2024 Druids

In 2014 the Circle of the Moon wildshape beast forms generally started dropping behind other classes from about 5th level. Once of the reasons for this is that beast forms had a set attack number and thus while other characters at 5th level got a bump to their attacks (due to PB increase) the beast form did not. You needed to get more Druid levels and get better beast forms. So while other classes scaled their attacks by character level, beasts did so by druid level. The problem was compounded by the fast that other classes could take ASI to increase their attacks but druids in beast for could not (since the physical stats were replaced).

I was under the impression that 2024 was going to address this and someone had mentioned that they had. However, when I look at the 2024 wild shape ability it seems to be worse than the 2014 version.

Previously the druid got the HP of the beast as effectively extra HP. A 2nd level CoM druid turning into a Brown Bear got an extra 34 hit points. With 2 wild shapes per Short Rest, that is essentially 68 more hit points per Short Rest. That is huge for a 2nd level character. Now that is replaced with only temp hit points equal to the druid level. So that would be 2 temp hit points per wild shape (since the druid keeps his/her hit points).

Previously, you got 2 wild shapes per Short Rest. Now you only regain 1 wild shape after a Short Rest.

Yes, there is the AC = 13+WIS feature that was added. Which can increase AC for some beasts.

However, it looks like neither the PB issues not the ASI issue has been addressed in 2024.

Am I missing something?

The problem was that the first pass on wild shape in the 2024 playtest used absolutely garbage templates, which everyone hated, so they gave up on the concept.