D&D (2024) Playtest 8 Druid discussion

[Neonchameleon]

This is the complex one. They're having another bite at Wild Shape.

• Uses statblocks not templates
• You know 2+ Druid level/2 (rounding up) forms - so no dumpster diving through the MM in play. A decent compromise
• Gain THP equal to your druid level when you wildshape (I see this pleasing no one - it's irritating for those who hate the mechanic and a ribbon for those who like it)
• No base form racial traits - but keep mental stats.
• 2 uses/day, recover 1 on short rest
• Moon Druid has tweaks
  • They've finally used the sensible math everyone knew they would for the CR calculation
  • AC 13+Wis when wildshaped so no longer suicidalA
  • 3 thp (not 1) per druid level when shapeshifting
  • Spellcasting only off the Moon list (Cure Wounds + 1 spell per spell level) when transformed
  • Some sort of Misty Step obsession (wis times/day free at L10 - and can Misty Step two people with each use at L14)

This to me is simultaneously an improvement on 2014 and a big example of the design-by-committee with no clear vision and pleasing no one problem there can be. There are reasons the druid is the least popular PHB class in 5e. But do people who play Moon Druids for other reasons other than that they are broken at level 2-4 actually like this? Me, when playing a Moon Druid I want the shapeshifting - and to turn into a T-Rex eventually.

 

[Amrûnril]

One thing that I miss are the alternate ways of using the wildshape resource. While shapeshifting is important to many Druid character concepts, there are definitely players who prefer to focus on the nature mage side of the class. Being able to recover spell slots, heal, or interact with a familiar instead of shapeshifting is really helpful in realizing those character concepts.

This to me is simultaneously an improvement on 2014 and a big example of the design-by-committee with no clear vision and pleasing no one problem there can be. There are reasons the druid is the least popular PHB class in 5e. But do people who play Moon Druids for other reasons other than that they are broken at level 2-4 actually like this? Me, when playing a Moon Druid I want the shapeshifting - and to turn into a T-Rex eventually.

While I agree with the general point about design by committee, I think you're underselling the 2014 Druid, whose status as the least played class may be due more to representing a relatively niche concept than to poor execution. While there's certainly room for improvement, my experience at least has been that players interested in exploring the Druid's niche have enjoyed the class.

 

[Skayaq]

I HATE HATE all the lunar stuff they are adding to Circle of the Moon, I know it has moon in the name but the draw of the subclass for me was always about focusing on wildshape. Also don't get who asked for species traits to be removed in wildshape.

 

[Neonchameleon]

One thing that I miss are the alternate ways of using the wildshape resource. While shapeshifting is important to many Druid character concepts, there are definitely players who prefer to focus on the nature mage side of the class. Being able to recover spell slots, heal, or interact with a familiar instead of shapeshifting is really helpful in realizing those character concepts.

Those haven't entirely gone. The Stars, Land, and Sea druids all had them in the last playtest packet, and all of them seem to have been given a pass which is why they aren't in this packet.

While I agree with the general point about design by committee, I think you're underselling the 2014 Druid, whose status as the least played class may be due more to representing a relatively niche concept than to poor execution. While there's certainly room for improvement, my experience at least has been that players interested in exploring the Druid's niche have enjoyed the class.

Part of it's the obscure niche, and part of it is that it doesn't do the niche very well. This is why the more I think about this version of the Moon Druid the more disappointed I am in it. The teleporting is a hat on a hat on the subclass that should be leaning into "Nature, red in tooth and claw".

 

[Remathilis]

I HATE HATE all the lunar stuff they are adding to Circle of the Moon, I know it has moon in the name but the draw of the subclass for me was always about focusing on wildshape. Also don't get who asked for species traits to be removed in wildshape.

Because people were making aarakorca druids who were wild shaping into foxes with wings or tortle druids who turned into snakes with AC 17 shells. It was weird and silly.

 

[Horwath]

Wild shape for druids should really be at-will ability.
Just remove this temp HP gain and we are good to go.
moon druids can get little higher AC or just some damage reduction from attacks(1 or 2 pts).

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Wild shape for druids should really be at-will ability.
Just remove this temp HP gain and we are good to go.
moon druids can get little higher AC or just some damage reduction from attacks(1 or 2 pts).

Just temp hp for 10 min after shapeshifting. But temp hp are less problematic than healing or replacing hp.

 

[Horwath]

Just temp hp for 10 min after shapeshifting. But temp hp are less problematic than healing or replacing hp.

at-will means that HPs can be re applied every round with a Bonus action.
Maybe if it's limited to few times per long rest/once per short rest it could work.

But, it's easier just to tweak AC/damage reduction.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

at-will means that HPs can be re applied every round with a Bonus action.
Maybe if it's limited to few times per long rest/once per short rest it could work.

But, it's easier just to tweak AC/damage reduction.

So if you gain a few hp per round as a bonus action, it does not break the spell. And to be honest, that is better than always on damage reduction.

 

[Leatherhead]

Using monster stat blocks but also butchering them up with the player's stats solves none of the core problems with Wildshape whatsoever.

Wildshape is still too complex for the good of the general player base to do more than windowshop dreaming about how cool it would be to be a bear; and still bogging down the entire system by calling out to other books, in a system where the monster math itself is being radically changed under our noses.