I was thinking of making an improved entangle spell. Same area of effect and all but 1d6 damage per round in the entangled area with a failed Dex save. Possible increase in damage for after level 6 to 2d6 per round in the area.

I'm not certain about the spell level. I would like it to be level 2 but it may need to be level 3.

Thoughts?

3rd minimum. If it can go higher at higher levels it may need to be bumped up to 4th. A balance for 3rd would be 1d6 per round +1 per level of caster. This allows the damage to grow with caster level yet keeps it within the realms of similar 3rd level DoT spells with an AoE.

Nice suggestion.

Your black druid casting poison thorns, where the entangle has poisonous barbs only if you try to free yourself. Our choking vine where each round you are entangled they get tighter and tighter with a chance to choke you out then you must start on the "no breath" save each round path.

Have fun with it, give it one spell with some options based on the druid or the vegetation in the area.

That is always the key, how dense must the plants be? Do they grow, or must they be there.

Summon assassin vines.

Nice, evil and twisted, but nice one

The Druid and I don't see eye to eye sometimes. You protect the forest and those living in it yet you summon its denizens to be slaughtered as cannon fodder to meet the ends of your group of humanoids.. always had trouble with that.. same goes for animal friends if abused... what wild animal would risk its neck for another species?

Anyway, love the idea of summon plant (monster) in place of animal at anytime.

I agree. One of my inspirations for a druid came from an old Dungeon adventure with a monk (druid as a class) was spying upon the party as a rabbit. Being about 'power', at the time it was neat but there was no damage like all the other characters I played at the time and only slightly more powerful than maybe the illusionist (1st Edition). Again these were my days of being all about rolling dice for massive amounts of damage, etc.

Diablo II really changed that. There were "vines" or "creepers" the druid would summon which could heal, harm, or provide mana for the druid by attacking or absorbing opponents. They would burrow through the ground (like a familiar) and then attack or decompose. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1lm7l5DdLk

I never made it official for my game but basically the dead orc would add a bit of healing to the cure light wound spell the druid cast. All that was typically left of the orc was a metal helmet, etc

In my mind, I could see the druid summoning the bad side of nature - the raw natural stuff to have a creature like a shambling mound / Swamp Thing.

With those thoughts in mind, the druid to me feels a little bit cooler.