jodyjohnson
Adventurer
The book method seems to favor simplicity of resolution over balance considerations. In a group where balance is not a major concern I think the existing rules may be fine. The unkillable 20th level Druid doesn't seem like it would ever even come up in most games.
However, if 5e is about options than I would like to see some for the benevolent use of Wildshape and Shapechaning:
Default: Creature default HP as ablative hit points with overkill going to character HP.
Playtest Option: Creature default HP as ablative hit points with no overkill going to character HP. This is more generous than the PHB mechanic.
Option 1: Creature default HP as ablative hit points with half damage (or some other ratio) going to character HP when form is reduced to zero (no overkill).
Option 2: Creature default HP as ablative hit points with half damage going to character HP when form is reduced to zero in addition to overkill.
Option 3: Creature HP scaling with level as ablative hit points with overkill going to character HP. Creature hit points set at X/level for example.
Option 4: Creature HP scaling with level as ablative hit points no overkill going to character HP. Creature hit points set at X/level for example.
Option 5: Creature HP same as character HP. Form dispelled at 0 hp.
Option 6: Creature HP same as character HP modified by creature Constitution. Form dispelled at 0 hp.
Option 7: Creature default HP. Form dispelled at 0 hp leaving the target at 0 HP.
There are probably a few more parameters that can be tweaked but I think that covers a lot of the options a group might adopt if they weren't satisfied with the default. Some of these match up with the way previous editions handled the alternate forms.
However, if 5e is about options than I would like to see some for the benevolent use of Wildshape and Shapechaning:
Default: Creature default HP as ablative hit points with overkill going to character HP.
Playtest Option: Creature default HP as ablative hit points with no overkill going to character HP. This is more generous than the PHB mechanic.
Option 1: Creature default HP as ablative hit points with half damage (or some other ratio) going to character HP when form is reduced to zero (no overkill).
Option 2: Creature default HP as ablative hit points with half damage going to character HP when form is reduced to zero in addition to overkill.
Option 3: Creature HP scaling with level as ablative hit points with overkill going to character HP. Creature hit points set at X/level for example.
Option 4: Creature HP scaling with level as ablative hit points no overkill going to character HP. Creature hit points set at X/level for example.
Option 5: Creature HP same as character HP. Form dispelled at 0 hp.
Option 6: Creature HP same as character HP modified by creature Constitution. Form dispelled at 0 hp.
Option 7: Creature default HP. Form dispelled at 0 hp leaving the target at 0 HP.
There are probably a few more parameters that can be tweaked but I think that covers a lot of the options a group might adopt if they weren't satisfied with the default. Some of these match up with the way previous editions handled the alternate forms.
