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The druid inDungeons & Dragonshas a dual identity, drawing power from nature to cast spells that can support or hinder others, while also being able to transform into beasts that can take to the front lines with ease. With the release of the 2024 Player’s Handbook, Druids have received several updates aimed at simplifying their abilities while keeping their versatility.
In this guide, we’ll explore how to build a druid using the 2024 rules and highlight the key differences from the 2014 edition. We will also delve into the different subclasses, and the few changes made to what you can wild shape into.
Druid Highlights
Druids are a class defined by their connection to nature andtheir ability to use powerful spells and beast forms.The 2024 Player’s Handbook has made it sothese two features communicate, allowing for more effective use of wild shape and spellcasting. At their core,druids remain masters of adaptability, excellingin both combat and utility rolesthanks to their spell list and transformative abilities.
One of the biggest improvements in the 2024 rules isthe added flexibility of wild shape, allowingfor more frequent useand enhanced combat abilities when in beast form. Druids are also able toswap spell slots for wild shape charges and vice versa, letting you focus on whatever role you require, or maintaining a much-needed level of versatility.
Differences From The 2024 Player’s Handbook
Like all other classes in the 2024 Player’s Handbook,druids now gain their subclass at level three, when before it was at level two. This in itself isn’t a major change, but it does open the opportunityfor druids to gain more customization options, as well as other uses for their spell slots and wild shape uses.
Druidic
Language exclusive to druids.
Now a rare language others can learn, but the feature gives druids the spell Speak with Animals.
Swapping cantrips at level up
Spells known
Primal Order
Not present.
Level 1 feature that lets you focus on either spellcasting or frontline fighting, gets upgraded at levels 7 and 15.
Wild Resurgence
Level 5 feature that lets you use a spell slot to gain a wild shape use, or a wild shape use to gain a level 1 spell slot.
Archdruid
Infinite wild shape uses.
Highly improved ways to gain wild shape uses, or to turn them into spell slots higher than level 1.
Wild Shape
Druid’s ability to become animals,also known as wild shape, has had several changes in the 2024 Player’s Handbook. Let’s start with the biggest change:you no longer replace your hit points with the beast’s hit points, you instead retain your own, and simplygain temporary hit points that equal your druid level.
This means two things: nowall your forms have the same amount of health(a serious nerf for several large beasts, but a buff whenever you become a cat), and you can’t be knocked out of the form unless you are knocked out yourself:losing the temporary hit points does not take you out of your wild shape.
Another change that can be considered a nerf is thatyou have to choose what you’re able to transform into ahead of time.You pick four forms at level two (that limit is expanded as you level up), and you can change those forms when you long rest.
Now for the good stuff:using wild shape is a bonus actionfor all druids, not just circle of the moon ones.You can also speak while wild shaped, andthe no swimming beast restriction at early levels has been removed, giving the feature more versatility than just claws for combat encounters.
The big change, however, is thatyou no longer have to have seen the beastin order to transform into it. It still needs to fall into the challenge rating restrictions, but as long as your DM allows it,you may become any beast from any source.
Subclass Highlights
The 2024 Player’s Handbook brings back a few subclasses we already know and love, likethe circle of the land and the circle of the stars.The circle of the moonalso makes a return, with a few changes to balance the fact that wild shape has changed so much.
That is not all, however, since there is also a new subclass:circle of the sea. Don’t worry;it isn’t exclusive to underwater combat, and in fact, it brings the water above sea level,controlling the combat zone with emanationsthat push enemies around.
Circle Of The Land
The circle of the land druids made their most significant choicewhen they gained the subclass, since they had to choose a specific type of land, from which future spells would be learned. Now, in 2024,there are only four lands to choose from, andyou can change your land after a long rest.
This means that, in essence,you have access to all the lands on offer, and you even gain resistances as you level up based on the land’s terrain. Higher level features have also been changed to includemore area damage and support, giving the circle of the land druids consistency at those levels, as well as reliable options no matter what land they attune to.
Circle Of The Moon
With all the changes to wild shape,the circle of the moon druidsneeded a few buffs, and they gained them. For starters,they can now cast a few spells while wild shaped, being able to Conjure Animals or cast Moonbeam at far away enemies.
Circle of the moon druids can no longer use spell slots to heal, but instead they can cast Cure Wounds, which heals 2D8 + Wisdom modifier in 2024.
Since combat is a big focus for these druids,the temporary hit points and armor class of their wild shape is heavily improved.The armor class, for example, is equal to13 plus their Wisdom modifier, unless the form’s AC is higher.
The elemental shapes are gone from level ten, with the moon druids insteadteleporting around with moon magic.This power is expanded upon at level 14, giving druids more damage when wild shaped, as well as the ability to teleport allies with them.
Circle Of The Sea
These water-centric druids are all aboutspell casting and controlling the battlefield, gaining a special feature calledwrath of the sea.By spending a wild shape use,they can emanate a constant flow of wateraround them thatdamages nearby enemiesand pushes them away.
They also gainseveral spells themed around water and storms, like Thunderwave, Control Water, and Ice Storm. They get afly speed at level 10, and at 14 they can share their watery emanation with an ally of their choice.
Circle Of The Stars
The circle of the stars subclass has been modified slightly in 2024, making itmore cohesive thanits 2014 counterpart.You still use your wild shape uses totake on a starry form, butit takes a bonus actioninstead of an action; other than that, the forms remain the same.
At level ten, however,all these forms get upgraded in some way, adding a D8 to the effects of archer and chalice forms, and giving you fly speed while in dragon form. you’re able to also swap forms during combat, but only at the start of each turn.
Full of stars, the feature gained at level ten,is now gained at 14, and it does the same: become partially incorporeal togain resistance to physical damage.The star flare ability is completely gone, although the damage output of the subclass is more than made up for by the level ten upgrades.
Best Species Options
Since Ability Scores aren’t determined by species anymore,you’re able to feel free to pick whatever feels right for you.If you want the best possible option for your druid, however, you first need to decide if you’re going to spend most of your timeas a humanoid or as a beast.
If you’ll be using spells most of the time,the aasimar species can work really well, since their traits can make for interesting combos.Their celestial revelations and healing handsmake them great druids of circles like land, sea and stars.
Moon druids, however,might benefit from certain traits unlocked by other species, although you should verify toconsult with your Dungeon Masterif these traits can be used while wild shaped. Things likea dwarf’s tremorsense,a halfling’s nimblenessor anorc’s relentless endurance, can make your animal form even better than it might already be.
Best Stat Placement
Your main focus is going to be Wisdom, no matter what type of druid you’ll be playing. Most are spellcasters, but moon druids, for example,get an armor class bonus if their Wisdom is high enough, while other melee-focused druids will mostly rely on Shillelagh for damage, at least at lower levels.
Constitution should be your next focus, particularly due tothe nerf to wild shape’s hit points.Everything else is secondary, but casters shouldavoid having a negative score in Dexterity, since it is likely going to impact their armor class.
Strength should be your dump stat, although you won’t get much use out of Intelligence either. If you spend most of your time wild shaped,consider ignoring Dexterity as well in favor of Charisma, since you can now speak while transformed, and even animals need Charisma throws to convince others of their views.
Best Spells For Druids
The best spells for your druid depend on how you play them, but at the earlier levels you’ll still be getting used to the class.Consider the table below for recommended low level spells, and don’t be afraid to experiment;you may change spells every long rest after all.
Once you gain a subclass,consider the spells they give you carefully: they tend to be the most powerful options for the level they are offered. Also,remember that you can cast a limited list of spells when wild shaped, if you choose the circle of the moon subclass.
1
2
Touch a creature and restore 2D8 plus Wisdom modifier health.
Flaming sphere
Create a flaming sphere that deals damage to creatures around it, and you can move it around.
Moonbeam
Cast a column that deals 2D10 radiant damage, removing shapeshifting effects.
Call Lightning
3
Call forth lighting, dealing 3D10 damage. You can call another lightning each turn without spending another spell slot.
No, but you can keep summoning lightning when wild shaped.
Best Feats, Backgrounds And Starting Equipment
The background you pick will mostly depend, as everything does with a druid,if you’ll be wild shaping a lot or not.If you will, then you wantthe farmer background for the tough origin feat, since you’ll need the extra health, otherwise you’d want somethinglike hermit, making you better at healing others.
As for general feats,a good one for druids is war caster, since a lot of their most powerful spells require concentration. It alsoallows moon druids transformed into cats to cast Starry Wispas an opportunity attack, surprising your enemies with a sudden D8 damage.
The starting equipment for druids is as good as it gets, giving youdecent protectionand even a staff should you want to take the Shillelagh cantrip. As you level up,you’ll rely more on your spells and wild shapesthan equipment to solve problems.
Best Multiclass Options
The best thing to keep in mind when multiclassing, is thatyou can use nearly all class features when wild shaped.That means that, with just a few levels into a class,your bear form can suddenly use abilitiesfrom other martial classes.
Fighter is a rather popular choice, giving yousecond wind and fighting stylesat level one, andaction surge at level two.This means thatyour wild shape can take two actions in a single turn, or havea fighting style like blind fighting.
