Not a backstory quirk, but I have a fun alternative mechanic for a Druid!
I have a Druid PC in the campaign I’m running right now who’s still relatively new to DnD and was disappointed that Wild Shape is limited to just twice a day (the DnD movie might be partially responsible for this). After some discussion we came up with some homebrew rules that she’s happy with and I’ve really enjoyed too.
She chooses two animals per day that she can Wild Shape into and she can switch between them and her human form as often as she’d like, but their HP doesn’t reset and if one of them hits 0, she loses that Wild Shape for the day. She doesn’t have to choose them at the beginning of the day, but once she’s transformed into an animal, she’s locked into that animal for the rest of the day. So if she decides to transform into a cat to be sneaky at the beginning of the day, she loses out on a possibly big beefy meat shield later on. She also can’t choose the same animal twice.
It’s been a fun way of giving her the flexibility to go in and out of animal form during RP (and sometimes a little in battle) without feeling like the balance is thrown way off.
I am playing a druid, the RAW interpretation is a bit boring and relegates wildshape to a secondary ability (in my opinion) when it should be front and center.
I have changed the mechanic to be more similar to sorcery points or ki points.
You get 4 WS points per druid level (+8 points if mood druid)
Transformation is the CR x 4; min 1 point
Time in the form is 15min per point.
So for a mood druid transforming into a dire wolf (CR1), it would be 4 points to transform, and 1 point for the first 15 minutes. Spending a minimum of 5 points; out of your initial 16 point pool at level 2.
Non-moon druid transforms into a cat (CR 1/8), would cost the minimum 1 point to transform and 1 point for the first 15 minutes. Spending a minimum of 2 points; out of the 8 point pool at level 2.
The points still reset on a short rest.
At level 4 when non-moon druids get CR 1/2; the non-moon druid has 16 points; the moon druid has 24. At level 6 when a moon druid gets CR2 transformation they have 32 points. A CR2 transformation costs a minimum of 9 points for the first 15 minutes.
I like this because it means that wild shape becomes a resource to be used and managed like spell slots/ki points/sorcery points etc…it also seems more progressive, as you become more experienced as a druid you can do more with the wild shape.
It also avoids the “wasted” wild shape feeling, so instead of thinking is it worth transforming into a rat to follow this target through a sewer, when I could become a crocodile later to mess up what they are heading toward…I think, rat for the next 30 / 45 minutes is only 4 points total, leaving me with 12 points in my pool because I was a horse an hour ago.
@absGeekNZ@Goofy Not bad, but feel that the time would come back to bite you. Also, most players I know hate keeping track. Think you could just double to cost, and make it infinite time?
Not a backstory quirk, but I have a fun alternative mechanic for a Druid!
I have a Druid PC in the campaign I’m running right now who’s still relatively new to DnD and was disappointed that Wild Shape is limited to just twice a day (the DnD movie might be partially responsible for this). After some discussion we came up with some homebrew rules that she’s happy with and I’ve really enjoyed too.
She chooses two animals per day that she can Wild Shape into and she can switch between them and her human form as often as she’d like, but their HP doesn’t reset and if one of them hits 0, she loses that Wild Shape for the day. She doesn’t have to choose them at the beginning of the day, but once she’s transformed into an animal, she’s locked into that animal for the rest of the day. So if she decides to transform into a cat to be sneaky at the beginning of the day, she loses out on a possibly big beefy meat shield later on. She also can’t choose the same animal twice.
It’s been a fun way of giving her the flexibility to go in and out of animal form during RP (and sometimes a little in battle) without feeling like the balance is thrown way off.
I love that, good on you both for finding something that works for your table
I am playing a druid, the RAW interpretation is a bit boring and relegates wildshape to a secondary ability (in my opinion) when it should be front and center.
I have changed the mechanic to be more similar to sorcery points or ki points.
You get 4 WS points per druid level (+8 points if mood druid)
Transformation is the CR x 4; min 1 point
Time in the form is 15min per point.
So for a mood druid transforming into a dire wolf (CR1), it would be 4 points to transform, and 1 point for the first 15 minutes. Spending a minimum of 5 points; out of your initial 16 point pool at level 2.
Non-moon druid transforms into a cat (CR 1/8), would cost the minimum 1 point to transform and 1 point for the first 15 minutes. Spending a minimum of 2 points; out of the 8 point pool at level 2.
The points still reset on a short rest.
At level 4 when non-moon druids get CR 1/2; the non-moon druid has 16 points; the moon druid has 24. At level 6 when a moon druid gets CR2 transformation they have 32 points. A CR2 transformation costs a minimum of 9 points for the first 15 minutes.
I like this because it means that wild shape becomes a resource to be used and managed like spell slots/ki points/sorcery points etc…it also seems more progressive, as you become more experienced as a druid you can do more with the wild shape.
It also avoids the “wasted” wild shape feeling, so instead of thinking is it worth transforming into a rat to follow this target through a sewer, when I could become a crocodile later to mess up what they are heading toward…I think, rat for the next 30 / 45 minutes is only 4 points total, leaving me with 12 points in my pool because I was a horse an hour ago.
@absGeekNZ @Goofy Not bad, but feel that the time would come back to bite you. Also, most players I know hate keeping track. Think you could just double to cost, and make it infinite time?
That is a good idea, I’ll give it a try
I think I actually like the mechanics of this better than RAW. It would fix how broken the Moon druid is, at least.
Wild shape is twice per short or long rest, not twice a day. A short nap wiill give you both uses back.