Can druids become druids without being motivated by protecting

That's almost always how I run NPC druids.

They server nature out of necessity or obligation, not desire; doing only the bare minimum (which isn't necessarily a small amount, but if they can cut corners they will).

>>46234833

How about studying the systems by which the world works, the balances of nature, the cycles of the seasons, the machinations by which the universe renews itself, in order to gain insight into how the world functions on a much grander scale?

Druids don't always have to be about dirt and trees and animals and shit, nature works on more levels than primal. It embodies elemental forces almost wholly separate from plants and animals, touching upon the cycles of change, from those bound to the earth; life and death, the seasons, etc., to those bound in the stars; night and day, the cycles of the moon(s), etc., the rules by which all things are governed on a fundamental level, though not in the arcane study of magic, deeper than that.

>>46234833
The Circle of Orboros from Warmachine/Hordes certainly gives that vibe.

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Maybe they just embrace shamanistic traditions of a barbarian culture, being essentially barbarian magic users?

>>46234833
Yeah sure. Just be part of your religion. I've always completely disregarded the dumb treehugger shit in 3e.

>>46234833
>Can druids be motivated primarily by gaining copious amounts of magical power?
Sure.
However, singing RULES OF NATURE is mandatory.

Nature more or less looks after Itself as long as it isn't interfered with. Why do you think most druids hate encroaching civilization? More work for them

My last druid was a halfling country gentleman who became a hermit so idiots would leave him alone and he could study the natural sciences. He didn't hate civilization it just got in his way, and he wasn't interested in talking to uneducated rubes anyway. He would love to talk about flora and fauna with wizards and scholars though.

I don't see why not. Its not like nature has many people giving up their cozy city life to protect it or anything. Its like going out for an insanely lucrative job interview in an almost unheard of undeveloped field, you basically just show up as a formality in the hiring process at that point and so long as you are using your new powers to fuck up shit that wants to fuck up nature gaia or whatever your nature deity probably won't give two shits on your actual motivation.