D&D 5E Hack Your Druid: Alternatives to Wildshape

[Mad_Jack]

Here's a question that would definitely influence things - which Circle is he choosing? Does he know yet?
Since he's already got Recovery, which is the first feature of the Circle of Land, maybe you could give him their extra cantrip, as well. Or even have him choose a land type and get the bonus spells.
Or, get one of the basic features of one of the other Circles.

 

[DND_Reborn]

This is a good carry over from another thread:

D&D 5E - Thoughts on letting spellcasters change elemental damage as a rule...

I was asked to consider allowing spellcasters be able to select the type of elemental damage a spell can do regardless of the one listed in the spell. The argument was that some elements are less represented, and therefore, if you have less selection if you want to pursue a particular...

www.enworld.org

Perhaps allowing a use of "wild shape" to allow spontaneous switching of element damage type?

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

This was my first suggestion. I played a sorcerer who used the Druid spell list a few years ago, and it was a lot of fun. But no, the player is sold on everything about the druid class except for Wildshape. He likes preparing spells like the druid, he enjoys the druid class features and skills. And he's fine with just crossing off "Wildshape" on his character sheet and never thinking about it. I just feel like he's getting robbed a little bit, so I want to help him out a bit.

The problem is that the capstone features of the druid and many features of the archetypes refer to wildshape.

Maybe replace wildshape with Natural Explorer from the PHB rangers? That + Land druid would be a fine geomancer/elementalist. Swap ''wildshape improvement'' for more favored terrains and remove the capstone to a feature allowing to be able to switch the extra spell list depending on the terrain where he finished his last long rest.

 

[J-H]

Ideas:
1) Companion similar to Beastmaster
2) As a caster-druid, the ability to concentrate on 2 spells at once, with some sort of level cap so that one of the two is lower level. One of the big things holding caster druids back is the number of good spells that require Concentration
3) Signature Spells (as the Wizard 18th level feature)

 

[J.Quondam]

I don't have the 5e experience to reliably evaluate it, but here's a "Circle of Elements" alt-druid homebrew on reddit that emphasizes thematic spells and allows wildshape to be repurposed into "elemental channeling" for various effects. It's also structured so the druid can change-up their favored element with a rest, so they're not stuck on "fire" or whatever their whole career.


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[Dausuul]

When I asked him, he said he wants his druid to be more elemental than the D&D stereotype, and mentioned the Shannara druids as an example. (The druids in the Shannara books are more like non-arcane wizards, keepers of ancient lore and guardians of a place called Paranor. They use elemental magic, the signature example being something called the "druid fire.") So I'm starting with that one.

Definitely more spell-focused. Elemental spells, in particular.

In that case, the wildfire druid seems like a good starting point. You burn uses of Wild Shape to call up a fiery spirit, which acts immediately after you and can either blast enemies or teleport you and your allies for short distances. (Actually it also blasts enemies when teleporting.)

 

[CleverNickName]

Here's a question that would definitely influence things - which Circle is he choosing? Does he know yet?
Since he's already got Recovery, which is the first feature of the Circle of Land, maybe you could give him their extra cantrip, as well. Or even have him choose a land type and get the bonus spells.
Or, get one of the basic features of one of the other Circles.

So far, he has his eye on Circle of the Land, Circle of Stars, or the Circle of the Deep (from Tribality's Seas of Vodari). I'm also going to suggest the Circle of the Elements (thanks @J.Quondam!) to him, after I've made a few tweaks.

 

[Quickleaf]

What about using the Wild Companion optional feature from Tasha's, and just allow the fey beast familiar to scale up using the Wildshape CR/movement type guidelines?

 

[TwoSix]

This is the druid I use in my own games, it's a slight rebuild of the base class with no wildshape and 12 supporting subclasses.

 

[Lidgar]

Combat Druid. Look at the Valor Bard but with the Druid spell list. Can add some of the elemental smiting spells from the Paladin list too.