Analysing all the wild shape options and helping you decide which ones to take.
A lot has changed when it comes to wild shape in D&D 2024. Not only has the way it works changed, but the various creatures you can transform into have been changed and we’ve even seen many creatures re-classified. This means that some creatures are no longer available to transform into.
But with a lot of options to choose from, it can be tough for a druid to work out which creature to wild shape into. In this article, I’ve dug into how wild shape works, how it’s changed and which are your best options to take.
How does wild shape work?
Wild shape is a core druid feature that allows them to transform into another creature. This allows them to take on the capabilities of another creature which can be useful in both combat, and for utility outside of combat.
There are a bunch of rules to be aware of around how wild shape works which I’ve listed out below (just be aware that these are the rules for the 2024 version of wild shape as they’ve changed a bit between editions):
- Requires a bonus action
- Can be used 2-4 times depending on your level
- Regenerates on short and long rests
- You know 4-8 forms depending on your level
- The challenge rating of your forms is between 1/4 and 1 depending on your level
- You can only use a flying form once you reach level 8
- You can only transform into beasts
- When you transform, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your level
- Your stats are replaced by the wild shape form’s stats other than hit points, hit point dice, intelligence, wisdom, charisma, class features, languages and feats
- You can’t cast spells while in wild shape but can maintain concentration although some spells can be cast in wild shape form when you hit level 18
- Your equipment can be melded into your form, but your ability to use equipment will depend on the limitations of your form
Moon druid’s wild shape
If you’re playing a circle of the moon druid, they have enhanced wild shape capabilities. They have the following differences in their wild shape:
- The challenge rating of their wild shape form is their druid level divided by 3 (so a maximum of 6)
- Their AC in wild shape form is 13 + their wisdom modifier if it’s higher than their wild shape’s AC
- They gain temporary hit points in their wild shape form equal to 3 times their druid level
At later levels, they also get:
- Radiant damage for attacks
- Improved constitution saving throws
- Increased damage once per turn on attacks
How has wild shape changed in D&D 2024?
The 2014 version of wild shape was really good, but it was also kind of unbalanced and in some ways, a bit boring. Just dumping loads of extra hit points on someone isn’t that interesting, but also, the fact that it required a full action to use also limited what you could do in the first round of combat.
The 2024 version addresses a lot of these issues with a bunch of changes which I’ve summarised below:
- Now only requires a bonus action
- You get more uses as you level up
- You regain less uses on a short rest, but have more ways to regain uses such as expending a spell slot
- You don’t assume the hit points from your wild shape from anymore. Instead you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your druid level (and more for a moon druid)
- But this also means you can remain in your wild shape until your full raft of hit points reaches 0 rather than reverting to your humanoid form when your wild shape form’s hit points are all lost
- You now have a set number of wild shape forms known
- You can speak while in your wild shape form
- Damage in your wild shape form can scale with your levels
- You can summon a wild companion using the find familiar spell by using a spell slot or a wild shape use
What forms can you wild shape into?
Below I’ve listed out all the creatures you can transform into with your wild shape in D&D 2024. Remember that most druids can’t transform into a creature of more than CR 1 and moon druids are limited to CR 6 and under.
Wild shape forms for all druids
| Form | CR | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Ape | 1/2 | Climb, multiattack |
| Baboon | 0 | Climb |
| Badger | 0 | Burrow, darkvision |
| Bat | 0 | Fly, blindsight |
| Black bear | 1/2 | Climb, swim, darkvision, multiattack |
| Blood hawk | 1/8 | Fly |
| Boar | 1/4 | Fast |
| Brown bear | 1 | Climb, darkvision, multiattack |
| Camel | 1/8 | Fast, darkvision |
| Cat | 0 | Fast, climb, darkvision |
| Constrictor snake | 1/4 | Swim, blindsight |
| Crab | 0 | Swim, blindsight, amphibious |
| Crocodile | 1/2 | Swim, hold breathe |
| Deer | 0 | Fast, darkvision |
| Dire wolf | 1 | Fast, darkvision |
| Draft horse | 1/4 | Fast |
| Eagle | 0 | Fly |
| Elk | 1/4 | Fast, darkvision |
| Frog | 0 | Swim, darkvision |
| Giant badger | 1/4 | Burrow, darkvision |
| Giant centipede | 1/4 | Climb, blindsight |
| Giant crab | 1/8 | Swim, amphibious, blindsight |
| Giant fire beetle | 0 | Climb, blindsight |
| Giant frog | 1/4 | Swim, darkvision, amphibious |
| Giant goat | 1/2 | Climb, darkvision |
| Giant hyena | 1 | Fast, darkvision |
| Giant lizard | 1/4 | Fast, climb, darkvision |
| Giant octopus | 1 | Swim, darkvision, water breathing |
| Giant rat | 1/4 | Climb, darkvision |
| Giant seahorse | 1/2 | Swim, water breathing |
| Giant spider | 1 | Climb, darkvision |
| Giant toad | 1 | Swim, darkvision, amphibious |
| Giant venomous snake | 1/4 | Fast, swim, blindsight |
| Giant wasp | 1/2 | Fly |
| Giant weasel | 1/8 | Climb, darkvision |
| Giant wolf spider | 1/4 | Fast, climb, blindsight |
| Goat | 0 | Fast, climb, darkvision |
| Hawk | 0 | Fly |
| Hyena | 0 | Fast, darkvision |
| Jackal | 0 | Fast, darkvision |
| Lion | 1 | Fast, darkvision, multiattack |
| Lizard | 0 | Climb, darkvision |
| Mastiff | 1/8 | Fast, darkvision |
| Mule | 1/8 | Fast |
| Octopus | 0 | Swim, darkvision, water breathing |
| Owl | 0 | Fly, darkvision |
| Panther | 1/4 | Fast, climb, darkvision, multiattack |
| Piranha | 0 | Swim, darkvision, water breathing |
| Pony | 1/8 | Fast |
| Pteranodon | 1/4 | Fly |
| Rat | 0 | Climb, darkvision |
| Raven | 0 | Fly |
| Reef shark | 1/2 | Swim, blindsight, water breathing |
| Riding horse | 1/4 | Fast |
| Scorpion | 0 | Blindsight |
| Spider | 0 | Climb, darkvision |
| Tiger | 1 | Fast, darkvision, multiattack |
| Venomous snake | 1/8 | Swim, blindsight |
| Vulture | 0 | Fly |
| Warhorse | 1/2 | Fast |
| Weasel | 0 | Climb, darkvision |
| Wolf | 1/4 | Fast, darkvision |
Additional wild shape forms for moon druids
| Form | CR | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Allosaurus | 2 | Fast |
| Ankylosaurus | 3 | Multiattack |
| Archelon | 4 | Swim, amphibious, multiattack |
| Elephant | 4 | Fast, multiattack |
| Giant boar | 2 | Fast |
| Giant constrictor snake | 2 | Swim, blindsight, multiattack |
| Giant crocodile | 5 | Swim, hold breath, multiattack |
| Giant scorpion | 3 | Swim, blindsight, multiattack |
| Giant shark | 5 | Swim, blindsight, water breathing, multiattack |
| Giant squid | 6 | Swim, darkvision, water breathing, multiattack |
| Hippopotamus | 4 | Swim, hold breath, multiattack |
| Hunter shark | 2 | Swim, blindsight, water breathing |
| Killer whale | 3 | Swim, blindsight, hold breath |
| Mammoth | 6 | Fast, multiattack |
| Plesiosaurus | 2 | Swim, hold breath |
| Polar bear | 2 | Fast, swim, darkvision, multiattack |
| Rhinoceros | 2 | Fast |
| Saber-toothed tiger | 2 | Fast, darkvision, multiattack |
| Triceratops | 5 | Fast, multiattack |
Choosing your wild shape form
There’s a few things to consider when deciding which forms to take.
Different forms at different levels
The first is that you unlock different CR forms as you gain levels. This means that at different levels, different forms will be best. So while a CR 1 form will undoubtedly be better than a CR 1/4 form, we do need to consider CR 1/4 forms for those early levels.
Having a variety of functions
It’s no good picking forms that all do similar things. Instead, pick forms with different functions. Grab one for when you need to swim, another for flying (or climbing before flying forms kick in), another for combat, another for blindsight etc. this way, you’ll have the flexibility to tackle whatever situation you need to.
Flight unlocks at level 8
You don’t unlock flight forms until level 8. Even then, most of these are a low CR. Before then, climbing and perhaps jumping are your best way to gain height if you need that. After this point, climbing and jumping becomes less important.
Hit points are irrelevant
The hit points of the creature you transform into don’t matter anymore as you gain temporary hit points equal to your druid level. This means we can discount this in our decision making.
Different for moon druids
Moon druids can access higher CR forms, can have improved AC (most beasts have a very low AC so 13 + wisdom modifier will normally be higher) and have forms and features that make wild shape for combat more viable.
Which wild shape forms are best in D&D 2024?
I’m going to tackle standard druid forms separately from moon druid forms as the answer there is quite different.
Best druid wild shape forms
Best combat forms
You may find wild shape good for combat at some levels, especially for the temporary hit points but combat capabilities don’t scale too well at higher levels unless you’re a moon druid. Still, some forms will also get you things like multiattack and special effects in combat.
For CR 1/4 forms, combat shouldn’t be your main consideration. Their AC will almost certainly be lower than yours, the temporary hit points will be negligible and they probably don’t do more damage than you (it’s likely less). Still, you might want to be a mount that can attack or use the form for other things alongside combat, in which case, an elk is probably your highest damage option.
At CR 1/2, apes are your best option with the best damage and highest chances of hitting. They have the bonus of a climb speed and a ranged attack too.
At CR 1, a lion is probably your best bet. It gets 2 attacks, potentially with advantage, making it most likely to hit. It’s also pretty quick.
Best forms for ranged attacks
You don’t get many beasts with ranged options. The only damage dealing ranged attack you get is from an ape. Thankfully, apes make a pretty good CR 1/2 option anyway. Giant spiders (CR 1) can launch webs that restrain at range, but it won’t deal any damage. Sadly these are your only ranged options.
Best forms for swimming
At CR 1/4, the giant venomous snake is your best option. It’s the fastest at this CR, deals the most damage and nearly has the best AC (giant crabs are best there, but weaker in other areas). They can’t breathe underwater though, so if you want to do this, you’ll want to grab a giant frog.
At CR 1/2, black bears are your most versatile option and will deal the most damage. But if you need to breathe underwater, you can use the giant seahorse.
Once you hit level 8, a giant octopus is your fastest swimmer.
Best forms for flight
You only get access to flying forms at level 8. Although a giant wasp is your highest CR option (at 1/2), the pteranodon is actually your best choice. It’s got the fastest speed, highest AC, can avoid opportunity attacks and has the best damage (though none of your flying options are much good in combat).
Best forms for burrowing
Only badgers (CR 0) and giant badgers (CR 1/4) can burrow out of your options. Unsurprisingly, the giant badger is the better option with a faster burrow speed and better stats all round.
Best forms for blindsight
If you’re looking for a wild shape form with blindsight, I’d go with a giant bat. It can fly pretty fast and has the furthest blindsight at 120ft.
Best circle of the moon wild shape forms
Moon druids get higher CR options. I’ve tried to pick a range of good options at their different challenge ratings to help you out here. Between the higher CR and your other moon druid features, a lot of these creatures should deal higher damage than your own attacks or cantrips making them far more worthwhile in combat:
CR 2: The saber-toothed tiger is your highest damage option. It can also disengage or hide as a bonus action making it good for hit and run tactics. Take a hunter shark if you want something that can swim.
CR 3: The giant scorpion gets 3 attacks making it the highest damage option at this level and you can grapple with 2 of these attacks. You can go for a killer whale for a swimming option.
CR 4: The elephant is the pick of the bunch here. With 3 attacks, the ability to knock prone and +8 to attack rolls, it’s easily your best option. Or you can go for an archelon with it’s very fast swim speed.
CR 5: I’d probably be tempted by the giant crocodile at this level for its versatility and ability to grapple. Technically a giant shark will do more damage and hit more often though, but will only work in the water which is a rarer set of circumstances.
CR 6: The mammoth can manage pretty substantial damage which makes it a more obvious pick than the giant squid. If you just need swimming, there are lower CR options to pick from, but more often than not, you’ll just want brute force.
That’s all the best wild shape options for you in D&D 2024. Do you have any favourite wild shape forms? Let me know about them in the comments below. Let me know in the comments below.
Spotlight on D&D 2024
All the latest updates on what’s changing with the 2024 rules revision.
