Player Wants to Play An Animal Companion

[mr_odd]

Let me clarify, the player wants to play a druid that pretends to be another PC's animal companion. He's been thinking about the concept for almost a year now, and I also particularly find the character concept interesting. The problem is that when we switch to 5e, I want to start at level one and play straight to 20. Since this will be a new system, I want to start at level one so everyone can not only learn together, but everyone can experience and decide what they like about the system compared to 3.5.

So here is my predicament and question for the Playground: how can I make this work? If a player comes to me with a character concept (that isn't created to be OP), I want to let the character play that character. I'm away from home and don't have my book, but druids don't gain the ability to wild shape for an indefinite amount of time until level 14. In fact, they can't even wild shape until level 2. The player has expressed that he would be willing to take a feat that allows him to pull this off. Since I'm giving every player a feat at level 1, fine with this, but I want to make sure that we implement a balanced and satisfying feat.

My current train of thought for a feat would be: Choose a creature of CR 1/8 (or 1/4, depending on what creatures are which). You may freely wild shape into that creature for an indefinite amount of time. You may also cast spells while you are in the form of the creature, and are physically able to perform the requirements of the spell.

Thoughts? Opinions? Snide remarks? I appreciate and thank you for your time and thoughts in advance.

[Scirocco]

I wouldn't allow the spellcasting bit (cat casters eww), but other than that, why not?

[RealCheese]

I don't think giving him wildshape at level one is going to break anything, as long as it's not moon wild shape which is madly overpowered from level two until level 4 or 5 as it is already. The staying in wildshape part I don't see as a big issue either. The druid at level two can wildshape twice for an hour each time per short rest. That's already plenty generous, you could quite feasibly be in wildshape for every combat, which is what makes me say it doesn't seem that overpowered to just let him stay in wildshape form. Especially if he doesn't intend to switch between creatures. The part that might be crazy is the casting spells while in wildshape form. There is a reason that is a late ability and the reason is that most wildshape forms are vastly superior in combat than anything the druid might do while in his 'caster' form. Maybe limit the spells he has access to, or stipulate that he can cast healing spells between combat but not any spells during?
And I would still give him the feat you are giving everyone else independently of this.

[Flashy]

Since you normally have to be 18th level to cast spells in wild shape I would definitely take the spellcasting part out.

[mr_odd]

Would it be sensible to allow cantrips cast in that particular animal form? Again, I don't have my book on me, so I can't see the spell list. I'll have to talk to the player more, but I believe that he plans on staying in the animal form as much as possible, so I want to make sure he is useful in situations (especially combat).

[Madfellow]

To be perfectly honest, I don't think the rules for Wild Shape were designed to support an idea like this. Getting it to work would require changing too many rules, and would risk breaking balance.

However, something that might work: Rather than playing a humanoid pretending to be an animal, just let him play an animal, like an Awakened wolf or something like that. Let him gain levels as a druid like normal player character, except instead of a humanoid, he's an animal.

[mr_odd]

To be perfectly honest, I don't think the rules for Wild Shape were designed to support an idea like this. Getting it to work would require changing too many rules, and would risk breaking balance.

However, something that might work: Rather than playing a humanoid pretending to be an animal, just let him play an animal, like an Awakened wolf or something like that. Let him gain levels as a druid like normal player character, except instead of a humanoid, he's an animal.

Okay, I have no idea why I did not think of this. This seems like an easy way to do it that is balanced. I could change his wild shape into "humanoid shape," where he could shape change into a humanoid to cast spells.

[cobaltstarfire]

Or you could have the player play as some sort of were animal/druid. (I'm assuming the were animals have an animal form that they could stay in).

Seems much easier than trying to rebuild the rules to allow them to stay wildshapped. That or giving her permanent wildshape (He can't leave it) say it's a curse or something, and tweak some things from there.

[Flashy]

Would it be sensible to allow cantrips cast in that particular animal form? Again, I don't have my book on me, so I can't see the spell list.

I really wouldn't give them access to any spellcasting at all. Being a wolf or whatever all day every day is a big enough deal without access to at will magic at the start of the game.

[Easy_Lee]

I'm thinking PC as an animal would work best. Just apply whatever class he chooses to the animal he wants to play and you have your character (house rule wildshape to also allow humanoid shape if he wants druid). Applying awakened is also a good idea, as it grants speech and intellect, but doesn't increase CR or anything this edition.

I'm picturing a custom luck dragon race which develops a flight speed at the same time as draconic sorcerers. Falkor as a PC ftw.

[Ghost Nappa]

Let me clarify, the player wants to play a druid that pretends to be another PC's animal companion. He's been thinking about the concept for almost a year now, and I also particularly find the character concept interesting. The problem is that when we switch to 5e, I want to start at level one and play straight to 20. Since this will be a new system, I want to start at level one so everyone can not only learn together, but everyone can experience and decide what they like about the system compared to 3.5.

So here is my predicament and question for the Playground: how can I make this work? If a player comes to me with a character concept (that isn't created to be OP), I want to let the character play that character. I'm away from home and don't have my book, but druids don't gain the ability to wild shape for an indefinite amount of time until level 14. In fact, they can't even wild shape until level 2. The player has expressed that he would be willing to take a feat that allows him to pull this off. Since I'm giving every player a feat at level 1, fine with this, but I want to make sure that we implement a balanced and satisfying feat.

My current train of thought for a feat would be: Choose a creature of CR 1/8 (or 1/4, depending on what creatures are which). You may freely wild shape into that creature for an indefinite amount of time. You may also cast spells while you are in the form of the creature, and are physically able to perform the requirements of the spell.

Thoughts? Opinions? Snide remarks? I appreciate and thank you for your time and thoughts in advance.

In Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, and its sequel Radiant Dawn, there are a variety of shape-shifter peoples called Laguz that alternate between a sort of "person with animal features" state and animal form. They only have 1 animal form.

They cannot stay in animal form forever, but can re-enter it quite quickly. While in their animal form, Laguz gain a couple of stat buffs (an attack buff, a defense buff, a speed buff, etc.) and a couple of weakness (vulnerability versus certain kinds of weapons, and specific magic types). There are a couple of ways to make it so that the transformation DOESN'T end in battle like it normally does.

Basically, it involves "half-shifting." One of the characters (Volug, a wolf) is capable of turning into a "wolf-like dog" state. The bonuses he receives aren't as nice as during a full transformation, but instead of being in a 0% state half the time and a 100% state the other, he's constantly at a 50% state (while still retaining his racial weaknesses).