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[scriver]

My favourite is the one with Swedenball and the bunny hopping

[Kagus]

Here we go... Air genasi druid: Levitate yourself, then transform into a shark or whale or something and have someone shove you towards the enemy so you can bite them. Genius!


Now, question regarding wild shape... It says "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.", but how does one define "physically capable of doing so"? Like, does a bugbear druid get to keep its powerful build and extra 5' reach? Or is that not considered "possible" for the form they've melded into? Because being able to morph into a large beastie and then run around with longer reach and +1 size class for pushing/pulling things seems like a great source of shenanigans. Even if size rules seem to be a little less fleshed-out than in earlier versions, from what I can tell...

And presumably the "must have seen this beast before" requirement doesn't let you do the giant version of something if you've only seen the normal one. Just stands to reason, considering the massive gap of abilities between normal and giant variants, even accounting for CR.


Anyways, between the lack of size rules and wild shape's limitation to 1 hour per use, 2/rest, I'm not sure shapeshifting is gonna be the thing for me in 5e... It's a shame, shapeshifting has almost always been a source of magnificent shenanigans. Not to say it's without uses, of course, but y'know...

[IcyTea31]

Here we go... Air genasi druid: Levitate yourself, then transform into a shark or whale or something and have someone shove you towards the enemy so you can bite them. Genius!

A giant squid can hold its breath to survive in air and has lots of health and good attacks.

Now, question regarding wild shape... It says "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.", but how does one define "physically capable of doing so"? Like, does a bugbear druid get to keep its powerful build and extra 5' reach?

A bugbear's reach comes from its long arms, which the new form probably doesn't have. It probably goes down to GM ruling, but consider whether the feature or ability requires specific equipment or anatomy and you'll have a general picture. A barbarian's rage probably works but a rogue's sneak attack needs a finesse weapon and a dragonborn's breath needs whatever organ produces it.

[Kagus]

The new form also wouldn't have a powerful build, as that's also presumably part of the bugbear's physiology and not just its lifting technique. It's just not communicated very well by the... Anything. A bugbear is also sneaky by default, but can that be applied when you're a giant toad, or is it tied directly to the buggy's slouching form/whatever? Is a kenku's mimicry more a knack for voices or a special adaptation of their vocal cords? So, yeah, GM ruling.

I do find it a little strange though that bugbears have arms so long that they can slap someone a full five feet farther away than anyone else... Gangly bastards.

Here we go... Air genasi druid: Levitate yourself, then transform into a shark or whale or something and have someone shove you towards the enemy so you can bite them. Genius!

A giant squid can hold its breath to survive in air and has lots of health and good attacks.

Yeah, but I just enjoy the imagery of making a one-man sharknado... Even if the sharks aren't really all that great combat-wise.

[GiglameshDespair]

Only player character bugbears have the extra reach thing.

Presumably their hideous squid-like arms are what got them drummed out their tribe and into the adventuring life.

[Gentlefish]

Yeah, most race-specific traits aren't kept since they're literally due to your physiology. Class abilities tend to be kept, however, so sneak attack, spell casting, rage, performances (if possible; you could sing or dance but likeloy not orate or play an instrument) are all kept.

[Criptfeind]

Anyways, between the lack of size rules and wild shape's limitation to 1 hour per use, 2/rest, I'm not sure shapeshifting is gonna be the thing for me in 5e... It's a shame, shapeshifting has almost always been a source of magnificent shenanigans. Not to say it's without uses, of course, but y'know...

I'll say about shapeshifting the limit is a lot less harsh then it might seem. (Also it's per short rest, which are a lot easier to come by then long rests). Shapeshifting might not be the practically unlimited amount druids could get in previous versions but, and especially at lower levels, it's still very strong, especially as Circle of the Moon druid. 2/short rest is enough in my experience to stay in a big tanky form for most fights (although the game seems to be balanced around some weird fight structure, actually following that structure narratively seems practically impossible to me imo, so even though you're only limited to 2 uses, I think most of the time you'll be able to go though multiple fights per hour.) at low levels which can totally just overwhelm the cr appropriate enemies for a couple of levels.

[Gentlefish]

Gees, you get your shapes back after an hour in 5e? That's way better than how 3.5 handled it. I dunno if you still get a shift/level but that's a pretty serious buff considering I'd stay in hawk form for overland travel in 3.5e

[Kagus]

I'm kinda interested in how you can get a 15' melee range with a bugbear using a reach weapon... Use something like the "lunging attack" fighter kit maneuver and you're reaching out to touch someone 20' away. Or just take tunnel fighter style and make free attacks of opportunity on anything inside 15' of your position, and a reaction attack on anything daring to move more than 5' while in that range.

That's some serious helicopter squid arm nonsense.


Also, I see wild sorcerers are still a thing, just in case living is too dull. Currently trying to dispel the fog of What around psionics and understand how they tick, but I don't know how many groups even roll with psiboys.

I'll say about shapeshifting the limit is a lot less harsh then it might seem. (Also it's per short rest, which are a lot easier to come by then long rests). Shapeshifting might not be the practically unlimited amount druids could get in previous versions but, and especially at lower levels, it's still very strong, especially as Circle of the Moon druid. 2/short rest is enough in my experience to stay in a big tanky form for most fights (although the game seems to be balanced around some weird fight structure, actually following that structure narratively seems practically impossible to me imo, so even though you're only limited to 2 uses, I think most of the time you'll be able to go though multiple fights per hour.) at low levels which can totally just overwhelm the cr appropriate enemies for a couple of levels.

Certainly, especially considering some of the beefcakes that are ranked as CR 1 (I'm level 2 now? Yeah, I'll just turn into a giant hyena and go full rage mode). However, for out-of-combat uses the hour restriction starts biting a bit more. Things like turning yourself into a beast of burden or Druid Airways First Class Seating to handle more logistical tasks is hampered more than flopping into battle as some horrific titan and blasting everyone with over-the-top multiattacks. And without mostly-harmless shenanigans to fall back on, how can I validate my munchkinnery in such an event?

Yeah, most race-specific traits aren't kept since they're literally due to your physiology. Class abilities tend to be kept, however, so sneak attack, spell casting, rage, performances (if possible; you could sing or dance but likeloy not orate or play an instrument) are all kept.

See, this is where the communication kind of falls apart, because Wild Shape expressly says "You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source[...]", with the only caveats being "[...]if the new form is physically capable of doing so.", and no sensory abilities (darkvision) unless the new form also has that sensory ability.

So if you can't cast racial spells because being shapeshifted prevents spellcasting, can't use racial physical features because they're tied to that race's physique, and can't use racial senses... What exactly are the racial features you can benefit from?


As for how many times you can use it, it's strictly 2 uses per short rest, until level 20. At which point it becomes unlimited, because everything at level 20 is just broken anyways.

[Criptfeind]

It's totally up to your gm what you keep. Which can be very little as Gentlefish says, or a whole heck of a lot. I'd still let you keep racial spellcasting personally (you know, at level 18 anyway...) because that's some inner power connected to your soul or whatever and not strictly a physical thing. Equally depending on the setting I may or may not let you keep dragonborn breath weapons. And For instance I might let a wood elf keep fey ancestry, trance, fleet of foot and mask of the wild. But I'd understand if a GM didn't let me keep any or all of those. In my current game I'm running all the "races" are just different cultures of humans, so I let my druid keep all of his racial abilities, because they are ultimately a result of cultural upbringing and not some physical difference even though his culture gets some power physical abilities.

Do psionics even exist in 5e yet? Edit: I see, looks like there's a single UA for a psionic class. Interesting.

[scriver]

What about Barbarian Naked Armour? Anyone wanna roll a Barbarian Druid Bear-serker?

[Gentlefish]

Dont get me started on bearbarians. My GM threw an awakened grizzlybear with 10 levels of barbarian at us at level 13 and it took us an hour to put it down it had so much health.

[Kagus]

Dont get me started on bearbarians. My GM threw an awakened grizzlybear with 10 levels of barbarian at us at level 13 and it took us an hour to put it down it had so much health.

Wilson? Is that you?

Do psionics even exist in 5e yet? Edit: I see, looks like there's a single UA for a psionic class. Interesting.

Yes, and it's... I don't know, maybe I'm the only one thinking it's somewhat muddled.

Psionic talents:

• You can never use your psychic focus on a talent.

Psychic Assault
Psychic Focus effect: While focused on this discipline, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with psionic talents that deal psychic damage.

There doesn't seem to be any generic "expend focus to do X", you can only burn your focus on certain feats that specifically mention that you use up your focus when doing so. So... Is it supposed to mean that you can't apply passive focus effects to talents? But then there's a passive focus effect that only applies to talents.


Yeah... Nah. Let 'em weirdboyz stay where they are, plenty enough to go around without bringing them into the mix.

[Criptfeind]

There doesn't seem to be any generic "expend focus to do X", you can only burn your focus on certain feats that specifically mention that you use up your focus when doing so. So... Is it supposed to mean that you can't apply passive focus effects to talents? But then there's a passive focus effect that only applies to talents.

Yeah, that seems to be what it means. It's not worded very well (not that surprising since it's UA) but since specific case trumps general case the specific case of Psychic Assault would certainly trump the general case focus not effecting talents.

[Kagus]

Totemic Attunement

• Eagle: While raging you have a flying speed equal to your current walking speed. This benefit works only in short bursts; you fall if you end your turn in the air and nothing else is holding you aloft.

Ever been so angry that you just fucking achieve liftoff?


I like that there's also a barbarian kit that lets people resurrect you for free. That seems appropriate.