So I just started a second campaign a few weeks ago and chose to play a Wood Elf Moon Druid this time around. Long story short, my character was raised on his family vineyard, roaming the forests around his family land with his companion, a wolf. Returning to his home one day at a young age, he found his family slain, the vineyard burning, and had to fight for his life to escape in the forests, alone with his wolf. He survived alone with his wolf for the next 14 years, shaping much of his early life. That experience with the wolf is the basis for the character.
The campaign takes place about 100 years later, and the druid has only just started reintegrating back into society, having watched it grow around him for a number of years.
So, after all that and talking to my DM, we've tried to come up with a way to make wild shaping into a Dire Wolf relevant for the entire campaign. Originally, when I did this, I tried to use the Hit Dice that the Dire Wolf has, 1d10+2 (8) per level. It was way too many. It out scaled similar beasts almost every time. I also tried to scale the damage similar to the Champion, with increasing extra attacks (4th attack at 20), but this also scaled poorly. I came up with a Dire Wolf leveling progression for levels 5-20. Shown is hit points at each level, increases to stats each time your proficiency bonus increases and comparisons between the proposed Dire Wolf stats and comparable beasts at each CR. The comparison looked like this:
Level
1 ---
2 ---
3 ---
4 ---
5 - Extra Attack, +1 to Attack Bonus, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC
6 - 45 HP
7 - 53 HP
8 - 61 HP
9 - 69 HP, +1 to Attack Bonus, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC
10 - 77 HP
11 - 85 HP, Extra Attack (2)
12 - 93 HP
13 - 101 HP, +1 to Attack Bonus, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC
14 - 109 HP
15 - 117 HP
16 - 125 HP
17 - 133 HP, +1 to Attack Bonus, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC
18 - 141 HP
19 - 149 HP
20 - 157 HP, Extra Attack (3)
CR
6 - Dire Wolf: 45 HP, 2 Attacks: (2x 2d6+4) (22)
9 - Dire Wolf: 69 HP, 2 Attacks: (2x 2d6+5) (24)
12 - Dire Wolf: 93 HP, 2 Attacks: (3x 2d6+5) (36)
15 - Dire Wolf: 117 HP, 2 Attacks: (3x 2d6+6) (39)
18 - Dire Wolf: 141 HP, 2 Attacks: (3x 2d6+7) (42)
CR
6 - CR2 - Cave Bear: 42 HP, 2 Attacks: (1x 1d8+5, 1x 2d6+5) (22)
9 - CR3 - Giant Scorpion: 52 HP, 3 Attacks: (2x 1d8+2, 1x 1d10+2, 4d10 poison) (31)
12 - CR4 - Elephant - 76 HP, 2 Attacks: (1x 3d8+6, 1x 3d10+6) (41)
15 - CR5 - Brontosaurus - 121 HP, 1 Attack: 6d8+5 (32)
18 - CR6 - Mammoth: 126 HP, 2 Attacks: (1x 4d8+7, 1x 4d10 +7) (54)
CR
10 - CR5 - Earth Elemental: 126 HP, Resist non-magical weapons, 2 Attacks (2x 2d8+5) (28)
In my opinion, this came out over powered, as good or better than the other options. I scaled the hit points back to 5 per level and changed the damage from extra attacks to increase 1d6 damage per attack at the same point that cantrip damage increases, following the different tiers. My goal was to create something that was not the most hit points or the best damage, but something that was competitive without exceeding at either.
I scaled the hit points back to 5 per level and changed the damage from increasing extra attacks to a single extra attack, then an increase of 1d6 damage per attack at the same point as cantrips damage increase, following the different tiers. My goal was to create something that was not the most hit points or the best damage, but something that was competitive without exceeding at either.
Level
1 ---
2 ---
3 ---
4 ---
5 - Extra Attack, +1 to Attack Bonus, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC
6 - 45 HP
7 - 50 HP
8 - 55 HP
9 - 60 HP, +1 to Attack Bonus, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC
10 - 65 HP
11 - 70 HP, +1d6 Damage
12 - 75 HP
13 - 80 HP, +1 to Attack Bonus, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC
14 - 85 HP
15 - 90 HP
16 - 95 HP
17 - 100 HP, +1 to Attack, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC, +1d6 Damage
18 - 105 HP
19 - 110 HP
20 - 120 HP
CR
6 - Dire Wolf: 45 HP, 2 Attacks: (2x 2d6+4) (22)
9 - Dire Wolf: 60 HP, 2 Attacks: (2x 2d6+5) (24)
12 - Dire Wolf: 75 HP, 2 Attacks: (2x 3d6+5) (31)
15 - Dire Wolf: 90 HP, 2 Attacks: (2x 3d6+6) (33)
18 - Dire Wolf: 105 HP, 2 Attacks: (2x 4d6+7) (42)
CR
6 - CR2 - Cave Bear: 42 HP, 2 Attacks: (1x 1d8+5, 1x 2d6+5) (22)
9 - CR3 - Giant Scorpion: 52 HP, 3 Attacks: (2x 1d8+2, 1x 1d10+2, 4d10 poison) (31)
12 - CR4 - Elephant - 76 HP, 2 Attacks: (1x 3d8+6, 1x 3d10+6) (41)
15 - CR5 - Brontosaurus - 121 HP, 1 Attack: 6d8+5 (32)
18 - CR6 - Mammoth: 126 HP, 2 Attacks: (1x 4d8+7, 1x 4d10 +7) (54)
CR
10 - CR5 - Earth Elemental: 126 HP, Resist non-magical weapons, 2 Attacks (2x 2d8+5) (28)
So, with that being said, I'm looking for any thoughts or inputs. Does this look balanced? Criticisms? My one big thought is that, while the Moon Druid is very good at early levels, he falls off sharply. I would like to keep wild shape, and specifically the Dire Wolf, useful throughout all levels and I'm not sure that balancing this against other beasts will achieve that. In that regard it may still be under powered. Or it could be that it is at the appropriate power level and Moon Druid at early levels is over powered, balancing out later. Thanks!
The campaign takes place about 100 years later, and the druid has only just started reintegrating back into society, having watched it grow around him for a number of years.
So, after all that and talking to my DM, we've tried to come up with a way to make wild shaping into a Dire Wolf relevant for the entire campaign. Originally, when I did this, I tried to use the Hit Dice that the Dire Wolf has, 1d10+2 (8) per level. It was way too many. It out scaled similar beasts almost every time. I also tried to scale the damage similar to the Champion, with increasing extra attacks (4th attack at 20), but this also scaled poorly. I came up with a Dire Wolf leveling progression for levels 5-20. Shown is hit points at each level, increases to stats each time your proficiency bonus increases and comparisons between the proposed Dire Wolf stats and comparable beasts at each CR. The comparison looked like this:
Level
1 ---
2 ---
3 ---
4 ---
5 - Extra Attack, +1 to Attack Bonus, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC
6 - 45 HP
7 - 53 HP
8 - 61 HP
9 - 69 HP, +1 to Attack Bonus, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC
10 - 77 HP
11 - 85 HP, Extra Attack (2)
12 - 93 HP
13 - 101 HP, +1 to Attack Bonus, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC
14 - 109 HP
15 - 117 HP
16 - 125 HP
17 - 133 HP, +1 to Attack Bonus, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC
18 - 141 HP
19 - 149 HP
20 - 157 HP, Extra Attack (3)
CR
6 - Dire Wolf: 45 HP, 2 Attacks: (2x 2d6+4) (22)
9 - Dire Wolf: 69 HP, 2 Attacks: (2x 2d6+5) (24)
12 - Dire Wolf: 93 HP, 2 Attacks: (3x 2d6+5) (36)
15 - Dire Wolf: 117 HP, 2 Attacks: (3x 2d6+6) (39)
18 - Dire Wolf: 141 HP, 2 Attacks: (3x 2d6+7) (42)
CR
6 - CR2 - Cave Bear: 42 HP, 2 Attacks: (1x 1d8+5, 1x 2d6+5) (22)
9 - CR3 - Giant Scorpion: 52 HP, 3 Attacks: (2x 1d8+2, 1x 1d10+2, 4d10 poison) (31)
12 - CR4 - Elephant - 76 HP, 2 Attacks: (1x 3d8+6, 1x 3d10+6) (41)
15 - CR5 - Brontosaurus - 121 HP, 1 Attack: 6d8+5 (32)
18 - CR6 - Mammoth: 126 HP, 2 Attacks: (1x 4d8+7, 1x 4d10 +7) (54)
CR
10 - CR5 - Earth Elemental: 126 HP, Resist non-magical weapons, 2 Attacks (2x 2d8+5) (28)
In my opinion, this came out over powered, as good or better than the other options. I scaled the hit points back to 5 per level and changed the damage from extra attacks to increase 1d6 damage per attack at the same point that cantrip damage increases, following the different tiers. My goal was to create something that was not the most hit points or the best damage, but something that was competitive without exceeding at either.
I scaled the hit points back to 5 per level and changed the damage from increasing extra attacks to a single extra attack, then an increase of 1d6 damage per attack at the same point as cantrips damage increase, following the different tiers. My goal was to create something that was not the most hit points or the best damage, but something that was competitive without exceeding at either.
Level
1 ---
2 ---
3 ---
4 ---
5 - Extra Attack, +1 to Attack Bonus, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC
6 - 45 HP
7 - 50 HP
8 - 55 HP
9 - 60 HP, +1 to Attack Bonus, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC
10 - 65 HP
11 - 70 HP, +1d6 Damage
12 - 75 HP
13 - 80 HP, +1 to Attack Bonus, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC
14 - 85 HP
15 - 90 HP
16 - 95 HP
17 - 100 HP, +1 to Attack, Damage, Saves, Skills, AC, Save DC, +1d6 Damage
18 - 105 HP
19 - 110 HP
20 - 120 HP
CR
6 - Dire Wolf: 45 HP, 2 Attacks: (2x 2d6+4) (22)
9 - Dire Wolf: 60 HP, 2 Attacks: (2x 2d6+5) (24)
12 - Dire Wolf: 75 HP, 2 Attacks: (2x 3d6+5) (31)
15 - Dire Wolf: 90 HP, 2 Attacks: (2x 3d6+6) (33)
18 - Dire Wolf: 105 HP, 2 Attacks: (2x 4d6+7) (42)
CR
6 - CR2 - Cave Bear: 42 HP, 2 Attacks: (1x 1d8+5, 1x 2d6+5) (22)
9 - CR3 - Giant Scorpion: 52 HP, 3 Attacks: (2x 1d8+2, 1x 1d10+2, 4d10 poison) (31)
12 - CR4 - Elephant - 76 HP, 2 Attacks: (1x 3d8+6, 1x 3d10+6) (41)
15 - CR5 - Brontosaurus - 121 HP, 1 Attack: 6d8+5 (32)
18 - CR6 - Mammoth: 126 HP, 2 Attacks: (1x 4d8+7, 1x 4d10 +7) (54)
CR
10 - CR5 - Earth Elemental: 126 HP, Resist non-magical weapons, 2 Attacks (2x 2d8+5) (28)
So, with that being said, I'm looking for any thoughts or inputs. Does this look balanced? Criticisms? My one big thought is that, while the Moon Druid is very good at early levels, he falls off sharply. I would like to keep wild shape, and specifically the Dire Wolf, useful throughout all levels and I'm not sure that balancing this against other beasts will achieve that. In that regard it may still be under powered. Or it could be that it is at the appropriate power level and Moon Druid at early levels is over powered, balancing out later. Thanks!
