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[Fanaelialae]

Originally Posted by CapnZapp

For some people, it's obvious that if you can turn yourself into a deer, you will go pretty much unnoticed in natural surroundings. (We're taking much more than a +2 bonus here, because the Goblin guard might stare right at the deer and still not get it) For these people, limiting Wild Shape to encounters or 5 minute intervals is the best solution.

I would suggest in the above case to have Wild Shape grant a man-beast form. At will Wild Shape that can be used outside of combat with indefinite duration, but good luck escaping the notice of the goblin guard when you resemble a werestag.

For other people (like the ones above) nerfing Wild Shape considerably (relative to the the opposing point of view) isn't a problem. In this case, Wild Shape can go without a duration, because it's nearly worthless.

Nearly worthless? Wild Shape in this case is an instant disguise! I doubt many DMs would allow a normally dressed halfling rogue to Bluff people into seeing him as a dog (I wouldn't). Wild Shape plus a successful Bluff check equals "just a harmless old hound". It simply isn't an automatic "I win" button for scouting encounters and the like. "Not an automatic I win" does not translate to "worthless" as far as I'm concerned.

The problem becomes when you don't accept that there are people who feel your solution is worse than the original problem.

For some people, making a Wild Shaped Druid trigger skill checks (Perception, Insight, etc) is an unbearable and massive nerf. For others, limiting powers to only work within the encounter framework is equally unacceptable.

It's only when you assume one thing and still use the power in the way the other group might use it there becomes a problem.

So again, if you and your group doesn't have a problem with either the functionality or the duration of Wild Shape then everything's fine, and no restrictions are necessary.

But please don't complain Druids are overpowered. It's equally probably it's just you who are mixing assumptions of your own with the ones laid down by the game:

If you prefer "fool-proof" shapeshifting, don't allow it out of encounters.

If you prefer powers aren't limited by encounters, make shapeshifting "just another power" with no implied abilities to confound.

And if you allow both, don't complain it makes Druids powerful!

IMO, it should be approached like any potential houserule.

1) Identify the core problem. Be specific in identifying your concerns.

2) Try to use the least invasive solution to fix the problem(s). A "fix" that breaks more than it fixes is not a good fix. Neither is one that makes whatever you are trying to fix unappealing or uninteresting.