You can’t cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form.
The above is an excerpt from the Wildshape feature. If you took the beast form of an ape or baboon could you use your hands to use tools or weapons? If your beast form was a giant octopus could you wield a weapon with one of your tentacles?
You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so.
Do you think only apes or baboons should be able to use tools but not giant octopi? How about using a weapon as a giant octopus?
(the bold sections are excerpts from the wildshape rules)
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Apes and baboons can grasp tools poorly - they don't have opposable thumbs, and can't wield e.g. a sword remotely as dexterously as a human can. Octopi are *more* dexterous than a human, and it's not entirely clear how thick a giant octopus' tentacles are, but they also don't have thumbs at all. Octopi are physically capable of wielding a weapon, but they'll typically need at least two tentacles to operate a hand crossbow or sling, and it's DM fiat how size will help or hinder this. Don't forget anything the octopus touches will get wet - a dry octopus is a dead octopus.
A giant octopus underwater octuple-wielding knives is both internally consistent with the game and what we know of octopi, and the stuff of nightmares.
Equipment either merges with the form, drops to the ground, or becomes worn by the new form. Weapons are wielded, not worn, so I’d say only the first two would be options, so to use the weapons you’d first have to pick them up (merged weapons are unusable)
second, barring some legendary weapons and artifacts, your natural attacks in most beast forms at that level will exceed the damage and bonuses for any weapons you might wield.
all that said, if a player made a convincing argument for their beast form to wield a weapon, I’d probably allow it
Yes. Your Wild shape form is capable of wielding any weapons or tools it is physically able to. Octopi and apes are probably the best examples of beasts able to do so.
Apes and baboons can grasp tools poorly - they don't have opposable thumbs, and can't wield e.g. a sword remotely as dexterously as a human can. Octopi are *more* dexterous than a human, and it's not entirely clear how thick a giant octopus' tentacles are, but they also don't have thumbs at all. Octopi are physically capable of wielding a weapon, but they'll typically need at least two tentacles to operate a hand crossbow or sling, and it's DM fiat how size will help or hinder this. Don't forget anything the octopus touches will get wet - a dry octopus is a dead octopus.
A giant octopus underwater octuple-wielding knives is both internally consistent with the game and what we know of octopi, and the stuff of nightmares.
I know this is late but I need to set the record straight. Baboons and apes have opposable thumbs. They may not have similar dexterity to humans but they have the grip strength to climb a tree. 100% if a druid turned into an ape or a baboon, with their humanoid mind and determination, they are fully capable of picking up a stick and beating people with it. Also, apes baboons, and crows are well known to use tools. The only thing stopping other birds from using tools is mental capacity which last I checked you don't become dumb when you wild shape. Lastly, Octopus are above tools, their body is so weird they could solve any problem without them.
But would the beast have proficiency in those weapons or tools? The language on Wild Shape speaks to skill and saving throw proficiencies, but is silent on weapon and tool proficiencies.
Lastly, Octopus are above tools, their body is so weird they could solve any problem without them.
Okay, how do they open a tin can that doesn't have a pull tab?
Octopi open clams with their bear tentacles if they wanted to open a can they could snap it in half. They also have beaks which are glorified can openers.
But would the beast have proficiency in those weapons or tools? The language on Wild Shape speaks to skill and saving throw proficiencies, but is silent on weapon and tool proficiencies.
Again you don't lose your brain just your human vocal cords, one could argue that apes and baboons would be able to sub optimally utilize known languages.
The wild shape RAW does say that you retain your mental states, so this means you’ll be proficient with any weapon in wildshape that you are in your normal form. So the important question is: can an ape grip weapon as effectively as a human? If they can, they would be able to attack without disadvantage. If they can’t, I would expect their attack would be with disadvantage.
You can’t cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form.
The above is an excerpt from the Wildshape feature. If you took the beast form of an ape or baboon could you use your hands to use tools or weapons? If your beast form was a giant octopus could you wield a weapon with one of your tentacles?
You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so.
Do you think only apes or baboons should be able to use tools but not giant octopi? How about using a weapon as a giant octopus?
(the bold sections are excerpts from the wildshape rules)
Apes and baboons can grasp tools poorly - they don't have opposable thumbs, and can't wield e.g. a sword remotely as dexterously as a human can. Octopi are *more* dexterous than a human, and it's not entirely clear how thick a giant octopus' tentacles are, but they also don't have thumbs at all. Octopi are physically capable of wielding a weapon, but they'll typically need at least two tentacles to operate a hand crossbow or sling, and it's DM fiat how size will help or hinder this. Don't forget anything the octopus touches will get wet - a dry octopus is a dead octopus.
A giant octopus underwater octuple-wielding knives is both internally consistent with the game and what we know of octopi, and the stuff of nightmares.
Equipment either merges with the form, drops to the ground, or becomes worn by the new form. Weapons are wielded, not worn, so I’d say only the first two would be options, so to use the weapons you’d first have to pick them up (merged weapons are unusable)
second, barring some legendary weapons and artifacts, your natural attacks in most beast forms at that level will exceed the damage and bonuses for any weapons you might wield.
all that said, if a player made a convincing argument for their beast form to wield a weapon, I’d probably allow it
Yes. Your Wild shape form is capable of wielding any weapons or tools it is physically able to. Octopi and apes are probably the best examples of beasts able to do so.
I know this is late but I need to set the record straight. Baboons and apes have opposable thumbs. They may not have similar dexterity to humans but they have the grip strength to climb a tree. 100% if a druid turned into an ape or a baboon, with their humanoid mind and determination, they are fully capable of picking up a stick and beating people with it. Also, apes baboons, and crows are well known to use tools. The only thing stopping other birds from using tools is mental capacity which last I checked you don't become dumb when you wild shape. Lastly, Octopus are above tools, their body is so weird they could solve any problem without them.
Okay, how do they open a tin can that doesn't have a pull tab?
But would the beast have proficiency in those weapons or tools? The language on Wild Shape speaks to skill and saving throw proficiencies, but is silent on weapon and tool proficiencies.
Octopi open clams with their bear tentacles if they wanted to open a can they could snap it in half. They also have beaks which are glorified can openers.
Again you don't lose your brain just your human vocal cords, one could argue that apes and baboons would be able to sub optimally utilize known languages.
The wild shape RAW does say that you retain your mental states, so this means you’ll be proficient with any weapon in wildshape that you are in your normal form. So the important question is: can an ape grip weapon as effectively as a human? If they can, they would be able to attack without disadvantage. If they can’t, I would expect their attack would be with disadvantage.
Started playing AD&D in the late 70s and stopped in the mid-80s. Started immersing myself into 5e in 2023