I was worried about nerfs, but holy sticks and snakes Batman!
Firstly, I don't understand making Druids "Wildshape the class". Yes, Wildshape was cool, but...
Level 1 --> Get Wildshape
Level 2 --> Get better option and worse option for Channel Nature
Level 5 --> Improve Wildshape
Level 7 --> Get extremely niche nearly worthless Wildshape
Level 9 --> In theory get a good Wildshape that is actually not that good
Level 11 --> Maybe improve Wildshape
Level 13 --> Improve Wildshape
Level 15 -->Improve Wildshape (sort of)
Level 17 --> Improve Wildshape
Level 18 --> Give more uses of Channel
And this is it, other than the subclass features and feats. And the biggest problem with this is if you want to play a Druid who focuses on spellcasting... you basically don't get class features. I mean, you get Find Familiar, so you can play like a Bard/Sorcerer/Wizard/Warlock/Arcane Trickster/Eldritch Knight, but if I wanted to play like those classes... I'd have picked one of them.
And the Blossoms are just... bad. Really bad.
But, focusing on Wildshape since that is the point of the thread and seemingly the point of the Druid. First, as someone who has played a good number of Druids (and none of the Moon Druids) I do want to point out that there is a major problem with Druid Spellcasting. They don't really get anything other than concentration battlefield control, which is... I'm not saying it isn't strong, but there is a significant problem. Let us say you are 3rd level and you get 4 1st level and 2 2nd level spells. You likely from this packet would take something like (Healing Word, Faerie Fire, Hunter's Mark, Entangle, Spike Growth and Flaming Sphere), that is a decent spell list right?
So.. after you cast Flaming Sphere... what do you do? You can't cast anything else from that entire list except Healing Word. In fact, if you want non-concentration combat spells you are quite literally looking at Healing Word, Cure Wounds, Thunderwave, sort of Hail of Thorns (only concentration until you use it)... and that's it, until you get to 5th level and get Conjure Barrage and Mass Healing Word, then, what Ice Storm at 7th level?
I often while playing my Druids cast a single concentration spell, then did cantrip spam for the rest of the fight, and ended the day with over half my spell slots, because I simply couldn't cast enough spells to actually use them all. I actually begged my DM for a magic item so I could cast more non-cantrip spells in combat. I'm not going to deny that Druids are impactful with their concentration spells, they are, but that is ALL they really have. And that means you often have nothing viable to cast, because you only get one spell per combat, even at really high levels.
So, I actually DON'T think being a Full Caster makes as much difference for the Druid as it does for the other Full Casters, because other than Bards, I can't think of any other full caster that has this issue. All of them have great uses for their spells that can be cast while concentrating. A cleric concentrating on Bless still has Guiding Bolt, which is pretty good even up-cast . So, I really wanted Druids to have their spells addresssed, and there is a really simple and easy solution. Give them more elemental, non-concentration spells.
But, even worse, other than the spellcasting, all they now have is this Wildshape and... it isn't really worth it. We've got enough material to make a character, so let's make a character and build them a couple different ways.
Wood Elf named Welf, and we will present two classes, both Priests. Use the same stat line, 16 Wis, 14 Con and Dex, and the rest don't really matter.
Welf the Cleric has a movement speed of 35, and will rather easily be able to get an AC of 17 from 1st level (chain shirt, shield). They will have d8 Hit dice so decent hp, but they will also have the ability to channel and either heal or hurt for 2d8 twice per day, regaining one use on a short rest (remember, the Channel Nature is the new version of the Channel Divinity too), they will have an at-will attack with their cantrip, and while Toll of the Dead isn't listed, it is still an official choice, so it is very viable. They may focus on getting better armor, more cantrips, and their damage increases at level 7.
This is... quite nice.
But what if Welf was a Druid?
Movement speed is 35, Ac is 15 (leather, shield) and can max to 16 if they want to spend more money [why they get half of the money other classes get is beyond me], same d8 hit dice. And twice per day they could turn into a beast... or give some anemic healing, or get a scouting companion.
But why would they turn into a Beast? 40 ft movement? You already have 35 movement and unless you want to be in melee, that is more than enough. AC is actually lowered by 2 points, Hp doesn't change. And while you can make an attack for 1d8+wis... you can do that with Shilelagh. Or at range with Produce Flame by giving up the mod. The only thing worthwhile here is the Keen Senses, but how often are you going to use a semi-daily ability to get advantage on perception rolls?
And in exchange for that advantage, you lose ALL OTHER ABILITIES. Racial abilities? Gone. Feats? Gone. Spells? Gone. You keep nothing. And you have gained nothing except advantage on a single skill check? Oh, and by the way, this took an entire action. Your entire turn is spent turning into an animal.
Now, at 5th level, it could be worth it. You could exchange 1 point of AC to get a multi-attack, and if they don't fix Shillelagh, that could be decent. But... that's it. That is the best ability you get for the next EIGHT LEVELS.
Beast of the Sea is strictly worse than Beast of the Land, it gives you +30ft darkvision which you likely never need, the ability to breath underwater, and a swim speed. But, you are a druid. Two levels ago you gained access to Water breathing. You don't need to turn into a Beast of the Sea to breath underwater. And you can still swim, just slower. This is useless, and you've reduced your damage to 1d6+wis while also losing your bonus to strength.
Beast of the Air at level 9? Well, luckily Welf isn't a Dragonborn who would get flight at level 5, or an Arcane caster who got flight at level 5, and now cam fly and scout.... just like the Familiar they got at level 2! And in exchange for this flight, you lower your AC by 2 and your damage down to d4's. Sure, maybe you can be extra safe because of flyby attack, but you are dealing with level 9 enemies. They have spells, they have ranged attacks, they have flight themselves. This is again just simply a worse option than choosing to go Land form, unless you have a highly specific plan.
Or, you could have continued to play a ranged character, who can stay out of melee by being ranged.
And, remember, this entire time you are Wildshaping, you get hours of the shape, because they want you to stay in it. And all you class abilities are geared toward it. And I struggle to see what it gives you that you don't get from casting spells and having a Familiar, just like a freakin' wizard! And becoming a Tiny Creature for 10 minutes? What am I supposed to do in 10 minutes?
Now, Moon is... slightly less horrendous. You can transform as a bonus action, so it is slightly more viable at 5th level to transform. But that's... it? At 3rd level unless you really really want that bonus action Unarmed Strike for 1+wis damage, or a push or prone, there isn't much here for you. I could see value in it if the Land form was worth turning into, but since it is strictly worse than staying as yourself until level 5, I don't see the point.
Elemental Wildshape? Okay, gaining fire or cold resistance could be useful. And I won't deny the flavor and aesthetic is top-tier, but you don't increase your damage at all. And other than fire or cold, most of those resistances aren't worth much. It would be a different story if you could get poison, maybe, but you don't.
Elemental Strike is actually somewhat useful, I won't deny it. By this point you could become a serious damage dealer. 2d8+2d6+2xwis, potentially adding another 2d6 from hunter's mark. It is respectable. Of course, you also have Sunbeam and tons of concentration spells, and your AC is at best a 15, at level 10? That's a joke, and you don't have the HP to really be effective in melee for long periods of time. Unlike a Cleric who could have a 22 AC, you just are going to be getting hit too often.
And then you get the utterly useless Alter Self spell at-will. Which is just such a let down,
I don't want to say there are no good ideas here. I like the simplified statblocks, I like being able to be any animal (I had the guy who just wanted to play wolves) But there is only a single viable use for 90% of the abilities, and most of them are useless by the time you get them. Or made useless by using a Familiar, which isn't really an iconic part of the druid to me. Also, not only is getting the familiar perhaps their best ability... it only lasts for 24 hours?! Why?! At that point it either becomes a tax on your channels, or you just take 9 hour rests so you can start at full strength,
I can admit the Druid's wildshape was incredibly powerful. The ability to be a squirrel in the forest, or a spider on the wall, had vast utility. Moon Druids in combat were very good for chunks of play, but this does nothing to address the ACTUAL problems with playing a Druid, and has nerfed Wildshape so hard, I don't see the point in even using it most of the time.
