Buy me a coffee“Druther: The Witch-Born Wooden Sentinel of Haunted Woods”
A Druther is a sinister, bipedal wooden construct, forged and animated by a witch’s dark will, that tirelessly carries out menial or deadly tasks, its gnarled limbs creaking and groaning in the wind like a ghostly, bassoon-like whisper that chills the forest to its core.
A Druther is a witch-crafted wooden golem built from branches, planks, or bound sticks, animated to carry out the tasks its maker would rather avoid—whether guarding, menial labor, or merciless killing. These crude, effigy-like constructs groan with hollow, bassoon-like tones when the wind stirs them and strike with relentless strength despite their mindless nature. Hated by treants and woodland fey as twisted mockeries of living wood, druthers shrug off most weapons but burn fiercely in fire, and rogue druthers sometimes break free to rampage in blind, destructive fury.
Appearance
A druther is a humanoid construct of wood, its body cobbled together from rough-hewn planks, twisted branches, or bundles of sticks bound with sinew and twine. Its joints creak with each ponderous step, and those built with hollow reeds sigh with a low, bassoon-like moan when the wind stirs them. Some witches carve their druthers into unsettlingly lifelike forms that resemble wooden nymphs, but most resemble crude, shambling effigies—grotesque parodies of life wrought from dead timber.
Behaviour
Silent and unthinking, a druther exists only to serve. It stands motionless until commanded, waiting like a withered tree before lurching into sudden action. In combat, it fights with grim persistence, heedless of pain or strategy, battering foes with sheer strength until its task is complete. When idle, it plods through menial chores or remains perfectly still, a looming shape half-forgotten among the woods.
Habitat
Druthers dwell wherever their witch-makers reside—hidden cottages, shadowed groves, or the lonely fringes of wilderness. Left to guard shrines, thresholds, and woodland paths, they often masquerade as ordinary trees, springing to life only when intruders draw near. To treants, dryads, and other woodland fey, druthers are abominations, affronts to living wood that must be destroyed on sight.
Modus Operandi
Druthers obey simple, direct commands—guard, fetch, kill, frighten—and nothing more. When unleashed, they strike with unrelenting brutality, their heavy limbs crashing down like falling logs. Their crude bodies shrug off blades and arrows, yet burn readily, fire reducing them to ash faster than any other weapon. A druther never retreats, never bargains, and never stops until its command is fulfilled or its body lies in splinters.
Motivation
Without a witch’s will, a druther has no purpose. It exists as a tool, an extension of its creator’s desires, whether to serve, protect, or destroy. Yet on rare occasions, control slips, and the animating force twists into independence; such rogue druthers rampage blindly, consumed by frustration and violence until finally undone by fire or axe.
Druther 5e 2024
Druther, Pathfinder
Druther 3.5
Druther
Medium Construct, Unaligned
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 85 (10d8 + 40)
Speed 20 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 (+5) | 9 (−1) | 18 (+4) | 3 (−4) | 11 (+0) | 3 (−4) |
Saving Throws Con +7, Wis +3
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, slashing from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities piercing, poison, cold
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, exhaustion
Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages understands the language of its creator but cannot speak
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Traits
Construct Nature. The druther doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Mindless Servant. The druther obeys only the commands of its creator. It can follow instructions of up to 15 words but cannot improvise or adapt.
Still as Wood. While motionless and surrounded by trees or wooden objects, the druther is indistinguishable from natural wood (DC 18 Intelligence [Investigation] check to discern).
Woody Resonance. When strong winds pass through the druther, it emits a low, haunting drone. Each creature within 30 feet that can hear the sound must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on its next attack roll before the start of its next turn.
Actions
Multiattack. The druther makes two Slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Rooted Grasp (Recharge 5–6). The druther drives its limbs into the ground, causing roots and branches to lash out in a 15-foot radius. Each creature of the druther’s choice in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or become restrained until the end of the druther’s next turn.
Reactions
Splinter Burst. When reduced to half its hit points or fewer, the druther erupts in a spray of jagged splinters. Each creature within 10 feet must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success.
Legendary Actions
The druther can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn.
- Lurch. The druther moves up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
- Crushing Blow. The druther makes one Slam attack.
- Camouflage (Costs 2 Actions). The druther blends into its surroundings, appearing as inert wood until it moves or attacks. While disguised, a creature must succeed on a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check to recognize it as a threat.
Lair Actions (when within 100 feet of its witch’s lair)
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the druther can take one of the following lair actions if trees or dense wood are nearby:
- Entangling Roots. The ground in a 20-foot radius sprouts writhing roots. Each creature of the druther’s choice in the area must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be restrained until the lair action is used again.
- Creaking Chorus. The lair fills with groaning wood and hollow moans. Each enemy within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn.
Combat Tactics
A druther fights with relentless, unthinking ferocity. It begins encounters disguised among trees or wooden structures, ambushing intruders with sudden violence. It uses Rooted Grasp early to restrain prey, then pounds foes with heavy Slam attacks. The construct never flees, never bargains, and fights until destroyed. When facing fire-wielding enemies, it instinctively targets them first, desperate to extinguish the flames that threaten its existence.
Druther
This shambling construct of tangled wood groans like old timber, its hollow frame moaning like a bassoon when the wind passes through its reeds.
Druther CR 5
XP 1,600
N Medium construct
Init –1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 9, flat-footed 17 (–1 Dex, +8 natural)
hp 66 (8d10+20)
Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +2
Defensive Abilities DR 10/magic; camouflage
Immune construct traits, cold, piercing damage
Weaknesses vulnerability to fire (×2 damage)
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee 2 slams +11 (2d6+6)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks rooted grasp, splinter burst, woody resonance
STATISTICS
Str 22, Dex 9, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 3
Base Atk +8; CMB +14; CMD 23
Feats —
Skills —
Languages understands creator’s language (cannot speak)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Camouflage (Ex) While motionless among trees, logs, or wooden objects, a druther is indistinguishable from natural wood. A DC 25 Perception check reveals its true nature.
Rooted Grasp (Su) As a standard action, a druther drives its limbs into the ground, causing roots and branches to lash out in a 15-foot radius. Creatures in the area must succeed on a DC 16 Reflex save or become entangled for 1 round. Creatures failing the save by 5 or more are grappled (CMB +14). Usable once every 1d4 rounds.
Splinter Burst (Ex) When reduced to half its hit points or fewer, a druther may release a burst of jagged splinters as an immediate action. All creatures within 10 feet take 2d6 piercing damage (Reflex DC 15 half).
Woody Resonance (Su) When strong wind (natural or magical) passes through its frame, the druther emits a low, haunting drone. All creatures within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 14 Will save or take a –2 penalty on attack rolls until the start of their next turn. This is a sonic, mind-affecting effect.
ECOLOGY
Environment any forest or swamp
Organization solitary, pair, or grove (3–6)
Treasure none
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Construct, air walk, plant growth, minor creation, bull’s strength
Cost 8,000 gp
Price 16,000 gp
Construction requires 200 pounds of wood—carved, planked, or bound sticks—infused with incense and ritual magic.
TACTICS
Before Combat A druther remains perfectly still, using camouflage to appear as a tree, totem, or pile of logs until commanded to attack.
During Combat The druther opens with rooted grasp to hinder foes, then advances with crushing slams. It uses splinter burst to punish close attackers and focuses on fire-wielding enemies first.
Morale Mindless and fearless, a druther fights until destroyed. Rogue druthers, uncontrolled by their creators, attack anything they perceive as a threat, hurling themselves into combat without hesitation.
Druther
A Druther is a type of weaker wood golem that can only be created by a witch. The name comes from an old piece of doggerel often muttered by witches,
Liber Mysterium
The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks
By Timothy S. Brannan and The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks Team
-If I really had my druthers, I’d have my wooden druthers too.-
A Wooden Druther is a corrupt form of -wouldn’t I’d rathers-, or something the witch doesn’t want. So the Wooden Druther performs tasks that the witch would rather not do herself. The druther can understand simple command phrases of about 15 words each. Typically druthers are used for menial labour or to perform a task that the witch cannot do or won’t do herself, like killing or scaring an enemy. Often a witch will have a few druthers protecting her home while disguised as trees (Spot DC 25 when so Disguised).
A druther cannot communicate at all. Some witches have used woody reeds in the construction of their druthers. When the wind blows across the druther it sounds like a deep bassoon.
Druthers can appear in any form. Usually they are biped and always made of wood. The wood can be carved or a collection of sticks tied together. The appendages need to be attached separately if the druther is to move at all. They can be precisely carved to appear as anything the witch wants, but they typically look like walking bunches of sticks. Legend has it that there was a witch that had such beautifully carved druthers that they were often mistaken for wood nymphs.
Treants, dryads, and wood nymphs view a druther in the same manner a human views the undead or a flesh golem. Most will attempt to destroy them when they can. Some witches and wizards value the wood from an inanimate druther to use to make magical fires.
| Druther | |
| Medium construct | |
| Hit Dice | 9d10 (45 hp) |
| Initiative | -1 Dexterity |
| Speed | 20 ft. |
| AC | 17 (-1 Dexterity, +8 Natural) |
| Attacks | 2 Limbs (fists or constructed weapons) +9 |
| Damage | Slam 2d6+6 |
| Face/Reach | 5 ft. by 5ft./5ft. |
| Special Qualities | construct, Damage reduction 15/+1, Immune to piercing, water and cold-based attacks. Double damage from fire based attacks. |
| Saves | Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +4 |
| Abilities | Strength 20, Dexterity 9, Constitution -, Intelligence -, Wisdom 11, Charisma 3 |
| Climate/Terrain | Any |
| Organization | Solitary |
| Challenge Rating | 4 |
| Treasure | None |
| Alignment | Always Neutral |
| Advancement | 10-15 (Large); 15-20 (Huge) |
Combat
A druther is mindless in combat. It strikes with its wood fists with almost no regard to what else is going on.
Construct: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, disease, and similar effects. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.
Damage Reduction: The druther can ignore the first 15 points of damage dealt, unless the weapon is +1 or better. Arrows or other piercing items, such as spears or thrust Daggers, only do 1 point of damage per hit. Water base attacks have no effect on the druther whatsoever. Fire based attacks always do double damage.
Cold based attacks do no damage.
Construction
Witches of 10th level or better can construct a druther. If the witch has access to a Manual of Druthers, then she can create a Druther from that work. Otherwise a witch may opt to create one from scratch. The witch will need at least 200 pounds of wood, either as sticks, planks or individually carved pieces. She must gather these herself. The witch will need her consecrated witch tools and fine incense, which will cost the witch 2,000 GP.
After creating the body for the druther, the witch will have to cast air walk, Bless Growth, Feral Spirit, Lesser Strengthening Rite and minor creation. The ashes from the burned incense is then sprinkled on the wood. The process takes the witch one month to create and drains 1,000 XP.
Drudges
Sometimes druthers are referred to as -Drudges-, mostly due to their ability to menial work, usually around the home. While a druther may be used to do the witch’s dirty work, a drudge will do the witch’s dirty laundry. Adventurers have reported of a witch with intricately carved wood drudges as her household staff. A drudge butler was so well made that they could not tell it was a magical construct at all.
Rogue Druthers
The druther has a great tie to its animating elemental force. But sometimes the druther will break free of the witch’s control, but not of its wooden body. These druthers are known as rogues and take out their frustration the only way know, to throw themselves into any combative situation it can.