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

[mellored]

So I've seen several people suggest that the elemental wild shape should be it's own subclass (possibly with wild fire), as it doesn't really fit the beast form theme.

And it seems to me that that elemental forms where only added because they ran out of high level beasts.

So what's the consensus? Should moon druids just stick to pure beasts

turn into elementals

Or a mix like frost wolves and phoenix?

 

[Clint_L]

Beasts only. Come up with some new beast options for them at higher levels (giant bear or whatever). I find the elemental forms thematically incoherent for moon druids.

Give elemental forms their own sub-class.

 

[Tonguez]

I think that they do need to split Monstrosities so they can add some magical beasts like Owlbears, Griffons and Winterwolf to the Wildshape list but otherwise it ought to be all Beast (Mundane & Magical).

Elemental Druid should indeed be its own thing (maybe tied to a Natural Disaster theme)

 

[Vael]

I'd sooner give the Moon Druid something else, and make a "Elemental Wildshape" feat.

 

[Gorck]

I think that they do need to split Monstrosities so they can add some magical beasts like Owlbears, Griffons and Winterwolf to the Wildshape list but otherwise it ought to be all Beast (Mondane & Magical).

Elemental Druid should indeed be its own thing (maybe tied to a Natural Disaster theme)

This. I know it’s semantics, but Circle of the Moon invokes images of wolves howling at the moon, which implies beasts. I’m intrigued by the idea of allowing Moon Druids to Wild Shape into Monstrosities, but I haven’t looked over the full list of Monstrosities to see if there are any problematic options.

A separate subclass allowing Druids to Wild Shape into Elementals also seems like a good idea, but I’m not sure what other abilities to give such a subclass. I’ll need to ponder this further.

EDIT: Using koboldplus.club to look at the list of Monstrosities that are CR 6 or lower (based on the 2014 "Circle Forms" ability of level/3 rounded down), there are a few that don't seem to fit: Centaur, Harpy, Medusa, Mimic. So there would need to be more restrictions put in place.

 

[Amrûnril]

I voted for the beast only option, though I'll add the caveat that I'd like beast-like monstrosities to be included as well.

I suspect that elemental forms were originally part of the Moon Druid because the 2014 Druid only had two subclasses, a wild shape subclass and a spellcasting subclass. In a world where every class will have at least four subclasses, though, it's hard to see an argument beyond tradition for merging the Beast Shape Druid and Elemental Druid archetypes into a single subclass.

Thus far, though, it doesn't seem like the developers have considered the possibility of splitting these archetypes. Perhaps this is because the Moon Druid is currently the most popular subclass, but if so, I think this perspective is misguided. The Moon Druid is popular because it's the only subclass that fits the archetypes many Druid players are interested in. Many of those players would likely be more satisfied by a more focused subclass, even if none of those focused subclasses were individually as popular as the Moon Druid.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

Honestly I'd rather they gave elemental themed druids their own subclass, rather than it getting tacked onto the beast transformation subclass.

 

[Clint_L]

I think if you replaced the current elemental options with some comparatively powerful beast or monstrosity options, most moon druid players would be onboard. In fact, maybe this is the place to allow a limited selection of beast-like monstrosities. Like a CR 5 owlbear (come on, after the movie you know folks are going to want it).

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I really think that the moon Druid should get the ability to take on Fey forms, and select hybrid beast forms.

 

[mellored]

there are a few that don't seem to fit: Centaur, Harpy, Medusa, Mimic.

I expect some kind of template(s) + options. Not digging though the monster manual. So I wouldn't worry about corner cases like Medusa.

Though now I want to turn into a Mimic... not as a "moon" druid. But still would be fun.