Hello brave adventurers, I'm new here and i'm creating a new character in this new campaign and I would like your opinion. I'm trying to play with something different, a Creature. I intend to be a Beast (ex: wolf, panther, bear) in the campaign. But, for that i need your help to know if: 1) Is it possible / viable? 2) WHAT is the best beast? 3) How to adapt? 4) Which class? (monk, druid?) Note: Related to the character's conversation I was thinking of semi-restricted telepathy with group members or something. Obs2: If you are an animal with a lot of abilities, I was thinking about winning them with the level or not having / having part of them. Obs3: if it is not possible, what about a Druid with some curse that can not return to human form? Obs4: Sorry for bad english, working on that.
It's not allowed by the rules as written, and so it is not allowed in Adventurer's League play. In a homebrew game, you'd have to discuss it with a DM.
I would look for homebrew / 3rd party material on playing a beast and talk it over with your DM. While it isn't official D&D, your DM has free reign to adjust the game to how he and the group wants to play.
Hello brave adventurers, I'm new here and i'm creating a new character in this new campaign and I would like your opinion. I'm trying to play with something different, a Creature. I intend to be a Beast (ex: wolf, panther, bear) in the campaign. But, for that i need your help to know if: 1) Is it possible / viable? 2) WHAT is the best beast? 3) How to adapt? 4) Which class? (monk, druid?) Note: Related to the character's conversation I was thinking of semi-restricted telepathy with group members or something. Obs2: If you are an animal with a lot of abilities, I was thinking about winning them with the level or not having / having part of them. Obs3: if it is not possible, what about a Druid with some curse that can not return to human form? Obs4: Sorry for bad english, working on that.
1. Yes it is possible. It will be homebrew so not AL legit and you must discuss with your DM. You'll need to homebrew it to make something more possible.
2. There is no "best" - that's too subjective. I would say CR 1 or less, or maybe CR 2 if your DM is lenient but certainly no higher.
3. You will need to make certain that ability scores are matching. For instance, your physical scores of Strength, Constitution and Dexterity may have to stay as they are found in Monster Manual. Your Intelligence, Wisom and Charisma could be rolled for or just increased, perhaps, to match that you are a creature with humanoid intelligence and such. The common term is "Awakened" - you can check the Homebrew for various "awakened" races based on beasts. You have to consider how you will want to play this in your campaign.
4. Your class options may be limited. As a beast, for example, you cannot wield weapons, shields and you may be unable to ever find armour that can actually fit you and keep you safe. Any class relying on weapons therefore cannot be chosen. As for spellcasting that too can face difficulty because to cast spells you need verbal components - and as a beast you cannot speak and telepathy would not count, somatic components - which you cannot actually do as a beast, and material - which you will struggle really hard to use because you don't have hands and cannot carry anything. This goes back to #3 when you adapt this, you have to consider workarounds.
If you don't mind a shameless plug, I made aMagic Cat race which was basically a cat that became more sentient and geared towards magic so it has racial features that can allow spellcasting and also explain why this cat can take a hit greater than 4 HP (the maximum for a cat) and not die instantly (another thing you will have to adapt because your HP is determined by class not race, yet as a beast you should be less than most humanoids, you will have to explain why you're not so easily injured/killed). Now, I geared this more towards wizards and sorcerers, and spellcasters. It would be functionally useless for any martial class. But it might inspire.
No matter how you try to adapt you will find it more difficult in gaming. You are a beast, not a humanoid, and this can give you advantages in some cases but disadvantages in others and you will find you cannot have loot and magic items like others because you cannot wear rings, for instance, and things will not fit you properly. If you play a larger beast like a wolf or panther, whenever you are seen without your friends you will be feared and hunted down if you are near any village, town or city. You could speak, but then they'll fear you more as some kind of monster or demon. Accommodating this will require a lot more work from you and the DM so be absolutely clear and certain on everything first. RPing a beast can be a lot of fun but also a lot of work.
Before you go down this route be sure you would really want this over playing a humanoid character who has a beast companion (you can be any class you want and have a beast companion, you don't have to be a ranger beast master, but they do get benefits you otherwise would not). Just have to remember the beast companion, which can be "more intelligent than usual" and can be fun to RP despite lack of speech, like making growls, sniffing butts (don't act this out) or licking people (again, probably best to not act this out, unless you're hammered like a bent nail). You then get the beast RP fun but don't have a character with serious restrictions on actual gameplay. Downside is that beasts will be squishy and do not increase in health as you level up (unless you homebrew something about this) and in later levels can be outright one-shot insta-killed.
Point is, this is a tricky one and you must have long discussions about it with your DM.
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If you are affected by True Polymorph, a level-9 (max) spell the effect can be permanent(ish). "If you concentrate on this spell for the full duration, the transformation lasts until it is dispelled."
It certainly wouldn't be a strong character as you would not level-up or gain features. You could be transformed into any creature of a challenge rating less than or equal to your level at the time you are transformed. If you are starting at Level-1 the Brown Bear is a solid choice for beasts due to the multi-attack feature.
There is the druid spell awaken which gives you an intelligence of 10 (average human) and the ability to speak a language. Then I would argue you are smart enough to level up but your class options might be limited by your ability to hold things and wear armor (or rather your inability to wear armor and hold things)
Hello brave adventurers, I'm new here and i'm creating a new character in this new campaign and I would like your opinion.
I'm trying to play with something different, a Creature. I intend to be a Beast (ex: wolf, panther, bear) in the campaign.
But, for that i need your help to know if:
1) Is it possible / viable?
2) WHAT is the best beast?
3) How to adapt?
4) Which class? (monk, druid?)
Note: Related to the character's conversation I was thinking of semi-restricted telepathy with group members or something.
Obs2: If you are an animal with a lot of abilities, I was thinking about winning them with the level or not having / having part of them.
Obs3: if it is not possible, what about a Druid with some curse that can not return to human form?
Obs4: Sorry for bad english, working on that.
It's not allowed by the rules as written, and so it is not allowed in Adventurer's League play. In a homebrew game, you'd have to discuss it with a DM.
I would look for homebrew / 3rd party material on playing a beast and talk it over with your DM. While it isn't official D&D, your DM has free reign to adjust the game to how he and the group wants to play.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
If you are affected by True Polymorph, a level-9 (max) spell the effect can be permanent(ish). "If you concentrate on this spell for the full duration, the transformation lasts until it is dispelled."
It certainly wouldn't be a strong character as you would not level-up or gain features. You could be transformed into any creature of a challenge rating less than or equal to your level at the time you are transformed. If you are starting at Level-1 the Brown Bear is a solid choice for beasts due to the multi-attack feature.
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There is the druid spell awaken which gives you an intelligence of 10 (average human) and the ability to speak a language. Then I would argue you are smart enough to level up but your class options might be limited by your ability to hold things and wear armor (or rather your inability to wear armor and hold things)
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Wolf Barbarian or Monk sounds awesome.