Druid shapechanging and small characters

[Funkthis]

I am running a campaign currently and have one of my players is running a gnome druid. He will soon acquire the wild shape ability and something about the rulse regarding this ability bugs me. It says in the PHB (pg. 37) that a druid can wild shape into any Small or Medium size animal. Normally I wouldn't have any issues with this but he is starting small size to begin with. Seems to me he should only be able to change into animals tiny or small. A human druid can't change into an animal one size larger until 8th lvl so why should halflings and gnomes be able to increase his size class. Logically it doesnt make any sense.

Normally my players tend to shy away from small size races and I think this is the first time since we have been playing 3rd edition that some one is playing a druid so this question has never come up.

My player is of course working toward a PrC centered around this ability. Seeing is how he will acheive this ability soon I figured I should ask this question now and find out if I am making a mountain out of a molehill.

All opinions welcome.

 

[mikebr99]

Wildshape does not depend on your initial size at all. You would be nerfing it to much (for smaller Druids) and breaking it (for larger Druids) to make it original size dependent.

If you are using 3.5 rules... I'd shy away from the shifter PrC in MoTW... if that is what he is heading towards (or any PrC for that matter). Once you are a Druid, there is no reason to leave! YMMV.

You may find... again YMMV... that Wildshape isn't your (the DM) biggest complaint. It'll be with the whole combo of natural casting... summoning... buffing himself & animals (animal growth)... etc. that may have you thinking that the Druiid may be overpowered. YMMV

You might want to drop a feat out of the phb...


Mike

 

[Nail]

A human druid can't change into an animal one size larger until 8th lvl so why should halflings and gnomes be able to increase his size class. Logically it doesnt make any sense.

Logic has nothing to do with it. It's called "game balance".

Think of it this way: should a 5th level stone giant druid be able to shape change into something of size=large? Better to keep the mechanic balanced, rather than consistent.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Wildshape really doesn't come into its own as a combat ability until the druid gains Large-size anyway. Small and Medium creatures are roughly the same, as far as utility goes. So I see no reason to worry about nerfing the small druid.

If you need a logical justification of the RAW, think of the wildshape ability as a learned skill. It's easiest to take the shape of small or medium creatures, and progressively more difficult to take the shapes of smaller or larger ones. It has nothing to do with the original size of the druid, but rather with the complexity of working the wildshape magic.

 

[Funkthis]

I really don't a big problem with the whole thing it just doesn't follow logically....I know...its a game with rules not based on logic but game balance. I guess in the end I just would rather him not go overboard with the wildshape stuff later and take a prestige class just because "its uber". BTW he is looking at the Warshaper class in CW. I guess until I see it in action I will reserve judgement. Although last campaign I had reservations on a player's single minded focus on being the best archer and he ended up a death machine at over several hundered feet! Of course that is another thread.