D&D (2024) Should moon druids have elemental form?

[Tonguez]

I mostly like this list, but I would prefer to include a summoning/animal companion focused option. Circle of the Primeval from the Giants UA had a good framework for this, albeit with flavor that was more specific than it needed to be. Putting aside the Circle of Stars (which is a good option in Tasha's but recent enough and narrow enough to wait for a revision), this would give a PHB lineup with a Beast Shape Druid, Elemental Druid, Healing Druid and Animal Compainion Druid, which I think would cover a wide range of character concepts and would have at least one subclass enhancing each Channel Nature option.

seems like the Animal companion schtick has been given to Beast master and Drakewarden Rangers rather than Druids who are about Wildshaping rather than Companions.
I dont mind that too much really

Land/Earth- Caster Druid. Upgrades Healing Blossoms for more healling
Moon- Shapeshifter Druid. Upgrades Wildshape to stronger beasts
Stars-Hybrid Druid. Gains Starry Form
Sun- Elemental Druid. Gains Elemental Shape and Cauterize

Earth - Elemental - Earthquake, Volcano, Flood, Storm, Spores
Moon - Wildshape Beasts and monsters
Stars - Casting (Circle of Dreams?)
Sun - Healing Light

 

[MechaTarrasque]

For Circle of Land, I would like them to move from bonus spells to "bring a little of their home terrain" to wherever they are now via channel nature. Nothing like bringing a little arctic weather to a jungle or making a city block (or at least the inside of a tavern) feel like being in the deepest part of the Underdark. Instead of "can I change my terrain with a short rest?", you get more benefit from adventuring outside your home ground.

 

[Charlaquin]

Druid Circles:

Land (Alternate uses of channel nature)
Moon (Beast Forms)
Elements (Elemental Forms - eats the Wildfire subclass)
Forest (Plant Forms)

I like this a lot, though I would add subclasses built around each of the Chanel Nature options instead of having just one for non-wildshape uses. So, keep Land as the healing blossoms subclass and add a Circle of the Shepherd as the Wild Companion subclass.

 

[Charlaquin]

seems like the Animal companion schtick has been given to Beast master and Drakewarden Rangers rather than Druids who are about Wildshaping rather than Companions.
I dont mind that too much really

Hmm… Not to derail the conversation with ranger talk, but you make an interesting case for the ranger as another druid who trades shapeshifting and half their spellcasting for more combat ability and a better animal companion. Looking at them this way would make the spellcasting ranger a little easier for me to stomach, and I’d just have to accept that what I think of as a ranger just isn’t something D&D has a class for.

 

[Incenjucar]

I overall like the idea of there being subclasses that have highly specialized wildshape, a subclass that focuses on wild variety, and a subclass that basically ignores it.

 

[MarkB]

I'm a bit torn on this. On the one hand, I like the idea of specialising into specific types at higher levels - i.e. one druid might go Elementals, another might go Monstrosities, and another with Dragons.

But on the other hand, I'm not so keen on cluttering the class with multiple combat-wildshape-focused subclasses.

Maybe this could be something baked into the base class as a high-level specialisation for wildshape, with the Moon druid simply being able to enhance the combat capabilities of whichever form they specialise into.

 

[mellored]

Personal vote:
Have druids get two subclass splits (similar to how warlocks get patrons and pact type). First choose themes (such as animal, elements, star charts, fungi, etc.), then also choose between shapechange focus, pet focus, and neutral/caster/default-ish focus.

I could get behind that.

Level 1: channel nature with utility wild shape, familiar, and healing blossom. None of them scale.

Level 2: chose combat wild shape, combat familiar (summon), healing, or spell casting.

Level 3: choose theme.

 

[Amrûnril]

seems like the Animal companion schtick has been given to Beast master and Drakewarden Rangers rather than Druids who are about Wildshaping rather than Companions.
I dont mind that too much really



Earth - Elemental - Earthquake, Volcano, Flood, Storm, Spores
Moon - Wildshape Beasts and monsters
Stars - Casting (Circle of Dreams?)
Sun - Healing Light

If companions are going to be subclass features rather than a class focus, I think it makes sense to have such options available in multiple classes (we've already seen this to some extent with the Battle Smith Artificer and Pact of the Chain Warlock). To me, "nature mage with an animal companion" and "nature warrior with an animal companion" seem distinctive and thematic enough as archetypes to both be PHB options.

 

[Horwath]

Have all druids have base wild shape of 1/4 druid level for CR of beasts.

then just add feats to chose:

Combat wild shape: min level 4
+1 ASI
you can now wild shape into beasts of 1/2 druid level CR
your wild shape is now Bonus action

Monster wild shape: min level 4
+1 ASI
you can now wild shape into monstrosities

Plant shape: min level 4
+1 ASI
you can now wild shape into plants

Elemental wild shape: min level 8
+1 ASI
you can now wild shape into elementals
this costs 2 uses of wild shape

Dragon wild shape:; min level 12
+1 ASI
you can now wild shape into dragons.
this costs 3 uses of wild shape