The Druid's normal Wild Shape feature, which all Druids have, allows in relevant part:
You can stay in a beast shape for a number of hours equal to half your druid level (rounded down). You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.
I'll call attention to the fact that it does not say that Wild Shape ends if you use Wild Shape again (in fact, you'd normally be encouraged to do so in order to extend the amount of time you can stay in your form).
The Spore Druid subclass has a "Symbiotic Entity" feature, which provides an alternative type of enhancement, fueled by the same limited number of Wild Shapes/short rest:
Symbiotic Entity
2nd-level Circle of Spores feature You gain the ability to channel magic into your spores. As an action, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape feature to awaken those spores, rather than transforming into a beast form, and you gain 4 temporary hit points for each level you have in this class. While this feature is active, you gain the following benefits:
When you deal your Halo of Spores damage, roll the damage die a second time and add it to the total.
Your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 1d6 necrotic damage to any target they hit.
These benefits last for 10 minutes, until you lose all these temporary hit points, or until you use your Wild Shape again.
Now, I can see clearly that if one were to Wild Shape-Symbiotic Entity, and then after that Wild Shape-Beast Shape, you would end the Symbiotic Entity transformation because you "used your Wild Shape again." In reverse however... I don't see that you can't be a Brown Bear, and then on the following round, pop Wild Shape-Symbiotic Entity to become a Brown Bear who is enhanced by THP and bonus damage.
Wild Shape is not a spell and does not require speaking, so being in Beast form provides no restriction on your ability to use it.
It may not be RAI, but it certainly seems to fit the RAW.
I'd allow it at first (rule of cool), but may retroactively disallow it if it seems like it is more powerful than 2 beast forms (also worth comparing to moon's elemental wild shape's).
With Spore Druids wanting to be melee characters making multiple attacks, I think that a Tiger, enhanced with druid level x 4 THP, could be a pretty good melee form for them, as an alternative to kitting up as a PAM Quarterstaff + Shield combatant. But, honestly, to even come close to being able to break it, you'd have to layer in some MC features from Barbarian or Monk to really tune that beast up to anything approaching what a vanilla Moon druid can do, so I don't think balance is a big concern.
A high level Druid can be Wild Shaped all day long, but Symbiotic Entity is always a flat 10 minute maximum (or even shorter, if you use up your THP), so I really don't think it has much practical application. It's just a fun little interaction I'd never thought about before, I'm sure a fight is bound to come along where being a Giant Eagle with ranged spore attacks in aerial combat could be fun.
Would be interesting as an arch druid. Unlimited wild shapes. 4*20= 80 THP each turn. Ok it needs your action. But compared to a moon druid it's not that strong.
In general I don't thinks it's op. Because it costs both wild shapes and you need to actions. If you are not already in Wildshape.
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The Druid's normal Wild Shape feature, which all Druids have, allows in relevant part:
I'll call attention to the fact that it does not say that Wild Shape ends if you use Wild Shape again (in fact, you'd normally be encouraged to do so in order to extend the amount of time you can stay in your form).
The Spore Druid subclass has a "Symbiotic Entity" feature, which provides an alternative type of enhancement, fueled by the same limited number of Wild Shapes/short rest:
Now, I can see clearly that if one were to Wild Shape-Symbiotic Entity, and then after that Wild Shape-Beast Shape, you would end the Symbiotic Entity transformation because you "used your Wild Shape again." In reverse however... I don't see that you can't be a Brown Bear, and then on the following round, pop Wild Shape-Symbiotic Entity to become a Brown Bear who is enhanced by THP and bonus damage.
Wild Shape is not a spell and does not require speaking, so being in Beast form provides no restriction on your ability to use it.
Any objections?
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
It may not be RAW, but it certainly seems to fit with RAI.
And I love the image of a rotting, fungus ridden bear roaring into battle...
It may not be RAI, but it certainly seems to fit the RAW.
I'd allow it at first (rule of cool), but may retroactively disallow it if it seems like it is more powerful than 2 beast forms (also worth comparing to moon's elemental wild shape's).
With Spore Druids wanting to be melee characters making multiple attacks, I think that a Tiger, enhanced with druid level x 4 THP, could be a pretty good melee form for them, as an alternative to kitting up as a PAM Quarterstaff + Shield combatant. But, honestly, to even come close to being able to break it, you'd have to layer in some MC features from Barbarian or Monk to really tune that beast up to anything approaching what a vanilla Moon druid can do, so I don't think balance is a big concern.
A high level Druid can be Wild Shaped all day long, but Symbiotic Entity is always a flat 10 minute maximum (or even shorter, if you use up your THP), so I really don't think it has much practical application. It's just a fun little interaction I'd never thought about before, I'm sure a fight is bound to come along where being a Giant Eagle with ranged spore attacks in aerial combat could be fun.
dndbeyond.com forum tags
I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
Would be interesting as an arch druid. Unlimited wild shapes. 4*20= 80 THP each turn. Ok it needs your action. But compared to a moon druid it's not that strong.
In general I don't thinks it's op. Because it costs both wild shapes and you need to actions. If you are not already in Wildshape.