In my opinion, the Circle of the Moon was a great concept but it wasn't fully developed and thus has left this type of druid lacking if a player really wants to double down on wild shapes. Yes, I fully realize that a Circle of the Moon druid still has access to the regular druid spells so they can still supplement their wild shapes with powerful magic (as all other druids) but that kinds of defeats the point or at least defeats the point in some builds. If I am going with Circle of the Moon, I want the option to be able to double down on that choice and really use the wildshapes with only seldom use of other druid magic. I would even be willing to give up some druid magic to be able to do that. I also fully realize that damage is not the only measure of a druid. Wildshapes bring lots of utility and extra hitpoints but, again, if I am choosing a circle that is about weaponizing wildshape then I would expect it to be comparable to other classes in damage. However, it is not. The CoM druid is great at levels 1 to 4 because with a wildshape like the brown bear, it can pull off two good attacks (as opposed to one good attack and a off hand attack). However, as soon as the CoM druid reaches 5th level, it starts to drop off. At 5th level and maybe a few after that it stays somewhat relevant in terms of damage but then quickly loses ground to other classes. I think with some relatively small changes, it did not need to be this way. However, the issue with CoM druids isn't just game mechanics, so lets dive into it:
Becoming A CoM Druid:
Typically a CoM druids will not prioritize Strength or Dexterity because these attributes get changed when they wild shape. Technically this also include Constitution but Constitution does help raise the druids own HP (and concentration saves) so a druid may choose to have a decent Constitution. However, this make it quite ackward at level 1 before the druids becomes CoM. If the druids fights with weapons, his/her attack bonus will be poor due to likely lower Strength and Dexterity scores. The druid could use cantrips to attack at these levels but then these cantrips becomes somewhat useless at higher levels were the druids is going to want to use wildshape. For example, I was thinking of taking the Primal Savagery cantrip as a way to do a story-wise transition into a wildshape druid. At level 1 the druid can't fully transform but his Primal Savagery is a foreshadowing of his/her ability to change at level 2. However, without being able to swap cantrips at level 2, that means at level 2 I have a mostly useless cantrip until 4th level. Yes, if I run out of wildshapes then I can still use the cantrip but if a CoM runs out of wildshapes they are not going to be all that effective anyway.
Proposal: Allow a CoM druid to change cantrips when reaching level 2 (similar to the optional cantrip change at ASI levels introduced by Tasha's)
Lack of ability to raise Attacks by ASI:
Every class can raise its attack by increasing its attack stat (unless already maximum). If I am a strength based fighter, I can use an ASI to increase Strength and thus increase by attack. A wizard can increase Intelligence and thereby raise its attacks. A rogue can increased Dexterity and thereby increase its attacks. A warlock can increase Charisma and thereby increase its attacks.
While a CoM druid can increase Wisdom to increase the spell attacks, an ASI does nothing to raise wildshape attacks because wildshape beast have set attack values (not calculated) and even if they were calculated, they are based on physical stats meaning the stats that are replaced when a druid wildshapes.
Proposal 1: Treat ASI as bonuses to Ability Scores and apply them to the beast stats. So if a player increased their Strength by 2 to get a +1 Strength modifier, apply that same +1 modifier to the wildshape stats (even if they are the physical replaced stats). This allows a CoM druid to raise their wildshape attacks using an ASI just like any class.
Proposal 2: A variation of Proposal 1 can be to make the druid choose if an ASI is a druid form ASI or a wildshape ASI. This is slightly less powerful than Proposal 1 but still allows the CoM druid to double down on wildshape forms if desired.
Lack of ability to raise Attacks by PB:
This issue is the one that I have the most issue with. Any other classes, a bump in in PB means an increase in attack regardless of class. I could make a character that has 5 different classes (assuming I make the prerequisites for those classes) and my attacks would be bumped by 1 when I hit 5th level because PB increases by 1.
This is true for the CoM druid's spell attacks but it is not true for the CoM druid's wildshape forms. Since wildshape forms' stats are not calculated a change in PB does not automatically increase their attacks like it does for every other class. You need to actually get more druids levels to achieve that bump.
Proposal: Calculate attack using stats and PB. The druids still need to get additional druid levels to bump the damage of wildshape forms (and to get access to climbing and flying forms) but the attack is calculated based on stat and PB so that, like any other class, a PB boost will increase the attack.
Spellcasting:
As noted before, a CoM druid still has all of the spellcasting of a regular druid. The bonus action healing, available to CoM druids, tried to provide a alternate use for those spell slots. Couldn't they have at least made the healing equal to a Cure Wounds? However, for the most part, there is a lack of spells that would augment wildshapes. Sure there is spells like barkskin and elemental weapon but those spells are few. I would have loved to see an option where the CoM druid forgoes the ability to cast regular spells but instead get access to an Extended Spell list of spells that it can cast in wild form. With some possible exceptions, these would all be buff spells making the wildshape more fearsome. This solution could actually compensate for the lack of ASI and lack of PB if done right. A wildshape with a bonus action personal bless, for example, could offset the lack of PB difference.
Proposal: Give druid a limited number of known spells (like a Wizard or Warlock) to cast in his/her druid form but give the druid a list of Wildshape only prepared spells which can be used in combat as a bonus action. These spells would mostly involve buffing the wildshape form or disadvantaging the victim of the CoM druid.
Favorite Form Option:
One of the last issues with the 2014 CoM is that in order to get more powerful wildshape forms, you need to get more druid levels and use new forms as opposed to improved versions of previous forms. I would like the option of sticking with a form but making it better. That does not mean that the druid can't use new forms but it would be nice, for example, if a CoM druid has a favorite form, such as the brown bear, to be able to change into a more powerful brown bear at higher druid levels instead of having to choose a new form. Yes, this can be overcome by flavor texting new forms but it is difficult when the new forms suddenly have totally different attacks. This could partially be solved by making the attack uses stats and PB to determine attacks (see above) but it would not address additional damage which should definitely be part of the package if the druid is investing additional druid levels into the forms.
Proposal: Each wild shape would have base damage with a bonus per CR level beyond the creature's base CR. For example, a brown bear is CR 1. If the bonus was (totally spit-balling a value...would need to check what would make sense) 1D4 per CR level then at 6th level (when the CoM druid can get CR2 creatures) then brown bear's damage would be increased by the 1D4. At level 9, when the CoM druid can get CR3 creatures the brown bear's attack would increase by another 1D4 for a total of 2D4. This would allow a CoM druid to stick with a favorite form but still get benefits for additional druid levels.
There is actual precedence for something like this. There are a number of summoning spells which dictate the number of attacks the summoned creature has based in the spell level. The above proposal adds damage dice instead (somewhat like upcasting damaging spells) but it could be done with additional attacks instead of additional damage.
Conclusion:
Most of the changes proposed are not making the CoM subclass over powered, they are only bringing the class up to par (at higher levels) with other combat classes. With the exception of the change in spellcasting and the per CR level update, which would need some work, these proposed changes should be fairly easy to implement and should ensure that the CoM subclass remains combat relevant even at higher levels without becoming over powered.
Probably worth pointing out that the 2024 version includes both the ability to change a cantrip when gaining a level (which was added to all spellcasting classes) and a set of spells that Moon Druids can cast while in Wild Shape.
The first UA version of the Druid class that was released in preparation for the 2024 updates had a very different way of doing the Wild Shape stat blocks, where you picked a land, sea, or air archetype and flavored it as a specific animal of your choice (basically the way the new Beast Master Ranger works). The stat blocks included various dynamic stats that scaled as you leveled up or increased your Wisdom score. Ultimately the feedback from this change was negative enough that they walked it back.
This is also how a lot of summoning spells in 2014 worked. It is good to know that at least some of my concerns where not way-off-base because it does seem that WotC is trying to fix them based on the 2024 changes.
Can you elaborate? Why do they need to unchange at LV20? I am assuming you are referring to the Archdruid capstone. Which says:
| At 20th level, you can use your Wild Shape an unlimited number of times.
No issue there. The objective of these proposed changes is to bring the wildshape up to par with other classes in combat. So it does not matter if the druid is in druid form or wildshape form. Or, more specifically, unlimited wildshape do not make the druid OP in combat.
| Additionally, you can ignore the verbal and somatic components of your druid spells, as well as any material components that lack a cost and aren't consumed by a spell. | You gain this benefit in both your normal shape and your beast shape from Wild Shape.
This still applies. Using the proposal that I set out, i suggested that a druid have a limited number of regular druid spells that still follow the regular rules (i.e. not being able to cast them while in wildshape form) and then a extended (second) spell list of Wildshape Only spells. The Archdruid capstone would still allows the non-wildshape only spells to be cast while in druid form. However, the capstone could be modified so that the druid, once again, regains knowledge of all druid spells (like the normal class) as opposed to having only a few known spells (which was the proposed spellcasting modification).
Proposal: Give druid a limited number of known spells (like a Wizard or Warlock) to cast in his/her druid form but give the druid a list of Wildshape only prepared spells which can be used in combat as a bonus action. These spells would mostly involve buffing the wildshape form or disadvantaging the victim of the CoM druid.
Already fixed in 2024 (CoM only, but without the former drawback you're suggesting.)
Proposal 1: Treat ASI as bonuses to Ability Scores and apply them to the beast stats. So if a player increased their Strength by 2 to get a +1 Strength modifier, apply that same +1 modifier to the wildshape stats (even if they are the physical replaced stats). This allows a CoM druid to raise their wildshape attacks using an ASI just like any class.
Proposal 2: A variation of Proposal 1 can be to make the druid choose if an ASI is a druid form ASI or a wildshape ASI. This is slightly less powerful than Proposal 1 but still allows the CoM druid to double down on wildshape forms if desired.
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Proposal: Calculate attack using stats and PB. The druids still need to get additional druid levels to bump the damage of wildshape forms (and to get access to climbing and flying forms) but the attack is calculated based on stat and PB so that, like any other class, a PB boost will increase the attack.
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Proposal: Each wild shape would have base damage with a bonus per CR level beyond the creature's base CR. For example, a brown bear is CR 1. If the bonus was (totally spit-balling a value...would need to check what would make sense) 1D4 per CR level then at 6th level (when the CoM druid can get CR2 creatures) then brown bear's damage would be increased by the 1D4. At level 9, when the CoM druid can get CR3 creatures the brown bear's attack would increase by another 1D4 for a total of 2D4. This would allow a CoM druid to stick with a favorite form but still get benefits for additional druid levels.
I understand what you're after (animal forms that scale, and being able to look/behave like the animal you want without limiting your combat potential) but I disagree with these ways of going about it. All of these are just a much more convoluted way of doing what they should have done, letting us have customizable wild shape templates that mathematically scale like they had in UA4. My Land Beast shape could be a tiger that climbs or a rhino that can charge or a spider with webs, while my Sky Beast shape could be a giant eagle capable of carrying enemies in its talons or a giant wasp with a venomous sting etc. They just needed more time in the oven, time we were robbed off by the OGL nonsense.
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In my opinion, the Circle of the Moon was a great concept but it wasn't fully developed and thus has left this type of druid lacking if a player really wants to double down on wild shapes. Yes, I fully realize that a Circle of the Moon druid still has access to the regular druid spells so they can still supplement their wild shapes with powerful magic (as all other druids) but that kinds of defeats the point or at least defeats the point in some builds. If I am going with Circle of the Moon, I want the option to be able to double down on that choice and really use the wildshapes with only seldom use of other druid magic. I would even be willing to give up some druid magic to be able to do that. I also fully realize that damage is not the only measure of a druid. Wildshapes bring lots of utility and extra hitpoints but, again, if I am choosing a circle that is about weaponizing wildshape then I would expect it to be comparable to other classes in damage. However, it is not. The CoM druid is great at levels 1 to 4 because with a wildshape like the brown bear, it can pull off two good attacks (as opposed to one good attack and a off hand attack). However, as soon as the CoM druid reaches 5th level, it starts to drop off. At 5th level and maybe a few after that it stays somewhat relevant in terms of damage but then quickly loses ground to other classes. I think with some relatively small changes, it did not need to be this way. However, the issue with CoM druids isn't just game mechanics, so lets dive into it:
Becoming A CoM Druid:
Typically a CoM druids will not prioritize Strength or Dexterity because these attributes get changed when they wild shape. Technically this also include Constitution but Constitution does help raise the druids own HP (and concentration saves) so a druid may choose to have a decent Constitution. However, this make it quite ackward at level 1 before the druids becomes CoM. If the druids fights with weapons, his/her attack bonus will be poor due to likely lower Strength and Dexterity scores. The druid could use cantrips to attack at these levels but then these cantrips becomes somewhat useless at higher levels were the druids is going to want to use wildshape. For example, I was thinking of taking the Primal Savagery cantrip as a way to do a story-wise transition into a wildshape druid. At level 1 the druid can't fully transform but his Primal Savagery is a foreshadowing of his/her ability to change at level 2. However, without being able to swap cantrips at level 2, that means at level 2 I have a mostly useless cantrip until 4th level. Yes, if I run out of wildshapes then I can still use the cantrip but if a CoM runs out of wildshapes they are not going to be all that effective anyway.
Proposal: Allow a CoM druid to change cantrips when reaching level 2 (similar to the optional cantrip change at ASI levels introduced by Tasha's)
Lack of ability to raise Attacks by ASI:
Every class can raise its attack by increasing its attack stat (unless already maximum). If I am a strength based fighter, I can use an ASI to increase Strength and thus increase by attack. A wizard can increase Intelligence and thereby raise its attacks. A rogue can increased Dexterity and thereby increase its attacks. A warlock can increase Charisma and thereby increase its attacks.
While a CoM druid can increase Wisdom to increase the spell attacks, an ASI does nothing to raise wildshape attacks because wildshape beast have set attack values (not calculated) and even if they were calculated, they are based on physical stats meaning the stats that are replaced when a druid wildshapes.
Proposal 1: Treat ASI as bonuses to Ability Scores and apply them to the beast stats. So if a player increased their Strength by 2 to get a +1 Strength modifier, apply that same +1 modifier to the wildshape stats (even if they are the physical replaced stats). This allows a CoM druid to raise their wildshape attacks using an ASI just like any class.
Proposal 2: A variation of Proposal 1 can be to make the druid choose if an ASI is a druid form ASI or a wildshape ASI. This is slightly less powerful than Proposal 1 but still allows the CoM druid to double down on wildshape forms if desired.
Lack of ability to raise Attacks by PB:
This issue is the one that I have the most issue with. Any other classes, a bump in in PB means an increase in attack regardless of class. I could make a character that has 5 different classes (assuming I make the prerequisites for those classes) and my attacks would be bumped by 1 when I hit 5th level because PB increases by 1.
This is true for the CoM druid's spell attacks but it is not true for the CoM druid's wildshape forms. Since wildshape forms' stats are not calculated a change in PB does not automatically increase their attacks like it does for every other class. You need to actually get more druids levels to achieve that bump.
Proposal: Calculate attack using stats and PB. The druids still need to get additional druid levels to bump the damage of wildshape forms (and to get access to climbing and flying forms) but the attack is calculated based on stat and PB so that, like any other class, a PB boost will increase the attack.
Spellcasting:
As noted before, a CoM druid still has all of the spellcasting of a regular druid. The bonus action healing, available to CoM druids, tried to provide a alternate use for those spell slots. Couldn't they have at least made the healing equal to a Cure Wounds? However, for the most part, there is a lack of spells that would augment wildshapes. Sure there is spells like barkskin and elemental weapon but those spells are few. I would have loved to see an option where the CoM druid forgoes the ability to cast regular spells but instead get access to an Extended Spell list of spells that it can cast in wild form. With some possible exceptions, these would all be buff spells making the wildshape more fearsome. This solution could actually compensate for the lack of ASI and lack of PB if done right. A wildshape with a bonus action personal bless, for example, could offset the lack of PB difference.
Proposal: Give druid a limited number of known spells (like a Wizard or Warlock) to cast in his/her druid form but give the druid a list of Wildshape only prepared spells which can be used in combat as a bonus action. These spells would mostly involve buffing the wildshape form or disadvantaging the victim of the CoM druid.
Favorite Form Option:
One of the last issues with the 2014 CoM is that in order to get more powerful wildshape forms, you need to get more druid levels and use new forms as opposed to improved versions of previous forms. I would like the option of sticking with a form but making it better. That does not mean that the druid can't use new forms but it would be nice, for example, if a CoM druid has a favorite form, such as the brown bear, to be able to change into a more powerful brown bear at higher druid levels instead of having to choose a new form. Yes, this can be overcome by flavor texting new forms but it is difficult when the new forms suddenly have totally different attacks. This could partially be solved by making the attack uses stats and PB to determine attacks (see above) but it would not address additional damage which should definitely be part of the package if the druid is investing additional druid levels into the forms.
Proposal: Each wild shape would have base damage with a bonus per CR level beyond the creature's base CR. For example, a brown bear is CR 1. If the bonus was (totally spit-balling a value...would need to check what would make sense) 1D4 per CR level then at 6th level (when the CoM druid can get CR2 creatures) then brown bear's damage would be increased by the 1D4. At level 9, when the CoM druid can get CR3 creatures the brown bear's attack would increase by another 1D4 for a total of 2D4. This would allow a CoM druid to stick with a favorite form but still get benefits for additional druid levels.
There is actual precedence for something like this. There are a number of summoning spells which dictate the number of attacks the summoned creature has based in the spell level. The above proposal adds damage dice instead (somewhat like upcasting damaging spells) but it could be done with additional attacks instead of additional damage.
Conclusion:
Most of the changes proposed are not making the CoM subclass over powered, they are only bringing the class up to par (at higher levels) with other combat classes. With the exception of the change in spellcasting and the per CR level update, which would need some work, these proposed changes should be fairly easy to implement and should ensure that the CoM subclass remains combat relevant even at higher levels without becoming over powered.
Probably worth pointing out that the 2024 version includes both the ability to change a cantrip when gaining a level (which was added to all spellcasting classes) and a set of spells that Moon Druids can cast while in Wild Shape.
The first UA version of the Druid class that was released in preparation for the 2024 updates had a very different way of doing the Wild Shape stat blocks, where you picked a land, sea, or air archetype and flavored it as a specific animal of your choice (basically the way the new Beast Master Ranger works). The stat blocks included various dynamic stats that scaled as you leveled up or increased your Wisdom score. Ultimately the feedback from this change was negative enough that they walked it back.
pronouns: he/she/they
If you change wildshape attacks they need to somehow un-change at L20.
This is also how a lot of summoning spells in 2014 worked. It is good to know that at least some of my concerns where not way-off-base because it does seem that WotC is trying to fix them based on the 2024 changes.
Can you elaborate? Why do they need to unchange at LV20? I am assuming you are referring to the Archdruid capstone. Which says:
| At 20th level, you can use your Wild Shape an unlimited number of times.
No issue there. The objective of these proposed changes is to bring the wildshape up to par with other classes in combat. So it does not matter if the druid is in druid form or wildshape form. Or, more specifically, unlimited wildshape do not make the druid OP in combat.
| Additionally, you can ignore the verbal and somatic components of your druid spells, as well as any material components that lack a cost and aren't consumed by a spell.
| You gain this benefit in both your normal shape and your beast shape from Wild Shape.
This still applies. Using the proposal that I set out, i suggested that a druid have a limited number of regular druid spells that still follow the regular rules (i.e. not being able to cast them while in wildshape form) and then a extended (second) spell list of Wildshape Only spells. The Archdruid capstone would still allows the non-wildshape only spells to be cast while in druid form. However, the capstone could be modified so that the druid, once again, regains knowledge of all druid spells (like the normal class) as opposed to having only a few known spells (which was the proposed spellcasting modification).
Already fixed in 2024 (for all druids, CoM included).
Already fixed in 2024 (CoM only, but without the former drawback you're suggesting.)
I understand what you're after (animal forms that scale, and being able to look/behave like the animal you want without limiting your combat potential) but I disagree with these ways of going about it. All of these are just a much more convoluted way of doing what they should have done, letting us have customizable wild shape templates that mathematically scale like they had in UA4. My Land Beast shape could be a tiger that climbs or a rhino that can charge or a spider with webs, while my Sky Beast shape could be a giant eagle capable of carrying enemies in its talons or a giant wasp with a venomous sting etc. They just needed more time in the oven, time we were robbed off by the OGL nonsense.