Druid: Wild Flux (Replacement)
Artwork Credit: https://coolvibe.com/2011/2d-art-shield-warden/
Have you ever wanted to build a druid who doesn't use their Wild Shape? Certainly there are druid subclasses for 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons that allow you to use your Wild Shape in new ways. But what if you wanted to make a druid of another subclass, such as the Circle of the Land, Circle of Seeds, or Circle of Dreams, and you don't want (or your DM doesn't allow you) to use Wild Shape? The upcoming homebrew compendium for D&D 5e, Legends of Prestige & Prowess, has two replacement features that your druid can gain instead of the Wild Shape feature. The one we're previewing today, Wild Flux, allows your druid to control the currents and flow of wind and water.
Without a subclass that makes it stronger, such as the Circle of the Moon, the Circle of the Molt, and the Circle of the Swarm, the Wild Shape class feature has two main purposes for druids. The first is exploration, wherein the druid transforms into a beast form that allows them to more easily traverse challenging environments. This can involve a form with a special speed, such as swimming or burrowing, a special trait, such as water breathing or bonuses to stealth, or a discreet appearance, such as a mundane rat or dog that can go unnoticed. At higher levels, the druid can use these forms to carry their allies through difficult environments as well. The other purpose is interaction, wherein the druid uses the abilities of different beast forms to interact with the environment in novel ways. Examples include transforming into a stronger, larger beast to lift and move objects, transforming into a beast with keen senses to search your environment, or transforming into an animal with unique abilities like the mimicry of a raven or the multiple appendages of an octopus. At the same time, it grants the druid a small amount of bonus hit points while limiting the druid to usually a single weak attack and preventing them from casting any spells until maximum level.
Any feature that replaces Wild Shape has to serve both of those purposes just as well as Wild Shape does and come with the same critical limitations. They can have different situational strengths and weaknesses, but they should end up with about the same overall level of utility with regards to combat, exploration, and interaction. That is why the feature in today’s preview, Wild Flux, contains so many diverse options. Starting at 2nd level, it can be used to leap across gaps or from great heights, to lift and interact with objects, to sneak effectively and listen with keen senses, and to blend in for some social situations. At higher levels, it enables the druid to carry themselves and their allies across watery terrain and eventually via aerial travel, along with granting druids options for increased speed or object interaction — the same sort of options available to a druid with Wild Shape.
Legends of Prestige & Prowess has another alternative to Wild Shape, called Wild Growth, that works very similarly to Wild Flux, except it involves plant-based abilities. Sometimes this includes summoning growths of plants that can be climbed or walked across, with hit points and armor class of their own! But for now, if you want access to both of these replacement features, you’ll just have to wait for the release of the compendium later this year!
