A level 3 Circle of the Land druid uses Wild Shape to become a Giant Weasel.
Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores.
Our druid uses the STR, DEX, and CON scores from the Giant Weasel stat block, and the INT, WIS, and CHA scores from her character sheet:
STR 11(+0) DEX 16(+3) CON 10(+0) INT 10(+0) WIS 16(+3) CHA 13(+1)
Question 1: Is the above correct?
The Giant Weasel's AC is 13 in the stat block, calculated as 10 + DEX mod.
You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size.
Question 2: Assuming the DM decides that the Weasel can effectively wear our druid's Leather Armor, is it accurate to calculate the weasel's AC as 11 (armor) + 3 (DEX mod) = 14?
You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature.
Question 3: Our druid is not proficient in stealth, but the Giant Weasel's stat block lists a skill of Stealth +5. Is it accurate to say that she gets to use the +5 to stealth ability rolls because she gets access to the weasel's proficiency bonus?
Question 4: Our druid is proficient in Perception. Her proficiency bonus is 2 and her WIS mod is 3, giving her a +5. The weasel stat block lists a Perception bonus of +3, meaning it is proficient, but its natural WIS mod of +1 is less that our druid's mod of +3. Since she retains her own WIS stat and their proficiency bonuses are equal, does she get to use her +5 bonus?
Question 5: The weasel has Darkvision, but our druid does not. Does she get to use the Darkvision sense while transformed?
If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature’s bonus instead of yours.
Question 6: Regarding this part of the rules, would it only apply to a bonus from STR/CON/DEX since the wild shape uses the druid's INT/WIS/CHA?
Question 7: Our druid is proficient in CON Saves. Should she calculate the bonus as Proficiency (2) + 0, since the wild shape's CON is 10(+0)?
Our druid uses the STR, DEX, and CON scores from the Giant Weasel stat block, and the INT, WIS, and CHA scores from her character sheet:
STR 11(+0) DEX 16(+3) CON 10(+0) INT 10(+0) WIS 16(+3) CHA 13(+1)
Question 1: Is the above correct?
Yes.
The Giant Weasel's AC is 13 in the stat block, calculated as 10 + DEX mod.
You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size.
Question 2: Assuming the DM decides that the Weasel can effectively wear our druid's Leather Armor, is it accurate to calculate the weasel's AC as 11 (armor) + 3 (DEX mod) = 14?
If the DM decided that, yes.
That said, IMO it would be a bit weird for the DM to decide that. After all, the equipment does not change size when the druid changes shape - I can't remotely imagine that the same armor that fits (whatever race the druid is) also fits a giant weasel. Unless the druid was already weasel-shaped. You can barely wear armor from someone a few sizes too large or too small - and a weasel is a totally different body shape!
You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature.
Question 3: Our druid is not proficient in stealth, but the Giant Weasel's stat block lists a skill of Stealth +5. Is it accurate to say that she gets to use the +5 to stealth ability rolls because she gets access to the weasel's proficiency bonus?
Yes.
Question 4: Our druid is proficient in Perception. Her proficiency bonus is 2 and her WIS mod is 3, giving her a +5. The weasel stat block lists a Perception bonus of +3, meaning it is proficient, but its natural WIS mod of +1 is less that our druid's mod of +3. Since she retains her own WIS stat and their proficiency bonuses are equal, does she get to use her +5 bonus?
Yes.
Question 5: The weasel has Darkvision, but our druid does not. Does she get to use the Darkvision sense while transformed?
Yes.
If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature’s bonus instead of yours.
Question 6: Regarding this part of the rules, would it only apply to a bonus from STR/CON/DEX since the wild shape uses the druid's INT/WIS/CHA?
Sort of. That's a totally valid reading of it. Technically according to these rules you should figure out the monster's proficiency bonus (e.g. from a table like at https://5thsrd.org/gamemaster_rules/monsters/#saving-throws - I don't know where to find the one on dndbeyond) and if that is higher than your proficiency bonus, you would use the monster's proficiency bonus plus either your stat bonus or the monster's...
...I don't think anybody ever actually does that. I think everyone just takes whichever is higher, the bonus on the monster's stat sheet or the stat bonus + your proficiency bonus.
Question 7: Our druid is proficient in CON Saves. Should she calculate the bonus as Proficiency (2) + 0, since the wild shape's CON is 10(+0)?
@ftl, thank you for your thoughtful response! I actually found out yesterday that some of this is confirmable on the character sheet > extras section, but I mostly wanted to make sure I understood it in detail. I appreciate your taking the time to help out a new druid. Cheers!
P.S. Regarding the armor, it was purely hypothetical. That said, the weasel form will definitely be wearing the druid's hat (with no mechanical properties) no matter what! <3
Question 6: Regarding this part of the rules, would it only apply to a bonus from STR/CON/DEX since the wild shape uses the druid's INT/WIS/CHA?
Sort of. That's a totally valid reading of it. Technically according to these rules you should figure out the monster's proficiency bonus (e.g. from a table like at https://5thsrd.org/gamemaster_rules/monsters/#saving-throws - I don't know where to find the one on dndbeyond) and if that is higher than your proficiency bonus, you would use the monster's proficiency bonus plus either your stat bonus or the monster's...
...I don't think anybody ever actually does that. I think everyone just takes whichever is higher, the bonus on the monster's stat sheet or the stat bonus + your proficiency bonus.
I don't think that iswhat you are supposed to do. I don't think the wildshape rules ever ask you to try to deconstruct monsters. I think it simply asks you to compare total skill bonuses for this rule (the one in the stat block compared to the one you compute from your new skills and your proficiency bonus).
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A level 3 Circle of the Land druid uses Wild Shape to become a Giant Weasel.
Our druid uses the STR, DEX, and CON scores from the Giant Weasel stat block, and the INT, WIS, and CHA scores from her character sheet:
STR 11(+0)
DEX 16(+3)
CON 10(+0)
INT 10(+0)
WIS 16(+3)
CHA 13(+1)
Question 1: Is the above correct?
The Giant Weasel's AC is 13 in the stat block, calculated as 10 + DEX mod.
Question 2: Assuming the DM decides that the Weasel can effectively wear our druid's Leather Armor, is it accurate to calculate the weasel's AC as 11 (armor) + 3 (DEX mod) = 14?
Question 3: Our druid is not proficient in stealth, but the Giant Weasel's stat block lists a skill of Stealth +5. Is it accurate to say that she gets to use the +5 to stealth ability rolls because she gets access to the weasel's proficiency bonus?
Question 4: Our druid is proficient in Perception. Her proficiency bonus is 2 and her WIS mod is 3, giving her a +5. The weasel stat block lists a Perception bonus of +3, meaning it is proficient, but its natural WIS mod of +1 is less that our druid's mod of +3. Since she retains her own WIS stat and their proficiency bonuses are equal, does she get to use her +5 bonus?
Question 5: The weasel has Darkvision, but our druid does not. Does she get to use the Darkvision sense while transformed?
Question 6: Regarding this part of the rules, would it only apply to a bonus from STR/CON/DEX since the wild shape uses the druid's INT/WIS/CHA?
Question 7: Our druid is proficient in CON Saves. Should she calculate the bonus as Proficiency (2) + 0, since the wild shape's CON is 10(+0)?
Thanks everyone!
Yes.
If the DM decided that, yes.
That said, IMO it would be a bit weird for the DM to decide that. After all, the equipment does not change size when the druid changes shape - I can't remotely imagine that the same armor that fits (whatever race the druid is) also fits a giant weasel. Unless the druid was already weasel-shaped. You can barely wear armor from someone a few sizes too large or too small - and a weasel is a totally different body shape!
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Sort of. That's a totally valid reading of it. Technically according to these rules you should figure out the monster's proficiency bonus (e.g. from a table like at https://5thsrd.org/gamemaster_rules/monsters/#saving-throws - I don't know where to find the one on dndbeyond) and if that is higher than your proficiency bonus, you would use the monster's proficiency bonus plus either your stat bonus or the monster's...
...I don't think anybody ever actually does that. I think everyone just takes whichever is higher, the bonus on the monster's stat sheet or the stat bonus + your proficiency bonus.
Yes.
@ftl, thank you for your thoughtful response! I actually found out yesterday that some of this is confirmable on the character sheet > extras section, but I mostly wanted to make sure I understood it in detail. I appreciate your taking the time to help out a new druid. Cheers!
P.S. Regarding the armor, it was purely hypothetical. That said, the weasel form will definitely be wearing the druid's hat (with no mechanical properties) no matter what! <3
While standard armor wouldn't fit the weasel, magical items(armor) often resize to fit the wearer, if your DM allows it.
Great point! I wonder if there's a homebrew "Leather Armor of Wildshaping" or something I can beg for? :D
I don't think that is what you are supposed to do. I don't think the wildshape rules ever ask you to try to deconstruct monsters. I think it simply asks you to compare total skill bonuses for this rule (the one in the stat block compared to the one you compute from your new skills and your proficiency bonus).