Druids in my homebrew have a few things going on for their shapeshifting that is not the same as 5e (or PF or the last few iterations of D&D).
For the one: Shapeshifting (not "wildshape") doesn't kick in as a class feature until 5th level. It begins, as is generally understood, with small and medium animal forms.
As the druid levels up, they gain larger animals (including "giant" versions of smaller creatures if they want), small/medium humanoids -hell, Disguise Self is a 1st level spell. Alter Self is 2nd...but someone who can literally shapeshift from a biped to a quadruped (or serpent or bird) can't figure out how to alter their height and face, skin color, ear shape? C'mon. So, I think it is all the way to at level 9 or so, but still. Strikes me (and always has) as totally fair game for druid shapeshifting. Eventually some (small/medium) elemental options.
Then, they gain a series of homebrewed spells called "Animal Spirit" ["I, II, III..." I don't think anyone's gotten past 3...]. This was developed to give the Druid's "Nature Magic" spell list in my game/world, their own battery of "signature" spells that harken to the Druid class' shamanic flavor and traditions...and my understanding of the "shapeshifting" druid/magic-worker shaman origins. These spells function, more or less, like the powers of DC superhero, Vixen.
Basically, the various versions give you access to a set list of animal options that give you -not the "shape/form" of the animal, but their specific special/nonhuman abilities - speed, strength, climbing on walls, agility/acrobatics, darkvision, sonar/"blindsense," resitances (cold, heat, poison), slashing "claws" or "constricting" grapples (while the shape of your hands/arms does not change, just magically enhanced) up to and including (eventually) things like [short range] flight and breathing underwater. Those are spells, like any other...invoking the aid of the appropriate animal spirit from the Spirit World to temporarily "possess"/assist the druid. Players seem to enjoy it. Sometimes devoting nearly all slots to them.
For the one: Shapeshifting (not "wildshape") doesn't kick in as a class feature until 5th level. It begins, as is generally understood, with small and medium animal forms.
As the druid levels up, they gain larger animals (including "giant" versions of smaller creatures if they want), small/medium humanoids -hell, Disguise Self is a 1st level spell. Alter Self is 2nd...but someone who can literally shapeshift from a biped to a quadruped (or serpent or bird) can't figure out how to alter their height and face, skin color, ear shape? C'mon. So, I think it is all the way to at level 9 or so, but still. Strikes me (and always has) as totally fair game for druid shapeshifting. Eventually some (small/medium) elemental options.
Then, they gain a series of homebrewed spells called "Animal Spirit" ["I, II, III..." I don't think anyone's gotten past 3...]. This was developed to give the Druid's "Nature Magic" spell list in my game/world, their own battery of "signature" spells that harken to the Druid class' shamanic flavor and traditions...and my understanding of the "shapeshifting" druid/magic-worker shaman origins. These spells function, more or less, like the powers of DC superhero, Vixen.
Basically, the various versions give you access to a set list of animal options that give you -not the "shape/form" of the animal, but their specific special/nonhuman abilities - speed, strength, climbing on walls, agility/acrobatics, darkvision, sonar/"blindsense," resitances (cold, heat, poison), slashing "claws" or "constricting" grapples (while the shape of your hands/arms does not change, just magically enhanced) up to and including (eventually) things like [short range] flight and breathing underwater. Those are spells, like any other...invoking the aid of the appropriate animal spirit from the Spirit World to temporarily "possess"/assist the druid. Players seem to enjoy it. Sometimes devoting nearly all slots to them.
