I'm trying to put together a Breton Druid and I've become a little confused about what spirits he can summon...

Under the Druid tradition it lists (SM p38):
Combat: Beast
Detection: Water
Health: Plant
Illusion: Air
Manipulation: Earth

This is fine, but I want to have a mentor spirit of Lugh - Sun (SM p183) and he can summon Guardian or Fire spirits (player choice)...so do these replace one of the above or are they in addition?

I have to confess I'm looking through the rules at the ones that seem to specifically apply and it has been a while since I read the books through completely so I may be missing something very obvious here...help appreciated!

Thanks

A

No, the traditions spirits are generally not replaced, however you could argue that you have a new "druidic inspired" tradition with whatever spirits you like.


Hoever, it could be noted that the bonus is still useable when encountering the said spirits even if your tradition can't summon them. You can always banish them and I think you can probably take control over them (by banish followed by summon, as mentioned in the book). But for the most part that mentor spirit is probably less popular among druids.

I deem Guardian and Fire very inappropriate for Druids. But SR4 encourages to rename given mentor spirits at will instead of having thousand different totems like sr3. So discuss with your GM, that you want a
Great Mother Mentor renamed into Lugh, with the description and disadvantage of Sun

Lugh is technically an Irish god (not Breton as such) and in SM (p183) listed as either Sun or Fire Bringer. I just preferred the Sun advantages/disadvantages and RP aspect - less youthful enthusiasm more harsh task master.

Seems odd to get bonuses for a spirit I'm unable to summon. Will have to take it up with the 2072 crowd...

A