Rules for spinning webs in wildshape

[Aaedimus]

I'm playing an underdark druid, with giant wolf spider and male Steeder being my first combat choices (that 60 ft leap has been awesome)
Today we hit level 2 and I surprised my team with it, leaping in and out of the trees in a forest. They asked me to spin a web though during a short rest, and I had no idea on what kindof rules would govern that.
Being that they have web walker and web sense I feel like it's an ability they should have.... but, what would those rules be? How might I spin a web?

[hymer]

There have been threads devoted to milking druids in wild shape in various ways (mostly toxins, but actual milk, too). There are no rules on the books about this (nor about the same sort of thing with other shapeshifting, or with conjured minions), so the question is one to put to your DM.

[nickl_2000]

sadly this lies with 90% of the other Druid wildshaping questions. Wildshaping is one of the least thought out and defined set of rules in the game of D&D, so the answer to this one and most others will be "Talk to you DM"

[sophontteks]

Giant wolf spiders do not weave webs. Their web sense is most likely used to hunt other spiders but it honestly makes no sense that they have it. Just like regulat wolf spiders, they hunt prey on the ground or ambush in burrows and their web-weaving abilities are highly limited.

Steeders don't make traditional webs either afaik. You'd want to turn into a giant spider for that.

[Tubben]

The Giant Wolf Spider cant Web, you need to be a Giant Spider (MM 328) to do this.


Web (Recharge 5-6}. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
range 30f60 ft., one creature. Hit: The target is restrained by
webbing. As an action, the restrained target can make a DC
12 Strength check, bursting the webbing on a success. The
webbing can also be attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 5;
vulnerability to fire damage; immunity to bludgeoning, poison,
and psychic damage).

[xroads]

In the game I ran, I never did find any rules that governed web spinning. Whenever the druid tried to get creative with his web spinning, I relied on the "rule of cool." Is it fun? Does it add something to the story? Great, go for it. But that would be something between you and your DM.

In the ToA game I run, the druid's web spinning was solely responsible for saving the party's bacon. They were up in the floating heart of Ubtao when they suddenly found themselves in a fight with the lich and her minions.

They knew they were totally outclassed. With no other means to escape the floating island, the druid shifted into a spider and spun a web line to climb down to the ground. The rest of the party immediately followed. One tense climbing scene later, the party had managed to escape from the lich (though they did lose one member).

[MagneticKitty]

Sadly steeders are now monstrosities per tome of foes and my dm don't let me change into one. :(

[Mister_Squinty]

I'm playing an underdark druid, with giant wolf spider and male Steeder being my first combat choices (that 60 ft leap has been awesome)
Today we hit level 2 and I surprised my team with it, leaping in and out of the trees in a forest. They asked me to spin a web though during a short rest, and I had no idea on what kindof rules would govern that.
Being that they have web walker and web sense I feel like it's an ability they should have.... but, what would those rules be? How might I spin a web?

Our Druid did a hell of a job wrecking a good third of White Plume Mountain with his Giant Spider webs. Dangling chandelier traps aren't much of a threat when they're all roped together.

[mephnick]

sadly this lies with 90% of the other Druid wildshaping questions. Wildshaping is one of the least thought out and defined set of rules in the game of D&D

Do people expect rules for this? Web-spinning? Milking? Handwave some crap, let the player do it and move on. There are no rules because who cares?. Even Pex doesn't need a table for this.

[nickl_2000]

Do people expect rules for this? Web-spinning? Milking? Handwave some crap, let the player do it and move on. There are no rules because who cares?. Even Pex doesn't need a table for this.

No, I don't expect rules for this, but do you really think that wildshaping is a well defined feature within 5e?

[mephnick]

No, I don't expect rules for this, but do you really think that wildshaping is a well defined feature within 5e?

I've had quite a few druids and have never had a major problem. It's pretty well spelled out I thought, but maybe we just use them for simple stuff like combat and scouting so it's never come up. What have you encountered?

[nickl_2000]

I've had quite a few druids and have never had a major problem. It's pretty well spelled out I thought, but maybe we just use them for simple stuff like combat and scouting so it's never come up. What have you encountered?

Challenges for how you get new shapes. Can you get them from conjure animals/polymorph? Reading a book? Or only seeing them?
How do racial features travel over? For example kobold sunlight sensitivity.
What about darkvision, does that travel over?
How does haste interact with a Druid wildshaping?
what can you actually do in wildshape form? Can you speak if you are a Giant Eagle who has speech as an ability?



These are just a few that have come up at my table. I'm not saying we didn't work it out, but it's just more complicated and less well explained than other classes.

[Pharaon]

Challenges for how you get new shapes. Can you get them from conjure animals/polymorph? Reading a book? Or only seeing them?
How do racial features travel over? For example kobold sunlight sensitivity.
What about darkvision, does that travel over?
How does haste interact with a Druid wildshaping?
what can you actually do in wildshape form? Can you speak if you are a Giant Eagle who has speech as an ability?



These are just a few that have come up at my table. I'm not saying we didn't work it out, but it's just more complicated and less well explained than other classes.

These seem pretty easy to solve using the wildshape rules:


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. However, you can’t use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.

Available shapes - this is the most vague, but in my experience it is also the least troublesome. On both sides of the screen in 5e, I've never heard or asked "have you seen that animal before?" However, Xanathar's Guide did provide a number of tables regarding the types of beasts in various types of terrain, which should mostly solve the problem for picky DMs.

As for books, I would probably say no. Seeing a drawing of an animal is not the same as seeing an animal. Conjure/polymorph I would allow. Seeing a magically summoned/transformed animal is pretty much the same as seeing the animal.

Sunlight Sensitivity - I would say it does not transfer. It specifically calls out your sight, and wildshape gives you new eyes.

Darkvision - literally the example given in the book. It does not transfer.

Haste - Not sure what the problem with haste would be. At a guess, you're asking how it interacts with multiattack. It does not. Haste explicitly states the extra action "can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only),..."

Giant Eagle speech - nope. The stat block shows a giant eagle understands common but can't speak it. Side note, elementals do speak the various Primordial languages without further restriction, so a druid that wildshapes into an elemental can speak the languages they normally know.

[nickl_2000]

As for books, I would probably say no. Seeing a drawing of an animal is not the same as seeing an animal. Conjure/polymorph I would allow. Seeing a magically summoned/transformed animal is pretty much the same as seeing the animal.





Sunlight Sensitivity - I would say it does not transfer. It specifically calls out your sight, and wildshape gives you new eyes.

Then does the pack tactics transfer or not? I would say yes, but others say no. As I said, it's a DMs call.




Giant Eagle speech - nope. The stat block shows a giant eagle understands common but can't speak it. Side note, elementals do speak the various Primordial languages without further restriction, so a druid that wildshapes into an elemental can speak the languages they normally know.
[/QUOTE]
It calls out that the Giant Eagle understands common, but also that it speaks Giant Eagle. The animal has the capability of speech does that transfer to other languages? Can you speak Sylvan? Or Elf since you know the language?


Other things:
Can I grapple while in wild shape?
How about carrying a companion?
Can I wear magical boots while wildshaped?
How about other magical items? What can be worn while wildshaped and what can't?
What about scrolls and wands? Can you activate them? Or abilities on other magical items?
Can I use Ki while wildshaped?
Can I smite while wildshaped?
Can I trade out martial arts die for attacks while wildshaped? If I do, do I use prof bonus?
Magic can't be cast while wildshaped, but how about mystic abilities? Can those be used?




Like I said, there are many many questions of things with wild shape making it very confusing. I'm playing a Moon Druid and love the character, but the features are just not defined like others in the books.

[sophontteks]

Its an ability that allows you to transform into at least a couple dozen different things. There will be questions but almost all of them have been answered officially and I've never seen a problem come up about it.

[Tubben]

Then does the pack tactics transfer or not? I would say yes, but others say no. As I said, it's a DMs call.

It calls out that the Giant Eagle understands common, but also that it speaks Giant Eagle. The animal has the capability of speech does that transfer to other languages? Can you speak Sylvan? Or Elf since you know the language?


Other things:
Can I grapple while in wild shape?
How about carrying a companion?
Can I wear magical boots while wildshaped?
How about other magical items? What can be worn while wildshaped and what can't?
What about scrolls and wands? Can you activate them? Or abilities on other magical items?
Can I use Ki while wildshaped?
Can I smite while wildshaped?
Can I trade out martial arts die for attacks while wildshaped? If I do, do I use prof bonus?
Magic can't be cast while wildshaped, but how about mystic abilities? Can those be used?

Like I said, there are many many questions of things with wild shape making it very confusing. I'm playing a Moon Druid and love the character, but the features are just not defined like others in the books.

I dont have the book with me, but ALOT of your questions ARE answered by PHB.

Wearing magic items, grapple, carry others. Using of proficiency, activating of magical items (if not transformed). They are all answered allready by PHB.

[sophontteks]

It calls out that the Giant Eagle understands common, but also that it speaks Giant Eagle. The animal has the capability of speech does that transfer to other languages? Can you speak Sylvan? Or Elf since you know the language?


Other things:
Can I grapple while in wild shape?
How about carrying a companion?
Can I wear magical boots while wildshaped?
How about other magical items? What can be worn while wildshaped and what can't?
What about scrolls and wands? Can you activate them? Or abilities on other magical items?
Can I use Ki while wildshaped?
Can I smite while wildshaped?
Can I trade out martial arts die for attacks while wildshaped? If I do, do I use prof bonus?
Magic can't be cast while wildshaped, but how about mystic abilities? Can those be used?




Like I said, there are many many questions of things with wild shape making it very confusing. I'm playing a Moon Druid and love the character, but the features are just not defined like others in the books.

Giant eagles speak giant eagle. That doesn't mean that they can speak any language at all. The eagles know common but they can't speak it, so we know for a fact they can't speak languages other then their own.


Yes you can grapple. It says your skills carry over.

Why wouldn't you be able to carry a companion?

No you can't wear magic boots whipe wildshaped. It specifically mentions what happens to your gear when you change form. Some common sense here answers everything. They don't need to list which magic items can be worn by which creatures.

You can use ki, but you must use unarmed attacks, not those listed natural attacks. All your abilities carry over.

Smite is an ability. It carries over. You can smite. Natural attacks are melee weapon attacks.

You can unarmed strike while wildshaped so long as the creature is physicallly capable of making unarmed strikes rather then natural attacks.

Mystic abilities? From a UA? Don't know.

[Maxilian]

Other things:
Can I grapple while in wild shape?
Yes, but need enough limbs to do so (If you´re a Wolf, you will only be able to grapple one creature instead of 2 -as you lack the 2 arms-)



How about carrying a companion?


As long as its not over your carry capacity (Carry =/= Mounting)



Can I wear magical boots while wildshaped?


Only if the new shape can use such items (Maybe a Monkey / Ape but would depend a lot on the item)

https://www.sageadvice.eu/2017/02/24/druid-wildshape-does-magical-armor-shape-with-the-new-animal-form-and-retain-ac/



How about other magical items? What can be worn while wildshaped and what can't?


Same as above



What about scrolls and wands? Can you activate them? Or abilities on other magical items?


Scrolls, no, as it count as you casting said spell (require certain lvl in druid to be able to cast while wildshaped)

https://www.sageadvice.eu/2017/09/22/if-a-druid-can-innately-cast-spells-those-spells-still-cannot-be-cast-while-wild-shaped-correct/




Can I use Ki while wildshaped?


Yes (Excluding those ki abilities that would make you CAST something -unless you´re at least, lvl 18 druid)



Can I smite while wildshaped?


Yes (Not the smite spells unless you casted them before you Wildshaped)



Can I trade out martial arts die for attacks while wildshaped? If I do, do I use prof bonus?


No idea what this mean, if you're asking if you can use Battle Master abilities on Wildshaped druid attack, yes, but only if it doesn't require a Weapon (some of those abilities are quite specific, have in mind, that a melee weapon attack =/= attack with a melee weapon)



Magic can't be cast while wildshaped, but how about mystic abilities? Can those be used?


They are not magic per se, but have in mind that the Mystic was not created with Multiclass in mind.

There is a sage advice of Mike Mearls (yeah, i know its not much but is something), that says that it should be seeing as Spellcasting.


EXTRA: You asked if you can speak another language you know if your wild shape form can speak, the answer is yes.

https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/downloads/SA-Compendium.pdf

(They mention the Elemental form in specific but should apply to any creature that have the same characteristics)

[Finback]

Whilst wolf spiders don't spin webs, I think a fair rule for a wildshaped giant spider would be:

You can spin a web, any size, but only catch rogues.

;)

[Crgaston]

Whilst wolf spiders don't spin webs, I think a fair rule for a wildshaped giant spider would be:

You can spin a web, any size, but only catch rogues.

;)

Just like flies!

[Maxilian]

Wouldn't it be easier to see it as the spell web? (Only let the druid form with the Web skill make the webs and let the spider spand the web as big as the web spell would permit, and imagine that the spider recharge it 50% of the time, so giving you a big amount of web if you have enough time to make a decent trap, if you don't have such thing, well ****)

[Sinon]

I think one of the great things about 5e is the simplicity of the rules. None of the issues here are so crucial or so common that you need a published rule and doing do would be a step towards the micro-managed / rules-lawyering past.

As a DM – meaning that I do not present these as rules for anywhere but my table:

What about my perceptions and class abilities?

These are spelled out in the PHB.
If there's a contradiction, my inclination is to rule in favor of the character unless it is somehow game-breaking. (Game-breaking, not single-encounter upsetting)

What about the Mystic?

It wasn’t designed for multiclass, so no. (But that's for all classes, not just druids.)

What shapes do I know?

Is there any shape I don’t want in my game? No.
Can a character always come up with a creative answer to the “How do you know?” question? Yep.
So, why would I restrict your options beyond the limits in the PHB? (Hit die, swimming, flight, etc.)

Can I grapple?

Can you reasonably describe how, with what appendage? Yes.
Great, but that appendage is occupied and probably (depending on the specific circumstances) won't be available for an attack.

Can I wear items? (Assuming I put them on, with help, after I've wildshaped.)

Can you reasonably describe where the item would fit and how? Yes.
OK then.

Can I talk?

Does the MM entry for the beast/elemental say it can talk? Yes.
Then, yes; however, I would exclude the above mentioned eagle on the basis that it knows a language that it cannot speak. That appears to be an exception to the general rule.

Can I make webs?

Does the MM entry say the creature can make webs? No.
Would giving you that ability require me make up a bunch of rules? Like for how long it takes to make how much webbing; the strength of the web (hp or DC to break), sticky enough to trap a creature (DC to escape)? Yes, you’d have to.
Would giving you this ability provide a great deal of tactical ability, e.g. making traps, walls, areas of difficult terrain, bridges or climbing ropes. Yes, it would.
Then, no, you can’t make webs.