If you play a druid, then you probably know the tug-of-war between using spells and using your Wild Shape. This tightrope act only grows more pronounced if you’re playing a Circle of the Moon druid, since you’ll often be using your Wild Shape in combat, rather than offensive spells—especially at lower levels. Because of this, you want your uses of Wild Shape to really count.
Let's take a look at how Wild Shape works for the 2014 version of druids and Circle of the Moon druids, and how can you get the most bang for your buck when transforming into Beasts!
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DM Note: Learning Wild Shapes
A druid can only transform into creatures with the Beast creature type using their Wild Shape feature, and even then can only take the form of a Beast they’ve seen before.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything includes a valuable guide on how to help druids who have just gained the Wild Shape feature determine what Beasts they’ve seen before. The tables in this book describe which Beasts are commonly found in each biome within the many worlds of D&D. A druid that grew up in that environment has likely seen all of the common Beasts listed on that table—even if they can’t transform into all of them yet since they’re still only 2nd level.
If a druid grew up in one environment but has been adventuring in a different one for several years, that druid has likely seen many of the low-level (Challenge Rating 1 and below) Beasts in that environment, too.
This isn’t a hard and fast rule, but a loose guideline. As a DM, you should work directly with your druid player to determine what Beast shapes they know. If your player has a particular Beast they want to transform into (that follows the rules of Wild Shape), you should let them!
Reminder: Read the Rules
Wild Shape has a few fiddly rules that new druid players (and their DMs) should be familiar with. Before reading this article, I suggest that you read the Wild Shape feature in its entirety, even if you think you’re reasonably familiar with it. Some notable restrictions to remember when choosing your Beast forms are:
- You can only transform into a Beast of a specific CR or lower, based on your druid level. See the table under Beast Shapes.
- You can’t transform into Beasts that have a swimming speed until you become a 4th-level druid, and you can’t transform into Beasts that have a flying speed until you become an 8th-level druid.
- When you transform into a Beast, you can use either its proficiency bonus or your own, whichever is higher, as long as both you and your Beast shape are proficient in the same skill. For instance, if you transform into a Beast that's proficient in Perception, and you're also proficient in that skill, you can use either your proficiency bonus or its own.
- A creature of CR 4 or lower has a proficiency bonus of +2, while a creature of CR 5 through 6, the highest any druid can transform into, has a proficiency bonus of +3.
Wild Shape Options
This guide breaks down your Wild Shape options into two categories: combat and exploration. Combat Beast forms are best utilized by Circle of the Moon druids, and can be used to engage foes in melee combat. Exploration Beast forms may be unoptimized for combat but have abilities that allow them to move swiftly, making them excellent for travel or are incredibly small or silent, making them useful in situations where stealth is paramount. Knowing a few forms from each category is vital to being a versatile druid.
The list of Beast shapes below only includes a cherry-picked selection of excellent options for use with Wild Shape. If you want an expanded list of Beast forms that your druid could potentially transform into, check out this list of Wild Shape options from the Basic Rules, organized by challenge rating. Just don’t forget the restrictions on Wild Shape described in the section above!
Circle of the Moon Wild Shape CRs
When a Circle of the Moon druid gains the Wild Shape feature at 2nd level, they gain the ability to transform into Beasts with a challenge rating of 1 or lower. Then, at 6th level, they can transform into a Beast with a challenge rating as high as their druid level divided by 3, rounded down.
This translates into CR 2 at 6th level, CR 3 at 9th level, CR 4 at 12th level, CR 5 at 15th level, and CR 6 at 18th level. However, they still have to obey the restrictions on swimming and flying speeds.
Combat Beast Shapes
While Circle of the Moon druids are the most effective Wild Shape brawlers, using Wild Shape during combat is an effective tool for any druid who is looking to gain hit points, expand their movement options, and get access to new attacks, all with a single action.
Challenge Rating 0 - 1/2
Unless you're a Circle of the Moon druid, you'll be using your Wild Shape to transform into sub-CR 1 Beasts until the 8th level. Here are some combat Wild Shape options for Beasts that fall into this tier:
- Ape (CR 1/2). A climbing speed and a ranged attack option can be a good way to remain evasive before you get access to creatures with flying speed.
- Crocodile (CR 1/2). Once you get access to creatures with swimming speed, the crocodile can be effective because of its Stealth and Bite attack. Its Hold Breath ability allows it to stay submerged and ambush prey, while its Bite can grapple and restrain targets, making it effective for controlling enemies in water.
- Boar (CR 1/4). At low levels, this wild hog can pump out serious damage with a charging Tusk attack, and its Relentless trait lets it endure a lethal blow, giving it more hit points than it seems.
- Giant wolf spider (CR 1/4). At low levels, the relatively high AC, climbing speed, and paralytic poison makes this creature a top-notch Beast form. Even at higher levels, it can be a useful exploration Beast shape.
- Reef shark (CR 1/2). Pack Tactics and a good Bite attack make the reef shark one of the better options for aquatic combat when druids get access to Beasts with a swimming speed.
- Warhorse (CR 1/2). The warhorse can deliver a powerful attack with its hooves, has a great running speed, and can use its trampling charge to knock targets prone.
- Wolf (CR 1/4). Pack Tactics and the ability to knock a target prone with its Bite make the wolf a solid choice for a land-based combat form. Unfortunately, it's hit points are quite low, but its AC of 13 can help make up for its squishiness.
Challenge Rating 1
Though Circle of the Moon druids gain access to this power level of creatures at 2nd level, druids of other circles only gain access to it at 8th level.
- Brown bear. The brown bear's Multiattack feature, which includes both a Bite and Claw attack, makes it an excellent damage dealer.
- Dire wolf. There’s no denying it: wolves are cool. Dire wolves are incredibly powerful, too, with high hit points, AC, and Pack Tactics. Their damage isn’t the best, but they have great staying power.
- Giant hyena. This Beast suffers from low AC, but makes up for it with lots of hit points and a killer ability: Rampage. If you’re facing lots of small enemies, like goblins or kobolds, you can chew through hordes of foes like candy.
- Giant octopus. This is a situational creature, used best while in water, and only available once you can transform into swimming creatures at 4th level. If you’re in this precise situation, though, the octopus’s high-DC, auto-grappling Tentacle attack is amazing.
- Giant toad. Once you reach 4th level, this swimming Beast is powerful on both land and in water. Its Standing Leap makes it highly mobile, and Bite attack allows you to both poison and swallow foes, which lets you temporarily take single enemies out of the fight.
- Giant vulture. With Pack Tactics and Multiattack, the giant vulture is likely the strongest option for non-Circle of the Moon druids, once they get to 8th level and can use Beasts with a flying speed.
Challenge Rating 2
Even though a Circle of the Moon druid can transform into CR 2 creatures as early as 6th level, you won’t be able to turn into a Beast that can fly until 8th level. Don’t worry, your patience will be rewarded!
- Giant constrictor snake. This massive snake is a top-notch grappler, which lets you help with crowd control. Its high damage and hit points are noteworthy, too.
- Hunter shark. An attractive option for Circle of the Moon druids when they get access to swimming creatures. The hunter shark's Blood Frenzy ability grants it an advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn't have all its hit points, making it a relentless predator against injured foes.
- Quetzalcoatlus. Once you reach 8th level, this flying pterosaur is death on wings. Despite its low hit points, its Flyby trait, Dive Attack, and ridiculous 80-foot flying speed make this creature deadly and hard to kill.
- Saber-toothed tiger. This prehistoric feline possesses passable hit points and AC, but has potent Stealth skills and a nasty Pounce trait. Taken together, the saber-toothed tiger form makes you a wicked ambush predator.
Challenge Rating 3
There are only three CR 3 Beasts in D&D, but they’re all powerful in their own right.
- Ankylosaurus. This dinosaur is massive, fairly tanky, and its Tail attack packs a serious punch. It’s noteworthy for having a 10-foot reach and a knockdown effect.
- Giant scorpion. While not as durable as the ankylosaurus, the giant scorpion’s poison packs a serious punch, and its grappling claws are great for immobilizing enemies.
- Killer whale. Though only usable underwater, the killer whale has blindsight out to 120 feet. Incredible!
Challenge Rating 4
In terms of combat abilities, there’s not much to be impressed by here. The elephant is somewhat powerful, but its best use might be as an exploration form.
Challenge Rating 5
Circle of the Moon druids gain access to Elemental Wild shape at 10th level, allowing them to transform into CR 5 elementals five levels early. Bear in mind that it uses both of your uses of Wild Shape, so make it count. All of the elementals are excellent, but the fire elemental is the clear winner when it comes to raw damage—unless you’re fighting creatures that are resistant to fire, like most devils and demons, of course. The water elemental might be your best bet, then.
- Brontosaurus. Turning into a freaking brontosaurus is fun on its own. Even if it weren’t, its 20-foot attack reach is jaw-dropping.
- Giant crocodile. This massive reptile is one of the strongest Beasts in the game. Use its jaws to lock down single foes, and its tail to knock others prone. Passable AC and high hit points and a swimming speed are just icing on the cake.
- Giant shark. It’s cool to turn into a shark, and it’s powerful. If nothing else, it’s a free 126 hit points, which is nothing to sneeze at. Its Bite attack isn’t thrilling, but it does do a good chunk of damage.
Challenge Rating 6
- Mammoth. The mammoth is the only option at CR 6, but it's a good one. It’s got a bunch of hit points, its Trampling Charge trait is great for knocking down and damaging enemies, and your whole party can ride on your back. Even though there’s not much in the way of variety here, this Beast is fun to play as.
Exploration Beast Shapes
Most of these forms are CR 1 and lower, and are most useful to druids that aren’t of the Circle of the Moon. However, there are a few choice forms available only to Circle of the Moon druids, since they’re of a higher CR than other druids can transform into.
- Cat (CR 0). There’s nothing better than being a kitty cat! You’re small, common enough in cities as to be unremarkable, and you have a bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks. If you’re willing to be petted by passing strangers, this is a great stealth form. (Likewise, the tressym is a flying cat that can see invisible creatures, making it a great choice once you reach 8th level—with your DM's permission, of course!)
- Octopus (CR 0). Once you reach 4th level and gain access to Beasts with a swimming speed, this clever critter is a great amphibious stealth form.
- Owl (CR 0). Once you reach 8th level and gain access to Beasts with a flying speed, the humble owl is small, stealthy, and perceptive even in the dark, making it a top-notch scout.
- Spider (CR 0). If you’re scouting, you want to be small and unnoticeable. No one will notice a spider. You may only have 1 hit point, but your climbing speed can help you get around anywhere.
- Draft horse (CR 1/4). This horse can move quick, and one or two allies can ride on your back with ease. (You can carry up to 540 pounds in this form.)
- Reef shark (CR 1/2). This form offers incredible maneuverability underwater.
- Giant eagle (CR 1). Once you reach 8th level and gain access to Beasts with a flying speed, the giant eagle is your top choice for a flying creature. It’s a fantasy staple, thanks to J.R.R. Tolkien, and it can easily carry one human wizard and two halflings on its back. Its wicked 80-foot flying speed rocks, too.
- Elephant (CR 4). This form is only available to Circle of the Moon druids, but the sheer size of the elephant makes it useful for covering long distances. Your entire party can ride on your back, and you can carry a whopping 1,320 pounds in this form.
- Air elemental (CR 5). If you’re a Circle of the Moon druid, you can spend both uses of Wild Shape to transform into this living gust of wind. The ability to fly and squeeze through tiny spaces is excellent, and it’s useful in combat, too.
Using D&D Beyond to Build Your Druid
D&D Beyond is an official toolset you can use to easily create characters for Dungeons & Dragons. Our free character builder will walk you through the character creation process. All you need to do to get started is create a free D&D Beyond account. You don't need to purchase anything to create your character — the Basic Rules of the game are free to access and integrated into the character builder. Happy Wild Shaping!
James Haeck (@jamesjhaeck) was formerly the lead writer for D&D Beyond. They have contributed to a number of D&D releases, including Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, and Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep. They are living their best druid life in in Seattle, WA with a veritable jungle of houseplants.
This article was originally published on October 18, 2019, and was updated on January 3, 2024.
Depending on your game world, the quality of the book illustrations may be an issue. Real-world medieval bestiaries are great fun, but not much good for determining what a particular animal looks like.
Imagine trying to turn into this "elephant".
thanks for making that it helped a lot.
Well...
This depends, really, as of how you imagine the shapeshift ability to work.
For instance if you want to roleplay out that to transform into something you not only need to see the creature but to learn it's nature or alternatively to connect with the spirits that creature is bound to, then probably a peer druid can't teach you. But if it's just a learned ability or something you only have to see once, then yes.
I wouldn't bet on it however, since druids are wisdom based and not intelligence.
I guess if a mentor druid does bear things with you while he is a bear you might learn how to bear. But even that would take time and mentor druid would probably just send you to the actual animals anyway.
So what you are suggesting is to take the Last Airbender / Legend of Korra animals and put them into DnD.
Yes, I would like to be a polarbear-dog.
Skimmed through it after the article explained how how you can be more versatile with your wild shape.
My Circle of the Shepherd Druid uses an ape form in a pinch. Good amount of hit points for not having combat wild shape, and also has a decent ranged attack in addition to two melee attacks.
Weird i thought druids were overpowered lol. Second class i ever played was a moon druid and my DM was dealing with me being wildshaped into a giant constrictor snake with 60 HP and then Polymorphed by a pixie into a T-rex with 136HP while my normal human self had about 50HP and the pixie was turned invisible by another caster and flying out of range for anything to hit it.
Can a druid use their higher proficiency on attacks in beast shape while using the Alter Self spell granted by the Cicle of the Moon?
Or if a druid took the Tavern Brawler or Weapon Master(unarmed strikes) feats?
Or multiclassing to a class that can use simple weapons/unarmed strikes?
And I have seen people saying a druid in wild shape only has the proficiencies of the beast, but the wording in the class description says otherwise.
"You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature’s bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can’t use them."
I suppose they are when things like what you described come into play. Which is probably rare for many tables.
One greatly overlooked animal is the giant badger, Wild Shaping into it is one of the few ways to get a burrowing speed, the earth elemental works for this too, but even a non moon Druid can Wild Shape into a giant badger at level 2.
I’m surprised that you left off the weasel and giant weasel from the exploration forms. They’re pretty stealthy with their double proficiency bonus.
At lower levels, it is kinda Op but the power drops off at tier 3. Also most DMs wouldn't allow those pixie tactics for a few reasons, most glaringly, how would they know what a T rex is?
A good druid, especially moon circle, is always thinking beyond just personal combat and scouting. Your most valuable asset is often your ability to enhance or complement others in the party.
XGE list of beasts per environ is quite a bit flawed; I would recommend a discussion with DM to include not only environ of origin but also environs you've likely visited due to prior travels and background activities. Also, pull up some actual data on the real world beasts to show how they live in multiple environments...yes, it is game mechanics but some beasts are surely common in more environs than what is shown. Also, changes of sighting a beast should have nothing to do with its CR rating, only how common or rare it is. Also, something like working with a circus troupe would profoundly change your exposure to certain animals that might not be in your environ of origin.
Replace draft horse with warhorse; better speed, much better damage output
Brown bear is a nice CR1 choice if you particularly need max # of total hits or chances to score at least one hit (to enable certain spells and abilities of others as well as force Con saves for spell concentration).
Tiger is my preference at CR1 for exploration due to overall mobility, stealth, senses combo.
Giant spider is hard to beat for getting to and disadvantaging rear ranks of foes in confined dungeon settings with the 30' ranged web attack. Also pairs extremely well with magical darkness, heavy obscurement, and of course webbing encounters.
At level 5 a Sleet Storm spell followed by giant constrictor snake can be a fantastic combo if your DM rules that as a snake your normal movement is crawling (How is it not? You dont have legs to walk with!) Stalk and bludgeon to death with advantage that nasty spellcaster who is blinded (even with darkvision), at disadvantage, and has to Con save every turn to concentrate on spells. All while foiling opposition ranged and melee attacks in a huge area and possibly allowing your allies to pick off foes as they emerge piecemeal, if you can catch them before they've closed to melee.
My teen son likes to transform into a mammoth and then just fall over onto a group of enemies. I've been ruling it as bludgeoning damage, but I'd love to know if there's a better answer. He thinks it's hilarious.
Good until an enemy with sentinel feat arrives. Good-bye trample and hello being attacked with advantage and attacking with disadvantage.
I heard that Crag Cats are amazing to wildshape into because of its non detection and Spell Turning traits
Personally I love being a brown bear, Cougar or a moose for combat
I generally have a house rule that swimming and flying races like Aarakoka have it backwards- They start with only being able to transform into beasts that have a swiming/flying speed, and then expand into walking creatures.
They're great! They're such a unique and powerful creature, I would only allow them if I was running the campaign they originated in (Storm King's Thunder), or a campaign that took place in their native biome.