D&D 5E Wildshape check: am I doing it right?

[Sunseeker]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but you don’t get the druids special abilities from race, class, or feats. That is, you can’t use the Dragonborn breath attack while wild shaped, and other things like certain feats and abilities that rely on gear can’t be used. Spells can’t be cast either, which includes racial cantrips or spells.

You get special features, but can't cast spells. So if you have a mouth, you can dragon breath, but can't spellcast. You retain other features if your new shape is capable of using them.

 

[Sacrosanct]

You get special features, but can't cast spells. So if you have a mouth, you can dragon breath, but can't spellcast. You retain other features if your new shape is capable of using them.

I am pretty sure this isn’t right. It takes more than just having a mouth to use dragon breath. Otherwise why couldn’t every race breath fire? There are other physical features of a Dragonborn that allows the dragon breath fire or whatever, just like there are other physical features to cast a spell other than a mouth as well.

No vocal cords? No spell casting. No bits that a Dragonborn used to create the breath attack? No breath weapon. I have a hard time seeing how a bear or spider suddenly breathes a cone of lightning or fire.

 

[Sunseeker]

I am pretty sure this isn’t right. It takes more than just having a mouth to use dragon breath. Otherwise why couldn’t every race breath fire? There are other physical features of a Dragonborn that allows the dragon breath fire or whatever, just like there are other physical features to cast a spell other than a mouth as well.

Until you show me the text in the PHB that explains which piece of Dragonborn biology allows them to shoot a breath weapon, I'm going to take this post as complete garbage.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Until you show me the text in the PHB that explains which piece of Dragonborn biology allows them to shoot a breath weapon, I'm going to take this post as complete garbage.

Well, you'd be wrong. It says the dragonborn gets that trait from its ancestry. Ancestry, is by definition, genetic. Which is part of biology.

Show me in the text of the PHB where is says that the dragonborn's ancestral trait is created purely by magic?

*Edit* I am fully aware that Crawford said you could use it if you wanted to, but any DM who rules that you can't based on the reasons I have given is hardly "garbage". It's a legitimate reason. Just one you don't agree with. And not every disagreeing position is "garbage"

 

[Sunseeker]

Well, you'd be wrong. It says the dragonborn gets that trait from its ancestry. Ancestry, is by definition, genetic. Which is part of biology.

Show me in the text of the PHB where is says that the dragonborn's ancestral trait is created purely by magic?

I am literally not going to have this argument with you. Like nope, last post, further responses attempting to argue their breath is magical or biological and I'll just add you to my ignore list. This is absolutely the most idiotic, pedantic sort of nerdist garbage I have no interest in. The RAW says you get your racial features. Breath is a racial feature. /end argument

 

[thorgrit]

Without debating further, game designer Jeremy Crawford said yes, a dragonborn druid can use their breath while wild shaped:
https://www.sageadvice.eu/2016/12/2...ath-weapon-while-wildshaped-into-like-a-wolf/
"The dragonborn's Breath Weapon trait requires exhalation. No anatomy is specified. Does your beast form have a mouth? You can exhale."

In your own games you're free to accept that, or change as you see fit.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I am literally not going to have this argument with you. Like nope, last post, further responses attempting to argue their breath is magical or biological and I'll just add you to my ignore list. This is absolutely the most idiotic, pedantic sort of nerdist garbage I have no interest in. The RAW says you get your racial features. Breath is a racial feature. /end argument

Do whatever your righteous indignation self feels like you need to do. Just because someone has a different opinion than yours or wants to argue for a different ruling is no reason to throw out grade school insults. Because if that's your behavior, then I'd be happy for you to put me on your ignore list. But you might want to get off your high horse, because it doesn't state that, end stop. You are also leaving off that very important last part: "...if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can't use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense."

So no. You don't get everything. Since you were quick to bring out RAW, then by RAW, you are objectively wrong. Do do NOT get everything. Darkvision is a racial feature, and it specifically calls out that you don't automatically get that. Situations may apply where you don't. It literally calls that out.

 

[Immoralkickass]

Do whatever your righteous indignation self feels like you need to do. Just because someone has a different opinion than yours or wants to argue for a different ruling is no reason to throw out grade school insults. Because if that's your behavior, then I'd be happy for you to put me on your ignore list. But you might want to get off your high horse, because it doesn't state that, end stop. You are also leaving off that very important last part: "...if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can't use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense."

So no. You don't get everything. Since you were quick to bring out RAW, then by RAW, you are objectively wrong. Do do NOT get everything. Darkvision is a racial feature, and it specifically calls out that you don't automatically get that. Situations may apply where you don't. It literally calls that out.

No, YOU are wrong. Again. You have to get off YOUR high horse and stop being stupid. We don't talk rulings here, we talk RAW. If RAW is unclear, then Sage Advice. Opinions can be wrong, and yours just happen to be.

Dragons are not real. Dragonmen are not real. You assume they need vocal chords, dragon bits, to breath fire. Why? Are you an expert on dragon biology? Everything you said are your assumptions, but the only thing that is certain is they need a mouth to breath fire. Its not spell casting, and I don't think I need to explain that.

What happen to the 'correct me if I'm wrong' part? You are wrong so I corrected you, but you refuse to accept the fact.

 

[Sacrosanct]

No, YOU are wrong. Again. You have to get off YOUR high horse and stop being stupid.
.

Again with the insults. Maybe instead of being so quick to insult people, you actually look at the posts you're quoting and the rules again. It literally says there are limitations to what you get. Even gives a specific example (darkvision).

So no, I am not wrong when I say that the statement "you get the racial and class features" is false, because it is. Because it leaves off the the last part of that statement, and the very next statement after it. I've already posted that I'm aware Crawford says you get to use dragonbreath, but I'm saying that IMO at my table, there is a legitimate reason to not allow it for reasons I gave. This is a game that repeatedly stresses rulings over RAW, or have you never read the PHB or DMG? My ruling is not automatically "garbage" or "idiodic" just because it's counter to a Sage Advice ruling. Or are you suggesting that any disagreement with Sage Advice is "idiotic" and "garbage"?

The other thing I've argued is that you do not get all of those racial or class features. That is a true statement as well, based on what I quoted out of the PHB.

So what exactly am I wrong about?

"I would rule dragonborn do not get that feature because it's ancestral, and that means biology by definition, therefore you need the biology to make it work."--That's a statement of houseruling at my table and a perfectly viable interpretation of the rules, regardless of what Jeremy said later.

"You do not get all your racial or class features."---That's a true statement as well. Says so right there in the book that you keep ignoring. It depends. Depends =/= automatically get.

 

[thorgrit]

To the OP: the way it's worded, it looks like you use the beast's base score, plus the druid's proficiency bonus if any OR the beast's proficiency bonus if any. So if you wild shaped into a beast with a 15 con (+2), and the druid already had proficiency in con saving throws, then you add in the druid's bonus.

And while a druid can't cast spells while wild shaped, they can maintain concentration on spells already cast, such as Call Lightning or Enhance Ability.

Also, moon druids can, as a bonus action while wild shaped, burn a spell slot to regain 1d8 hp per level of spell slot used. So even though that's not casting a spell, it's still doing something useful with spell slots.