All druids no matter the circle get wild shape correct?
In anticipation of our upcoming game session which will see my player hitting level 2 I had him prepare a list of beast forms he wanted (Within reason). Now I'm second guessing if Circle of the lands or the other circles have access to Wild shape or if it's just a Circle of the Moon perk.
Great! I didn't want to shaft my player but I also didn't want a moment of "hold up let me figure out what I can transform into" to slow the session to a crawl.
All Circles get Wild Shape, and all Circles have to obey the level restrictions with regard to forms with a swimming or flying speed. Circle Of The Moon gets to pick higher-CR forms than the others, and they're the only Circle that gets the Elementals at Level 10.
All druids get Wild Shape, but only Moon Druids can (eventually) shift into CR 6 beasts. All other druids max out at CR 1. Moon Druids get various other benefits associated with Wild Shape that other druids don't get as well, such as shifting for a Moon Druid is a bonus action, but a regular action for other druids.
Non-Moon Druid Wild Shape is only useful for combat at low levels, but even after that it's still very useful for scouting, stealth and escape.
I’m playing a Druid right now and I put together a list of the beasts that he can change into together with their HP total, attack modifiers, damage, and special abilities. As I see more beasts I’ll keep adding to it. That way I don’t slow down game play when I shift shapes.
XGtE has a chapter that coordinates wildshape possibilities with geographic area. I think that could help you guide your players wildshape development.
I basically had my player choose 5 shapes. 3 mundane forms (Giant Spider, Draft Horse, Panther) and two forms that were more bizarre that I needed to plan for the party to meet before shifting into them.
It's my understanding that there are Circle of the Moon shape-shifts that we have access to without "having seen" them in the wild. Where would we find that list of creatures?
I think any "list" used for wild shape is DM specific. I believe you will have to coordinate with your DM/players as to whether there is a "list" and what it includes.
edit: it is possible you were asking about the tables that were published in Xanathar's Guide to Everything. Those tables were specifically designed to cover what an adventuring druid might expect to see in a given geographic area, as well as to cover what they might have already seen in by the time they reach 2nd level...
I'm not seeing the exception for moon druids to be able to transform into something they haven't seen but it's probably between you and your DM. That's the way me and my DM set it up anyway. (She also made it clear no dinosaurs in her world, etc.) I built my "extras" list based on what I've seen irl (in zoos... my druid did since safaris before adventuring) and told the dm she should send more interesting beasts after us and the next session she ambushed us with dire Wolves! :D
My DM decided I didn't need to have necessarily 'seen' them, but they had to make sense. As I'm a forest druid, I could wild shape into things like panthers, Elk etc, but stuff like polar bears? No.
Exactly. I'm playing one (Faerun setting) with a backstory that he's from a clan deep in the High Forest. So pretty much anything that would make sense to see in that region is OK. Polar bears? Maybe not. Cave bears? sure.
My DM decided I didn't need to have necessarily 'seen' them, but they had to make sense. As I'm a forest druid, I could wild shape into things like panthers, Elk etc, but stuff like polar bears? No.
That’s fine so long as he doesn’t try to stop you from shape shifting in to a polar bear even after you’ve traveled up north and seen actual polar bears.
My DM decided I didn't need to have necessarily 'seen' them, but they had to make sense. As I'm a forest druid, I could wild shape into things like panthers, Elk etc, but stuff like polar bears? No.
I figure that as a druid, if you've been hanging out in the wilds, it makes sense that you've seen most of the typical animals for the region. You don't have to see them "on-screen, in-campaign" if you've seen just in your normal life as a druid.
I’ve often thought it would be a cool solo mission as a druid to just scout and map the wildlife of a region, just flying around (once you’ve hit level 8, walking otherwise), periodically ritual casting Locate Animals or Plants, and gradually tracking down and viewing every animal you might want to shape change into one day. For a large area, you could easily spend a month just doing that though you’d have to tell the rest of your party that you’re off doing weird druid stuff and you’ll catch up with them later.
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Just to make sure I don't railroad my player...
All druids no matter the circle get wild shape correct?
In anticipation of our upcoming game session which will see my player hitting level 2 I had him prepare a list of beast forms he wanted (Within reason). Now I'm second guessing if Circle of the lands or the other circles have access to Wild shape or if it's just a Circle of the Moon perk.
Yes, it's a class feature, as opposed to just a sub-class feature. No worries there!
Great! I didn't want to shaft my player but I also didn't want a moment of "hold up let me figure out what I can transform into" to slow the session to a crawl.
All Circles get Wild Shape, and all Circles have to obey the level restrictions with regard to forms with a swimming or flying speed. Circle Of The Moon gets to pick higher-CR forms than the others, and they're the only Circle that gets the Elementals at Level 10.
All druids get Wild Shape, but only Moon Druids can (eventually) shift into CR 6 beasts. All other druids max out at CR 1. Moon Druids get various other benefits associated with Wild Shape that other druids don't get as well, such as shifting for a Moon Druid is a bonus action, but a regular action for other druids.
Non-Moon Druid Wild Shape is only useful for combat at low levels, but even after that it's still very useful for scouting, stealth and escape.
I’m playing a Druid right now and I put together a list of the beasts that he can change into together with their HP total, attack modifiers, damage, and special abilities. As I see more beasts I’ll keep adding to it. That way I don’t slow down game play when I shift shapes.
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XGtE has a chapter that coordinates wildshape possibilities with geographic area. I think that could help you guide your players wildshape development.
Jesus Saves!... Everyone else takes damage.
I basically had my player choose 5 shapes. 3 mundane forms (Giant Spider, Draft Horse, Panther) and two forms that were more bizarre that I needed to plan for the party to meet before shifting into them.
It's my understanding that there are Circle of the Moon shape-shifts that we have access to without "having seen" them in the wild. Where would we find that list of creatures?
~ The balance of power lies within nature ~
I think any "list" used for wild shape is DM specific. I believe you will have to coordinate with your DM/players as to whether there is a "list" and what it includes.
edit: it is possible you were asking about the tables that were published in Xanathar's Guide to Everything. Those tables were specifically designed to cover what an adventuring druid might expect to see in a given geographic area, as well as to cover what they might have already seen in by the time they reach 2nd level...
hope that helps!
Jesus Saves!... Everyone else takes damage.
I'm not seeing the exception for moon druids to be able to transform into something they haven't seen but it's probably between you and your DM. That's the way me and my DM set it up anyway. (She also made it clear no dinosaurs in her world, etc.) I built my "extras" list based on what I've seen irl (in zoos... my druid did since safaris before adventuring) and told the dm she should send more interesting beasts after us and the next session she ambushed us with dire Wolves! :D
My DM decided I didn't need to have necessarily 'seen' them, but they had to make sense. As I'm a forest druid, I could wild shape into things like panthers, Elk etc, but stuff like polar bears? No.
Exactly. I'm playing one (Faerun setting) with a backstory that he's from a clan deep in the High Forest. So pretty much anything that would make sense to see in that region is OK. Polar bears? Maybe not. Cave bears? sure.
That’s fine so long as he doesn’t try to stop you from shape shifting in to a polar bear even after you’ve traveled up north and seen actual polar bears.
I figure that as a druid, if you've been hanging out in the wilds, it makes sense that you've seen most of the typical animals for the region. You don't have to see them "on-screen, in-campaign" if you've seen just in your normal life as a druid.
I’ve often thought it would be a cool solo mission as a druid to just scout and map the wildlife of a region, just flying around (once you’ve hit level 8, walking otherwise), periodically ritual casting Locate Animals or Plants, and gradually tracking down and viewing every animal you might want to shape change into one day. For a large area, you could easily spend a month just doing that though you’d have to tell the rest of your party that you’re off doing weird druid stuff and you’ll catch up with them later.