I have another question. This is the same player asking if his druid can wild shape into a creature that can asexually reproduce. Then he does his thing, develops the creatures and then, not long before giving birth, changing into a different creature, probably a horse or other mount. Should I allow this or... what?
If they think this is a way to duplicate their character then remind them that no, if they reproduce while in wildshape the baby is just a baby whatever animal they are and will take years to mature. If they want to RP having a baby horse with them and having to take care of it etc... then I don't see any issue. But if they think they'll get a free friendly adult creature out of it - well that's not how biology works. Also there are no animals one would classify as "beasts" that can asexually reproduce, there are a handful that are hemaphroditic and can sexually reproduce with themselves, but then do feel free to impose whatever genetic disease you like on the baby as it results from the ultimate form of incest.
My question is how big is the group if you got six or more players then i probably would not allow it if you are playing with a smaller group 2-4 Players then i would be inclined to explore it.
Some bugs can asexually reproduce and reptiles can also. Wasps, which are very common, can do so as well
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In the words of the great philosopher, Unicorse, "Aaaannnnd why should I care??"
Best quote from a book ever: "If you love with your eyes, death is forever. If you love with your heart, there is no such thing as parting."- Jonah Cook, Ascendant, Songs of Chaos by Michael R. Miller. Highly recommend
Sounds like it would be fair to ask this player what the ultimate goal is.
I know what the end goal is. They want to make it so that they have a whole bunch of genetic clones/mounts for allies. It's a little ingenious.
How ingenious is it really? How many aesexually reproductive animals has the character (emphasis on character, not player) seen to wild shape into? I can't think of any that exist in nature aside from single celled organisms.
There are quite a few creatures in the real world that you would have seen. Allot of insects and sea creatures do it but from a rules perspective they wouldn't gain that ability unless it is in that creatures stat block and as far as I'm aware no beast stat blocks have it.
From a world building perspective, wild shape is not necessarily a comprehensive transformation because you maintain your mind and reproduction in a fantasy world does not necessarily work the same as it does in the real world because the physics of the world are fundamentally different.
Even in insects and cniderians, the process of asexual reproduction takes longer than wildshape lasts. And you should think very carefully about allowing any pregnancy or reproductive content into your game: a lot of players aren't really going to want that kind of thing in their games. In part because it feels suspiciously like someone trying to sneak a fetish into the game.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I have another question. This is the same player asking if his druid can wild shape into a creature that can asexually reproduce. Then he does his thing, develops the creatures and then, not long before giving birth, changing into a different creature, probably a horse or other mount. Should I allow this or... what?
In my opinion, hard no.
Yes, your player has some imaginative ideas. However, I suggest you work with them for the ones that make sense and say no to the rest.
1) Wild shape lasts 1 hour/level. Wildshaping into a "pregnant" creature, asexual or not, gets into too many philosophical, political and D&D magic issues that it isn't worthwhile. The character isn't in the wild shape form long enough to reproduce. If there are "multiple" creatures involved, the druid can't wildshape into more than one creature at once. You get into similar questions when asking what happens to that goblin the wildshaped giant toad moon druid swallowed in the last combat.
2) The druid isn't in wildshape long enough to reproduce.
3) If the druid did give birth they would get a baby horse that would not be rideable for a long time since it needs to grow up and be trained.
I'd suggest that the real reason for the request doesn't have to do with getting some mounts for the party (mounts are relatively cheap and easy to acquire after a few levels assuming a typical game world economy and awards for adventuring) - the character may want to set up a monetary stream by selling herds of baby horses, sheep or cattle. However, keep in mind that if this was possible in your game world then many druids would do this to create large herds of animals for their local farmers. They would also, effectively, be creating life using an ability the character gets at first level. Something even a level 20 cleric can't do - clerics can restore creatures to life, they don't create life.
If you want a simple ruling, you could say that a druid can't wild shape into a creature reproducing because it will, at some point, be more than one creature and a druid can only wildshape into one creature at a time.
Ok. It was an idea my character approached me with. they got it from a YouTube short and asked if it was possible. I said no but wanted more opinions. Thank you very much, this feedback was needed.
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In the words of the great philosopher, Unicorse, "Aaaannnnd why should I care??"
Best quote from a book ever: "If you love with your eyes, death is forever. If you love with your heart, there is no such thing as parting."- Jonah Cook, Ascendant, Songs of Chaos by Michael R. Miller. Highly recommend
So my player is trying to get away with having two characters that are dwarf/halfling and standing on top of each others shoulders. Should I let him. He's trying to do a Barbarian/Wizard
Ok. It was an idea my character approached me with. they got it from a YouTube short and asked if it was possible. I said no but wanted more opinions. Thank you very much, this feedback was needed.
To be honest most of those YouTube videos are based on a deliberate slight misunderstanding of the rules for comic effect. They're entertaining but mostly fall apart as soon as you apply a bit of common sense or read the rules properly
Sounds like it would be fair to ask this player what the ultimate goal is.
I know what the end goal is. They want to make it so that they have a whole bunch of genetic clones/mounts for allies. It's a little ingenious.
How ingenious is it really? How many aesexually reproductive animals has the character (emphasis on character, not player) seen to wild shape into? I can't think of any that exist in nature aside from single celled organisms.
ahpids
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Pronouns: Any/All
About Me: Godless monster in human form bent on extending their natural life to unnatural extremes /general of the goose horde /Moderator of Vinstreb School for the Gifted /holder of the evil storyteller badge of no honor /king of madness /The FBI/ The Archmage of I CAST...!
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Fun Fact: i gain more power the more you post on my forum threads. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
Mohegan had it right on page 1. So did a couple of others. Letting 1 player have 2 PCs while the others have 1 should be a no no. Trying to play them as a single pc shouldn’t be acceptable either. If th player is running them as two seperate PCs working together with all the caveats others have mentioned that is fine IF the other players are also playing 2 PCs. I’ve run campaigns for small groups where everyone ran 2 or even 3 PCs ( v3 also played multiple PCs in a campaign) and it’s doable but yes its significantly more work.
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Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
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If they think this is a way to duplicate their character then remind them that no, if they reproduce while in wildshape the baby is just a baby whatever animal they are and will take years to mature. If they want to RP having a baby horse with them and having to take care of it etc... then I don't see any issue. But if they think they'll get a free friendly adult creature out of it - well that's not how biology works. Also there are no animals one would classify as "beasts" that can asexually reproduce, there are a handful that are hemaphroditic and can sexually reproduce with themselves, but then do feel free to impose whatever genetic disease you like on the baby as it results from the ultimate form of incest.
My question is how big is the group if you got six or more players then i probably would not allow it if you are playing with a smaller group 2-4 Players then i would be inclined to explore it.
Some bugs can asexually reproduce and reptiles can also. Wasps, which are very common, can do so as well
In the words of the great philosopher, Unicorse, "Aaaannnnd why should I care??"
Best quote from a book ever: "If you love with your eyes, death is forever. If you love with your heart, there is no such thing as parting."- Jonah Cook, Ascendant, Songs of Chaos by Michael R. Miller. Highly recommend
There are quite a few creatures in the real world that you would have seen. Allot of insects and sea creatures do it but from a rules perspective they wouldn't gain that ability unless it is in that creatures stat block and as far as I'm aware no beast stat blocks have it.
From a world building perspective, wild shape is not necessarily a comprehensive transformation because you maintain your mind and reproduction in a fantasy world does not necessarily work the same as it does in the real world because the physics of the world are fundamentally different.
Even in insects and cniderians, the process of asexual reproduction takes longer than wildshape lasts. And you should think very carefully about allowing any pregnancy or reproductive content into your game: a lot of players aren't really going to want that kind of thing in their games. In part because it feels suspiciously like someone trying to sneak a fetish into the game.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
In my opinion, hard no.
Yes, your player has some imaginative ideas. However, I suggest you work with them for the ones that make sense and say no to the rest.
1) Wild shape lasts 1 hour/level. Wildshaping into a "pregnant" creature, asexual or not, gets into too many philosophical, political and D&D magic issues that it isn't worthwhile. The character isn't in the wild shape form long enough to reproduce. If there are "multiple" creatures involved, the druid can't wildshape into more than one creature at once. You get into similar questions when asking what happens to that goblin the wildshaped giant toad moon druid swallowed in the last combat.
2) The druid isn't in wildshape long enough to reproduce.
3) If the druid did give birth they would get a baby horse that would not be rideable for a long time since it needs to grow up and be trained.
I'd suggest that the real reason for the request doesn't have to do with getting some mounts for the party (mounts are relatively cheap and easy to acquire after a few levels assuming a typical game world economy and awards for adventuring) - the character may want to set up a monetary stream by selling herds of baby horses, sheep or cattle. However, keep in mind that if this was possible in your game world then many druids would do this to create large herds of animals for their local farmers. They would also, effectively, be creating life using an ability the character gets at first level. Something even a level 20 cleric can't do - clerics can restore creatures to life, they don't create life.
If you want a simple ruling, you could say that a druid can't wild shape into a creature reproducing because it will, at some point, be more than one creature and a druid can only wildshape into one creature at a time.
Ok. It was an idea my character approached me with. they got it from a YouTube short and asked if it was possible. I said no but wanted more opinions. Thank you very much, this feedback was needed.
In the words of the great philosopher, Unicorse, "Aaaannnnd why should I care??"
Best quote from a book ever: "If you love with your eyes, death is forever. If you love with your heart, there is no such thing as parting."- Jonah Cook, Ascendant, Songs of Chaos by Michael R. Miller. Highly recommend
No.
No.
No.
To be honest most of those YouTube videos are based on a deliberate slight misunderstanding of the rules for comic effect. They're entertaining but mostly fall apart as soon as you apply a bit of common sense or read the rules properly
ahpids
Pronouns: Any/All
About Me: Godless monster in human form bent on extending their natural life to unnatural extremes /general of the goose horde /Moderator of Vinstreb School for the Gifted /holder of the evil storyteller badge of no honor /king of madness /The FBI/ The Archmage of I CAST...!
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Fun Fact: i gain more power the more you post on my forum threads. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
Mohegan had it right on page 1. So did a couple of others. Letting 1 player have 2 PCs while the others have 1 should be a no no. Trying to play them as a single pc shouldn’t be acceptable either. If th player is running them as two seperate PCs working together with all the caveats others have mentioned that is fine IF the other players are also playing 2 PCs. I’ve run campaigns for small groups where everyone ran 2 or even 3 PCs ( v3 also played multiple PCs in a campaign) and it’s doable but yes its significantly more work.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.