Mod «Dryads & Gauranlen Trees Reworked» for Rimworld (v1.5)

Instead of endless pruning the effectiveness of dryads and their trees depends on nature shrines and a respect for nature.

Requires: 

Dryads will now be much more active in helping your colonists. They will now plant certain crops, haul more often, and some, like the medicine maker may even try to rescue downed colonists.

Dryads also sleep less, heal faster, and change castes much faster.


Dryads that can sow will do so near their trees. What they can plant depends on the caste. Medicinemakers will only grow medical plants, berrymakers will grow food, and woodmakers will grow trees. The dryads are not fast planters though, far slower than mechanoid agrihands. They also will not harvest the crops.

Pruning is no longer a thing. Instead the Gauranlen are dependent on how much harmony the tree has.

At the start the trees will have only a single dryad. Building a few shrines will increase this limit.


As you reach higher levels the Gauranlen will have ever higher requirements. Overall harmony on the map, the value of the most valuable shrines nearby, and so on.


Player-owned Mechanoids will decrease the map harmony preventing the higher levels unless compensated by building shrines anywhere on the map. If it goes low enough some trees may become unable to support dryads at all.

FAQ: is it possible to use both many mechs and dryads?

Yes, but you’re going to need more shrines than usual.

Shrines will help bring harmony to the Gauranlen trees and their dryads. The effectiveness of a shrine depends on its material and type.

Jade is an especially good material to build shrines from, but nothing can compete with the animus stone.

Keep in mind that you need at least one character with a "Natural" backstory to build shrines.

Don't have the Royalty DLC? Don't worry we've got these Roayalty-free rocks you can use instead!

If Royalty is installed they will function identically to the natural shrines of the same size.

> Okay, so what do I do with all my genes that increase Pruning Speed?

A greatly empowered gaurlanlen tree will provide the connected character with thematically appropriate buffs. The Consciousness part will scale with Pruning Speed.

A character can connect to multiple trees, but you will only gain a buff from the most powerful one.

Instead of filling your map with dryads, a very powerful gaurlanlen tree will instead improve the effectiveness of its dryads.

A powerful tree may grow more than just gaurlanlen moss around it. Sometimes gaurlanlen flowers simlar to those dryads are born from will grow.

If the tree is sufficiently empowered a few may even turn into stationary protectors of the tree and its allies. They will launch highly inaccurate resin spikes at distant foes, or blobs of fire retardent liquid at fires to protect themselves.

Despite the poor accuracy the plants are queerly component at avoiding friendly fire incidents.

While these flowers are fairly fragile, they will regrow quite quickly should they be destroyed.

These are usually bought from tribal settlements (base price 5000 silver!) or rarely gotten as quest rewards. They can help supercharge a Gauranlen Tree

If you get your hands on one, try sticking it close by your favorite Gauranlen Tree.