*Curious* Wild Shape Variant: Aspect of Nature

[Kantolin]

This is about the UA variant, which can be found here on the SRD:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/cl...AspectOfNature

Now, I'm very much aware it's weaker - just by glancing at it, the best statwise you can get is either +8Str/Dex with a -4Dex/Str, or +4 Con.

But it seems interesting and flavorful. What would you do to make it a bit more viable for a druid who doesn't want to turn into goats?

Important: This is not at all aiming to make it on par with standard wild shape or even other variants thereof. Just to make it function. I'm assuming Druids, being fullcasters, will be relatively fine with even this nerf.

One thing I think I'll ask to have house ruled is to change it from 1 minute/level to lasting for an extended period of time, more akin to standard wild shape. Min/lev means you have to, in combat, squander an attempt - and also makes the 'scent' option relatively moot.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

I'd make it hours/level. Good enough to be used. I've played it before, and you rarely end up using the abilities due to the action cost.

[Myrmex]

I'd make it hours/level. Good enough to be used. I've played it before, and you rarely end up using the abilities due to the action cost.

Why give the full caster with a pet fighter +4 con & +8 str as a class feature?

[Kelb_Panthera]

Because Druidzilla can already do that anyway?

[Kantolin]

Mrr, how do you quote multiple people at once and have the 'originally posted by' line? Anyway...

@ Sstoopidtallkid

I'd make it hours/level. Good enough to be used.

That was what I was thinking. It's still strong, but less directly so than standard Wild Shape. I figure that it's a double gain: I am less dominating as a druid, and simultaneously I don't have to turn into a goat. Win/win in my book! ^_^

@Mrymex

Why give the full caster with a pet fighter +4 con & +8 str as a class feature?

Essentially, it's as Kelb suggested above. This seems overtly weaker than Wild Shape, while still letting me be somewhat transformative. This isn't intended as a 'Druids are overpowered, use this to fix them' solution (I'm not worried about being overpowered even if the DM ends up refusing this idea, as this DM is fond of abruptly saying 'no' to things for no reason - this character will certainly not shatter worlds), but more of a flavor option that comes with a nerf.

That stated, this does fix a chunk of Dzilla - suddenly, if the Dzilla wants to be in melee, his base stats now mean something, and he can't comb through new books to hop into a Fleshraker or something. It also limits it to giving you mild stat boosts but primarily mobility. No real comparison to standard wild shape.

Mostly for the benifit of myself (but also people glancing at the chart), lemme look at the options sorted by level...

[All weapon options shrink up or down based on size a'la weapons]

Level 5 - One at a time.
Level 8 - Two at a time
Level 11 - Three at a time
Level 15 - Four at a time.
(Each aspect taken counts as one use of wild shape, as per normal limits)

-Level 5 Options-
Aquatic - 40ft swim speed, +8 bonus on swim checks
Flight - 40ft fly speed (30ft if medium/heavy armour/load)
Poison - 1d4 Bite, deals 1d6 con as primary & secondary, Fort DC 10 + 1/2 Druid level + Con mod
Scent - Scent
Speed - +30ft enhancement to land speed
Tooth and Claw - Bite (1d6, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing) and two claws (1d4, piercing and slashing)

It's nice that you immediately get the mobility options of normal wild shape. Major advantage seems to be fly, swim, or a rather large bonus to land speed, which are cool. The poison bite seems like it's quite a bit.

-Level 8 Options-
Agility - +8 Dex, -4 Str
Endurance - +4 Con
Vigor - +8 Str, -4 Dex

Stat alterations wait until level 8 to show up. Starting now you get three wild shapes a day and can do two at once, so you can go with Aiglity-and-vigor to get a net +4 to both Strength and Dex if you'd like, but that seems generally less useful than having at least one mobility option.

-Level 12 Options-
Plant - +10 hide in forest-like terrain. Immune poison/sleep/paralysis/stunning. Slam attack (1d6 bludgeoning). Natural armour bonus becomes 4 (replacing other natural armour, although enhancement bonuses still apply). Can only combine with Vigor.

If you go for plant, then you can't use the 'three at a time' option you just got. Plant gives you a few kinda neat immunities and a situational hide bonus, but that generally seems less useful than the lower level options.

-Level 16 Options-
Elemental Air - Become Gaseous: Fly 100ft(perfect), Immunity to poison/sleep/paralysis/stun and all immunities from gaseous form spell, cannot cast spells. Can only combine with agility & endurance
Elemental Earth - Become rocky. Immunity poison/sleep/paralysis/stunning. Slam attack (1d8 bludgeoning). natural armour becomes +8 (replacing others, although enhancement applies). DR 10/magic. Cannot cast spells. Can only combine with Endurance & Vigor.
Elemental Fire - Immune to fire/poison/sleep/paralysis/stunning. Anyone who attacks or is attacked in melee takes 1d6 fire and must make a reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 druid level + con mod) or catch fire for 1d4 rounds. DR 10/magic. Cannot cast spells. Ccan only combine with agility & endurance.
Elemental Water - +10 escape artist, Resist fire 10, Immune to poison/sleep/paralysis/stunning. Swim speed 90ft, +8 bonus to swim. Touch puts out nonmagical fire that are large or smaller. Can dispel magic fire touched as if greater dispel magic. DR 10/magic. Cannot cast spells. Can only combine with endurance & vigor.

Interestingly, you cannot cast spells duringany of the level 16 'aspect of an element' options. That and the fact that you can't combine them with what you want makes these really really situational - but air or water for the purpose of traveling (or aerial/oceanic combat) might be neat.

Overall, it seems like most of the coolness comes from the level 5 and level 8 options, though - the higher up ones are cool, but notably more limited in appliation (Especially since you lose your spellcasting for the level 16 picks). That makes it more clear that it really isn't worth doing without making it closer to hour/level, though

[Fortuna]

Perhaps variable duration within the ability? I would love to have a +30 to land speed all the adventuring day, so perhaps the higher ones also last longer? Just a thought.

[Kantolin]

Perhaps variable duration within the ability? I would love to have a +30 to land speed all the adventuring day, so perhaps the higher ones also last longer? Just a thought.

That could work - the higher ones seem notably less useful than the earlier ones, so having them last longer could help.

Problems, however, include that by the time you'd get the higher ones (level 16), duration has long ago stopped being a problem (assuming you go hour/level).

And if you leave the earlier ones minute/level, then they again fall into useless territory. It's still a nerf without that - wild shape can easily get you 50 or 60ft movement for hour/level while giving you other perks.