One of the most unique features of a druid is the ability to Wild Shape. Although the best way to utilize the feature is by choosing Circle of the Moon, there are many powerful wild shapes that can be used by any druid, regardless of what subclass they choose. It should be noted that the wild shapes are generally squishier than the druid themself, but can be handle in and out of battle as well as when the druid gets low on hit points.
For those outside of the Circle of the Moon, do you use this feature often? What's your favorite shape to take?
Just recently started in a new campaign as a druid, and I've been using it a bunch. (L2 druid of the land).
Wolf is a pretty straightforward one - advantage on perception checks for hearing and smell. Nice for detecting ambushes, sniffing out hidden enemies, etc. The campaign just started and that's basically what I've been using, out on the road.
Giant wolf spider would be excellent for sneaking up on things and then biting them (+7 to stealth, can walk on the ceiling). All sorts of small city animals are great for infiltrating places (cats/rats/mice/regular-size spiders can probably just stroll in to basically anywhere where people live and hang around and listen without attracting attention). If you want more senses, animals are great - Cave Badger has tremorsense 60ft, giant wolf spider has blindsight (10ft), plenty of animals have darkvision. At this level you can't get swimming or flying speeds... but Badger and Cave Badger can Burrow.
A few of the larger CR 1/4 beasts get multiattack or bonus poison damage or a charge/pounce damage, which actually makes them decent fighters at low levels even without being a moon druid. Not great stuff, but not too bad. (Giant Badger, Giant Centipede, Panther, Giant Wolf Spider). Without Circle of the Moon it probably usually isn't worth an action in-combat to take on a wildshape, but if you can wildshape before combat you can absorb a hit or two for free and dish out a decent attack. (Of course, the tradeoff is that then you can't cast a big control spell, which is usually a good thing to do early in a fight.)
For non-Moon druids, it's mostly an out-of-combat thing. Turn into a tiny spider or weasel for stealth and recon. Turn into a cat for urban scouting or standing lookout. Turn into a draft horse or riding horse for travel (or to up the party's carrying capacity).
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One of the most unique features of a druid is the ability to Wild Shape. Although the best way to utilize the feature is by choosing Circle of the Moon, there are many powerful wild shapes that can be used by any druid, regardless of what subclass they choose. It should be noted that the wild shapes are generally squishier than the druid themself, but can be handle in and out of battle as well as when the druid gets low on hit points.
For those outside of the Circle of the Moon, do you use this feature often? What's your favorite shape to take?
https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/dnd-druid-best-wild-shapes
Just recently started in a new campaign as a druid, and I've been using it a bunch. (L2 druid of the land).
Wolf is a pretty straightforward one - advantage on perception checks for hearing and smell. Nice for detecting ambushes, sniffing out hidden enemies, etc. The campaign just started and that's basically what I've been using, out on the road.
Giant wolf spider would be excellent for sneaking up on things and then biting them (+7 to stealth, can walk on the ceiling). All sorts of small city animals are great for infiltrating places (cats/rats/mice/regular-size spiders can probably just stroll in to basically anywhere where people live and hang around and listen without attracting attention). If you want more senses, animals are great - Cave Badger has tremorsense 60ft, giant wolf spider has blindsight (10ft), plenty of animals have darkvision. At this level you can't get swimming or flying speeds... but Badger and Cave Badger can Burrow.
A few of the larger CR 1/4 beasts get multiattack or bonus poison damage or a charge/pounce damage, which actually makes them decent fighters at low levels even without being a moon druid. Not great stuff, but not too bad. (Giant Badger, Giant Centipede, Panther, Giant Wolf Spider). Without Circle of the Moon it probably usually isn't worth an action in-combat to take on a wildshape, but if you can wildshape before combat you can absorb a hit or two for free and dish out a decent attack. (Of course, the tradeoff is that then you can't cast a big control spell, which is usually a good thing to do early in a fight.)
For non-Moon druids, it's mostly an out-of-combat thing. Turn into a tiny spider or weasel for stealth and recon. Turn into a cat for urban scouting or standing lookout. Turn into a draft horse or riding horse for travel (or to up the party's carrying capacity).