D&D 5E (2024) Wild shape on the core druid should be...

[mellored]

The playtest druid has 8 core features dedicated to wild shape. Is that too much?

Should "combat" wild shape be a sub-class only feature?

 

[TwoSix]

Utility only or subclass only would be my preference.

 

[James Gasik]

Thinking about this, maybe Druids shouldn't have the versatility with Wild Shape that they currently enjoy; each Circle should have it's own variant, tailored to what they are about. Some could be tanking, some could be melee combatants, others could focus on debuffing with poison, and pure casters could take on a form that boosts their magical ability.

 

[MarkB]

I think utility Wild Shape should be there as part of Channel Nature in the core class, but the subclasses should modify it and/or the other Channel Nature options to create specialist versions.

• Moon Druid enhances wild shape versatility, utility and combat effectiveness.
• Another variant transforms the weak familiar-summoning into a true Pet/Summoner class.
• A subclass dedicated to healing / support that builds on Healing Blossoms and puts it on a par with Twilight Sanctuary.
• And one which ignores the channelling abilities entirely in favour of enhancing spellcasting. Maybe doing something with Concentration since so many druid spells seem to require it.

 

[OB1]

Other - Keep the 5e version of wildshape with just one change, cap the HP of the beast you wildshape into at your own HP max.

 

[Mistwell]

It should be:
1) Utility and
2) Combat capable and
3) Always available or available for long periods of time which can be broken up at no cost by transforming back to your normal species

 

[Enrahim2]

As the context is oneDnD in the name of basic backwards compatibility, the druid need to at least have basic utility wildshape. I would think there are a pretty number of adventures out there that would fall appart on non-moon druid npc using wild shape in some sort of non-combat capacity.

Backwards compatible combat ability for enemy NPCs relying on beast shape for their main tactics also need to be admissible trough the system, but might be constructed in such a way that it is effectively locked behind DM controll (like specifying that DM might allow for other templates that replace the land, water and air forms, but not providing any hard rules for any such replacement templates)

If designing a fully new D&D game, giving wild shape a much less prominent place in a druid class would make a lot of sense to me.

 

[Minigiant]

Wildshape should make the druid as capable in combat as a wild animal.

Scary to a common humanoid.
Fodder to a trained warriors.

If you want to be Scary to a trained warriors, you need to take a subclass or feat.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I don't know, but I know the next Bard subclass should be College of Polling. They can spend Bardic Inspiration Dice to force adversaries to answer a poll, which is basically the equivalent of the Confusion spell.

 

[MarkB]

I don't know, but I know the next Bard subclass should be College of Polling. They can spend Bardic Inspiration Dice to force adversaries to answer a poll, which is basically the equivalent of the Confusion spell.

"Oh, you voted 'other'? Sorry, you'll need to spend your next action providing a detailed description of your viewpoint."