Moon Druids, Multiattack, and Shillelagh

[sithlordnergal]

So I am a bit curious about something. Say I have a Moon Druid, and first turn they cast Shillegah. Second tround they turn into an Elemental, which can wield their Shillelaghed weapon. Would they be able to make two attacks with their Shillelagh Quarterstaff? All the Elementals are capable of wielding a weapon since they have hands, and they all have multiattack. So it makes sense that they could hit someone twice with their quarterstaff.

And if they can attack twice with the quarterstaff, do you think it would be worth it to have Polearm Master once their Wisdom is maxed out?

[PhoenixPhyre]

So I am a bit curious about something. Say I have a Moon Druid, and first turn they cast Shillegah. Second tround they turn into an Elemental, which can wield their Shillelaghed weapon. Would they be able to make two attacks with their Shillelagh Quarterstaff? All the Elementals are capable of wielding a weapon since they have hands, and they all have multiattack. So it makes sense that they could hit someone twice with their quarterstaff.

And if they can attack twice with the quarterstaff, do you think it would be worth it to have Polearm Master once their Wisdom is maxed out?

Doesn't work. Multiattack specifies the attacks you can make with it, it's not Extra Attack.

Edit: Not to mention that 2x(1d8+5) from shillelagh is less than the natural 2x(2d8+5) slam attacks that they already have.

[nickl_2000]

Doesn't work. Multiattack specifies the attacks you can make with it, it's not Extra Attack.

Edit: Not to mention that 2x(1d8+5) from shillelagh is less than the natural 2x(2d8+5) slam attacks that they already have.

This, but to add a little bit more onto it. Yes, if you have hands (and the DM is okay with it) you could use a Shillelagh'ed quarterstaff to make a 1d8+5 attack. You would then have the choice of the elementals multi-attack or your PCs single attack with the quarterstaff. This is similar to a multiclass Monk/Druid, you can choose the monks unarmed attack or the beast attack, but you don't get to combine the two of them.

[dejarnjc]

Most reasonable DMs would say "sure, why not?". Particularly because, as already noted, you'd be doing less damage than just using their slam attacks.

[PhoenixPhyre]

This, but to add a little bit more onto it. Yes, if you have hands (and the DM is okay with it) you could use a Shillelagh'ed quarterstaff to make a 1d8+5 attack. You would then have the choice of the elementals multi-attack or your PCs single attack with the quarterstaff.

Wording note: You can either:

Attack once with the quarterstaff

OR

use multiattack to make 2 slam attacks.

The way you worded that, it seems like you get a quarterstaff attack and then can make 2 slam attacks or a single quarterstaff attack. Which would be a bit broken.

[Joe the Rat]

Given that Fighters/War Clerics/Monks/Rangers/GWM feat with Druid1/Nature Cleric1/Magic Initiate feat can do it on extra attack / bonus action attack, yes you can hit more than once a turn with shillelagh.

But no to your specific question, because multiattack is its own animal (or elemental in this case).

[KorvinStarmast]

Most reasonable DMs would say "sure, why not?". Particularly because, as already noted, you'd be doing less damage than just using their slam attacks.
Most Reasonable DMs: indeed. :smallcool: Apparently, a lot of people who post here have never met one. :smalleek:

[sithlordnergal]

Ok, that's what I thought. Drat, I had actually managed to find both a +2 quarterstaff, and a book that boosted my Wisdom to 22. So I get +8 to damage when using Shillelagh on every strike. I'll have to find a different feat for my Druid then.

[Joe the Rat]

You get the same accuracy and slightly better average damage with the native slam of the Air and Earth Elementals (2d8+5 (av 14) vs +1d8+8 (av 12.5)).
It might be worthwhile looking at the apes, but not so much the elementals. Then there's the question of the q-staff's construction (not all magic staves are wood - best to confirm).

Also, Moon druid adds the ability to shift as a bonus action; it does not take away the ability to shift as an action - so you could shillelagh and shapeshift on the same turn.

[Dalebert]

This is similar to a multiclass Monk/Druid, you can choose the monks unarmed attack or the beast attack, but you don't get to combine the two of them.

Right, but the monk's extra attack is usable on any attack the monk can make. I have a monk 14 / moon druid 2 and for a while, it was nice to, for instance, make two attacks as a dire wolf. Eventually though it's rarely a good call to use the beast's attacks twice instead of making unarmed strikes as the animal mainly over to-hit bonus because you get your own higher prof bonus on your unarmed strikes. You also give up your free bonus action unarmed strike if you use the beast's attacks.