Preview Sneak Peek Update

So, I've been working hard on the Druid mod I mentioned  a couple of months ago. Here's a peek at where things are at so far, and what I still want to get working before I give you a prerelease to try. None of this is super-polished yet.

As you can see in the image above, we have sickles! It's pretty much just a wand right now, but sickles are traditional for druids. I also made a relatively barbaric looking horn that druids will blow for certain spells.

Right now, to become a Druid, you go to the Sylvan Glade and ask the Archdruid of the Glade.

Speaking of spells, there is a custom Druid spellbook. it's a different one than Spellcasters use, and not an override. I've been trying to ensure that even though it's sort-of an occult type, that it remains compatible with regular Spellcasters, so that you could have a sim who studies both. I'm developing it with the idea of it being an 'older' type of magic that predates spellcasters.

I also came up with some code to allow me to more easily create many types of spellbooks -- so hold on for future mods (ideas already brewing...but got to finish this one first).

Spells are working pretty much like spellcaster spells, and share a charge statistic. So if you have a sim that is both a druid and a spellcaster, casting either type of spell will increase the same statistic. So far this is working, lol. We'll see.

Songs are spells that are sung. They require both druidry knowledge and singing skill.

Poems are modeled after epic poems and require acting skill. They tend to affect all listeners within a radius, so can be quite powerful.

There are druid potions, which require both druidry knowledge and herbalism skill. Since some of these are very powerful, such as immunity from Disease or actual Immortality (as in cannot ever be killed, like Grim or Baby Ariel), I'm looking for interesting ingredients to require, like water from the Sylvan Glade.

I have more spells, songs, poems and potions planned. I've been trying to find relatively unique effects, in addition to the ones from the spellcaster class that fit (like Infernio).

There are also innate skills your druid gets as they level up, such as shape-shifting once per day (to a plantsim, then a mermaid, then finally a Werebear at the highest levels). Also finding certain types of frogs, fish and insects at will, depending on level and rarity.

Finally, I split off the Bushcraft skill so that it's not directly tied to Druids, but will be in the same release and mod. I think it's handy enough for archaeologists and other outdoor sims to use, so it won't require being a Druid. Druids will learn it faster, however, as they do with herbalism.

There are different ways you can play a druid, from 'super herbalist' to 'wild hermit' to 'crafty bard', depending on what other skills you emphasize and develop, like singing, acting, bushcraft or herbalism.

One idea I'm trying out are magic sigils that you cast on a lot which provide temporary lot trait effects while they exist. I'm working on finding the right balance with these. They should probably last a week or so, or maybe a lunar cycle? I think I have about 5 of them at the moment.

Still working on wild Fae Creature mechanics. Right now they are sticking around too long, and I'd like them to come and go more often. I'm working on getting the Sacred Oak I mentioned previously to work as a 'nest', but the fact that I based these on rabbits is complicating that.

They still teach spells, songs and poems (in place of Tomes, since this is a verbally transmitted skill). Sacred Oaks now teach herbalism, since who better to learn that from than a plant.

It seems like I can borrow or share the magic charge 'orb' for druids, but I haven't been able to get a rank indicator bar to show up. I'm currently using a reward trait to indicate your current level, such as Initiate, Novice, Warden, Ovate, Druid or Archdruid.

I want to make sure I debug the initiation/rank/leveling process before I make a prerelease available, since if that has problems it's harder to fix in an existing save.

As always, I appreciate any feedback, questions, suggestions, etc.

Thanks again for your support!