Wildfire druid modifications and balance

[Noldo]

Our group has been very bad at using any companions or similar and wildfire druids Wildfire Spirit falls thematically to the same niche.

However, as it is quite central part of the abilities, player who disregards that would lack big part of abilities.

Would it be problematic to give the Wildfire Druid the ability to wildshape into a fire elemental as a replacement for the Wildfire Spirit? How could such change be balanced?

[Dualight]

Considering that the fire elemental in the Monster Manual is CR 5, and even Moon druids need 2 Wild Shape charges to turn into one (but only at 10th level or above), I'd say a lot of balancing would be needed.

More importantly, why would a modification be needed? If a player chooses a subclass that is fully built around a (repeatedly summoned) companion, isn't making sure that their subclass comes into play their responsibility? Assuming of course that the DM is not throwing the players only into scenarios where the Wildfire Spirit cannot show without communicating that before the subclass is chosen or letting the player adapt by changing their subclass.

But to go into your question more directly: I'd suggest letting the druid Wild Shape into the Wildfire Spirit instead of grabbing a non-scaling statblock. While this change is strictly speaking a nerf (a disposable minion in addition to a full druid is better than the druid becoming the minion, due to action economy, if nothing else), it is a simple one that requires little balancing (a druid without subclass would still be able to keep up in most groups).

The 6th- and 14th level features need a bit of reworking when making the above adjustment, due to those necessitating that the Spirit is separate from the druid, but that is comparatively simple.

[Kane0]

Our group has been very bad at using any companions or similar and wildfire druids Wildfire Spirit falls thematically to the same niche.

However, as it is quite central part of the abilities, player who disregards that would lack big part of abilities.

Would it be problematic to give the Wildfire Druid the ability to wildshape into a fire elemental as a replacement for the Wildfire Spirit? How could such change be balanced?

Sounds fine, just tweak the elemental statblock so it roughly matches the level of the druid. Have it use both wildshape charges if its still too strong (thats what the moon druid does)

[sambojin]

You could just give them more forms. They're all pretty weak, but some of them come with flying, they have hands, and they can talk. I'd even give them their innate spellcasting and have their attack's to-hit and spell/ability DCs scale off the Druid's Wis+Prof, just to keep them relevant.

All these forms take both wildshape charges to use:
CR1/4: Smoke Mephit (lvl2+)
CR1/2: Magma Mephit (lvl4+)
CR1: Firenewt Warlock of Imix (lvl8+)
Lvl10: Fire Elemental

That'd make it a pretty fun class to play, and none of them are super powered since it's only 1/sr. Good abilities, fun stuff to use, pretty niche but pretty cool. Or hot, in this case. Might be a bit OP at early levels (all Druids are), but it'll quickly level out to more of a flavour/utility choice. Wildfire Druids have all the flying they need anyway, so it's mostly just the somewhat high HP that's a potential problem, but at 1/sr I can see it bothering party balance too much.

[nickl_2000]

Would it be problematic to give the Wildfire Druid the ability to wildshape into a fire elemental as a replacement for the Wildfire Spirit? How could such change be balanced?

Yes, simply because you are effectively killing the entire level 6 and level 14 abilities. Those only work if you have the Wildfire spirit summoned and active. If your campaign isn't going to level 6, then disregard and listen to the good advice others have posted on here. If you are going above 6, you may as well look at a homebrew elemental druid class or make your own because you are basically getting rid of the entire ability structure of the class.


What is the player looking for out of the Wildfire Druid? What do they want out of it when they don't do companions?