Hi all,
I was Reading through the player guide and noticed that there aren't many ways to change into animals. Off. course one could become a druid, but for other classes the spells to change your shape are higher level ones. There is no spell like beast shape or something simulair at low levels, or am I missing something? I always like to use this spell, it's at hing i'm missing richt now :-( what do you think about this?
greetings!
Transforming into animals is the druid's schtick. Doesn't it make sense that other classes can't do it as easily?
It makes sense that a wizard can't do it for the same duration, or a concept I'm playing with; a rogue that has only one medium animal shape he changes into for stealth/spying capabilities... But nothing at all is a bit harsh :-)
Talk to your DM about granting your character this ability, or an item that does it. If you can give him an interesting background to explain his shapeshifting, the DM might buy into it. I recommend you don't ask for it just 'because its kewl.' You might expect other players at the table to want some kind of perk, else it looks like DM favoritism, and be prepared for the DM to impose restrictions or flat out reject your request. If he denies it, let him know its on your wish list as a character concept. Unless he's totally hardline/stingy, he'll probably work with you to make it happen well before your party reaches level 7 (to cast 4th level polymorph spell)
Darctos wrote:
Saelorn wrote:
Thanks for the feedback so far!
I was thinking about a rogue who has helped out some druids and as thanks was gifted this light version of wild shape.
Maybe like this: same progression as the Druids wildshape for duration and number of times a day, but only up to medium creatures and only 1 animal. And when a druid whould gain new shapes, the rogue would gain 1 additional animal form.
Or like this; unlimited times a day and duration into 1 animal up to med size. Gain stats from the animal unless character stats are better. No flying or underwater creatures. When killed in the animal shape the additional damage and all animal hit points are substracted from the pc's health.
What do you think?.
What I would do look at the Rogue Archetype features and when they are gained. Then, create a "shapeshifting" archetype to replace those features with similar features related to a lesser version of wildshaping and being a rogue. For example:
3rd - Shapeshifting Rogue - Use Beast Shape table replacing the levels with 3rd, 9th, and 13th respectively. 1/short rest for 1 hour/3 levels
3rd - Retain Dex - use Greater of Rogues DEX or beasts DEX value or ability to pick locks in beast form without thieve's tools (can reach in better).
17th - Additional shape change/short rest
How palitable is just multiclassing two levels into Druid?
This gives you twice/short rest uses of turning into animals.
Not every druid has to be a millitant ecoterrorist. In fact since "civilisation vs nature" isn't really a thing (since nature just wins) in fedual times, makes sense druids are more "people who wish to gain the power of beasts" in my head. A rogue who wishes litreally to be a cat-burglar for example 
Illithidbix wrote:
Darctos wrote:
Sounds like you don't care for the rest of the druid abilities (spell casting), and probably don't want to spread your ability scores thin, so I'm guessing multiclassing is not a preferred option. However, it's the only option by RAW, so you really need to work with your DM on this.
Shape shifting the way you describe is a core druid ability, so it ought to come at the cost of a core rogue ability. I haven't thought through mechanical balance implications thoroughly, but as a DM, I'd allow you to create a new rogue archetype that replaces Cunning Action with Wild Shape. You'd also need to replace Fast Hands if you were heading into the Thief archetype previously, perhaps an additional use of Wild Shape for 3/day. Balance wise, it gives the rogue a pool of HPs he's not supposed to have, but then Cunning Action has massive combat utility, so maybe it's not too strong a trade.
Keep us updated with your DMs call.
I'm going to look at the mc options, maybe in 5th it became easier. Haven't really read it thoroughly yet. When i see the dm ill let you know. We dont take RAW as the law, so homebrew is fine. But i hate over or underpowered options and the need to keep tuning, therefor raw is easier most of the times :-) but since the shape change is mostly not combat related it's not that big a deal I think :-)
Talk to your DM about creating a new subrace or swapping out certain racial traits for limited use of the ability.
We decided to allow one beast shape for the character at second level of 1/4 cr, at 4th level of 1/2 cr and at 8th one of 1. No swimming or flying creatures. Also this is the background for the character and he must be an elf. The character is grew up Among druids, but got bannend from the circle for Some reason :-) we will use wildshape rules except that the damage is substracted from the character instead of an aditional health pool. This so this won't be a big avantage in combat but more during roleplaying.
what do you think? :-)
Trickster Cleric is a sneaky semi-Rogue and gets Polymorph at 7th.
1eejit wrote: