The core reason not to use wild shape as a moon druid is because you may be really survivable, but you're not helping your party much at all because your wild shape has mediocre damage output with pretty low accuracy. This means the optional tactics for enemies is:
If the druid is concentrating on an annoying spell, do something to break it.
Ignore the druid while you kill the dangerous people.
Once all the dangerous people are dealt with, beat on the druid.
This is... not great gameplay, but at a certain point the druid player might get tired of being useless.
Either that or change/cancel any of the various effects of a short rest. Say that Wildshape recharges on a long rest. Hell, it's also possible to nerf the effects of a long rest to PF levels.
Or even limited to a long rest only if they use the 2 charge elemental form. So basically short rest for 1 charge forms, long rest after using a 2 charge form. That would be an equitable house rule.
As someone that played a Moon druid it is powerful at 10-14 when they get that elemental shape although they do very little damage unless they combine spells with the shapes (wall of fire and fire elemental form combined with athletics for grappling). It will even out at the levels go up and foes become more powerful and casters get involved.
As has been said, an intelligent set of foes will realize the elemental to be something to be dispatched quickly (focus fire, save or suck, etc).
I agree with you, as someone who played moon druid for the longest of times, they are really hard to kill. Especially when multiclassed with barb.
Ah yes, Wildshape and Rage. That’s something I might rule as mutually exclusive if it really seems to be carrying them too far. Or there’s spells like Calm Emotions or Banishment that work off of CHA saves to occupy them for a turn or two and end the Rage.
Moon Druid does seem to break its own shapeshifting rules by allowing a higher cr rated shape way before it should. The elemental is a cr of 5 and normally the druid can only shift into a creature 1/3 of its level which should mean that the Druid shouldn't be able to shift into an elemental form until 15th level.
I can find no real reason why this ability was granted in the first place. If it said an elemental form of the appropriate cr then I could understand.
Moon Druid does seem to break its own shapeshifting rules by allowing a higher cr rated shape way before it should. The elemental is a cr of 5 and normally the druid can only shift into a creature 1/3 of its level which should mean that the Druid shouldn't be able to shift into an elemental form until 15th level.
I can find no real reason why this ability was granted in the first place. If it said an elemental form of the appropriate cr then I could understand.
Keep in mind it uses both charges to do this, so it’s the only shape they can do from one rest to the next. It’s meant to have more clout than the other options, but it’s also more resource intensive
I'd be careful about anything that makes the player feel like you're targeting them, or nerfing their character. If you feel like these are the most viable options, I'd urge you to have a conversation with your player about how you are struggling to provide a challenge to them without making it unfun/unfair for the rest of the party.
If you and the player have a lot of trust in each other it might be okay, but one of the worst things in a TTRPG is feeling like you are being singled out by the DM for no reason. And without a boatload of trust, or an explicit explanation, there's a good chance they will come up with the worst possible interpretation of your motivations.
Just basic DM skills, 6-8 encounters per day, 2 short rests, that means they can take elemental form a maximum of 3 times that’s 50% of encounters at most. Soup up the bad guys they fight, the orcs attacking the other pc’s were up partying all night but the one that goes after the druid not only went to bed at a sensible time but is also a gym bunny. This isn’t a player issue it’s a dm issue.
It's a one-and-done ability until they can take a short rest. Just don't allow them to take short rests all the time. I know each table is different, but we hardly get short rests, or long rests, unless we can really secure ourselves in a "safe" place. But sometimes, you are in the thick of it and there is no safe space so you fight until you can get out of there. At level 12 they can stay in the form for 6 hours so you either have to keep them busy for longer than that. Or just don't allow them to get a short rest whenever they feel like it. Not every place is safe to rest.
Just don't overdo it. Don't punish the player for using their abilities as they were designed.
It’s worth noting a player is unlikely to hold a Wildshape for the full duration in any case. The loss of speech, spellcasting, and general ability to apply their skills and interact with the the environment is usually going to outweigh retaining the remaining HP outside of hard dungeon crawl scenario where they’re expecting encounters every 100 ft
The Moon Druid is pretty potent at level 10~12 indeed, but that is also because this is their second sweet spot. As levels rise, the attack bonus and powers of the Elementals wanes a good bit (like the Moon itself).
So while all the advice so far has been good, do beware of overdoing it. In another 3 to 4 levels, their impact to combat will start dropping considerably. That is, until Shapechange comes along at level 17..... but that goes for most casters hitting their peak spell level.
It’s worth noting a player is unlikely to hold a Wildshape for the full duration in any case. The loss of speech, spellcasting, and general ability to apply their skills and interact with the the environment is usually going to outweigh retaining the remaining HP outside of hard dungeon crawl scenario where they’re expecting encounters every 100 ft
Dunno about that...I used to take a short rest while wild shaped. :-)
Which is fine if you don’t plan to do any social interactions in the interim, but a lot of players do or might be called on for some healing or something else. I’m not speaking in absolutes
This is highly contradicting. Magic Circle suggests the druid is a elemental type when wildshaped, but saying possession from a ghost suggests they are a humanoid because ghosts can only possess humanoids.
There is no contradiction. The druid occupies an Elemental form. The Ghost occupies a humanoid form. The restriction is based on the FORM not the being holding it.
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The core reason not to use wild shape as a moon druid is because you may be really survivable, but you're not helping your party much at all because your wild shape has mediocre damage output with pretty low accuracy. This means the optional tactics for enemies is:
This is... not great gameplay, but at a certain point the druid player might get tired of being useless.
Make the encounters underground if possible.
Many of the Druids best spells are reduced when not visible to the sky.
Many other spells are restricted because of small rooms and tunnels also.
Once the big bad guy knows the druid is the tank they will find a way to single them out away from everyone else then swarm attack them.
Locked in a room with no support under and anti-magic shell the Druid can easily die of a thousand cuts.
Or even limited to a long rest only if they use the 2 charge elemental form. So basically short rest for 1 charge forms, long rest after using a 2 charge form. That would be an equitable house rule.
Ah yes, weve moved on to nerfing the player. Always the best decision
Sarcasm in its purest form
The use of the phrase "Its also possible to nerf" means you've already failed as a DM in my opinon.
"Anyone can smith at the cosmic anvil, yet only I can forge a weapon as good as thee."
My Homebrew Please click it, they have my family.
As someone that played a Moon druid it is powerful at 10-14 when they get that elemental shape although they do very little damage unless they combine spells with the shapes (wall of fire and fire elemental form combined with athletics for grappling). It will even out at the levels go up and foes become more powerful and casters get involved.
As has been said, an intelligent set of foes will realize the elemental to be something to be dispatched quickly (focus fire, save or suck, etc).
I agree with you, as someone who played moon druid for the longest of times, they are really hard to kill. Especially when multiclassed with barb.
"Anyone can smith at the cosmic anvil, yet only I can forge a weapon as good as thee."
My Homebrew Please click it, they have my family.
Ah yes, Wildshape and Rage. That’s something I might rule as mutually exclusive if it really seems to be carrying them too far. Or there’s spells like Calm Emotions or Banishment that work off of CHA saves to occupy them for a turn or two and end the Rage.
Moon Druid does seem to break its own shapeshifting rules by allowing a higher cr rated shape way before it should.
The elemental is a cr of 5 and normally the druid can only shift into a creature 1/3 of its level which should mean that the Druid shouldn't be able to shift into an elemental form until 15th level.
I can find no real reason why this ability was granted in the first place.
If it said an elemental form of the appropriate cr then I could understand.
Keep in mind it uses both charges to do this, so it’s the only shape they can do from one rest to the next. It’s meant to have more clout than the other options, but it’s also more resource intensive
Which as a DM, is understandable. But in the westmarchs that i participate, raging goat will continue
"Anyone can smith at the cosmic anvil, yet only I can forge a weapon as good as thee."
My Homebrew Please click it, they have my family.
I'd be careful about anything that makes the player feel like you're targeting them, or nerfing their character. If you feel like these are the most viable options, I'd urge you to have a conversation with your player about how you are struggling to provide a challenge to them without making it unfun/unfair for the rest of the party.
If you and the player have a lot of trust in each other it might be okay, but one of the worst things in a TTRPG is feeling like you are being singled out by the DM for no reason. And without a boatload of trust, or an explicit explanation, there's a good chance they will come up with the worst possible interpretation of your motivations.
Just basic DM skills, 6-8 encounters per day, 2 short rests, that means they can take elemental form a maximum of 3 times that’s 50% of encounters at most. Soup up the bad guys they fight, the orcs attacking the other pc’s were up partying all night but the one that goes after the druid not only went to bed at a sensible time but is also a gym bunny. This isn’t a player issue it’s a dm issue.
It's a one-and-done ability until they can take a short rest. Just don't allow them to take short rests all the time. I know each table is different, but we hardly get short rests, or long rests, unless we can really secure ourselves in a "safe" place. But sometimes, you are in the thick of it and there is no safe space so you fight until you can get out of there. At level 12 they can stay in the form for 6 hours so you either have to keep them busy for longer than that. Or just don't allow them to get a short rest whenever they feel like it. Not every place is safe to rest.
Just don't overdo it. Don't punish the player for using their abilities as they were designed.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
And here's my favorite person, thri kreen to talk some actual sense.
"Anyone can smith at the cosmic anvil, yet only I can forge a weapon as good as thee."
My Homebrew Please click it, they have my family.
It’s worth noting a player is unlikely to hold a Wildshape for the full duration in any case. The loss of speech, spellcasting, and general ability to apply their skills and interact with the the environment is usually going to outweigh retaining the remaining HP outside of hard dungeon crawl scenario where they’re expecting encounters every 100 ft
The Moon Druid is pretty potent at level 10~12 indeed, but that is also because this is their second sweet spot. As levels rise, the attack bonus and powers of the Elementals wanes a good bit (like the Moon itself).
So while all the advice so far has been good, do beware of overdoing it. In another 3 to 4 levels, their impact to combat will start dropping considerably. That is, until Shapechange comes along at level 17..... but that goes for most casters hitting their peak spell level.
Dunno about that...I used to take a short rest while wild shaped. :-)
Which is fine if you don’t plan to do any social interactions in the interim, but a lot of players do or might be called on for some healing or something else. I’m not speaking in absolutes
There is no contradiction. The druid occupies an Elemental form. The Ghost occupies a humanoid form. The restriction is based on the FORM not the being holding it.