D&D (2024) 2024 Player's Handbook Reveal: Shape of "New Druid"

Druid video today. Where will wildshape land?

Druid video today. Where will wildshape land?


We saw three druids in the playtest, and each was meaningfully different. The most recent look at the class was in PT8 (UA Playtest document 8); with the Moon Druid in PT8, and Land Druid and Sea Druid in PT6, with the Stars Druid in Tasha's. What will change? What will be revealed? Will it be feasible to pick an combat animal shape and stick with it through 20 levels? Let's find out!

OVERVIEW
  • "there is a ton of new in the druid": but it was all in the playtest materials. Very little to see here. "the final version has elements people didn't get to see" in the playtest, however everything they discuss was in the playtest documents.
  • Primal order choice at level 1: Warden or Magician. Warden gives proficiency in Medium armor and martial weapons; Magician gives cantrip and nature checks (and so =PT8). Magician incentivizes not dumping Intelligence.
  • no mention of metal armor; presumably any restriction is now gone.
  • Druidic includes speak with animals prepared.
  • Wildshape (as in PT8): as a bonus action; wild companion option from Tasha's for a familiar; you can speak; spellslot for another wildshift at 5.
  • NO MENTION OF BEAST FORMS IN THE PHB.
  • At level 7, Elemental Fury choice not determined by level 1 choice; you can mix-and-match. (would you want to?) Improved at level 15 -- extra range option works at range while flying, if you want.
  • new cantrips: Starry Wisp (ranged spell attack in PT8) and Elementalism (PT6).
Overall, this is pretty disappointing in terms of a preview for people who have been invested in the playtest. No discussion of the beast forms in the PHB, no mention of distinctive Druid features (metal armor, though the silence is probably revelatory) or adjustements to canonical spells (any adjustments to Reincarnate so it might actually see play?).

Narrator: His questions would not be answered.

SUBCLASSES
Land
  • Almost all as in PT6. This is "all about your spellcasting".
  • you choose your land type every long rest. Arid, Polar, Temperate, Tropical (as in PT6).
  • use wildshape at 3 to create "eruption of nature magic" (harms and heals). Expanded at 14 to include resitances.
  • Two damage resistances at 10 (with flexibility: poison plus one determined by land type
Sea
  • wanted to "make sure we don't have the Aquaman problem".
  • NEW: Water breathing replaces Sleet storm on the subclass spell list.
Moon
  • Almost everything exactly as in PT8: AC is "more reliable"; gain in temporary hit points instead of just taking over the creature's hit points. (a nerf, but a needed one). (Crawford ties it to abilities that activate when you get zero hp;
  • NEW: subclass spell list given (it is different from PT8):
    • 3: cure wounds, moon beam, starry wisp (unchanged)
    • 5: conjure animals (replacing Vampiric touch)
    • 7: fount of Moonlight (new spell, as in PT8)
    • 9: mass cure wounds (replacing Dawn).
Stars
  • like Tasha's, but starting now at level 3. Enhanced by core class, but no specific changes made.
 

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mellored

Legend
Their loosing me again. Who would pick warden…when there are funner ways to melee?
Medium armor.
I don't expect very many will use the Martial weapon.
And why not just make wild shape a spell?
It's basically Channel Divinity that the subclasses can use for their thing.
And the default 2 uses are turning into an animal and summon familiar.
And why, if the class was already too complicated, keep adding things?
I wasn't complaining.
 


Quickleaf

Legend
Wait... the Primal Order: Warden grants the druid proficiency in medium armor...

The 2014 druid already gave druids medium armor proficiency: "Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields (druids will not wear armor or use shields made of metal)"

Medium armor includes Hide (same AC as studded leather), Chain shirt, Scale mail, Breastplate, and Half plate...

Druids cannot wear metal armor still, right?

Are they including Chain shirts, Scale mail, Breastplate, and Half plate non-magical items in the game that are not made of metal?

That's rather muddled.
 

Parmandur

Book-Friend
Alright, sof ro art representation we have:

  • Main Druid, Human male
  • Circle of the Moon, Orc male
  • Circle of the Land, EDIT: sorry, Gnome female, got fooled.by the Druid antlers
  • Circle of the Sea, Storm Goliath male
  • Circle of the Stars, Elf female

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