How many wildshape forms do druids have?

[Sheentaku]

Hi, I am new to D&D and I will be rolling a druid with my group. The issue is I do not quite understand how many wildshape forms you get.
From what I understand you get a Normal form at level 5, a large at level 8 a tiny at level 12, huge at 15 and then elemental.
But then I read stuff about plant and dire forms... which completely confuses me. So how many different forms do i get?

Another confusing part is when level 6, it says Wildshape again, does that mean I get to pick another normal/small wildshape?

Also can you only turn into one animal ever? for example say at level 5 I choose a Eagle as my normal form? The only normal form i ever get is a eagle?


So when I reach level 8 I get a large form, so should I pick a more ultilty form at level 5? as level 8 animals do more damage?


I am very sorry for the confusion

[MesiDoomstalker]

You choose every time you change. It doesn't matter. The only limit to what you can transform into is size and type limitations. So you can transform into any animal of appropriate sizes.

[Worira]

All of them. A druid can wildshape into any creature that meets the criteria of his level (I.E., no large animals before level 8, any large animals afterward). They don't need to select forms, they can pick one animal/plant/elemental on one use of Wild Shape and a completely different one on the next. And what Druids get at 6th level is an additional usage of Wild Shape per day, not an additional form that can be changed into.

[Telonius]

A Druid is allowed to change into any animal shape that meets the qualifications. That means, at level 5, you can change into any small or medium animal, once per day. You pick the form when you change shape, but it's not your set form forever. You can change into a dog one day, a donkey the next day, a crocodile the next.

By level 8, you can change into any small, medium, or large animal, three times per day, and so on.

Note that "Animal" is a specific monster type. Things like Apes and Wolves are animals, but Hippogriffs aren't. (Hippogriffs are Magical Beasts).

A "Dire" animal is just like a regular animal, except that it's usually bigger and meaner than the regular version. (Wolf is medium, Dire Wolf is large). So you could change into a Wolf at level 5, but not a Dire Wolf until level 8.

[Sheentaku]

Ah thank you very much cleared alot up for me

[HunterOfJello]

There are also feats and prestige classes that give you more options of other creatures you can turn in to. Exalted Wild Shape [General] gives you access to the Blink Dog, Giant Eagle, Giant Owl, Pegasus, Unicorn, and celestial template on any animal you could turn into before. Dragon Wild Shape lets you turn in to a small or medium sized dragon with supernatural and extraordinary abilities along with it (but not spell-like abilities or spellcasting from the new form). After taking a few feats, you can get access to Beast Shape from the Eberron Campaign setting that lets you turn into either a Chimera, Digester, Displacer beast, Gorgon, Krenshar, Unicorn, Winter Wolf, or Yrthak.

There are probably a few other feats, like a plant one you mentioned, but i'd have to look around for them.