Moon Druid and Monk

[ZorroGames]

BLUF how does a monks unarmored Defense skill interact with Wild Shape?

Wife is now second level (Moon) Druid and wants to know if taking one level of monk for the AC 16 (she has DE 16, WI 16,) would help her Wild Shape combat in the game. AC 14 is not appealing after almost going down multiple times last game, her first.

She is liking the potential of Brown Bear (34 hp but AC 11,) Dog (for infiltration/recon,) Dire Wolf (37 hp, AC 14, pack tactics,) Lion (26 hp, but AC 12, Pack tactics,) and Tiger (37 hp, but AC 12.). She knows the AL DM will probably rein in a few of those for a Wood Elf from Silverymoon at this level but these are what intrigued her at first read. 😍

We are also talking about Giant Scorpion, Giant Spider, and Wolf, mostly because I have those miniatures. 😉

Swimming and flying has her thinking about future levels. 😎🧐

[nickl_2000]

Unarmored defense works with with beast forms per JC http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/rules-answers-january-2016.

The AC that you get in your beast form will be based on your PCs wisdom and the Dex of the wildshape form (since in wildshape your dex is replaced by the beasts Dex)

[Vogie]

Any type of armor-replacement stat (including Barbarian Unarmored Defense and mage Armor) will increase the AC of any wild shapes that do not have "natural Armor" trait

[ZorroGames]

Unarmored defense works with with beast forms per JC http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/rules-answers-january-2016.

The AC that you get in your beast form will be based on your PCs wisdom and the Dex of the wildshape form (since in wildshape your dex is replaced by the beasts Dex)


Any type of armor-replacement stat (including Barbarian Unarmored Defense and mage Armor) will increase the AC of any wild shapes that do not have "natural Armor" trait

So her +3 WI would push Cat to 15 (12+3) and also for Lion or AC 16 for Deer (13+3) but wolf would stay at 13 for “natural armor” if I understand you two?

So a Giant Poisonous Snake (14+3) would be AC 17 as would a Giant Spider (14 natural armor +3.)

With Monk Unarmored Defense a Dire Wolf (14 natural armor) would stay at 14 but a draft Horse would be 16 instead of 10?

Yeah, a bit confused...

[nickl_2000]

Any type of armor-replacement stat (including Barbarian Unarmored Defense and mage Armor) will increase the AC of any wild shapes that do not have "natural Armor" trait

An honest question. Why would the Natural Armor of a beast stop the monks unarmored defense when a PC Lizardfolk's natural armor does not?

I would think you would choose either the natural armor or the 10+Wis bonus + Dex bonus.

[PeteNutButter]

So her +3 WI would push Cat to 15 (12+3) and also for Lion or AC 16 for Deer (13+3) but wolf would stay at 13 for “natural armor” if I understand you two?

So a Giant Poisonous Snake (14+3) would be AC 17 as would a Giant Spider (14 natural armor +3.)

With Monk Unarmored Defense a Dire Wolf (14 natural armor) would stay at 14 but a draft Horse would be 16 instead of 10?

Yeah, a bit confused...

It's not a simple addition since most beasts have natural armor built into their AC. You don't get that. It's either the natural armor + dex or the dex+wisdom.

This guide has a cheat sheet to make it easier: http://rpgbot.net/dnd5/characters/classes/druid/wildshape

[ZorroGames]

“... Similarly, a druid/barbarian who transforms into a beast form that has natural armor can use either the beast’s natural armor or Unarmored Defense (you aren’t considered to be wearing armor with natural armor).”

Wait, she gets the natural armor or her unarmored defense (16) but if she picks a form without a natural armor she gets that AC plus +3 from her 16 DE?

Is that it?

[ZorroGames]

It's not a simple addition since most beasts have natural armor built into their AC. You don't get that. It's either the natural armor + dex or the dex+wisdom.

This guide has a cheat sheet to make it easier: http://rpgbot.net/dnd5/characters/classes/druid/wildshape

Still working on this but the cheat sheet is awesome, she will love it!

[ZorroGames]

“Natural armor” plus her DE bonus for 16 (+3)

Or

Listed Armor not specified as “natural armor” gets Monk DE and WI? (16 WI and 16 DE = AC 16)

Or

[leogobsin]

“Natural armor” plus her DE bonus for 16 (+3)

Or

Listed Armor not specified as “natural armor” gets Monk DE and WI? (16 WI and 16 DE = AC 16)

Or

So my understanding: if a monster has it's AC listed with (natural armor) that essentially means it works as though it were wearing a suit of armor, but that armor is part of it's body. So say, a Brown Bear, which has a dex of +0 but AC 11 (natural armor) is like a PC wearing leather armor; the armor gives 11+Dex AC, and Dex is +0. For a Monk/Druid, they would then have 2 ways of calculating AC: the natural armor of the wildshape (in this case 11+Dex), or their Unarmored Defense (10+Dex+Wis). Like any other situation where you have 2 or more methods of calculating AC, you choose one, either the 11 AC from natural armor or the 13 (10+ (the wildshape's +0 Dex)+(the Monk/Druid's +3 Wis)) from Unarmored Defense. On a beast that doesn't have natural armor, you just use Unarmored Defense. So say, a Cat would be 15 AC: 10+(cat's +2 Dex)+(Monk/Druid's +3 Wis).

[ZorroGames]

So my understanding: if a monster has it's AC listed with (natural armor) that essentially means it works as though it were wearing a suit of armor, but that armor is part of it's body. So say, a Brown Bear, which has a dex of +0 but AC 11 (natural armor) is like a PC wearing leather armor; the armor gives 11+Dex AC, and Dex is +0. For a Monk/Druid, they would then have 2 ways of calculating AC: the natural armor of the wildshape (in this case 11+Dex), or their Unarmored Defense (10+Dex+Wis). Like any other situation where you have 2 or more methods of calculating AC, you choose one, either the 11 AC from natural armor or the 13 (10+ (the wildshape's +0 Dex)+(the Monk/Druid's +3 Wis)) from Unarmored Defense. On a beast that doesn't have natural armor, you just use Unarmored Defense. So say, a Cat would be 15 AC: 10+(cat's +2 Dex)+(Monk/Druid's +3 Wis).

Okay.

Between this and the link to the conversation I think I can help her understand her options.

[ZorroGames]

My wife thinks Barkskin might be more useful when she hits 3rd Level for her animal forms.

LOL, “I do not care how good Giant Constrictor Snake is! I hate snakes! No Snakes!”

So Ape 🦍 Bear 🐻 Dire Wolf 🐺 and Tiger 🐅 are on her list for consideration. But No Snakes. 😉

[nickl_2000]

My wife thinks Barkskin might be more useful when she hits 3rd Level for her animal forms.

LOL, “I do not care how good Giant Constrictor Snake is! I hate snakes! No Snakes!”

So Ape 🦍 Bear 🐻 Dire Wolf 🐺 and Tiger 🐅 are on her list for consideration. But No Snakes. 😉

Barkskin is extremely useful for wildshape forms. Although it's only an hour and concentration based, which can be painful. I used it a lot from level 3-6, then I had something better to do with concentration.

[Malifice]

BLUF how does a monks unarmored Defense skill interact with Wild Shape?

Wife is now second level (Moon) Druid and wants to know if taking one level of monk for the AC 16 (she has DE 16, WI 16,) would help her Wild Shape combat in the game. AC 14 is not appealing after almost going down multiple times last game, her first.

She is liking the potential of Brown Bear (34 hp but AC 11,) Dog (for infiltration/recon,) Dire Wolf (37 hp, AC 14, pack tactics,) Lion (26 hp, but AC 12, Pack tactics,) and Tiger (37 hp, but AC 12.). She knows the AL DM will probably rein in a few of those for a Wood Elf from Silverymoon at this level but these are what intrigued her at first read. 😍

We are also talking about Giant Scorpion, Giant Spider, and Wolf, mostly because I have those miniatures. 😉

Swimming and flying has her thinking about future levels. 😎🧐

Next level she gets Barkskin.

[ZorroGames]

Well she found playing not as much fun as when I DM’ed in Seattle in the 1980s for OD&D and AD&D so she is putting her character away into “retirement” mode.

Had a long talk. I told her if she was not having fun in AL because the social and exploration aspect was atrophied she should bow out and not feel guilty like she was bailing on a commitment.

Basically she felt if all she was going to do was combat she might as well play a war game (which she never will.)

So, Templeton Peck goes into retirement too.

[prototype00]

AL is like the antithesis of “social commitment”, if you are not having fun, take your stuff and go home (well maybe not mid game).

Everyone is fine with it.