Heroforgotten's Guide to Totemic Druids

[Heroforgotten]

What is a Totemic Druid?

A totemic druid is a druid that bases his magic off a single totem. Before and during the third war, almost all druids were night elves. Night elf druids were organized into different subgroups, each with its own totem animal, the ones used in Warcraft three were the Druids of the Claw and Druids of the Talon. After the third war however, most druids have agreed that diversity may be a better option and formed the Druids of the Wild. While most druids are now Druids of the Wild, some still are members of the branches. Below I will give info on each group of Totemic Druids, a subject I have been researching for quite some time.


-A druid of the claw as seen in warcraft 3-

Druid of the Claw
Primary Patrons: The bear twins Ursol and Ursoc
Forms: Bear, Black Bear, Brown Bear, Polar Bear and Dire Bear
A Druid of the Claw is class of druid. They were invaluable during the Third War. Their totem is the bear, and they use the bear's strength and resilience to ravage their enemies in close combat. Perhaps more than any other druid, Druids of the Claw focus on combat prowess, preferring raw strength and staying power to stealth and subtlety.


Druid of the Talon
Primary Patron: The winged demi-goddes, Aviana
Forms: Storm Crow, Raven, various Birds of Prey and Moonkin
Druids of the Talon are a class of druid. While they did not have as big an impact on the Third War as the Druids of the Claw, the Druids of the Talon were a valuable addition to the forces of the night elves and, later, the Alliance. They take as their totem the storm crow, and by extension, ravens, hawks, and other birds of prey. They are not frontline soldiers, as the Druids of the Claw are; their roles are in a support capacity. Their shapechanging abilities allow them to perform valuable espionage, and their abilities impose a variety of disadvantages on their enemies.


-druid drawn by Arktos from deviantart-

Druid of the Antler (Rumored) (May require special permission to make)
Primary Patron: The enormous white stag, Malorne
Form: Stag
The Druids of the Antler is a rumored circle of druids who revere Malorne. It is believed that the organization is dedicated to following Malorne's example and recreating his mighty powers — but this rumor has yet to be proven.


-druid drawn by lady of dragons-

Druid of the Grove (I found little to no info on these guys)
Primary Patron: The Ancient, Ivus the Forest Lore
Form: Tree of Life/Treant
Unlike most Totemic groups, the Druids of the Grove have a leader: Arch Druid Renferal
The Druids of the Grove are a group of druids led by Arch Druid Renferal that battles the Horde in Alterac Valley.


-tauren druid drawn by carzeeon-

Druid of the Fang (Some Druids of the Fang are uncorrupted and fight their former brothers)
Primary Patron: Unknown
Forms: Snake, Viper, Constrictor and Dire Cobra
Like the Druids of the Grove, the Druids of the Fang have leaders: Lord Cobrahn, Lady Anacondra, Lord Pythas, Lord Serpentis and previously Naralex
A Druid of the Fang is a class of druids. They are members of the organization known as the Druids of the Fang. Druids of the Fang accept the snake as their totem. Due to recent events, many believe the Druids of the Fang are an evil organization. This belief is unfounded; the Druids of the Fang are loyal to Darnassus and to the Alliance. However, recently, the order's head, Naralex, became trapped in a nightmare in the Wailing Caverns while attempting to restore the natural balance of the Barrens; he now spreads corruption through the complex. Many Druids of the Fang also became infected, and many of the order are now indeed corrupted and evil. The uncorrupted Druids of the Fang seek to cure their brethren and restore their leader.

And finally the most common Druid order, while not Totemic Druids, they still deserve to be mentioned in this guide.

Druid of the Wild (Have the most patrons out of all the other Druid orders)
Primary Patrons: The two dragon queens, Ysera of the Green Dragonflight and Alexstrasze of the Red Dragonflight as well as Therezane the Stonemother
Form: Depends on the individual
Druid of the Wild is a class of druid which incorporate many different animals and animalistic aspects into their repertoire. Some still call themselves Druids of the Wild to represent their breadth, but as this approach is now standard, mostly they are called just druids. They are tied to the living aspects of nature — flora and fauna. They do not dabble in elemental forces; such powers are the purview of shamans. A Druid of the Wild grows such a strong affinity with nature that she may assume the form of animals and even super-natural beasts.


-savagekin and a femal night elf from the Alliance Player's Guide-

Savagekin
Primary Patrons: Various
Form: Various
Savagekin are the most primal of druids, and bear an ancient but obscure legacy. Whereas some druids seek to command nature or bond with it, the savagekin surrender themselves to the natural world, abandoning much of their humanity to live with the beasts.


I hope this is of some help and shows that when making a druid one can be more variant. As far as I know there is no Druidic order for Cat (Panther, Lion and Cheetah/Travel forms). Maybe with permission from a GM some may be able to make a Druidic order for them.

Note: When playing as a Totemic Druid, try to make your druid appear as if he actually belongs to his order. If you see Talsimir around, you notice I don't use the full Wildheart set, this is due to the set looking more like that of a Druid of the Talon and not a Druid of the Claw. The Dreamwalker sets appear close to what a playable Druid of the Fang may wear.

[Kaghuros]

I was under the impression that Druid of the Wild was just someone who didn't serve a demigod/deity. All Elven Druids have Ysera and the Green Flight as patrons, right? That's what lets them enter the Emerald Dream when other races can't.

[Heroforgotten]

Yes, as patrons but not as primary patrons, the druids of the wild has it listed as a primary patron while the others have what I listed.

[Renown0]

Everything here has the Renown0 seal of approval... as if it counts for anything.

However, I THINK (And only think) that the Moonkin form is part of being a Druid of the Grove.

The above sentence is not backed by research, only rumor. >.>

It is also possible, and more likely, that there really isn't a Moonkin form, and WoW only has it so Balance Druids don't feel left out. Moonkins are considered by NElves to be the "favored of Elune", since she created them to be very specific guards.

But who knows? I haven't played the WCRPG...

[Heroforgotten]

Thanks Feldon

[Kaghuros]

Moonkin form really doesn't exist as far as I know, but I always lump it with Talon Druids just because it's bird-ey.

[Heroforgotten]

Yeah, I'm gonna leave it unlisted until I finish my research.

[Theik]

Moonkin form really doesn't exist as far as I know, but I always lump it with Talon Druids just because it's bird-ey.

I'd go with that one. While Moonkin form is mostly just something made up to give balance druids a 'form' as well, they seem to fit best with druids of the talon, who in themselves were also balance druids, with things such as faerie fire and cyclone.

[Heroforgotten]

If a player makes their own order of druids that they believe fit into the Totemic Druid archetype, tell me and I'll add them to the list.

[Renown0]

If a player makes their own order of druids that they believe fit into the Totemic Druid archetype, tell me and I'll add them to the list.

Always make sure to get it approved by way of GM/Admin, though!

[Hawk]

A Druids of the Wild playable here?

If so, I'm totally rolling a druid that'll prowl around Stormwind as a squirrel...

[Theik]

A Druids of the Wild playable here?

If so, I'm totally rolling a druid that'll prowl around Stormwind as a squirrel...

All druids in WoW are by default druids of the wild. They're not specialized in anything, but have some knowledge about everything. But that doesn't mean they can turn into squirrels though. xD

[Hawk]

Damn! lol

Cheers.

[Hogral]

Is there any reason as to why Druids can only turn into a spesific set of animals though?
I was imagining that it's just very difficult to learn a new animal-form or whatnot, so that most druids just specialize in one or two forms, and invariably choose the useful ones over the cute-looking ones. I say that, because there appears to be no reason as to why it's possible to become a Bear or Cheetah, but not a Ram or Turtle. It is, however, pure guesswork from my side.

[Theik]

Is there any reason as to why Druids can only turn into a spesific set of animals though?
I was imagining that it's just very difficult to learn a new animal-form or whatnot, so that most druids just specialize in one or two forms, and invariably choose the useful ones over the cute-looking ones. I say that, because there appears to be no reason as to why it's possible to become a Bear or Cheetah, but not a Ram or Turtle. It is, however, pure guesswork from my side.

It seems to have something to do with their patrons. Even in the D20, which usually just borrows all their mechanics from Dungeons and Dragons, only allows druids to shapeshift into cats, birds of prey, bears and ancients. The druids of the fang seem to have gained their ability to shapeshift into snakes due to their corruption, while druids trapped in the nightmare who become druids of nightmare shapeshift into vermin such as spiders.

In the original DnD rules druids have to be intimately familiar with the animals they shapeshift in, which seems like something they copied ever so slightly. Cats, owls, ravens and bears are the creatures most common amongst night elven lands, and Tauren have only recently learned to be druids from the Night Elves. I'm guessing it'd take many years before the druids can convince animal spirits of other lands to lend them their strength.