One D&D Playtest 8*: Druid

Here follow my notes on the Playtest 8* Druid class. (Why the asterisk? See my rant on the Playtest 8* Barbarian.)

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

To no one’s surprise, the Druid has been revised again. Like my last post, I’m just going to focus here on what’s changed since UA6.

Base Class

  • Spellcasting (level 1) has some inconsequential rephrasings (“level 3 Druid” instead of “3rd-level Druid”, “spells of levels 1 and 2” instead of “spells of 1st or 2nd level”) but is otherwise unchanged. I reckon the updated wording may be easier for newer players.
  • Wild Companion (level 2) is identical, but a design note promises that the 2024 PHB will included more Beast options than the 2014 version did, so that’s positive.
  • Wild Shape (level 2), the source of so much playtest drama, has changes both smaller and larger. On the minor side, the maximum duration of Wild Shape, half your Druid level, no longer includes the guidance to round down. Does this mean odd levels get an extra half hour?
  • The mechanic for the number of Known Forms has changed – it now scales directly with Druid level (2 plus half, rounding up for once! So 3 at level 2, 4 at levels 3 and 4, 5 at levels 5 and 6, and so forth, topping out at a whopping 12 forms at level 19. In UA6, this topped out at 5 at level 8, so this is a huge increase over the the course of a Druid’s adventuring career. UA8 also notes that players may look in the Monster Manual or elsewhere for eligible Beasts with the DM’s permission.
  • The section on Game Statistics while Wild Shaped no longer permits Druids to retain their species traits but is otherwise unchanged from the quite generous UA6 rules.
  • Wild Shape now adds Temporary Hit Points equal to your Druid level when you transform.

Circle of the Moon

  • Circle Spells (level 3, new) adds thematic spells that you always have prepared – including two new ones (Starry Wisp and Fount of Moonlight) – and which you can cast while Wild Shaped.
  • Circle Forms (level 3) combines and streamlines the Circle Forms and Combat Wild Shape features from UA6. First, It overrides the maximum Challenge Rating for your Wild Shape form so that it scales with your Druid level instead of having two fixed caps at levels 3 and 6 as it did in UA6 (so you’ll now see CR bumps at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18). Second, your Armor Class while Wild Shaped is now determined using your Wisdom modifier, which should help it stay viable in higher tier play. Next, it overrides your Temporary Hit Points while Wild Shaped to always be three times your Druid level (formerly this had been the lesser of 3x your Druid level or the Beast’s hit points). I haven’t checked the math here, but I expect this will be better in many cases. Meanwhile, the UA6 elements about casting Abjuration Spells and granting Moonbeam have been removed because they’re redundant thanks to Circle Spells.
  • Improved Circle Forms (level 6) has been updated to add your Wisdom modifier to Constitution saving throws while Wild Shaped (great for maintaining concentration).
  • Lunar Form (level 14) adds Improved Lunar Radiance, which adds 1d10 extra Radiant damage to your hits while Wild Shaped. In exchange, it loses the increased range of movement for the Moonbeam spell. This feels fair to me.

Spells

  • Fount of Moonlight (level 4 evocation) is available to Druids… and Bards! It combines a shorter-range, self-centered Light with Resistance to Radiant damage, extra Radiant damage from melee attacks, and can temporarily blind a creature that hit you (that’ll teach ’em to mess with you!).
  • Starry Wisp (evocation cantrip) is also available to both Druids and Bards. It’s basically a Radiant damage version of Fire Bolt/Ray of Frost/Eldritch Blast that does 1d8 and makes your target emit Dim Light, preventing them from benefitting from being Invisible. It scales like other blasty cantrips, gaining an extra die at levels 5, 11, and 17.

Hot Takes

  • Wild Shape seems decently tuned, or at least close enough that tables won’t feel too bad about adding their own house rule tweaks. The one loss here – not keeping your species traits while Wild Shaped – makes sense and I think actually feels better this way.
  • Disappointingly, the Evergreen Wild Shape component of the level 20 capstone, Archdruid, still uses the “regain one when you have none left” mechanic that I haven’t liked in the past. They must be set on it since it’s unchanged from UA6 (and UA4 too). I’ll probably complain about it in the survey, but live with it since level 20 play is extremely unlikely.
  • Circle of the Moon seems quite solid to me now, addressing many of the complaints and nitpicks from previous iterations. It looks fun to play, and not too annoying to DM for. The new spells are pretty cool, and in particular I like Starry Wisp rounding out the collection of basic blast cantrips as well as providing a remedy for Invisible foes that doesn’t require a spell slot.

Overall, I like where the Druid’s at now. The trick for me would be deciding which circle to play (Land, Moon, and Sea all look fun to me).