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

[Valetudo]

Im thinking its a little late for this poll isnt it? For those who are asking, I think druids are the shamans of 5th edition. Personally I think mearl and crawford made 5th a pretty good edition, now they need to stfu before they break it.

 

[Lanliss]

Im thinking its a little late for this poll isnt it? For those who are asking, I think druids are the shamans of 5th edition. Personally I think mearl and crawford made 5th a pretty good edition, now they need to stfu before they break it.

It might be for a kind of revised druid, or maybe they are trying out an alternate class like a Shaman, and are using this as a round-about way of asking about it. If druids get X, the other class can get Y and/or Z.

 

[ScaleyBob]

Basically, this poll is a good reminder if you think of druids as a Celtic priest primarily, you're probably old.

The first thing I think of when I hear the term druid is Getafix from Asterix.

I've never really thought of Druids as Shapechangers, it's not a power that springs to mind when I think of them. I do think of them as Animal Companions a little bit, that's probably because I quite liked the 4E Essentials version of them.

 

[PyroArrow]

Ok, How about giving Druids the ability to 'Turn/Cure/Pacify' Shape-Shifters as well?

Maybe add Gypsy and Shaman as a Sub-class or their own class with druidic elements.

Here is a Turn Lycanthrope Chart that a player in my roll20 game used, but I do not know where it came from:

 

[schnee]

I figure shapeshifting is fine. Makes the class unique. If you want a nature priest, make a nature priest.

It WAS unique, until 3E added the superfluous nature domain to Clerics.

 

[Valetudo]

It WAS unique, until 3E added the superfluous nature domain to Clerics.

Actually 2nd had nondruid nature priests aswell.

 

[SmokeyCriminal]

I just saw a youtube video where Mike specifically address Wild Shape during the play test. The October Survey Analysis showed that Wild Shape was the most disliked feature of the Druids, i think it was below 25%. The specific issues that they tried to address were:

-- Not enough damage output.
-- Built in forms did not feel like the Druid was changing into animals.
-- Too few options.
-- Utility forms (Flight) too soon.

So they made the changes using that analysis and Mike mentions that they're now seeing that maybe they made the Wild Shape a little too good. They say that they knew going into the release that Wild Shape might be a mechanic that might be a problem because it was so volatile during play test. And they mention continuing having surveys to keep an eye on it.

So maybe that's why they put up the Twitter poll.

Also for people saying 'The Druid Should just get "Forms" at X level.' They probably considered it but since it didn't fulfill 'Built in forms did not feel like the Druid was changing into animals.' I don't think they'll go that route although it would be the easiest straight forward option, it's not what most the people want.

I'm also curious about what the Druid Wild Shape looked liked in the October Play Test. Does anyone still have it?

idk if I can link the vid but ill try:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZJb9KTyIgk

if I can't the title is:
Mike Mearls and Rodney Thompson | 4 of 7 | DigiPen's Student Senate Speaker Series

 

[tuxgeo]

The last set of playtest files that I have from the *D&D Next Playtest" series was dated 19th September 2013 in my file system; and in that one, the Druid's Wild Shape was:
(1) Two words, not "Wildshape";
(2) Only available starting at 2nd Druid level, not 1st Druid level; and
(3) Limited to forms that became available incrementally as listed in the Druid table:
-- 2nd level: the form of the Hound, 2/day
-- 5th level: the form of the Steed, 3/day
-- 7th level: forms of the Fish and the Rodent
-- 9th level: form of the Bird
-- 11th level: can Wild Shape 4/day
-- 13th level: can Wild Shape 5/day

Further: "You can stay in a particular shape for a number of hours equal to half your druid level. . . ."
Also, each form you could assume had its own specific stat block in the playtest document, and not every ability score was listed: the Hound had no listed scores; the Steed was Large and had STR increase by 2 up to 23, the Fish was Tiny and had STR 5, the Rodent was Tiny and had STR 5, and the Bird was Tiny and had STR 5. All other ability scores remained the same as they were in your normal form.

You retained the ability to speak while Wild Shaped, but could not cast spells. Your gear is "subsumed into the new shape," so you cannot activate, use, or wield any of it; but passive-only magic items continue to give their passive benefits/penalties.

The Playtest series was nearly done by that time: they released the game less than a year later.

 

[PyroArrow]

The last set of playtest files that I have from the *D&D Next Playtest" series was dated 19th September 2013 in my file system; and in that one, the Druid's Wild Shape was:
(1) Two words, not "Wildshape";
(2) Only available starting at 2nd Druid level, not 1st Druid level; and
(3) Limited to forms that became available incrementally as listed in the Druid table:
-- 2nd level: the form of the Hound, 2/day
-- 5th level: the form of the Steed, 3/day
-- 7th level: forms of the Fish and the Rodent
-- 9th level: form of the Bird
-- 11th level: can Wild Shape 4/day
-- 13th level: can Wild Shape 5/day

It would be more logical if it were like this:

2nd Level: Small fish / normal mice or Rodent
5th: Bird (from small to Eagle sized)
7th: Fox / Hound / Wolf
9th: Deer sized herd animals or large birds such as Ostrich
11th: Steeds (Horses and Cows)
13th: Can Wild Shape 4/day
15th: Can Wild Shape 5/times
17th: Dragons & Dinosaurs sized creatures up to 15ft long
19th: Dragons & Dinosaurs up to 30ft long

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

Having just watched Song of the Sea and been inspired to make a coastal circle druid, it is a shame that it's not possible to assume swimming forms at level 2.
It would be nice to not only have circle spells but circle forms too. Would add flavour.
Whereas a Moon druid can change into anything, it would be interesting to have a more circle based wild shape for landies. Potentially limiting, sure. But flavoursome. Maybe 2 forms at level 2, an extra form per level thereafter. Rats, cats, dogs, small snakes come free to all.
Spitballing here but coastal get seal and giant lizard; mountain get goat and wolf; desert get a bigger (i.e. combat worthy) snake and giant lizard; grasslands get hyena and horse; forests get wolves and boars; jungle get monkeys and tapir; etc.
I dunno, literally a mind dump as I type. Maybe it's 2+wis bonus then wis bonus (min 1) per level.
Hmm. Will think on't.


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