Need Help!! Custom Spellcasting Druid?

[Acmite]

I'm trying to come up with a Shamanistic (in terms of nature/animlas, not spirits) Druid. The thing is, I don't want Wildshape and all the "funky" abilities a druid gets.

I'm looking for more of a Spellcasting Druid.

What changes can I make to the Druid to compensate for the loss of Wildshape? Any maybe all the rest of their abilities save Nature Sense and a limited version of Animal Companion. I'm thinking of replacing the Animal Companion with a Familiar of some sorts.

I'd like to add spontaneous casting, but how do I do this without losing the versatility a druid needs ?

Using a sorceror variant (ie: a sorceror with a different spell list) would be incredibly weak, IMO.

I guess I'm looking for a cross between the two?

I've posted a thread re: Shamans on the General Board, but I'm not sure that is the right feel.

Any suggestions?

One thought I was considering is jump bumping up the amount of spells they know compared to a sorceror--but I don't know where to start in terms of what is kosher balance-wise. I have to propose this to my DM by the weekend, so I don't exactly have time to playtest this, like I normally would try to do.

 

[Limper]

Might I suggest looking at issue 280 of Dragon, the Eldritch Master prestige class would allow one to combine nigh all of the elements you are describing... it would just take a little longer to get there.


For Wild Shape I'd think an appropriate Domain with bonus spell and ability would be a fair swap. I'd shy away from spontanious casting... versitility is key to any caster... this is doubly true if you have access to Magic of Faerun, Relics and Rituals, and MotW... between the lot Druid spells are cool now.

Just some thoughts.

 

[Limper]

If its not to late.... the Mongoose Shaman is very much what you want.

 

[Happiest_Sadist]

The shaman from oriental adventures would work too.

 

[Destil]

Re: Generalized, spontanious druid

Personaly, I'd go with a sorcerer type spell caster with a VAST number of spells known (2-3 times that of the sorcerer), but a smaller number of spells castable per day (less than a cleric, at least) , allowing a lot of flexibility and utility at the cost of raw spellcasting power.