DRUID: Druids are specialty priests who fulfill the needs of nature deities. Their greatest concern is for the continuation of the orderly and proper cycles of nature. They are charged with protecting the earth and the wilderness, especially trees, wild plants, and crops. They realize the needs that people have to use natural resources, but they despise and act out against unnecessary destruction, exploitation, and excess. Aside from a generous amount of practical wisdom, druids need strong personalities to deal with problems in the field where there is often no temple organization to back them up.

In summary, most druids form circles, which fulfill for druids the same organizational needs that church or temple hierarchies do for most other priests. These circles consist of a dozen or so druids and 20 or so affiliated rangers and other allies (other people, or even woodland creatures, or similar sentient allies appropriate to the region). Circles can be tightly centered around a particular wood or grove, or widely scattered over a region. Druids of the same circle tend to worship different dieties, though in general, druids of the same circle tend to worship the same power. Powers commonly worshipped in the Realms include Chauntea, Eldath, Silvanus, and Mielikki. The Elemental Lords are also rumored to be worshipped by some druids, but not as patron deities.

All faiths that include druids among their clergy maintain their own separate druid hierarchies. That is, each religion has its own druids, archdruids, great, and grand druids. Great amd grand druids of a particular faith are singular beings, and each directs activities of his or her faith within a 500-mile-radius of his or her home. Each is entrusted with the organization and protection of the circles and other druidic shrines within that domain. Interfaith relations between different druidic religions in the realms are fairly cordial. Conflicts between the faiths are settled through negotiation or, failing that, ritual or personal combat.

The precise borders of a great druid's domain are nebulous at best, but there are five known major regions within Faerun. The first and eldest is on the southern shores of the Sea of Fallen Stars, and includes the Gulthemere Forest and the Chondalwood. The second is located in the scattered regions of ancient Cormanthor, ranging from Cormyr to the Moonsea, and includes the ancient territories of the Elven Court. The third is located in the North. It is based in the High Forest but includes all other forests and woods in the area. The fourth includes all the Moonshaes, and the fifth encompasses the Forest Lethyr and the Rawlinswood, the forests surrounding the Great Dale. Other such regions undoubtedly exist.

Stats Required: Wisdom 12, Charisma 15
Alignments Allowed: Any
Race: Human, Elf, Half-elf

ADVANTAGES
- May shapechange into any reptile, bird, or mammal three times per day at level 7
- Gain a +2 to all saving throws vs. fire or electrical attacks

DISADVANTAGES
- May not turn undead
- May only wear "natural" armor
- May only use the following weapons: club, sickle, dart, spear, dagger, scimitar, sling, and staff

SPHERE ACCESS
- Major access to the spheres of all, animal, elemental-air, elemental-earth, elemental-fire, elemental-water, healing, plant, sun, and weather
- Minor access to none of the spheres
- No access to the spheres of astral, charm, chaos, combat, creation, divination, guardian, law, necromantic, numbers, protection, summoning, thought, time, travelers, war, and wards