It did, right? Is that where we got the shape shifting from?
Might be from that ancient nerd game, dungeons and whips.
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Ok but shape shifting isnt in, say D&D? I don’t play it. I feel like druid could have been cooler.
Druids could shapeshift in Everquest. So could Shaman. And Shaman shapeshifted into: Wolves.
Paladins had divine shield in EQ too. 
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Thats probably where it came from.
Druids could shapeshift as far back as at least AD&D 2nd edition which is the earliest I’ve played.
It was referred to as polymorph self.
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Druids shapeshifting is a thing in DnD as well, not sure since when, but I assume pretty early on?
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What year was that?
In 1989, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition was published, featuring new rules and character classes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editions_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons
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Druids can shapeshift in D&D. I used to play 3rd Edition and they had a Shapeshift ability. Other posters say it was even earlier in 2nd Edition, but I never played then.
Wizards and Sorcerers (aka Arcane casters) could also shapeshift, but their’s was a spell they had to choose where as I’m pretty sure Druid’s was a class ability.
This is all forcing me to consider what Druid would be wothout shapeshifting. Maybe a shaman or monk?
Or even a mage/sorcerer. Think it’s about what they do with their powers, and why they sought out power. But that’s a good question.
Shaman are generally cultural leaders within their society. Druids seem more recluse by comparison. But that’s my bias
2000 or 2001 when I started playing D&D?
I have no idea when the editions came out, way before that I’m sure.
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Druids without shapeshifting would just be a nature magic caster / summoner. Druids in real life history are basically oracles or prophets but from Celtic traditions I believe, I don’t know too much about them but I would imagine they are similar to shamans in that they probably used naturalistic herbs and chemicals to have visions and relay wisdom.
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24 Karat Death Magic beat you to the Jonestown punch (clearly, she’s a death knight):
But thank you for answering. I’ve never played DND. It is magic to me.
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Just play Baldur’s Gate 3. You can make sweet, sweet bear love to the druid lol.
This sounds like what the Lifeforce chap was looking for in that other love thread.
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Which I find odd considering that actual druids in real life were essentially the same thing as shamans. They were religious leaders and advisers to Celtic kings. For all intents and purposes, druid and shaman are synonyms for the same type of individual, just a different word based on the region you’re in.
But in modern media, they’re divided between wielding elemental powers and communing with animals or plants.
Yep, real life druids were basically the shamans for Celtic tribes and kingdoms.
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checking my own books, D&D druids existed back in BECMI days, but I don’t have a comprehensive list of their specific powers.
the AD&D 1e player’s handbook (1978) does explicitly say that druids can shapeshift 3x a day at level 7
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Interesting. I thought them more like an Oracle - reclusive. But I don’t know Celtic mythology/history.