Hi all! I've got a character concept with some elements that I could use some feedback on. The earliest "activated" level is a Path of the Beast Barbarian 3/ Circle of the Moon Druid 2. The idea is for him to be in beast shape, shifted, and raging.
When considering subraces, I'm leaning either toward Beasthide or Longtooth, but this is where my first mechanical question comes up. When you shift, you gain your level + your Con mod in temporary hit points. If you shift in beast form, do you use the Con mod of your beast form? Wild Shape rules explain that your stats (at least Str, Dex, and Con) are replaced in beast form. If the beast's Con is higher that your true form, this could be a good thing, but if it's lower, then you'd want to shift before your beast form to squeeze out a bit more temp HP. I'd want to pick my subrace and stat out my abilities understanding how this mechanic would play out.
Additionally, Longtooth offers a bonus action attack option. If the PC can shift while in a beast form with this subclass, he could pick up a handy bonus attack on top of whatever the beast's stat block offers.
The next question is level progression. Which is better to start with, and why? Which path will give satisfying gameplay all the way up to 5th level?
You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so.
So the question is whether or not shifting is something the beast form is physically capable of doing. The flavor of the character suggests that, because he's already quasi-bestial, that becoming a full beast isn't that big of a jump. Conversely, taking a beast form could be seen as a completely different form; a shifter can shift, but a bear can't.
I think a DM could rule either way, but even if the DM says no, that just means that I should shift before I Wild Shape. If that's the case, I'd retain the temp HP, and any features that aren't negated by the beast shape. For example, if a Beasthide shifts, he gets 1d6+level+Con mod temp HP. He also gets a +1 to AC, but that would be negated by the fact that the beast's AC "replaces" the druid's AC.
Or is this build just too complex, or not worth the complexity? In order to fully activate this, I'd have to spend a round of combat shifting as my bonus action, the next round using my bonus for Wild Shape, and then Rage in the third round. That's a big chunk of time in combat. I could Shift for bonus and Wild Shape for my action in my first turn if I don't need to immediately start damaging, which gets me fully online a round earlier. Maybe I'd be better off eliminating one class or another?
I'd lean towards "not worth the complexity" - reasons being...
Both the Shifter race and Path of the Beast already give you discretion to shift into pretty much anything that isn't literally a beast e.g. a bipedal bear with a maul and medium armor.
If you are ultimately a barbarian with 2 levels of druid, Wild Shape doesn't accentuate any positives that a barbarian brings to the table i.e. at level 5 you could be attacking twice with a 1d12 (or 2d6) weapon, with Brutal Criticals on the horizon & full freedom to take humanoid non-attack actions as necessary. Any time you aren't shifted into a shape that grants at least two (lower die) attacks you'll be lagging behind your allies. On the flip side, given the shortage of exploration feature barbarians get by default, using Wild Shape on melee forms for the most melee focused class in the game would be depriving you of the opportunity to be uniquely mobile & sneaky (cannot fly but a common spider would be stealthy & discrete to carry).
If you are ultimately a druid with 3 levels of barbarian - while that probably isn't advisable because of how delayed your higher level spells will be - tactically I would say it may better to conserve your rages (and Shifting) for when your 'real' hit points are on the line, unless your party set-up is such that you are able to function as a beast for hours outside of combat too.
As someone who craves quality were-characters, my suggestions would depend on how long you think your campaign will go...
Level 10 or lower - pure barbarian = Path of the Beast + Longtooth* for quadruple attack potential (* unless your DM rules that, when both hands are free, Form of the Beast claws are considered dual-wielding).
Up to level 20 - pure barbarian = Path of the Totem Warrior + Longtooth (or Beasthide) - betraying the remit I'm afraid, but I don't feel the current Path of the Beast really competes when magical great weapons, Brutal Criticals & feats are factored in. The Shifter race plus "minor physical attributes that are reminiscent of your totem spirit" should together make for quite a bestial looking character, though.
Level 10 or lower - pure druid = Circle of the Moon + Wildhunt, which is very functional but not so glamorous (though Giant Elk is no pushover) - maybe try to spice it flavour wise by insisting all your forms have antlers or something!
Hi all! I've got a character concept with some elements that I could use some feedback on. The earliest "activated" level is a Path of the Beast Barbarian 3/ Circle of the Moon Druid 2. The idea is for him to be in beast shape, shifted, and raging.
When considering subraces, I'm leaning either toward Beasthide or Longtooth, but this is where my first mechanical question comes up. When you shift, you gain your level + your Con mod in temporary hit points. If you shift in beast form, do you use the Con mod of your beast form? Wild Shape rules explain that your stats (at least Str, Dex, and Con) are replaced in beast form. If the beast's Con is higher that your true form, this could be a good thing, but if it's lower, then you'd want to shift before your beast form to squeeze out a bit more temp HP. I'd want to pick my subrace and stat out my abilities understanding how this mechanic would play out.
Additionally, Longtooth offers a bonus action attack option. If the PC can shift while in a beast form with this subclass, he could pick up a handy bonus attack on top of whatever the beast's stat block offers.
The next question is level progression. Which is better to start with, and why? Which path will give satisfying gameplay all the way up to 5th level?
You can't shift in wildshape. So it kind of throws off most of what you plan.
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
Where is that written?
I would assume that. After all, turning more bestial while being a beast is very hard.
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
Wild Shape rules say:
So the question is whether or not shifting is something the beast form is physically capable of doing. The flavor of the character suggests that, because he's already quasi-bestial, that becoming a full beast isn't that big of a jump. Conversely, taking a beast form could be seen as a completely different form; a shifter can shift, but a bear can't.
I think a DM could rule either way, but even if the DM says no, that just means that I should shift before I Wild Shape. If that's the case, I'd retain the temp HP, and any features that aren't negated by the beast shape. For example, if a Beasthide shifts, he gets 1d6+level+Con mod temp HP. He also gets a +1 to AC, but that would be negated by the fact that the beast's AC "replaces" the druid's AC.
Or is this build just too complex, or not worth the complexity? In order to fully activate this, I'd have to spend a round of combat shifting as my bonus action, the next round using my bonus for Wild Shape, and then Rage in the third round. That's a big chunk of time in combat. I could Shift for bonus and Wild Shape for my action in my first turn if I don't need to immediately start damaging, which gets me fully online a round earlier. Maybe I'd be better off eliminating one class or another?
I'd lean towards "not worth the complexity" - reasons being...
As someone who craves quality were-characters, my suggestions would depend on how long you think your campaign will go...
You could just use my Homebrew class. special made for shifters.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/subclasses/383101-path-of-the-weretouched-master
https://www.dndbeyond.com/subraces/137390-weretouched-beasthide
https://www.dndbeyond.com/subraces/137424-weretouched-longtooth
https://www.dndbeyond.com/subraces/137431-weretouched-razorclaw
https://www.dndbeyond.com/subraces/137461-weretouched-swiftstride
https://www.dndbeyond.com/subraces/137646-weretouched-wildhunt