D&D 5E Mike Mearls Twitter Poll: "The druid gets one of the following: Spellcasting | Shapeshifting | Animal companions. Choose."

[Prakriti]

Hm... I wonder why. Are they considering a druid revision, maybe?

Also, you can't see the poll results without a Twitter account. Does anyone want to screenshot it for us?

https://twitter.com/mikemearls/status/857663700043407360

 

[Patrick McGill]

Currently it's 64% shapeshifting, 24% spellcasting, and 12% animal companion ... which I find frustrating. I've never thought of shapeshifting as intrinsic to the class. What I see when I think of a druid is a celtic pagan priest out in nature, communing in groves and casting spells in stone circles under the moon and stars.

The whole shapeshifting thing, to look to mythology, is more of a shaman thing, innit?

 

[Prakriti]

Currently it's 64% shapeshifting, 24% spellcasting, and 12% animal companion ... which I find frustrating. I've never thought of shapeshifting as intrinsic to the class. What I see when I think of a druid is a celtic pagan priest out in nature, communing in groves and casting spells in stone circles under the moon and stars.

I tend to agree. I don't remember druids even being able to shapeshift in 1E/2E, so shapeshifting was never an important part of the druid concept to me.

On the other hand, shapeshifting is a choice niche in 5E -- especially compared to the overcrowded pool of full-casters.

 

[steeldragons]

I tend to agree. I don't remember druids even being able to shapeshift in 1E/2E, so shapeshifting was never an important part of the druid concept to me.

On the other hand, shapeshifting is a choice niche in 5E -- especially compared to the overcrowded pool of full-casters.

In 1e they didn't get it until 7th level...same, I think, in 2e. The "shapeshifting druid" is definitely something WotC did and reinforced with each of their editions.

I also believe the popularity it being a druid concept "archetype" (and I use the term loosely) has something to do with the "druid" class in the World of Warcraft MMO having some kind of shapeshifting ability. Hence, as 3 turned to 3.5 to 4e and now in 5e, the idea that a druid MUST shapeshift and it's the kewlest thing they should be able to do (now in 5e) from 2nd level on has only continued to tighten its grip.

But I must concur with the prevailing sentiment in this thread thus far. Shapeshifting, arguably a shamanistic ability and druid's could definitely fall into that type of character, it is FAR from the dominant historic or mythological abilities of the celtic priest Druids.

Druids should be spell-casters, first and foremost. I would even pose that through their magic, animal companions (in the sense of utility: scouting for you, tracking for you, communicating messages to other druids, etc... NOT the "I'm a Summonuh who poofs animals into existence to fight and die for me! That's a totally normal drooid!" way) would come in second place. Shapeshifting, sure is a flavorful ability...and fits well in with the whole "connection to/one with nature" thing. But it certainly shouldn't be from 2nd level on and definitely shouldn't be the PRIMARY signature ability.

Nature Magic is the druid signature ability. Casting spells that do things that Clerics don't/can't and Wizards don't/can't.

 

[Kobold Stew]

1500+ votes in, and shapeshifting is at 2/3 of the field.

Here's the poll and current results.

 

[Dausuul]

I voted for shapeshifting.

• D&D is bloated with full casters, and the Nature clerical domain has a massive conceptual overlap with the druid. Purely as a spellcaster, the druid does not need to exist.
• There are a few classes which make companion creatures a major focus, such as the necromancer and the beastmaster ranger. They are not as common as full casters, and some of them are not well implemented (ahem, ranger), but at least they exist.
• However, there is no class except the druid that makes shapeshifting into a major ability.

Therefore, if I had to choose one of the three and junk the others, keeping the rest of the game unchanged, I would keep shapeshifting.

 

[steeldragons]

Utter rubbish...as is the data collection method.

 

[SkidAce]

If they go with shapeshifting only then in my campaign, "druids" will be renamed shaman, and nature priests will be renamed "druids".

The name druid will always be the celtic stone circle star gazing etc etc spellcasting inspired version.

Of course, they have no intention of going "only", its just to see what people feel should be the core.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I think this is not a question for a ''revised druid'', but rather an underlying question on what makes a druid different from another wood-sy class; the shaman. If people say that shapeshifting is the most defining ability of the druid, this would allow them to build a shaman class around full-druid spellcasting and a companion to avoid stepping on the druid's toes.

 

[robus]

A Druid just seems more like a pagan cleric. Gaining strength and power from nature rather than a god. I agree they they seem to be muddying shaman and druids.