New to DnD and need advice about Druids

[Grogg of the North]

My last question is about the line in the wild shape description that says I need to be familiar with the animal I'm shifting into. Does that mean I'm restricted to creatures that I encounter during the campaign, or is there some other way I can access wild shape forms?

This is something you need to discuss with your DM. The main clause in that statement, is that if you grew up in a desert you cannot wildshape into a polar bear or a blue whale. You've never seen them before. You may not even know that such a creature exists!

Ask your DM what animals are common in the area. Did you have a mentor? Did (s)he ever summon animals for you to study and learn? Did your mentor ever wild shape into animals for you?

If your DM ever has downtime for adventures, ask if you can go to some noble's menagerie or off into a new forest/mountain/whatever to observe the wildlife. This should let you add new forms to your repertoire.

As a suggestion, as you get access to wild shape pick out one or two forms that you can wild shape into and have them already prepared. For instance, if your druid is really into bears have a black bear form prepared ahead of time. That way when you wild shape you can just swap character sheets. Same thing for any animal you may routinely summon.

 

[Dandu]

Remember, you can also summon animals to study.

 

[ccs]

Spot and Listen are perception skills in 3.5, and Druids get Listen.

Yeah, those.
Sorry, I have a stew of 3.0/3.5/PF & 5e (+1e) in my head. Now & then I'll pull out the wrong term....