Does Moon Druid Wildshape stay viable up to 20?

[Rajah]

Looking through the guides here and the monster manual itself, everyone seems to think that Moon Druids peak early, and I agree. Does Wild shape stay viable throughout the game, though? Like a mammoth at level 18 looks ok (a bit boring, only having 1 choice), but some levels seem really rough.

I know it is silly to expect dedicated melee-like damage and survivability, but does wild shape stay good enough that it is worth it through 20 levels or does there come a point where even Moon Druids sit back and play full caster because it is flat out better than wild shape?

And if I am reading this right, if you choose to have your gear absorbed into your form, you don't benefit from any of the bonuses from magical items. Is Moon Druid sort of a trap? Something that looks great when you are below level 5 and then eventually you turn into a semi-gimped Land Druid?

[Nu]

They have various peaks. It doesn't always have the same consistent level of power, but you're pretty dang good at level 2, and become slightly less powerful every level until 6, where you hit another decent point, then coast until 10 where you get the Elemental Wild Shapes which are pretty boss, especially at level 10.

You're going to get something decent at every level divisible by 3 when you get new forms, which is not always super awesome, but it's certainly always viable, particularly as a damage sponge that takes damage and then sheds it like nothing happened after dropping out of wild shape. That's the real value of moon druid, you're hardly gimped, you have a different role in the party. You wade into battle and soak up damage. Then you drop out of wild shape at full hit points.

You are also not very heavily dependent on your ability scores. This allows you to buff up with a Concentration spell, wild shape and wade into melee, and provided your game allows feats, you don't need to spend ASIs on improving those scores very much, so you're free to take whatever feats you want. Sentinel's a good option to become annoying to enemies that want to try and circumvent your giant sack of hit points.

[SharkForce]

basically, your combat form is not going to be a good choice for offense in any fight where you would want to use something stronger than a cantrip. fortunately you use it as a bonus action when you're a moon druid, so you can throw out entangle or something like that and pick off whatever doesn't get controlled, wild shape, and then contribute with wild shape damage instead of cantrips.

but if by "viable" you mean "remotely competitive with proper melee classes in terms of damage", then the answer is no. a mammoth is around half the damage of a similar level warrior that is not expending any major resources. not terrible, probably better than you would do just throwing out a cantrip, but your contribution is not going to be anything special if all you're using is wild shape.

[Rajah]

A mammoth is, I believe, +10 to hit. Isn't this quite a bit lower than other melee classes as well at that level?

[Nu]

A mammoth is, I believe, +10 to hit. Isn't this quite a bit lower than other melee classes as well at that level?

Well, that depends. "Quite a bit" depends on how many magic items you have, because the base value for a melee class is +5 from your ability score and +6 from proficiency, which is only +11.

Granted, a level 18 character is probably going to have a +2 weapon at least, which makes it a +3 difference, which is fairly significant. But with no magic items (baseline) it's only a +1 difference.

[Rajah]

And since a mammoth can't benefit from your magic weapons and armor, then you are doing significantly less damage and missing significantly more (most likely). Does it fall far enough behind that you would be more productive just casting and going into melee in emergencies instead of being primary melee?

[Zman]

It depends if you consider doing low to moderate damage and having virtually unlimited HP to be viable.

[Nu]

And since a mammoth can't benefit from your magic weapons and armor, then you are doing significantly less damage and missing significantly more (most likely). Does it fall far enough behind that you would be more productive just casting and going into melee in emergencies instead of being primary melee?

As previously stated, the moon druid's primary job is to get in the way and absorb damage, and it's really good at it. That is what you are best off doing.

I think you're overstating the difference in accuracy anyway. Most enemies you fight aren't going to be too difficult to hit with a +10, especially if you can get advantage somehow.

[Tanarii]

And since a mammoth can't benefit from your magic weapons and armor, 5e doesn't assume significant amounts of magic items will be available.

[djreynolds]

It is all party dependent, and little concept and optimization. As Mr Nu, said basically twice a day as a bonus action mind, not as good as a reaction, but I have no complaints, you can add 30+ hit points at anytime really. All your spells are prepared, big list of good spells, lots of utility in wildshape, and you can just focus on relevant stats, wis and con, and a little dex maybe if want to engage in combat in your human form with a scimitar and hide shield.

A moon druid is more than viable, it is humbly, IMO, really OP sometimes. Our DM hates them, those extra hit points are huge in terms of just being a melee sponge and you can heal yourself with spell slots as a bonus action.

And, AFB, you can maintain concentration spells you casted previously like moonbeam, stoneskin, barkskin.

I got read the riot act on this one, I was turned to the dark side of the moon. Any party would welcome your druid

[hymer]

Is Moon Druid sort of a trap?

Only if you tend to forget you're a full caster into the bargain. Wild Shape won't always cut it, but druid casting will - unless you spend too much of it healing your low AC wild shape.
In that sense, the main problem for moon druids is that they tend to sink their feats and other resources into things that enhance their wild shapes over their casting. So compared to land druids, moon druids feel stronger when wild shapes do best (level 2 and a bit, when brown bears and dire wolves are really powerful, 10 and a bit when you have just acquired elemental forms, and 18+ when you get Beast Spells). The rest of the time, the moon druid is liable to spend more time casting than wild shaping, and the land druid will have the advantage (better wis, land spell known and prepared, and Natural Recovery for more spell slots per day).
So when your wild shapes are feeling weak, better think of them as your ability to save on spell slots and get personal with your enemies. Don't heal too much from Combat Wild Shape.

[Nu]

It is all party dependent, and little concept and optimization. As Mr Nu, said basically twice a day as a bonus action mind, not as good as a reaction, but I have no complaints, you can add 30+ hit points at anytime really.

Actually, wild shape recharges with a short rest, so it'll usually be more than twice per day.

[Doof]

It's super strong until somewhere around level 6, then starts to fall off quite drastically, struggles greatly to stay relevant between levels 9-17, gets a bit better at level 18 and become the god of endless hp at level 20.

Damage per round is pitiful even with most up-to-date forms, so you really need to think outside the box and not rely on yourself to be a full melee damage dealer. As others said, wildshape alone will never cut anything (after level 5 anyway) so make use of that full casting progression.

[Logosloki]

Aside from level 2-4 (the CR:level ratio is insanely good) and then level 18-20 (You become a full caster who can RIP and TEAR at the same time) you are probably better off using your wildshape for utility (Scouting, Infiltrating, Foraging, Breaking out of Prisons), survival (ablative wound stratagem or soaking) or bodyguarding.

Moon Druid falls into the same category as most full casters, that is that you are a full caster with a slice of X, X in this case being able to break out into animal and elemental (eventually) shapes. The slice of X is never going to be optimal or even competitive in some cases but you aren't doing it for those reasons. You're doing it because sometimes you really just get so angry you hulk out into an animal and RIP and TEAR.

[PoeticDwarf]

Giant crocodiles have swag, and the whole point of moon druid is that it is nova. Low level it is strong and later (but before level 20) it is a nove option for decent DPR and nice survival.