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Fix for the Druid's Wildshape: A limited number of beasts
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<blockquote data-quote="Mirrorrorrim" data-source="post: 9028122" data-attributes="member: 7040132"><p>I have heard no valid arguments about certain stat blocks being more "real" than others. There are no "real beasts" to select. There are only stat blocks, some balanced for DM use, and others balanced for PC use. And PCs know nothing about stat blocks, let alone are able to compare them. The stat blocks aren't sacred, "real" versions of creatures. And they don't even do a great job getting the creatures just right. Why are tigers the only cats that get darkvision?</p><p></p><p>Additionally, DMs already reskin things all the time, especially because the designers can't create stats for all dangerous beasts one can find in the real world, let alone dinosaurs or megafauna, or the popular nonmagical hybrids we see in media, like owlbears from D&D, and polar bear dogs and turtleducks from ATLA). Heck, look at all the new Beasts being added from official sourcebooks. Two-headed crocodiles are not natural animals. (I don't think that Wizards wants to stick to real-world animals, anyway, otherwise they'd call them animals rather than beasts.) DM Monster Stat blocks also don't scale, and a Wolf-shape druid deserves to be effective at 3rd level, 11th level, and at 20th level, without having to reskin a... well... what is the highest CR Beast that could be reskinned to represent a mighty wolf?</p><p></p><p>Wild Shape stat blocks are all an illusion of perception. One illusion has you scrape through a limited number of specific stat-blocks amongst multiple books. Another has you look at an even more limited number of stat blocks that have been reprinted in a PH appendix (a waste of page space that should be used for other purposes.) Neither of these are a good experience, and there is nothing so "sacred" about PCs being able to use DM-only monster stats that it is worth having to do that leg work. </p><p></p><p>Another potential illusion allows scalable, PC-balanced stat-blocks that can be used to reskin anything you can imagine within the agreed upon aesthetics of the campaign. Want to be a Large Dire Wolf that can harry a giant effectively? Want to be an owlbear or a komodo dragon, or a dire kangaroo? It's all good. That is the design I hope they lean into.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mirrorrorrim, post: 9028122, member: 7040132"] I have heard no valid arguments about certain stat blocks being more "real" than others. There are no "real beasts" to select. There are only stat blocks, some balanced for DM use, and others balanced for PC use. And PCs know nothing about stat blocks, let alone are able to compare them. The stat blocks aren't sacred, "real" versions of creatures. And they don't even do a great job getting the creatures just right. Why are tigers the only cats that get darkvision? Additionally, DMs already reskin things all the time, especially because the designers can't create stats for all dangerous beasts one can find in the real world, let alone dinosaurs or megafauna, or the popular nonmagical hybrids we see in media, like owlbears from D&D, and polar bear dogs and turtleducks from ATLA). Heck, look at all the new Beasts being added from official sourcebooks. Two-headed crocodiles are not natural animals. (I don't think that Wizards wants to stick to real-world animals, anyway, otherwise they'd call them animals rather than beasts.) DM Monster Stat blocks also don't scale, and a Wolf-shape druid deserves to be effective at 3rd level, 11th level, and at 20th level, without having to reskin a... well... what is the highest CR Beast that could be reskinned to represent a mighty wolf? Wild Shape stat blocks are all an illusion of perception. One illusion has you scrape through a limited number of specific stat-blocks amongst multiple books. Another has you look at an even more limited number of stat blocks that have been reprinted in a PH appendix (a waste of page space that should be used for other purposes.) Neither of these are a good experience, and there is nothing so "sacred" about PCs being able to use DM-only monster stats that it is worth having to do that leg work. Another potential illusion allows scalable, PC-balanced stat-blocks that can be used to reskin anything you can imagine within the agreed upon aesthetics of the campaign. Want to be a Large Dire Wolf that can harry a giant effectively? Want to be an owlbear or a komodo dragon, or a dire kangaroo? It's all good. That is the design I hope they lean into. [/QUOTE]
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Fix for the Druid's Wildshape: A limited number of beasts
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