Wild shape & feats

[Waazraath]

Wild shape states "you retain the benefit of any features form your class, .... "

I presume: this include feats (if you play with the optional rule where players can shoose either a feat or an ASI, as class feature).

How does this work exactly?
- Does Mobile increases movement with 10 ft (all modes of movement?)
- Does Tough also increases the HP of the wildshape forms?
- Does Tavern brawler allow you to start a grapple on a hit, if you attack with something resembling an unarmed strike, like a slam attack from an elemental? Or: could you use an improvised weapon with a wild shaped form to gain the benefit from Tavern Brawler?

What do you think, both RAW and 'how would you rule'?

[hymer]

Well, as you're aware, this is heavily 'ask your DM territory', so with that acknowledged:

Mobile: I'd rule that it affects all movement modes, and works just fine in wild shape. I see no RAW reason why it wouldn't, though it does do some weird things to certain animals with low movement, like the octopus on land.
Tough: Someone on the creative team has stated that Tough is not meant to increase wild shape hp. I don't particularly see why not beyond the very early levels, as long as the Toughness bonus is based on the shape's HD, not PC level.
Tavern Brawler: First you have to find out whether animals can generally grapple at all. Grappling requires a free hand, which most animals don't have. RAI I'm guessing it ought to work, though some adjudication may be in order. Just how many people can you grapple if you lose the free hand restriction, and what about grapple or restraining riders on attacks of wild shapes?

[Monavic]

Wild shape states "you retain the benefit of any features form your class, .... "

I presume: this include feats (if you play with the optional rule where players can shoose either a feat or an ASI, as class feature).

How does this work exactly?
- Does Mobile increases movement with 10 ft (all modes of movement?)
- Does Tough also increases the HP of the wildshape forms?
- Does Tavern brawler allow you to start a grapple on a hit, if you attack with something resembling an unarmed strike, like a slam attack from an elemental? Or: could you use an improvised weapon with a wild shaped form to gain the benefit from Tavern Brawler?

What do you think, both RAW and 'how would you rule'?
The whole quote is "You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so". Wild shape replaces your character game statistics with the animal statistics. That is the confusing part as 'game statistics' is not a clearly defined term. The way I read it is that passive benefits of feats are not added to the wild shape stats, but active benefits can be used if the animal is capable.

[Dalebert]

Tavern Brawler: First you have to find out whether animals can generally grapple at all. Grappling requires a free hand, which most animals don't have. RAI I'm guessing it ought to work, though some adjudication may be in order. Just how many people can you grapple if you lose the free hand restriction, and what about grapple or restraining riders on attacks of wild shapes?

If they bite, they can clamp down and grapple pretty well, arguably better than with a hand. Of course a bite usually does dmg AND grapples. Just look at pit bulls with their incredible jaw strength or crocodiles. They kill things by clamping down on them and not letting go. Crocodiles drag things down and drown them. So most creatures have a physical means to grapple. I'd let them benefit from Tavern Brawler.

I'd let them benefit from most feats. It would probably be a rare exception if there's a feat that requires a very specific physicality that I wouldn't allow. I lean much more toward allowing than not. Crawford has strongly implied that it's intended to be interpreted rather liberally. For instance, he has said he would allow a dragonborn's breath weapon as long as the animal breathes. Toughness is a weird one but even that, I think I'd be inclined to allow, but it would be based on the hit dice of the creature when they shift.

[Tanarii]

Yeah, that's one of the bigger ask your DM questions out there. :smallamused:

How I'd probably rule, if I actually used Feats:
- Mobile doesn't increase your movement, you use your creature form stat block.
- toughness doesn't increase your HP, you use your creature form hit points. (And I curse your HPs anyway if you're a level 2-3 Moon Druid.)
- Tavern Brawler works with unarmed strikes. Not with any creature stat-block attack. You may use a normal unarmed strike instead of a stat block attack if the creature reasonable can do it, which is most of them.