"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
I was even thinking if OTHER party members could cast spells on the druid perhaps? I see Telepathy, but that's an 8th level spell!! Could be worth the casting...but very situational.
Helm of telepathy would work I guess...but limited range. I was thinking of scouting out something (as a bat perhaps) and be able to provide information to a party member for example (guide them to a hiding creature etc).
WotC seems to have shut down the thought-stream pretty tightly.
Hi, new here, but I've an 8th level tiefling druid; you could always work out in advance a certain number of signals using either animal vocalizations (a crow's caw, a wolf's bork) or limb/paw scrapes on the ground to signify different conditions, or even just a "yes/no" response so other party members can question you while in Wild Shape:
"Is the way safe?" CAW! "Are there foes ahead?" CAW CAW! "Orcs?" CAW! "Goblins?" CAW! "Kobolds?" CAW CAW! "How many?" CAW CAW CAW CAW CAW CAW!
...or beak taps or whatever. Can be kind of a fun mini-game to RP.
I mean, if you are playing a Kalashtar Druid, if the DM allows it you can use your racial trait Mind Link to communicate with one party member. If it's during battle you just use Mind Link Response as a bonus action to communicate with somebody within 60ft.
There are various ways you can go about it, but this here is just an example to use since as a druid you withhold your intelligence in Wild Shape.
It's only really an issue if you don't see any short rests coming up or you're in the middle of combat. My DM likes to give us a lot of time constrains in order to make short rests less frequent.
Pearl of Speech. 600 GP. Put the pearl in your mouth and it is absorbed by your tongue. Get one that is for "common" and you can speak while in animal form.
The first version of this I saw was a pearl that you put in your mouth which molded to your mouth and allowed you to speak common while wild shaped as well.
Example...change into bat for stealthy searching an area. Would like to communicate direction to party. Possible?
Player's Handbook - p 178 "Other Intelligence Checks. The DM might call for an Intelligence check when you try to accomplish tasks like the following: Communicate with a creature without using words"
So, yes, in effect, play charades.
As for predetermined gestures: So, even assuming the animal form and body can physically make the necessary gestures (depends on the animal I suppose), others players might misinterpret - The same is true for drawing and writing, your animal form might not have the necessary physical dexterity. So making a check is probably appropriate.
As for DC, I wouldn't set it too high (unless the idea is very complex), starting between DC 5 and 10.
Draw out a Ouji board and give a copy to each PC that you may need to communicate with... would require you to be up close and personal with the person you're trying to talk with, no shouting from down the hall...
My DM just offered to let me talk as long as what I have can make vocal noises (sad scorpion/spiders/etc)... he rightly predicted that this complicated form of communication I was planing would slow the game down more than it was worth.
How? Any possible methods?
Example...change into bat for stealthy searching an area. Would like to communicate direction to party. Possible?
In Wild Shape, the druid retains its intelligence, so I guess predetermined gestures or movements can express which direction the party should take.
Or, if companions are able, telepathy and magic can come in handy.
If you want to "cheat with both hands" make your Druid a Ghostwise Halfing. They naturally have telepathy for one person within 30'.
Or Multiclass with Old Ones Warlock. At high lvls your Wizard may have Raymond's Telepathic bond... But that's high lvl.
They also have +2 Dex and +1 Wisdom, so make great Druids.
Otherwise, as filcat says, predetermined gestures. My Moon-moon Druid is an Int 8 Lizardfolk, so he's pretty thick.
I describe my character's pantomimes and growl or grunt often.
Squeak in morse code for the party.
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
I was even thinking if OTHER party members could cast spells on the druid perhaps? I see Telepathy, but that's an 8th level spell!! Could be worth the casting...but very situational.
Helm of telepathy would work I guess...but limited range. I was thinking of scouting out something (as a bat perhaps) and be able to provide information to a party member for example (guide them to a hiding creature etc).
WotC seems to have shut down the thought-stream pretty tightly.
Hi, new here, but I've an 8th level tiefling druid; you could always work out in advance a certain number of signals using either animal vocalizations (a crow's caw, a wolf's bork) or limb/paw scrapes on the ground to signify different conditions, or even just a "yes/no" response so other party members can question you while in Wild Shape:
"Is the way safe?" CAW!
"Are there foes ahead?" CAW CAW!
"Orcs?" CAW!
"Goblins?" CAW!
"Kobolds?" CAW CAW!
"How many?" CAW CAW CAW CAW CAW CAW!
...or beak taps or whatever. Can be kind of a fun mini-game to RP.
If you have another spellcaster of the right type, they can use the Speak with Animals spell, or Beast Sense for long range.
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My homebrew: [Subclasses] [Races] [Feats] [Discussion Thread]
If you built a drew letters on a piece of parchment, the wildshape druid could spell out words.
If the druid has a raven familiar, the druid can concentrate to control the raven and can use it's mimicry to speak.
Others can caste speak with animals. Speak with animals is a ritual, so if you have can ritual caste it, it won't use a spell slot.
Everyone's getting fancy, meanwhile I'm just hunting hound pointing like a cartoon character.
That’s pretty much what I do. I “speak” using my body at the table and act out what I’m trying to communicate. I keep it limited though, no charades.
Professional computer geek
I mean, if you are playing a Kalashtar Druid, if the DM allows it you can use your racial trait Mind Link to communicate with one party member. If it's during battle you just use Mind Link Response as a bonus action to communicate with somebody within 60ft.
There are various ways you can go about it, but this here is just an example to use since as a druid you withhold your intelligence in Wild Shape.
Stay Cozy and enjoy the adventure!
Trinity
Crows, ravens and parrots are capable of speaking.
My druid has a raven familiar (magic initiate) and uses it to speak to the party when necessary.
There is also the issue of do you need to even keep that form while communicating? Changing back can sometimes be the simple and viable answer.
It's only really an issue if you don't see any short rests coming up or you're in the middle of combat. My DM likes to give us a lot of time constrains in order to make short rests less frequent.
Pearl of Speech. 600 GP. Put the pearl in your mouth and it is absorbed by your tongue. Get one that is for "common" and you can speak while in animal form.
http://blackmarches.*******.com/pearl-of-speech
The first version of this I saw was a pearl that you put in your mouth which molded to your mouth and allowed you to speak common while wild shaped as well.
Consult your DM. YMMV.
Play Charades, lol
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Player's Handbook - p 178
"Other Intelligence Checks. The DM might call for an Intelligence check when you try to accomplish tasks like the following:
Communicate with a creature without using words"
So, yes, in effect, play charades.
As for predetermined gestures: So, even assuming the animal form and body can physically make the necessary gestures (depends on the animal I suppose),
others players might misinterpret
- The same is true for drawing and writing, your animal form might not have the necessary physical dexterity. So making a check is probably appropriate.
As for DC, I wouldn't set it too high (unless the idea is very complex), starting between DC 5 and 10.
I'd just let the druid speak normally. Anything else is too big a pain in the butt.
Draw out a Ouji board and give a copy to each PC that you may need to communicate with... would require you to be up close and personal with the person you're trying to talk with, no shouting from down the hall...
My DM just offered to let me talk as long as what I have can make vocal noises (sad scorpion/spiders/etc)... he rightly predicted that this complicated form of communication I was planing would slow the game down more than it was worth.