Personally, I'd be fine with that.
D&D (2024) Playtest 8 Druid discussion
Jefe Bergenstein
Legend
Monster stat blocks arent particularly balanced because they aren't intended for player use. I don't see much to be gained from them over using more generic options. Yeah, the min-maxers don't get to scour the MM (or more accurately, google "best wildshape form") to pull whatever overpowered low CR critter slipped through playtests, but I consider that a net positive. Want to keep being a wolf? Great, the stat block levels, no need to be a dire wolf, or underdark dire venom wolf while the rest of the party tells you what superior form you "should" be.
Add some properties they can mix and match at higher levels. Armored, stealth, venomous, alt move speeds, webs, etc.
Add some properties they can mix and match at higher levels. Armored, stealth, venomous, alt move speeds, webs, etc.
Laurefindel
Legend
They weren’t, but they do have an opportunity now to make them balanced for player use (if only for the benefit of druid wild shapes and conjure animals spells). I’m curious to see whether they will attempt to address that.
Clint_L
Hero
I want to see the list of the forms that are going to be included in the 2024 PHB...and I want it to include beast-like monstrosities. Come on WotC, let druids wild shape into owl bears. It's in your own movie! This just seems like such obvious, low-hanging fruit that I cannot understand why WotC isn't grabbing it.
In general, I think their attempts to "fix" wild shape are failing. Moon druid players are not onboard, template fans have tuned out, and I think most players, including mine, will just be, "Nah, I'll stick with the 2014 version, thanx."
In general, I think their attempts to "fix" wild shape are failing. Moon druid players are not onboard, template fans have tuned out, and I think most players, including mine, will just be, "Nah, I'll stick with the 2014 version, thanx."
There's going to be a lot of holes in any PHB list. Dinosaurs, Owlbears (which should be allowable), heck, the current MM is missing Raccoons, Otters, Beavers, Platypus, Kangaroo, among others, and I'm sure we could all list a bunch of animals that are pretty distinct and lack statblocks. Add that these statblocks do not scale and all the other issues, and I'm just seeing this as papering over foundational cracks.
Remathilis
Legend
The classic pick two conundrum is happening: you can have wild shape that is
1. Broad
2. Flavorful
3. Balanced
Pick two.
2014 WS was broad (lots of options) and flavorful (any beast in the world) but unbalanced.
Templates are broad (anything you can think of) and balanced, but dull (all used the same Stats)
2024 is settling on Flavorful (unique monster stats) and balanced (curated list) but not broad (limited options) with the DM allowing you to remove the safety and swap broad for balanced ala 2014.
1. Broad
2. Flavorful
3. Balanced
Pick two.
2014 WS was broad (lots of options) and flavorful (any beast in the world) but unbalanced.
Templates are broad (anything you can think of) and balanced, but dull (all used the same Stats)
2024 is settling on Flavorful (unique monster stats) and balanced (curated list) but not broad (limited options) with the DM allowing you to remove the safety and swap broad for balanced ala 2014.
Shardstone
Hero
You can have all three. Make a list of all the traits that beasts under cr 6 have. List what animals have this trait. Then list a number of actions and natural weapons and what beasts use them. When you wildshape, you can pick traits and actions that share a beast. These replace your racial features and you can only attack with your new chosen weapons. Your physical ability scores increase to 16/16/16 for the duration, and you can increase one or two at higher levels. Also at higher levels, you can gain movement speeds, reactions, different size, and bonus actions too.
No need for a stat block. Just a few tables or good organization will suffice. It lets people becomea certain beast while keeping their characters relatively the same. It also opens up new levers for wildshape. You could have subclasses or feats that open up new selections from other creature types. You could even have a sub that mixes and matches for a more chimeric feel.
Yaarel
He Mage
It is worth having an entire Bestiary as a separate book. The book can list all of members of the Beast creature type, from game versions of reallife animals, to "dire" prehistoric-esque animals, to "drake" animalistic dragon concepts.
Maybe put all Beasts in the 2024 Players Handbook, and not in the Monster Manual. But then put out a "Bestiary" (Beast-y-ary) as a separate book that expands on all of the different kinds of real and fantasy animals.
So, Owlbear would be the Beast creature type, locate in the Players Handbook appendix, and allow the Druid to wildshape into one.
When the Bestiary comes out, players can go there for the deep dive into the many different Wildshape options.
Jefe Bergenstein
Legend
One of these things is a lot harder than the other. It's also a lot easier for a new player to get a few generic forms "strong animal, sneaky animal, bird" and go with that. Druid is BY FAR the class I've seen new players gravitate towards. And its utterly awful to learn to play. Prepared caster plus looking up other stat blocks in other book(s). Oh wait, you use some of your stats. Oh and use your HP. Plus some temporary hit points. Oh don't use the attack bonus in the stat block, you modify it by your proficiency bonus instead. No, this isnt on D&D beyond. Why is this crap so needlessly complicated? Because some min-maxers demand to flex their system mastery to eek out extra dps and shoehorn in their character's trip to Chult to justify having seen a velociraptor?
There's no good reason for this other than some people want to beat the baseline by cherry picking the best forms, rather than just having the appropriate power level form simply given to them.
The class is already a full caster. It doesnt need to also get to become a dire osquip for the ability to ignore hardness when chewing through stone or whatever ultra niche special property the pro MM combers want to trot out.
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