D&D (2024) New Survey Results | Druid & Paladin | Unearthed Arcana | D&D

WotC has shared a new video going over the survey results following the drud and paladin playtests for One D&D.

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For those who don't have time to watch the video, here are some general notes.

Paladin

• Did extremely well in terms of satisfaction
• All class and subclass features scored 70% or higher - lowest was Divine Smite at 72%
• Got some pushback in written feedback on being able to smite on ranged attacks - class identity concerns, Paladin viewed as melee-centric class, ranged smites might eat into Cleric/Ranger identity too much
• Positive feedback on redesigned smite spells - may become paladin exclusive spells down the road

Druid

• Wild Shape feedback seems to be split - slight majority saying "never want this Wild Shape in print", slight minority saying "this is their favorite version of Wild Shape they've ever seen"
• People love the texture and differences in beast options in '14 Wild Shape, but are open to feature being easier to use (i.e. don't want players to have to weigh the merits of 100+ stat blocks every time they want to use Wild Shape)
• Will have another take on Wild Shape next time Druid appears in Playtest UA
• General concept of Channel Nature seems to have gone over well, but want to see more done with it
• Expected feedback for restoring elemental forms for Moon Druids, but instead found people wanted to lean more into Lunar themes
• Want Moon Druid forms to be more resilient, but still want to reign in power at high levels (frequent/unlimited uses of Wild Shape constantly refreshing HP total)

 

[OB1]

... while not providing everyone else with a game that's slowed up.

I really wish we had some real data on how much Druids slow down a table due to wildshape selection. IME it's never been an issue (and in fact, less of an issue than a typical polymorph or summon spell) and my suspicion is this is not an actual play problem for the majority of tables. That's what I mean about WotC solving for the wrong problem.

 

[Neonchameleon]

I really wish we had some real data on how much Druids slow down a table due to wildshape selection. IME it's never been an issue (and in fact, less of an issue than a typical polymorph or summon spell) and my suspicion is this is not an actual play problem for the majority of tables. That's what I mean about WotC solving for the wrong problem.

I can absolutely say I have experienced it as a problem every single time a relatively new player played a druid. I haven't experienced it when a veteran who had played previous editions or who had previously run a different spellcaster for about a year was running the character. It's really not newbie friendly.

 

[OB1]

I can absolutely say I have experienced it as a problem every single time a relatively new player played a druid. I haven't experienced it when a veteran who had played previous editions or who had previously run a different spellcaster for about a year was running the character. It's really not newbie friendly.

Fair enough, again, that's why I'd like to see real data. My own experience is the complete opposite, even with very young players. Maybe once or twice they take some time looking through the PHB options, but then they hit on a few key favorites and have those ready to go.

 

[bedir than]

I really really want an Elemental Druid. But the Moon Druid isnt it. The flavor of animal Beasts feels different from the flavor of Elementals.

Elementalism deserves its own dedicated subclass. Its Wildshape should be about becoming Elementals, sometimes conjuring them.

It is more about cosmic Elemental harmony, that protects and expands the "Positive Material Plane".

Wildfire Druid does this rather well

 

[Frozen_Heart]

Wildfire Druid does this rather well

Just need the other three elements covered...

 

[tetrasodium]

Fair enough, again, that's why I'd like to see real data. My own experience is the complete opposite, even with very young players. Maybe once or twice they take some time looking through the PHB options, but then they hit on a few key favorites and have those ready to go.

That's been my experience as well. IME it's close to zero. Just "I'm going to wildshape to a bear" & they turn their sheet over to the bear or whatever statblock.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

I really wish we had some real data on how much Druids slow down a table due to wildshape selection. IME it's never been an issue (and in fact, less of an issue than a typical polymorph or summon spell) and my suspicion is this is not an actual play problem for the majority of tables. That's what I mean about WotC solving for the wrong problem.

It's not solely a speed of play thing - it's also a matter of making sure the form you use is fit for purpose.

Some players are fine with just working with whatever is the best beast statblock in the Monster Manual available to their level, but if I have a druid whose entire theme and character is built around turning into a wolf, then at level 15+ I want to be able to turn into full-on Fenrir and wreck shop, not get stuck with the choice of using a baseline wolf/dire wolf statblock that is several levels underpowered for what we're up against or turning into a mammoth or dinosaur instead because they might still actually be useful.

A customizable template also makes it easier to make Wild Shape choices on the fly - you have a baseline level of effectiveness regardless of what actual form you choose to take, so a spontaneous decision to turn into a snake in this encounter rather than a bear, even if you have to make a quick tradeoff or two in order to gain a poison bite attack, won't leave you fumbling around for a relevant snake monster statblock and praying it's in the right CR range.

 

[shadowoflameth]

I will Zero-rate any design that tells the player to get a stat-block from the Monster Manual. Full Stop.

I'm confident that flexible templates are do-able.

I think they're doable, but I think simple language like, 'you can use the climb speed and any special senses and attacks of the beast' will do. It doesn't have to be a hundred different options. That can be open to the people that want to do it that way, and there could be a small number of options that every druid knows.

 

[Chaosmancer]

IMO, it depends on the effects

Radiant Blinding someone would be divine smite.
Thunderous Teleportation would be arcane strike.
Tripping would be martial.

Obviously there will be overlap and fuzzy lines, but in general.

The overlap and fuzziness is a problem if you are demanding that arcane spells be completely different from smites. Just as an example, we have Thunderous Smite, which does thunder damage, and knocks someone prone (which is tripping). So we already have a divine spell that looks exactly like what you'd want an arcane one to look like.

And how is banishing smite not a teleportation effect, in practice?

So, I don't think these are defined well enough to completely separate them

 

[OB1]

It's not solely a speed of play thing - it's also a matter of making sure the form you use is fit for purpose.

Some players are fine with just working with whatever is the best beast statblock in the Monster Manual available to their level, but if I have a druid whose entire theme and character is built around turning into a wolf, then at level 15+ I want to be able to turn into full-on Fenrir and wreck shop, not get stuck with the choice of using a baseline wolf/dire wolf statblock that is several levels underpowered for what we're up against or turning into a mammoth or dinosaur instead because they might still actually be useful.

A customizable template also makes it easier to make Wild Shape choices on the fly - you have a baseline level of effectiveness regardless of what actual form you choose to take, so a spontaneous decision to turn into a snake in this encounter rather than a bear, even if you have to make a quick tradeoff or two in order to gain a poison bite attack, won't leave you fumbling around for a relevant snake monster statblock and praying it's in the right CR range.

That's why I like using base stat blocks augmented by the Druid's wildshape at higher levels for Moon Druids. Something like the below could work even better for Moon Druids than giving them access to higher CR beasts.

3rd Level
DC of the beasts abilities equal to the Druid Spellcasting DC
Attack Bonus equal to druid spellcasting attack
Temp HP equal to 5x Druid Level

5th Level
Can Enlarge/Reduce when you transform
2 attacks when you take attack action
Add Prof Bonus to AC

11th Level
+1d8 force damage when you hit with an attack

15th level
Choose one of the beasts ability scores. That score becomes a 20, and you have advantage on skill checks using that ability.

So your Wolf themed Druid sees their wolf form become increasingly powerful as they level, with the ability to wreck things at 15th. For the multi form druid, they know their going to get a solid baseline regardless of the form they choose, all of which are in the PHB.