Druid
This article is about the profession. For the NPCs in Yew in Ultima IV, see Druid (NPC).
| Druid | |
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 Druid | |
| Magic ability: | 3/4 |
| Bonus: | Medium INT low DEX |
Druids in Britannia are a profession that feels closely connected to nature and magic.
The Way of the Druid[edit]
Making their homes within the Deep Forest of Britannia’s northwest, the mystic druids call the town of Yew their own. They can frequently be found in deep meditation amongst their sacred oak groves, which they defend fiercely from all who would harm the forest they protect. Deep within these woods, they further themselves in the virtue of Justice, and are frequently involved in the affairs of the High Court. The druids' knowledge of natural lore is without peer, and their understanding of medicinal herbs and the habits of Britannia's wildlife makes them a boon companion. This, along with their powerful mystic arts and knowledge of the arcane, makes them a valuable asset in any adventure.
The druids fight with an assortment of weapons, although they often prefer to wield different types of bows, carved from the trees they carefully nurture. In close combat, many prefer a stout oak staff or heavy mace. The druids tend to shun works of metal, preferring well crafted leather armour, for they believe in retaining a close communication with nature; although, some have been willing to put aside their convictions to further a greater cause.
Druids are among the older professions.
Statistics[edit]
In Ultima IV, druids’ multiplier for their magic powers is "1.5" (formula: (INT × X = MP)). The best normal armour they can wear is leather and the best normal weapons they can wield are a mace and a crossbow. The best magical weapon they can wield is the magic wand.
In Ultima V, druids get equal the amount of mana to their INT (meaning "1"). There are no more restrictions on armor and weapons, though the needed strength for many of these of course limits the selection to the druid, who generally has lower STR.
In Ultima VI, druids for some reason cannot use magic.
In Ultima IX, the druid receives Level 2 INT, level 2 DEX, +5 karma, a staff, and a map of Yew as a starting bonus.
Examples[edit]
Though druids in general are more secretive, some made names for themselves over the ages:
- Jaana, one of the most famous druids and one of the Companions of the Avatar.
- Lady Tory, a druid with empathic powers.
- Calumny, a druid who invented the Quickness spell.
- Batlin, the founder of the Fellowship, was druid before turning evil and working for the Guardian.
Lore[edit]
| “ | The Druids are fierce fighters, especially when defending their beloved groves. They hold all trees to be sacred and their town of Yew lies deep in the woods. Druids are also impressive practitioners of the mystic arts and their knowledge of herbs is without peer. They may fight with different types of bows, although their preferred weapon is the mace. The Druidic philosophy forbids the wearing of metal of any kind, so Leather is their armor of choice. The Druid's knowledge of the ways of the woodlands make them invaluable as fellow travelers. – from The History of Britannia (Ultima IV)
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| “ | Druids, magicians who draw their very powers from nature and natural phenomena, are regarded as a subset of mages. – from Book of Lore (Ultima V)
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| “ | We are now seeking a contingent of druids to join us in the Abyss. We hope they might be able to use their mystic abilities to persuade a sacred grove to take root in our chasm. Many druids are skilled with bow or mace, and so would be doubly useful. Druids generally shun the wearing of metal armor. Here this is good, for in the Abyss sound carries easily, and metal armor is noisy. – from Memoirs of Sir Cabirus (Ultima Underworld)
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| “ | Because of their devotion to and understanding of nature, druids are a much-needed profession after Britannia's time of environmental devastation. Most druids do not go heavily armored, and rely instead on their mastery of spell-casting and woodcraft to evade combat, or utilize their surroundings to their own tactical advantage. |
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See Also[edit]
| The Major Professions | |
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| The Professions | Mage ☥ Bard ☥ Fighter ☥ Druid ☥ Tinker ☥ Paladin ☥ Ranger ☥ Shepherd ☥ Avatar |