Druid guide for the 2024 rules

Class basics

Features by level

Wild Shape uses and known forms by level

In the 2024 rules you don't pick from every beast you've seen. You learn a set number of beast forms, and you can swap one for another when you finish a long rest. The challenge rating cap and flying both open up at level 8.

You regain one use on a short rest and all of them on a long rest. Good early forms cover a few jobs: something that climbs, something that swims, something small enough to scout, and one sturdy fighter for emergencies. At level 8 add a flier and you have an answer for most terrain.

The features that matter

Primal Order (level 1)

Pick Magician for an extra cantrip and your Wisdom modifier added to Arcana and Nature checks, or Warden for martial weapons and medium armor training. Warden is the better pick for most druids. Medium armor and a shield fix the class's biggest weakness, which is a low AC.

Wild Shape (level 2)

A bonus action turns you into one of your known beast forms for hours equal to half your druid level. Your hit point total stays yours; the form adds a cushion of temporary hit points, one per druid level. You use the beast's physical stats but keep your mind. You can't cast spells in beast form until level 18.

Wild Companion (level 2)

Spend a Wild Shape use or a spell slot to cast Find Familiar without components. A familiar that scouts, or grants the Help action for advantage, is often a better use of Wild Shape than turning into a wolf.

Wild Resurgence (level 5)

If you're out of Wild Shape uses, you can spend a spell slot to get one back, once per turn. Once per long rest you can also trade a Wild Shape use for a level 1 spell slot.

Elemental Fury (level 7)

Choose Potent Spellcasting, which adds your Wisdom modifier to druid cantrip damage, or Primal Strike, an extra 1d8 cold, fire, lightning or thunder damage once per turn on weapon or beast-form attacks. At level 15 Primal Strike becomes 2d8, and Potent Spellcasting adds 300 feet to the range of your longer-range cantrips.

Archdruid (level 20)

You regain a Wild Shape use on initiative if you have none, you can turn Wild Shape uses into a spell slot once per long rest, and you age far more slowly.

What changed from 2014

• Wild Shape uses known forms. You keep a short list of beasts and swap them on long rests, instead of picking from any beast you've seen.
• You keep your own hit points. Beast forms no longer bring a separate pool of hit points. You get temporary hit points instead, and once those are gone, damage comes off your own hit points.
• Wild Shape is a bonus action for everyone. In 2014 only Moon druids got that.
• Your circle arrives at level 3, one level later than before. Primal Order and Wild Companion fill the early levels.
• Elemental Fury is new. It gives every druid a damage boost at level 7, either to cantrips or to attacks.
• Circle of the Sea is new. The Shepherd, Dreams and Spores circles from other books aren't in the 2024 Player's Handbook.

For most druids, Wild Shape is now a tool for scouting, travel and escape, and the big Moon druid tank is a subclass choice rather than the default.

Subclasses

You join a Circle at level 3. Only the Circle of the Land is in the free SRD; the others are in the 2024 Player's Handbook.

Stars is the easiest circle for a first druid because its three forms each do one clear job. Moon is the most fun if you enjoy flipping through beast stat blocks.

Building one

• Ability scores: Wisdom first, Constitution second, Dexterity third. Your beast forms replace your physical scores, so don't spend on Strength.
• Primal Order: Warden, unless you're playing Moon and plan to spend most fights in beast form.
• Spells: Entangle, Healing Word and Faerie Fire at level 1; Moonbeam and Spike Growth once you reach level 3. Most of your strength is in concentration spells, so pick one per fight and protect it.
• Feats: raise Wisdom first. War Caster or Resilient (Constitution) help keep concentration up.

Before session one, write down your known forms with their AC, hit points and speeds on an index card. It saves the table from waiting while you look things up.