My Player Wants to Have a Character That is Two Characters

[tmjr6]

Hey everyone,

I have a player who wants to play a unique take on a druid. Thanks to the Circle of Spores showing us another usage of Wildshape, my player is interested in a character who uses their wildshape to transform between two different characters. Essentially he wants to use his wildshape to be able to switch between two completely different classes. I'm not sure if I should allow this, what are your guys' thoughts on this? A thought I had was instead to give him the ability to transform into different humanoids, like the moon druid. What do you think would be best?

[Unoriginal]

Hey everyone,

I have a player who wants to play a unique take on a druid. Thanks to the Circle of Spores showing us another usage of Wildshape, my player is interested in a character who uses their wildshape to transform between two different characters. Essentially he wants to use his wildshape to be able to switch between two completely different classes. I'm not sure if I should allow this, what are your guys' thoughts on this? A thought I had was instead to give him the ability to transform into different humanoids, like the moon druid. What do you think would be best?

The best would be to tell them "no".

Combining two characters in one is just too powerful and too tedious to run. It'd be like having a gestalt character when the rest of the players don't have it, except you have to handle two pools of HPs (and probably two pools of spell slots and two spell known list).

As for tranforming into different humanoids: do you mean "they can change their racial modifiers" or "they transform and use a NPC statblock of a CR equivalent to their level, with all the NPC equipment"? If it's the latter, I would advise against it, due to how powerful it can be and how it can be cheesed. A Lvl 3 PC turning into a Veteran, for example? That's pretty damn powerful. Beasts and humanoids are kind of different on how they're dangerous.


Ultimately, you have to decide if you think the cool/awesome factor is worth it. Being able to turn into heroes of the past or the like is a pretty nice theme/visual, but it's also pretty easy to end up in the cheese factory territory.

[RSP]

Hey everyone,

I have a player who wants to play a unique take on a druid. Thanks to the Circle of Spores showing us another usage of Wildshape, my player is interested in a character who uses their wildshape to transform between two different characters. Essentially he wants to use his wildshape to be able to switch between two completely different classes. I'm not sure if I should allow this, what are your guys' thoughts on this? A thought I had was instead to give him the ability to transform into different humanoids, like the moon druid. What do you think would be best?

If the idea is what he wants, just reskin the allowable creature types as “different people” and it might work without changing much. Like just call a wolf “Steve” and a bear “Jane”, etc.

This would keep everything within the mechanics.

Another idea would be to just multiclass and have the Player RP it, with no mechanical change. So if they’re a Druid 2, they can go Rogue 1 for their “other character” but the sheet stays D2/R1 with all the normal multiclass abilities; but when they want to use their Rogue Character, they do an in game, non-mechanical “shift” to the “Rogue.”

This would also allow the RP without changing any mechanics.

[Armored Walrus]

You could check out the 5e Binder homebrew from Middle Finger of Vecna for inspiration. It's got ways to bring in multiple features from different classes, but has hard limits that keep it from just being - "Well this round I'm a fighter, next round I'm a wizard."

[MilkmanDanimal]

I'd give a big NOPE on that; there's too much utility between different classes, and D&D's not balanced for that sort of thing. I used to play Hero System, and there was a Multiform power you could use to do that sort of thing, and there was an expected point cost for doing that so it was built in. 5e's not designed for that, and seems a really, really big thing.

Good idea in a different system, not for 5e.

[Rynjin]

I'd allow it, but limited to a once per long rest (or even session) swap for 5e. Particularly if they're the kind of player that gets bored and likes to swap characters frequently.

Basically, they choose which character they want to run that session (or any given day in that session), but are stuck with them the whole day/session.

It's the same as someone having a backup or B-team character, which I've played and run some games where this is common, but flavored as something else.

[ErHo]

Its cheesy and a tad OP if other players are at the table and they dont have something quite as dynamic.

On a one player campaign it would be fine IMO, in fact maybe just right for a 1 player PvE campaign

[krugaan]

Ask him if he wants to play twins instead.

They go everywhere together and do everything together, and split xp levels evenly (not XP pools).

Your player can play two different characters (at the same time, even!), but he better keep them alive.

[Vogie]

It really depends on the characters.

Something like a Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde thing could be done by

Refluffing Primeval Guardian Ranger to something other than a tree (Casting ranged champ that turns into a hulking melee brawler)
Having a couple levels of, say, Cleric or wizard, and the rest Barbarian (Lowly caster, who goes into a rage and smashes faces).
Using the Shifter Race


I mean, if they're going from Druid into, say, Brute fighter, that's just a couple steps away from being a wizard who uses Tenser's Transformation or True Polymorph, just not as powerful or dramatic.

Technically if they're a Moon druid with 3 levels in Blade warlock, they can still summon their pact weapon while wild shaped. Full caster who is also a Gorilla with a Polearm.

[Beechgnome]

Perhaps you can ladyhawke this business: a beast master Ranger with a pet wolf, and an Eldritch Knight with his hawk familiar. They swap every 12 hours.

[bobofwestgate]

Hey everyone,

I have a player who wants to play a unique take on a druid. Thanks to the Circle of Spores showing us another usage of Wildshape, my player is interested in a character who uses their wildshape to transform between two different characters. Essentially he wants to use his wildshape to be able to switch between two completely different classes. I'm not sure if I should allow this, what are your guys' thoughts on this? A thought I had was instead to give him the ability to transform into different humanoids, like the moon druid. What do you think would be best?

That seems really powerful. One of the main benefits of druid wildshape is gaining the new shapes full hp. So he could play druid until he was almost down, wild shape into his other class, at full hp. And if they are both casters since they are technically different "characters" the player would have different casting pulls. Full spell slots for druid and then wild shape and have full spell slots for Wizard or Cleric or whatever

[krugaan]

Perhaps you can ladyhawke this business: a beast master Ranger with a pet wolf, and an Eldritch Knight with his hawk familiar. They swap every 12 hours.

All I remember about that movie is cheesy synthesizer music.

[KorvinStarmast]

Perhaps you can ladyhawke this business: a beast master Ranger with a pet wolf, and an Eldritch Knight with his hawk familiar. They swap every 12 hours. What I remember most from that movie is Michelle Pfeiffer's beautiful eyes (https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Cgqs25l3&id=B0F343D02E57756814E1657F951219BF076CEE3B&thid=OIP.Cgqs25l31C0i_WQOaOgsOwHaFp&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fc1.staticflickr.com%2f7%2f6 199%2f6110240811_e1d9099cde_b.jpg&exph=782&expw=1024&q=michelle+pfeiffer+ladyhawke&simid=608002066784063349&selectedIndex=3&adlt=STRICT), and Rutger Hauer's ability to portray grim purpose.

As a D&D player, I really enjoyed what they did with that movie. I still enjoy watching it now and again.

[CTurbo]

I'd allow it, but he would only benefit from 1 class's features at a time. I'd make him point buy stats, insist Int, Wis, and Cha stay the same no matter what, but his Str, Dex, and Con changes between characters. If he takes a feat, both characters benefit from it. If he bumps a mental stat, both characters benefit from it, but if he bumps a physical stat on one, he can choose to bump a different physical stat on the other.

He could be two different races as long as the mental stats stay the same. This would limit which two races he could play though.

[Finback]

My take - yes, if the other players didn't feel disadvantaged, BUT there is a price. It's a Hulk/Jekyll/werewolf type thing. They don't always get to CHOOSE when it occurs. Maybe the catalyst is extreme trauma. Maybe it's a day/night thing. But I'd work out a rule system to develop it. Maybe if they take more than ten damage in a single attack, it swaps them over; when they swap, they don't go back up to full HP - they have to go back to what it was when they last changed (I'd allow this to be reset per a long rest, as if each "character" rested normally). Spellcaster? Every time they use a spell slot, they roll a d6, and if it comes up lower than the spell slow used, they change - a risky penalty for wanting this cool twist, AND to be a spellslinger.

I'm sure a way could be found, but it would require a lot of discussion and compromise.

(for reference - my paladin in CoS has been bitten by a werewolf. But since he's a very purposeful guy, and managed to resist every trigger of the change until the full moon, my DM wanted to allow me some degree of control. We wrote up, together, a rules system; it's percentile based (and cumulative with damage), but there is every chance the DM will trigger it, and if he does, he has control of my PC (until I can make a successful Wis save with disadvantage). If I trigger it? I get to wolf out, AND control my actions. There are minor penalties, like all my non-natural weapon attacks are at disadvantage, to prevent me just playing per normal, and I don't have the non-silver/magic weapon damage benefits. We feel it's a fair balance, but we only got there with discussion).

[Dr. Cliché]

Hey everyone,

I have a player who wants to play a unique take on a druid. Thanks to the Circle of Spores showing us another usage of Wildshape, my player is interested in a character who uses their wildshape to transform between two different characters. Essentially he wants to use his wildshape to be able to switch between two completely different classes. I'm not sure if I should allow this, what are your guys' thoughts on this? A thought I had was instead to give him the ability to transform into different humanoids, like the moon druid. What do you think would be best?

I think this could work, but needs tweaking.

- As others have said, I don't think he should have full control over his transformation. Given that he's turning into a different class (one which won't have Wild Shape) you could simply say that he can transform into that class, but not back into his druid self. Maybe only a long rest will turn him back? Basically, this means he can't turn back and forth whenever it's convenient. Once he changes form, he's stuck in that form for the rest of the day.

- Alternatively, you could have him be able to switch between two different casting classes. The thing is, they share spell slots. So if he uses a Lv2 Druid spell, his other self will have one fewer 2nd level spell. I suppose I like this idea because it means his selves can complain to the party about the spell usages of the other one. "Would you believe it? It's only mid-morning and he's already used up all our 5th level spells. I suppose it's a good job he let me out so early, or we'd be down to cantrips by noon."

(Incidentally, whatever I went with, I probably wouldn't let him multiclass this character...)

[CTurbo]

I completely agree that resources like spell slots should be shared. The weapon and armor should stay the same between characters too.

[Amdy_vill]

Hey everyone,

I have a player who wants to play a unique take on a druid. Thanks to the Circle of Spores showing us another usage of Wildshape, my player is interested in a character who uses their wildshape to transform between two different characters. Essentially he wants to use his wildshape to be able to switch between two completely different classes. I'm not sure if I should allow this, what are your guys' thoughts on this? A thought I had was instead to give him the ability to transform into different humanoids, like the moon druid. What do you think would be best?

everything should have limits and consequences. maybe the personalities are compete opposites. maybe the change is unwilling. if you can put limits and consequences on the ability that makes them unique but not too powerful. also what is your player count as that would help with advice.

[Sol]

As a reflavoring of the Circle of Spores (or Circle of Moon) wildshaping, this is an excellent Jekyll/Hyde sort of character concept.

As a homebrew construct actually using two characters and swapping between them, it would be difficult to balance and probably overpowered.