Hawk Diesel
Adventurer
So I've had a problem with Wildshape ever since 3.5. My issues with it are as follows:
1) I don't like players (myself included) having to flip through the Monster Manual to figure out your stats and determine if its the best option. In addition, technically you need to have seen the animal before. I like this limit, but it also seems artificial.
2) It is very hard to balance or standardize beasts against one another, even of the same CR. Some are are able to do massive damage with poison or have other abilities (multiattack for the Giant Badger, which even a non-Moon Druid could use at level 2) that make them clear favorites.
3) Keeping track of your potential forms is a headache in itself.
So I am proposing a change to the current 5e wildshape feature. non-Circle of the Moon druids get access to two forms. These are an exploration form, and a Burden/Swift form. Each form gets its own associated stats as follows:
Burden/Swift Form
Size: Medium or Large
HP: 16 + Druid Level
Speed: 50ft
Strength: 15
Dexterity: 11
Constitution: 13
Natural Attack deals 1d6 damage (Your choice of claw/slashing, bite/piercing, or slam/bludgeoning. You can change this each time you wildshape)
Darkvision 60ft
Each time you use this wildshape, you can choose either the Sure-Footed or Beast of Burden ability.
Beast of Burden. You are considered to be one size larger for the purpose of determining its carrying capacity.
Sure-Footed. The goat has advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone.
Exploration Form
Size: Tiny or Small
HP: 4 + Druid Level
Speed: 20ft
Strength: 5
Dexterity 16
Constitution 10
Natural Attack 1 damage (Your choice of claw/slashing, bite/piercing, or slam/bludgeoning. You can change this each time you wildshape)
Darkvision 60ft
Each time you use this wildshape, you can choose one of the following additional movement types from Climb, Swim, or Burrow. Your speed in these movements is equal to your walking speed. If you choose a swim speed, you are also considered amphibious.
Whenever you gain an ASI from your druid level, you can improve your Wildshape Form's abilities. You may apply a +2 to one Wildshape ability score, +1 to two Wildshape ability scores. You cannot improve your Wildshape ability score higher than 20. You can apply this improvement to each form available, and you can choose a different stat to improve for each form.
In addition, each time you improve your Wildshape ability scores, you can choose 2 abilities from the following list. Each ability can only be taken once. You must meet the minimum level listed for each ability. Each ability chosen can be used in any form you have available.
Level 4 – Keen Senses (Advantage of Perception Checks), Stealth (Advantage of Stealth Checks), Standing Leap, Illumination, Swift (+10ft all movement speeds)
Level 8 – Fly, Blindsight 60ft, Spider Climb, Tough (+2 HP per Druid Level), Natural Armor (+2 AC), Improve Attack Damage (Improve by one die)
Level 12 – Pack Tactics, Charge, Relentless, Constrict, Flyby, Poison, Grapple, Swallow
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For the Circle of the Moon Druid, you gain one additional form called a Combat Form. Your Combat Form has the following stats:
Combat Form
Size: Medium or Large
HP: 30 + (Druid Level x 4)
Speed 40ft
Strength 16
Dexterity 14
Constitution 14
Natural Attack 1d8
Darkvision 60ft
In addition, when you gain a combat form, you can choose one of the following abilities for your combat form: Pack Tactics, Charge, Relentless, Constrict, Poison, Grapple, Swallow, Pounce, Running Leap, Rampage
As a Circle of the Moon Druid, you also gain access to Wildshape abilities faster than normal Druids. You do not need to meet the normal level requirement associated with Wildshape ability improvements.
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For any form (Exploration, Burden/Swift, Combat) you may describe how the form looks so long as it is appropriate based on the forms statistics. This provides the benefit that you can look like whatever creature you want within limits of the forms capabilities. Your explorer form could be a cat, mini-dragon, or bigger than normal insect. Your Burden/Swift form could be an ox, cow, dinosaur, whatever. Your combat form could be a polar bear, Worg, or even a hybrid form similar to a were-creature.
1) I don't like players (myself included) having to flip through the Monster Manual to figure out your stats and determine if its the best option. In addition, technically you need to have seen the animal before. I like this limit, but it also seems artificial.
2) It is very hard to balance or standardize beasts against one another, even of the same CR. Some are are able to do massive damage with poison or have other abilities (multiattack for the Giant Badger, which even a non-Moon Druid could use at level 2) that make them clear favorites.
3) Keeping track of your potential forms is a headache in itself.
So I am proposing a change to the current 5e wildshape feature. non-Circle of the Moon druids get access to two forms. These are an exploration form, and a Burden/Swift form. Each form gets its own associated stats as follows:
Burden/Swift Form
Size: Medium or Large
HP: 16 + Druid Level
Speed: 50ft
Strength: 15
Dexterity: 11
Constitution: 13
Natural Attack deals 1d6 damage (Your choice of claw/slashing, bite/piercing, or slam/bludgeoning. You can change this each time you wildshape)
Darkvision 60ft
Each time you use this wildshape, you can choose either the Sure-Footed or Beast of Burden ability.
Beast of Burden. You are considered to be one size larger for the purpose of determining its carrying capacity.
Sure-Footed. The goat has advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone.
Exploration Form
Size: Tiny or Small
HP: 4 + Druid Level
Speed: 20ft
Strength: 5
Dexterity 16
Constitution 10
Natural Attack 1 damage (Your choice of claw/slashing, bite/piercing, or slam/bludgeoning. You can change this each time you wildshape)
Darkvision 60ft
Each time you use this wildshape, you can choose one of the following additional movement types from Climb, Swim, or Burrow. Your speed in these movements is equal to your walking speed. If you choose a swim speed, you are also considered amphibious.
Whenever you gain an ASI from your druid level, you can improve your Wildshape Form's abilities. You may apply a +2 to one Wildshape ability score, +1 to two Wildshape ability scores. You cannot improve your Wildshape ability score higher than 20. You can apply this improvement to each form available, and you can choose a different stat to improve for each form.
In addition, each time you improve your Wildshape ability scores, you can choose 2 abilities from the following list. Each ability can only be taken once. You must meet the minimum level listed for each ability. Each ability chosen can be used in any form you have available.
Level 4 – Keen Senses (Advantage of Perception Checks), Stealth (Advantage of Stealth Checks), Standing Leap, Illumination, Swift (+10ft all movement speeds)
Level 8 – Fly, Blindsight 60ft, Spider Climb, Tough (+2 HP per Druid Level), Natural Armor (+2 AC), Improve Attack Damage (Improve by one die)
Level 12 – Pack Tactics, Charge, Relentless, Constrict, Flyby, Poison, Grapple, Swallow
********************
For the Circle of the Moon Druid, you gain one additional form called a Combat Form. Your Combat Form has the following stats:
Combat Form
Size: Medium or Large
HP: 30 + (Druid Level x 4)
Speed 40ft
Strength 16
Dexterity 14
Constitution 14
Natural Attack 1d8
Darkvision 60ft
In addition, when you gain a combat form, you can choose one of the following abilities for your combat form: Pack Tactics, Charge, Relentless, Constrict, Poison, Grapple, Swallow, Pounce, Running Leap, Rampage
As a Circle of the Moon Druid, you also gain access to Wildshape abilities faster than normal Druids. You do not need to meet the normal level requirement associated with Wildshape ability improvements.
************************
For any form (Exploration, Burden/Swift, Combat) you may describe how the form looks so long as it is appropriate based on the forms statistics. This provides the benefit that you can look like whatever creature you want within limits of the forms capabilities. Your explorer form could be a cat, mini-dragon, or bigger than normal insect. Your Burden/Swift form could be an ox, cow, dinosaur, whatever. Your combat form could be a polar bear, Worg, or even a hybrid form similar to a were-creature.
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