mellored
Legend
But the "pick a feature" directly allows for it.You don't have to give your Sabre-tooth tiger tentacles.
By writing out all the things that would scale in a template.How do I play a wolf at high levels without a template?
I.e.
Your AC is 13+Wis
Your HP is equal to your Druid HP + 3x your druid level in THP.
Use your Druid saves.
On each of your turns, when you hit a creature with an attack roll using a weapon or a Beast form's attack in Wild Shape, you can cause the target to take an extra 1d8. This increases to 2d8 at level 15.
You're kinda only keeping the beast actions, movement, senses, and maybe a skill.
templates are scaling. But not all scaling is a template.Scaling is a template.
Rogues sneak attack scales without a template.
Your beast attacks are equal to your spell attack modifier. Any DC is equal to your Spell DC.The other part of scaling is that not all beasts start at the same CR/level. A CR 1 wolf with +5 to their base stats because the Druid is level 18 is not as powerful as a CR 6 Ancient Dire Wolf whose higher base stats are also increased by +5 because the Druid is level 18.
Higher CR beast are just harder to transform into. Thus don't get as much benefit.It would feel weird if your Druid level affected the wildshape less if the base form started at CR6, but that is how it would have to work for the two beasts to be comparable at high levels.
Or at least that's my attempt to make an in-game excuse.