Rogue spec'd druid

[Chalkarts]

I'm working on an Urban Druid who is a talented burglar.
High wisdom and Dex, everything else can be middle of the road.

She's a Gnome and I'm building under the assumption of everyone getting a lvl 1 feat.
I'm trying to decide what that feat should be.

I'm torn between 2,
Skilled, so that, when combined with the Urchin background, I can have all of the necessary thieving skills
or
Ritual Caster, so that I can have a familiar.

What would you suggest, or is there another feat that would be better to have?

[RogueJK]

If the Familiar is primarily what you're after, consider Magic Initiate: Wizard. You'd still have a Familiar (and you generally don't need to cast that spell more than once per day), plus you'd get access to useful burglary cantrips like Mage Hand and Minor Illusion.

Less utility options than Ritual Caster, but more options specifically for burglary.


Or, if you're allowed to use the Optional Class Features from Tasha's, Druids can now spend Wild Shape charges to get a Familiar for an few hours. So you could take the Skilled feat and still have a Familiar, albeit for shorter periods of time than otherwise.

[Chalkarts]

If the Familiar is primarily what you're after, consider Magic Initiate: Wizard. You'd still have a Familiar (and you generally don't need to cast that spell more than once per day), plus you'd get access to useful burglary cantrips like Mage Hand and Mending.

Less utility options than Ritual Caster, but more options specifically for burglary.

I like that idea. The "story" for why she knows any wizard stuff at all is that she stole a wizards apprentices spellbook for shiggles. A couple of cantrips could be very handy.

[Garfunion]

In the new Tasha’s “book” you can replace one use of your wild shape to summon a temporary familiar.

[solidork]

The Telekinetic feat would let you cast Mage Hand while wildshaped to manipulate and carry things while in small innocuous forms.

Edit: I was wrong about this! Whoops. Too bad!

[RogueJK]

The Telekinetic feat would let you cast Mage Hand while wildshaped to manipulate and carry things while in small innocuous forms.

Even without verbal or somatic components, it's still a spell. And you can't cast spells while Wild Shaped, period. (It's not just that you can't speak... You specifically can't cast spells.)

[Naanomi]

Skilled or Observant

Consider the Urban Bountyhunter background for a great Rogue-replacement suite of skills

[Chalkarts]

Skilled or Observant

Consider the Urban Bountyhunter background for a great Rogue-replacement suite of skills

What book is Urban Boutyhunter from? That sounds interesting.

[Chalkarts]

In the new Tasha’s “book” you can replace one use of your wild shape to summon a temporary familiar.

I wish 5e had the Extra Wild Shape feat from 3.5

[Chalkarts]

Less utility options than Ritual Caster, but more options specifically for burglary.


I was just looking at prestidigitation and thinking of the potential for distractions for sleight of hand burgling, pickpocketing, that sort of thing.

[Naanomi]

Urban Bounty Hunter is in Storm Coast Adventurer's Guide

[RogueJK]

What book is Urban Boutyhunter from? That sounds interesting.

Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

Skill Proficiencies: Choose two from among Deception, Insight, Persuasion, and Stealth
Tool Proficiencies: Choose two from among one type of gaming set, one musical instrument, and thieves' tools
Languages: None
Equipment: A set of clothes appropriate to your duties and a pouch containing 20 gp

Feature: Ear to the Ground
You are in frequent contact with people in the segment of society that your chosen quarries move through. These people might be associated with the criminal underworld, the rough-and-tumble folk of the streets, or members of high society. This connection comes in the form of a contact in any city you visit, a person who provides information about the people and places of the local area.

[Chalkarts]

Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

Skill Proficiencies: Choose two from among Deception, Insight, Persuasion, and Stealth
Tool Proficiencies: Choose two from among one type of gaming set, one musical instrument, and thieves' tools
Languages: None
Equipment: A set of clothes appropriate to your duties and a pouch containing 20 gp

Feature: Ear to the Ground
You are in frequent contact with people in the segment of society that your chosen quarries move through. These people might be associated with the criminal underworld, the rough-and-tumble folk of the streets, or members of high society. This connection comes in the form of a contact in any city you visit, a person who provides information about the people and places of the local area.

I think, for this Character, Urchin is a better fit and gets me most of what I need. Thieves tools, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth were my main needs.

However this does inform me that I need to buy this book. I really like that, just not for Nina.

[solidork]

Even without verbal or somatic components, it's still a spell. And you can't cast spells while Wild Shaped, period. (It's not just that you can't speak... You specifically can't cast spells.)

You're right! My mistake.