deep seated philosophy built into it, so given this, what is the most important lesson you think the class has to teach us in our modern world, state of the planet such as it is?
FG: Consequences are inherent to nature, the Druid can be those consequences personified but even without them this translates to the real world. We may believe we have mastered nature but climate change is here and our technology can only do so much.
JH: The druid ability “ A Thousand Faces” is one of the few druid abilities that is not overly nature themed; do you think it belongs in the class and is in keeping with the rest of the theme of the class?
FG: It feels like a fey addition to the druid, it is not the only one and oddly enough I do actually think it works a little. Experienced druids not only resist nature's lure but they pick up a few tricks too.
JH: What is, if anything, your least favorite facet of the druid class?
FG: The metal armor restriction. I do not see metal as antithetical to nature and blacksmithing is in my opinion a very elemental task.
JH: As the druid is a very element focused class, what is your favorite element they have access to and why?
FG: Air, it’s frequently underestimated. The wind subdomain is a favorite of mine.
JH: Do you think that as written, there are some animal types and facets of nature that are not well represented by the druid class, is there too much of a focus on the fuzzy and powerful animals, or an avoidance of some of the more harsh aspects of nature in the class?
FG: Plagues are a natural phenomena but you’re more likely to see that in a necromancer’s bag of tricks.
JH: Finally, I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to have this chat, Frank!
FG: It is the way.
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