Wild Shape

Today, I’m writing about a feature that’s been in the product for several months, but consistently generates a wow response when users discover it. One of the defining features of the druid class is wild shape. It’s a lengthy and complex feature by comparison to many others. The full text reads:

Wild Shape

Starting at 2nd level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before. You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Your druid level determines the beasts you can transform into, as shown in the Beast Shapes table. At 2nd level, for example, you can transform into any beast that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower that doesn't have a flying or swimming speed.

Beast Shapes
Level Max. CR Limitations Example
2nd 1/4 No flying or swimming speed Wolf
4th 1/2 No flying speed Crocodile
8th 1 — Giant eagle

You can stay in a beast shape for a number of hours equal to half your druid level (rounded down). You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.

While you are transformed, the following rules apply:

Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. 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.

When you transform, you assume the beast's hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. For example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn't reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren't knocked unconscious.

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. Transforming doesn't break your concentration on a spell you've already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you've already cast.

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. However, you can't use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.

You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.

Whew! That’s a lot. I’m happy to say Shard Tabletop implements all of it. The most obvious effect is your token automatically changing to the beast you choose. Everything else that should change automatically (hp, AC, strength, dexterity, constitution, proficiency, etc.) all changes to match your new shape. Because there are so many variations of things that boost the CR or change the restrictions (looking at you Circle of the Moon), we don’t restrict what you can change into, which is consistent with our philosophy of making thing easy, but not putting up barriers.

What’s more when your hit points reach zero, instead of invoking death saves, we automatically revert you to your normal shape and statistics, just as the rules read.

Try it out. If your like most players that discover it for the first time, I bet you spend at least 10 minutes amusing yourself by switching to a variety of forms.