July 2, 2025 • 10 mins
In today's episode, I talk about what could be the sneakiest spells from AD&D... Tree. This spell lets a druid blend into the forest like a pro, but it raises a fun question... how else can we use it? Could a villain fake their death and hide as a tree? Could a cursed item cast Tree on the bearer when triggered? What about druids turning into shrubbery to spy on a noble’s court? We talk creative uses, rule questions, and a few ways to twist this humble spell into a game-changer for players and GMs.
#ADnD #DruidMagic #OldSchoolGaming
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:18):
Hey, welcome back to the podcast, the Evil Dungeon Master
Universe Podcast. I'm your host, Evil Dungeon
Master Vince Wednesday. It's the work day before the
holiday. 4th of July weekend is coming up. 4th of July
celebration. Happy 4th of July to America
obviously, cuz they celebrate 4th of July and that's what we
celebrate here in America. So yeah, hopefully you are doing
(00:41):
well out there and I know I'm doing well.
Just the other day I got my Gen.Con badge.
I'll be heading officially to Gen.
Con this August, well July into August.
So if you're there, be great to possibly see some listeners or
viewers of the channel and meet up and just to say hi, you know,
be great. I'll be wandering around.
(01:02):
I'm in a couple games. I picked up some tickets for
some an alternative game, a Savage World Star Trek game and
another game. I can't remember what the name
of it is or the game escapes my mind at the moment.
And then some seminars like Palladium seminars and stuff
like that just to see what's going on with them.
(01:25):
That's about it. Going to meet up with someone to
possibly play a Marvel game. I don't know who wants his name
says but you know that should befun.
Anyway. Ask the DM at the evil dm.com is
my e-mail address where you can e-mail me and comment all the
way you want and I'll respond. Ask sorry the D evildm.com is my
(01:50):
website, patreon.com/the Evil DMwhere you can get, you can
support me and get extras like, you know, write ups and stuff
like that and $0.99 to join the YouTube channel youtube.com/the
Evil DM. Anyway, today's topic is going
to be on a spell. We're going to head to the
Players Handbook on page 58. It's a drudick spell or druid
(02:12):
spell. I don't know why I said druidic
spell. I guess it works Level 3 tree.
Now you're saying, oh, a big deal tree, but no tree actually
is kind of cool if you think about it.
And I've got some ways that you can actually make tree a little
more interesting as you as Adm and maybe even a player as well.
So, so tree Level 3, range 0, duration 6 turns plus one turn
(02:37):
per level. Area of effect is only personal.
That's subject to I guess how you want to determine personal.
But anyway, verbal, semantic, material, casting time, 5
segments, savings or none. By means of the spell, the druid
is able to assume the form of a small living tree or shrub that
(03:01):
or that of a large dead tree trunk within but within with
only a few limbs. Although the closest inspection
will not reveal that this plant is actually a druid, and for all
normal tests he or she is in fact a tree or shrub, the druid
is able to observe all that goeson around her or him or his or
(03:21):
her person, just as that they were in human form.
The spellcaster may remove the duoir at any time he or she want
desires, instantly changing fromplant to human form and having
full capacity of undertaking anyaction normally possible to the
druid. Note that all clothing and gear
(03:43):
worn change with the druid. The material components of the
spell is a mistletoe and a twig from a tree.
So that's the spell itself. Now.
Now here's where I said personalcould be subjective.
Now, it does say personal, whichI'm going to say is basically
(04:04):
yourself, but generally the areaof effect would be self, not
personal. So would I allow the druid to
touch someone and transform them?
Yeah, A willing participant. Yeah, I would probably allow
that for the spell just to give it some type of difference in
(04:27):
the spell. I think it I just the way it's
written kind of makes me think it's just the druid.
Basically. The way it's written though,
just the way it says area of effect personal makes me want to
say that personal could be someone else.
With that said, I mean, you know, my campaign, I'll rule I
(04:47):
want to and that would probably make it a little more
interesting spell that a jury would use.
So ways that that would include a druid casts a tree on a spy
cast? I'm sorry a druid cast spot?
I can't read my own notes today.A druid cast tree to spy on a
corrupt noble in a garden. When the party is hired to
(05:09):
investigate, they find no witnesses until they realized
the oddly placed shrub is watching them.
If they figure it out, the druidspills the truth.
So there's a hidden witness in the garden there, waiting,
hiding, listening, watching an escape route.
(05:29):
A villain can cast druid spell the tree spell in a forest
during a pursuit. The party loses them because he
turns into a tree and they don'texpect it.
Later on while camping they noticed that one of the trees
starts to move, but it's too late by that point and the
(05:50):
villain jumps out and attacks the party and unsuspecting when
their guard is dropped. Let's see, enter a druid
sanctuary. One must become one with nature.
The only way to unlock a door isfor APC druid to tree themselves
next to an ancient tree. Then the tree speaks to the
(06:13):
actual druid himself or herself and revealing the secret how to
open the door. That might be a long stretch,
but you'd have to probably include a Riddle with that one.
I was thinking that maybe, you know, some type of, I don't
know, I have to, I have to sit down and figure all that one
out. But I was thinking that you
would get through the secret Druid sanctuary by turning into
(06:33):
a tree and then maybe communicating with one of the
other trees and how to get through the door would be.
But they would have to be some type of hint or maybe myth or
legend that goes with it that would make them think that
otherwise druid randomly turninginto a tree next in the druid
Grove is not going to really be.I mean you never know what a
(06:57):
player thinks so. But last thing I thought of
about this was the party sent sent to investigate why trees in
the forest seem to be moving around.
They seem to be watching people.People are marking trees and
those marked trees are disappearing or moving where
(07:21):
their locations are now. Doesn't say anything about if
the druid is in tree form and they get hit, will they take
damage or anything? I would assume based on the
spell that yeah, for all intensepurposes you are a tree or a
shrub and any damage you take asa tree or a shrub would transfer
(07:42):
over to the druid, but probably not until the druid goes back to
being a druid. So if the tree or shrub happens
to be carved into and or hacked by someone, there would be no
immediate damage to the situation.
But once the druid becomes a druid again then that would be
(08:05):
the hit points are transferred to the druid.
Though that also brings up the fact that what if you're a tree
because it's a small tree? And what exactly is a small
living tree? I guess the average tree you see
outside that's not too tall but like maybe a young tree but not
(08:27):
really a little baby tree. Now what happens if the party
member and or MPC chops said tree down before the druid can
come be come back into a druid? Does the druid die?
I mean, for all intents purposes, it says you are a.
Where is that line again? In fact a tree or a shrub?
(08:54):
All normal tests indicate you are a tree or a shrub.
So if you get chopped and then chopped down, I don't see why
you would stay in the tree form being chopped.
But let's just say you're doing that because you're hiding.
I would think that your character would be the
equivalent of cutting your head off.
I don't know. What do you D me?
What do you DMS think out there of that one?
(09:16):
I'm interested to hear what you think of that situation because
it's pretty interesting. So tell me what you think about
the tree spell. I'm interested to hear your
thoughts on the tree spell. I want to know if you've used it
in your campaign and what ways you've used it that made it
interesting for you. With that said, I'm going to
head out. Ask the DM with evildm.com.
(09:37):
Theevildm.com is my website where you can click on the
newsletter and patreon.com/see within the DM is where you can
support me. Keep it original, keep it old
school. Goodnight.
God bless and happy 4th of July to those out there that
celebrate. I'm going to see if I can have a
podcast on Friday, though I might be out and about since
(09:59):
I'll be out celebrating 4th of July, get together with the
family and things like that so Imay not have time.
I'll see if I can record it earlier like on a Thursday or
something so it drops on Friday for you all.
So keep original, keep it old school.
Goodnight, God bless.
Hey, welcome back to the podcast, the Evil Dungeon Master
Universe Podcast. I'm your host, Evil Dungeon
Master Vince Wednesday. It's the work day before the
holiday. 4th of July weekend is coming up. 4th of July
celebration. Happy 4th of July to America
obviously, cuz they celebrate 4th of July and that's what we
celebrate here in America. So yeah, hopefully you are doing
(00:41):
well out there and I know I'm doing well.
Just the other day I got my Gen.Con badge.
I'll be heading officially to Gen.
Con this August, well July into August.
So if you're there, be great to possibly see some listeners or
viewers of the channel and meet up and just to say hi, you know,
be great. I'll be wandering around.
(01:02):
I'm in a couple games. I picked up some tickets for
some an alternative game, a Savage World Star Trek game and
another game. I can't remember what the name
of it is or the game escapes my mind at the moment.
And then some seminars like Palladium seminars and stuff
like that just to see what's going on with them.
(01:25):
That's about it. Going to meet up with someone to
possibly play a Marvel game. I don't know who wants his name
says but you know that should befun.
Anyway. Ask the DM at the evil dm.com is
my e-mail address where you can e-mail me and comment all the
way you want and I'll respond. Ask sorry the D evildm.com is my
(01:50):
website, patreon.com/the Evil DMwhere you can get, you can
support me and get extras like, you know, write ups and stuff
like that and $0.99 to join the YouTube channel youtube.com/the
Evil DM. Anyway, today's topic is going
to be on a spell. We're going to head to the
Players Handbook on page 58. It's a drudick spell or druid
(02:12):
spell. I don't know why I said druidic
spell. I guess it works Level 3 tree.
Now you're saying, oh, a big deal tree, but no tree actually
is kind of cool if you think about it.
And I've got some ways that you can actually make tree a little
more interesting as you as Adm and maybe even a player as well.
So, so tree Level 3, range 0, duration 6 turns plus one turn
(02:37):
per level. Area of effect is only personal.
That's subject to I guess how you want to determine personal.
But anyway, verbal, semantic, material, casting time, 5
segments, savings or none. By means of the spell, the druid
is able to assume the form of a small living tree or shrub that
(03:01):
or that of a large dead tree trunk within but within with
only a few limbs. Although the closest inspection
will not reveal that this plant is actually a druid, and for all
normal tests he or she is in fact a tree or shrub, the druid
is able to observe all that goeson around her or him or his or
(03:21):
her person, just as that they were in human form.
The spellcaster may remove the duoir at any time he or she want
desires, instantly changing fromplant to human form and having
full capacity of undertaking anyaction normally possible to the
druid. Note that all clothing and gear
(03:43):
worn change with the druid. The material components of the
spell is a mistletoe and a twig from a tree.
So that's the spell itself. Now.
Now here's where I said personalcould be subjective.
Now, it does say personal, whichI'm going to say is basically
(04:04):
yourself, but generally the areaof effect would be self, not
personal. So would I allow the druid to
touch someone and transform them?
Yeah, A willing participant. Yeah, I would probably allow
that for the spell just to give it some type of difference in
(04:27):
the spell. I think it I just the way it's
written kind of makes me think it's just the druid.
Basically. The way it's written though,
just the way it says area of effect personal makes me want to
say that personal could be someone else.
With that said, I mean, you know, my campaign, I'll rule I
(04:47):
want to and that would probably make it a little more
interesting spell that a jury would use.
So ways that that would include a druid casts a tree on a spy
cast? I'm sorry a druid cast spot?
I can't read my own notes today.A druid cast tree to spy on a
corrupt noble in a garden. When the party is hired to
(05:09):
investigate, they find no witnesses until they realized
the oddly placed shrub is watching them.
If they figure it out, the druidspills the truth.
So there's a hidden witness in the garden there, waiting,
hiding, listening, watching an escape route.
(05:29):
A villain can cast druid spell the tree spell in a forest
during a pursuit. The party loses them because he
turns into a tree and they don'texpect it.
Later on while camping they noticed that one of the trees
starts to move, but it's too late by that point and the
(05:50):
villain jumps out and attacks the party and unsuspecting when
their guard is dropped. Let's see, enter a druid
sanctuary. One must become one with nature.
The only way to unlock a door isfor APC druid to tree themselves
next to an ancient tree. Then the tree speaks to the
(06:13):
actual druid himself or herself and revealing the secret how to
open the door. That might be a long stretch,
but you'd have to probably include a Riddle with that one.
I was thinking that maybe, you know, some type of, I don't
know, I have to, I have to sit down and figure all that one
out. But I was thinking that you
would get through the secret Druid sanctuary by turning into
(06:33):
a tree and then maybe communicating with one of the
other trees and how to get through the door would be.
But they would have to be some type of hint or maybe myth or
legend that goes with it that would make them think that
otherwise druid randomly turninginto a tree next in the druid
Grove is not going to really be.I mean you never know what a
(06:57):
player thinks so. But last thing I thought of
about this was the party sent sent to investigate why trees in
the forest seem to be moving around.
They seem to be watching people.People are marking trees and
those marked trees are disappearing or moving where
(07:21):
their locations are now. Doesn't say anything about if
the druid is in tree form and they get hit, will they take
damage or anything? I would assume based on the
spell that yeah, for all intensepurposes you are a tree or a
shrub and any damage you take asa tree or a shrub would transfer
(07:42):
over to the druid, but probably not until the druid goes back to
being a druid. So if the tree or shrub happens
to be carved into and or hacked by someone, there would be no
immediate damage to the situation.
But once the druid becomes a druid again then that would be
(08:05):
the hit points are transferred to the druid.
Though that also brings up the fact that what if you're a tree
because it's a small tree? And what exactly is a small
living tree? I guess the average tree you see
outside that's not too tall but like maybe a young tree but not
(08:27):
really a little baby tree. Now what happens if the party
member and or MPC chops said tree down before the druid can
come be come back into a druid? Does the druid die?
I mean, for all intents purposes, it says you are a.
Where is that line again? In fact a tree or a shrub?
(08:54):
All normal tests indicate you are a tree or a shrub.
So if you get chopped and then chopped down, I don't see why
you would stay in the tree form being chopped.
But let's just say you're doing that because you're hiding.
I would think that your character would be the
equivalent of cutting your head off.
I don't know. What do you D me?
What do you DMS think out there of that one?
(09:16):
I'm interested to hear what you think of that situation because
it's pretty interesting. So tell me what you think about
the tree spell. I'm interested to hear your
thoughts on the tree spell. I want to know if you've used it
in your campaign and what ways you've used it that made it
interesting for you. With that said, I'm going to
head out. Ask the DM with evildm.com.
(09:37):
Theevildm.com is my website where you can click on the
newsletter and patreon.com/see within the DM is where you can
support me. Keep it original, keep it old
school. Goodnight.
God bless and happy 4th of July to those out there that
celebrate. I'm going to see if I can have a
podcast on Friday, though I might be out and about since
(09:59):
I'll be out celebrating 4th of July, get together with the
family and things like that so Imay not have time.
I'll see if I can record it earlier like on a Thursday or
something so it drops on Friday for you all.
So keep original, keep it old school.
Goodnight, God bless.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.