D&D (2024) New Wild Shape

[LuisCarlos17f]

Can they use tools and weapons in their wild shapes thanks opposible dumbs? For example to reload a crossbow.

 

[Weiley31]

Show me a castle full of rats and I'll show you a druid popping out of wild shape after getting pounced by a castle cat

Rat and Cat crosses each others path
Druid Rat: Hey Phil.

Druid Castle Cat: Hey Larry.

*keeps on going their merry way.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Is this spoken from actual experience or is this just white room theory-crafting? Because my personal experience differs.

My experience at low to mid levels... That much extra hp was too much. Proved to be annoying.

 

[mellored]

This is as far as I can see not in any way looking at the effect of the added abdurartion/healing capability?

Because casting cure wound in wild shape (14 AC) is worse than casting cure wound in normal form (18 AC) and hitting with shillelagh.

Being able to healing word an ally is nice, but I wouldn't expect to use it more than that, nor was it in the previous version.

(removing the abduration casting).

Transmutation (self only) would makes more sense IMO.

Jump, long strider, water breathing, enlarge/reduce, barkskin, enhance ability, elemental weapon, ect...

Hmm... if they added a few more transmutation spells, like frogs swallow, panthers pounce, snakes reach, that would be pretty fun. Probably auto success on concentration checks for those too...

 

[mellored]

Refined suggestion.

Keep the stat block as is.
Add +5 THP per level
When you wild shape, you may cast a transmutation spell on yourself. Spells cast this way don't require concentration checks when damaged, though your form changes to reflect the spell. For instance, if you cast jump, you might get the legs of a frog.

Add extra transmutation spells on the primal list.
-panthers pounce
-frogs swallow
-snakes reach
-vipers venom
-wolf pack tactic
...etc

Moon druid 3: as a bonus action.
Moon druid 6: your transmutation spell doesn't take a slot.
Moon druid 10: you can have 2 transmutation at once. The second one takes a spell slot.
Moon druid 14: you can have 3 transmutation at once. You spend a spell slot on the highest level one.

 

[mellored]

My experience at low to mid levels... That much extra hp was too much. Proved to be annoying.

Increase the bears CR rating.
It solves most of the issues.

 

[Bill Zebub]

My experience at low to mid levels... That much extra hp was too much. Proved to be annoying.

My experience with druids (only playing with them; I've yet to actually play one myself) is that the HP pool from shifting is one of the most powerful defensive abilities in the game. Even for non-moon druids it's really, really good.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Refined suggestion.

Keep the stat block as is.
Add +5 THP per level
When you wild shape, you may cast a transmutation spell on yourself. Spells cast this way don't require concentration checks when damaged, though your form changes to reflect the spell. For instance, if you cast jump, you might get the legs of a frog.

Add extra transmutation spells on the primal list.
-panthers pounce
-frogs swallow
-snakes reach
-vipers venom
-wolf pack tactic
...etc

Moon druid 3: as a bonus action.
Moon druid 6: your transmutation spell doesn't take a slot.
Moon druid 10: you can have 2 transmutation at once. The second one takes a spell slot.
Moon druid 14: you can have 3 transmutation at once. You spend a spell slot on the highest level one.

Mine would be:
+THP (we can quibble about the number)

Moon:
3rd: Pick two two "enhancements" from a list, like invocations (some have level requirements). When you shift you get those enhancements.
Every level 4+: swap one enhancement for another
6th, 10th, 14th: gain another enhancement. (Plus maybe other goodies.)

 

[Clint_L]

Is this spoken from actual experience or is this just white room theory-crafting? Because my personal experience differs.

Mine would be:
+THP (we can quibble about the number)

Moon:
3rd: Pick two two "enhancements" from a list, like invocations (some have level requirements). When you shift you get those enhancements.
Every level 4+: swap one enhancement for another
6th, 10th, 14th: gain another enhancement. (Plus maybe other goodies.)

Why not let them choose enhancements every time they shift? The flexibility is a core part of the fun.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Increase the bears CR rating.
It solves most of the issues.

Ok.
But then the problems of forcing players to look through DM resources... and needing system mastery... and being dependend on DM fiat (which I also have experienced)...

Templates as the default are better. Maybe then have an optional rule to replace the generic blocks with specific animal stat blocks you have encountered. And Still I would replace the animal HP with THP and the animal attacks with beast strike...