Need help finding a good homebrew or third party sea themed subclass for Druid (not interested in anything from 2024 rules)
I am making a new post because it seems I need to clarify in the title that I am looking for homebrew or 3pp options, rather then what I can do with the official WoTC-made Druid options
The circle of the land (coast) doesn’t do enough in regards to sea themed abilities outside the additional spells (for example, it still doesn’t allow a druid at early levels to wildshape into anything with a swim speed)
I am not interested in circle of the sea subclass or anything else from the crapshoot that is the 2024/5.5e rules
I am looking for homebrew or 3pp options for the 2014 rules. So getting subclass at level 2 and the like.
With that out of the way, here is the text from my initial post:
I am wanting to play a sea themed Druid, but I am struggling to find a good homebrew or 3pp subclass
I’m open to third party options, I don’t mind supporting third party creators
I know there is an official sea Druid subclass in 2024 rules, but I hate 2024 rules so much, the table I’m at is playing the 2014 edition, and the subclass itself has so many issues.
For one there isn’t any features that benefits exploration or social encounters or is utility, which is par for the course of the wargamey 2024 edition. While not all subclasses need to have things for exploration or social or utility, I feel a sea Druid is such a subclass that should have things to use for outside combat
It also relies heavily on your wildshape. This might be fine for Star Druids or other Druids that are focused on things that aren’t animals. But part of the fantasy of a sea Druid is sea animals… something a sea Druid isn’t even allowed to become because the subclass doesn’t even lift the “no swim speed” restriction at early Druid levels.
And the entire subclass is focused on the “emanation” ability
There are so many am ocean themed Druid could have and they focused solely on an ability that isn’t entirely ocean based. Like at level 10 you get a flying speed… a flying speed, for the water themed Druid
Compare this to fathomless warlock, or the sea sorcerer from the UA, and those have so many cool abilities and features that encompass the oceanic theme.
So the TLDR is that I want a Druid subclass that: - is flavorful and actually fits the sea Druid fantasy - while not a make or break for me, I would like a sea Druid that has utility, or something for exploration. A purely combat sea Druid subclass might be fine so long as it satisfies the other things I want - each feature granting different abilities rather then being so hyper focused on one gimmick (the 2024 sea Druid is focused on a gimmick, which I don’t really like) - is balanced. My DM is emphasizing balance with any homebrew or subclasses I run by them.