D&D (2024) 2024 Player's Handbook Reveal: Shape of "New Druid"

Druid video today. Where will wildshape land?

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We saw three druids in the playtest, and each was meaningfully different. The most recent look at the class was in PT8 (UA Playtest document 8); with the Moon Druid in PT8, and Land Druid and Sea Druid in PT6, with the Stars Druid in Tasha's. What will change? What will be revealed? Will it be feasible to pick an combat animal shape and stick with it through 20 levels? Let's find out!

OVERVIEW

• "there is a ton of new in the druid": but it was all in the playtest materials. Very little to see here. "the final version has elements people didn't get to see" in the playtest, however everything they discuss was in the playtest documents.
• Primal order choice at level 1: Warden or Magician. Warden gives proficiency in Medium armor and martial weapons; Magician gives cantrip and nature checks (and so =PT8). Magician incentivizes not dumping Intelligence.
• no mention of metal armor; presumably any restriction is now gone.
• Druidic includes speak with animals prepared.
• Wildshape (as in PT8): as a bonus action; wild companion option from Tasha's for a familiar; you can speak; spellslot for another wildshift at 5.
• NO MENTION OF BEAST FORMS IN THE PHB.
• At level 7, Elemental Fury choice not determined by level 1 choice; you can mix-and-match. (would you want to?) Improved at level 15 -- extra range option works at range while flying, if you want.
• new cantrips: Starry Wisp (ranged spell attack in PT8) and Elementalism (PT6).

Overall, this is pretty disappointing in terms of a preview for people who have been invested in the playtest. No discussion of the beast forms in the PHB, no mention of distinctive Druid features (metal armor, though the silence is probably revelatory) or adjustements to canonical spells (any adjustments to Reincarnate so it might actually see play?).

Narrator: His questions would not be answered.

SUBCLASSES
Land

• Almost all as in PT6. This is "all about your spellcasting".
• you choose your land type every long rest. Arid, Polar, Temperate, Tropical (as in PT6).
• use wildshape at 3 to create "eruption of nature magic" (harms and heals). Expanded at 14 to include resitances.
• Two damage resistances at 10 (with flexibility: poison plus one determined by land type

Sea

• wanted to "make sure we don't have the Aquaman problem".
• NEW: Water breathing replaces Sleet storm on the subclass spell list.

Moon

• Almost everything exactly as in PT8: AC is "more reliable"; gain in temporary hit points instead of just taking over the creature's hit points. (a nerf, but a needed one). (Crawford ties it to abilities that activate when you get zero hp;
• NEW: subclass spell list given (it is different from PT8):
  • 3: cure wounds, moon beam, starry wisp (unchanged)
  • 5: conjure animals (replacing Vampiric touch)
  • 7: fount of Moonlight (new spell, as in PT8)
  • 9: mass cure wounds (replacing Dawn).

Stars

• like Tasha's, but starting now at level 3. Enhanced by core class, but no specific changes made.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Also lets brass tax this, Moon Druid level 2 right now is certified BROKEN, is there anything even close to their level of power at that level?

We can debate lvls 3 and 4, but a nerf at lvl 2 was ESSENTIAL.

I'd absolutely say "2/short rest as a bonus action gain 35thp" was broken and needed nerfing at level 4. At level 2 it was ludicrous

 

[OB1]

If you do this there needs to be robust levelling up for the companion. Otherwise the game becomes an escort mission, trying to avoid turning the wolf into dragon appetisers or ogre food.

Yes, for my Ranger Beastmaster players that's a feature, not a bug. Easy enough for me to houserule in my games, but I suspect there will be quite a few players who will be disappointed.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Yes, for my Ranger Beastmaster players that's a feature, not a bug. Easy enough for me to houserule in my games, but I suspect there will be quite a few players who will be disappointed.

So tell me why do they want to risk their animals friends' lives that way? I mean I can think of one dog growing up I would have wanted to see face a dragon, but I really didn't like that one.

 

[Staffan]

It's not like the 5e monsters in 2014 had much variety in their abilities... You could turn a base template into a wolf by adding Pack Tactics and that ability to know people prone when attacking with advantage. The rest is just numbers. I dunno if the new ones will be more interesting.

Right, and that is in the same ballpark as what PF2 is doing. But I think the important thing from a flavor POV is that they don't give you a list of potential traits and tell you to pick X of them for your shape and figure out what sort of animal that makes, but instead provide a list of animal types and say "Cats get X, canines get Y, and apes get Z."

 

[Neonchameleon]

Right, and that is in the same ballpark as what PF2 is doing. But I think the important thing from a flavor POV is that they don't give you a list of potential traits and tell you to pick X of them for your shape and figure out what sort of animal that makes, but instead provide a list of animal types and say "Cats get X, canines get Y, and apes get Z."

And when you say "from a flavour point of view" I read "because PF2e doesn't like creativity from players and wants to hard code a St Bernard to use the same rules as a chihuaha".

 

[Staffan]

And when you say "from a flavour point of view" I read "because PF2e doesn't like creativity from players and wants to hard code a St Bernard to use the same rules as a chihuaha".

Well, a chihuahua would probably be pest form rather than animal form, which is explicitly about giving you a form suited for combat.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Well, a chihuahua would probably be pest form rather than animal form, which is explicitly about giving you a form suited for combat.

D&D is of course the game where housecats used to have a good chance against L1 wizards

 

[Undrave]

If you do this there needs to be robust levelling up for the companion. Otherwise the game becomes an escort mission, trying to avoid turning the wolf into dragon appetisers or ogre food.

One of the reason why I hate animal companions... they either break the action economy or they're a huge liability.

Yes, for my Ranger Beastmaster players that's a feature, not a bug. Easy enough for me to houserule in my games, but I suspect there will be quite a few players who will be disappointed.

You mean the companion being a liability and the game turning into a lame escort mission is a feature?! That's just wanted a terrible game...

Right, and that is in the same ballpark as what PF2 is doing. But I think the important thing from a flavor POV is that they don't give you a list of potential traits and tell you to pick X of them for your shape and figure out what sort of animal that makes, but instead provide a list of animal types and say "Cats get X, canines get Y, and apes get Z."

Yeah something like that. All the forms for that purpose would have similar stats with a couple of special actions or traits you get based on the animal you want to become, with maybe a stat modification here or there (like big cats getting more stealth and speed).

 

[jmartkdr2]

One of the reason why I hate animal companions... they either break the action economy or they're a huge liability.

The only solution I've seen work is for the master to also be pretty weak, so that you're getting two sets of actions that are half as good as what another character can pull off. PF summoners are a decent example, as are 13th Age rangers in my experience.

 

[Staffan]

The only solution I've seen work is for the master to also be pretty weak, so that you're getting two sets of actions that are half as good as what another character can pull off. PF summoners are a decent example, as are 13th Age rangers in my experience.

Again, calling on PF2 here: In PF2, characters have three actions per turn. Commanding a minion (animal companions, familiars, summoned creatures) usually takes one action, and lets the minion take two of them. So you're getting a total of four actions, but on the other hand both need to spend separate actions to move. If not commanded, minions generally don't do anythings but may at the GM's discretion do things like defend themselves, move out of combat, or try to protect an unconscious master. There are also some classes that let the minion take a single action without being commanded (usually a move).