D&D (2024) Playtest Packet 6: They knocked Druid out of the Park

with no increase of HP(outside Moon druid, and that can be fixed) and "knowing" only a handful of forms, now there is no reason not to make wild shape at-will ability.

moon druid can get better armor as in playtest and damage reduction equal to prof bonus(stealing from heavy armor mastery).
 

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with no increase of HP(outside Moon druid, and that can be fixed) and "knowing" only a handful of forms, now there is no reason not to make wild shape at-will ability.
Well, the reason is that Druids now have a bunch of other abilities they can spend Wild Shape uses to fuel. But yeah, just bring back the concept of Channel Nature for those and make Wild Shape at-will. Then make Combat Shape a Channel Nature ability for Moon Druids.
 

I don't see it.

They just capped the extra (T)HP you could get, as well as forms knows, but that needed to be done.

And in return you get...
+3-4 AC buff,
d8 damage buff,
flexible damage types
cast abjuration spells
And moonbeam is a good spell too, scaling well with slot level.

My main issue is that you can't stay a wolf at higher levels. You still need to go mammoth.
I think, it should just always be thp = druid level * 3. Done.
 


Well, the reason is that Druids now have a bunch of other abilities they can spend Wild Shape uses to fuel. But yeah, just bring back the concept of Channel Nature for those and make Wild Shape at-will. Then make Combat Shape a Channel Nature ability for Moon Druids.
this could work. spend channel nature for combat shapes, and leave utility(bad combat) at will.
 

A handful of thoughts.

Druidic giving you speak with animals? Neat. I like it.

Copying all the cleric design? I'm not a huge fan, but I get why. (Metal armor! HA!) and Wild Companion is now pretty decent as a choice.

All wildshapes as a bonus action is pretty good. I feel like 3 to 5 forms is a bit too limited, I probably would scale higher. But, we do get to keep swim speed at level 2 (thank you, it was never that good of an ability anyways). Interestingly, on top of your class abilites and profs, you keep your species traits and feats (which could get weird) and gain all the skills and saves of the beast form.

Wild Resurgence is way better for getting more wildshape uses than it is spell slots, but that's more than fair for most druids. The Improved Elemental fury giving a +300 ft on cantrips is CRAZY. I was just recently able to give an NPC druid a 90 ft Thorn Whip, that is now 390 ft at high levels. That is so ridiculous and I love it.

Archdruid giving you the ability to make a bonus 8th level spell slot if you give up all the wildshapes is interesting.

I do worry if the Moon Druid's attacks will be worth it, they will get +2d8 once per turn, but how that will compare to martial weapon use I don't know. I mean, great weapons are a choice now. I think the Temp HP should be whichever is higher or just the straight 3xlevel, making it whichever is lower feels bad to me. But their spellcasting in beast form is cool.

Did anyone else realize that the advertised ability to give any wildshape a flight speed is missing? Did Crawford mix up versions of the playtest again?

Circle of the Sea is CRAZY good, the 6th level ability is meh, but the rest are amazing...


Which brings me to a big problem. Land.

The circle spells? Great, temperate might be a bit of a weak list, but the others are strong. Free casting and recoverying spell slots? Great. I think the Nature's Sanctuary is a bit too small. a 15 ft cube is only 3x3 after all.

But what the living H is up with Land's Aid?!

At 3rd level, it likely isn't a TERRIBLE use of Wildshape, assuming you get an ally and two enemies, that is 4d6 (14) damage total and 2d6 (7) healing. Assuming both enemies fail the save.

But if you go Star Druid, a wildshape can get you archer, and that is 10 minutes of bonus action attacks dealing 1d8+3 damage. Even if you only hit twice within those 10 minutes, that is 2d8+6 or 15 damage. And you are VERY likely to hit more than twice over the course of 10 minutes.

Sea Druid? It STARTS with a free 3d6 damage and 15 push, every turn, for 10 minutes! True it does nothing on a save and is a short range, but if you are a Warden?! And remember, Druids specialize in battlefield control spells, which you can now throw enemies into for more damage! And at 14th, you and an ally can ping-pong them.


At 10th level, what happens? Star Druid doubles their damage, and can alter forms at the start of their turn. Sea Druid is likely dealing 5d6 damage and gains flight and gains resistance to thunder, lightning AND cold damage.

And the Land Druid now can heal 3d6 and maybe deal 6d6 (21) total, if you can get an ally and two enemies in the very small radius.

Like, honestly, what the heck is going on here? Every single wildshape because defining for the class, giving amazing abilities, but then you get to the Land druid and it sucks in comparison. Are they really rating an action, non-spell heal THAT highly?!
 

I will say, so it's not bound up in debating Wildshape ... I love the work on the subclasses. The new Circle of the Moon feels a lot more flavourful. The Circle of the Land is also really good. I like their alternate use for Wildshape. And the new Circle of the Sea is a homerun for flavour and fun.

So, while I'm still going to fight for either templates or some other way to do Wildshape, I have zero complaints about the new and reworked subclasses.
 

I am cautiously optimistic on this one. The new moon druid might do the job, giving them a fix for their pitiful AC but lowering the temp HP seems a reasonable combination (as well as staying in form through your whole hp). That plus your ability to heal yourself should give you sustainability but now you have to pay for it a bit more.

So I think its worth a shot.

I am disappointed that we didn't give templates another try but not surprised, the first reaction to their druids was very definitive.
 

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