Summary
InBaldur’s Gate 3,Druids have a plethora of optionsto tailor their playstyle as they see fit, with the most obvious Druid-specific feature, Wild Shape, landing front and center.
Wild Shape is a Druid ability that allows the player to take on the form of their chosen creature, and it can be used to provide support to the party and grant access to hard-to-reach locations. There are 16 options that a Druid can Wild Shape into inBaldur’s Gate 3,but some are definitely better than others. Here are themost underrated Wild Shape options for Druids.
7Cat
The Cat is a great Wild Shape option that provides a good amount of utility outside of combat. Their HP is pretty low and doesn’t improve a whole lot by level 12, but typically, it won’t be used as an offensive Wild Shape, so it’s not a major loss.
The Cat cantraverse into troublesome areas, squeezing through small holes that most characters will have no luck entering themselves. This can lead to a lot of great discoveries inBaldur’s Gate 3, including additional loot and secret areas. Cats also have a Meow action, which can attract the attention of foes. This can be used before combat to bring enemies into one area, providing a great opportunity to drop a Fireball or two on them, taking them by surprise.
6Dire Raven
Blind Pesky Foes
The Dire Raven is deceptively useful as a Wild Shape option, despite some unassuming stats. Whilst it only starts with 13 hit points and doesn’t deal a whole lot of damage, the fact that it can blind enemies can provide a great tactical advantage and be used to turn the tides of combat. This Wild Shape option will typically be used before combat starts or as a way of initiating combat against unsuspecting enemies.
The Beak Attack for the Raven deals a measly 2d4+2 damage, whilst the Rend Vision deals an even worse 1d6+2. The benefit of the Rend Vision attack is that it blinds enemies, giving them disadvantage on all attack rolls and granting advantage on attack rolls against them. This can be especially useful for those who rely on the Rogue Sneak Attack ability, as combining both attacks can either finish off an irksome enemy or ensure that the fighter’s hits are landing.
5Spider
Hinder & Slow Enemies
The Spider isn’t a popular choice for a Wild Shape, but it’s available pretty early on and can be incredibly useful in battle. Starting with 20 HP and eventually reaching 74, the Spider isn’t the strongest option by any means, but the Web ability can be extremely valuable and makes the Spider a great Wild Shape option. The biggest downside is that the web ability requires a DC 13 Constitution Saving Throw from enemies, which is not too high of a bar to clear. When the web works, however, it really displays the value of this Wild Shape option.
What’s more,Circle of The Moon Druidswill be able to transform into Spiders as a bonus action, allowing them to wild shape and then enweb enemies on the same turn, which can provide a huge tactical advantage and give other characters a little bit longer to get into position.
4Panther
Stalk In The Shadows Before Striking
The Panther is a great Wild Shape option inBaldur’s Gate 3, though it gets underutilized a lot. First starting with 45 hit points when unlocked at level 6, the Panther can have a maximum HP of 112 by level 12. This means it will havepretty good survivability in combat, and can stand up to a fair amount of punishment.
The Bite attack for the Panther is less than amazing, dealing only 3d6 + DEX modifier on a hit, but it has plenty of other abilities that make this a worthwhile use of Wild Shape. The Panther has the ‘Prowl’ ability, which allows them to turn invisible to move to a more advantageous position with ease. The Prowl ability also adds 1d8 to the first attack made whilst invisible. The Panther also has a pounce ability, dealing 2d8 + DEX modifier, and a Jugular Strike, which deals 1d4 + DEX modifier. These abilities can be used in conjunction, as Pounce has the potential to knock a target prone, whilst Jugular Strike deals an additional 2d6 + DEX modifier to prone targets.
3Deep Rothe
Disrupt Enemy Positions
Deep Rothe is a great Wild Shape option that Druids unlock at level 4. It starts with 23 hit points and increases to a total possible maximum of 48 by level 12. Though it doesn’t have the most hit points of any Wild Shape option, it can be very useful in combat.
This is mostly due to the abilities that the Deep Rothe possess, which can be useful to set up attacks for allied players. Their Gore attack deals 3d+4 damage and an additional 11 force damage to weaker targets. What’s more, their Charge attack can blow through enemies, dealing 1d6+4 damage, and has the potential to knock targets prone. This is a great way to deal damage to several enemies at once and potentially set up opportunities forallies to dish out attackswith advantage against prone enemies.
2Sabre-Toothed Tiger
Shred Through Armor And Knock Down Enemies
The Sabre-Tooth Tiger is astrong combat optionthat is pretty reliable in combat, but the abilities of this Wild Shape option are what cement it as an underrated choice. It starts with just 62 hit points at level 8 but increases to 89 by level 12. It has similar abilities to the Panther, like Bite and Jugular Strike, which both deal 2d6 + STR modifier in damage, but it also has access to additional abilities that make it a great option for tactical use in combat.
Firstly, they have a Shred Armor ability, which deals 2d4 + STR modifier and reduces Armor Class by one. This makes it a great option when attempting to knock difficult enemies down a peg and ensures allies are hitting their marks more consistently. Sabre-Toothed Tigers also have great survivability in combat, as their passive ability, Animalistic Vitality, restores 2d8 hit points every round of combat, allowing them to stand up to brutal punishment and save valuable Wild Shape slots.
1Dilophosaurus
A Dinosaur That Melts Armor
This definitely isn’t the strongest Wild Shape option in terms of physical strength, but it’s a great tactical pick that can turn the tide of a battle pretty quickly. The Dilophosaurus is a level 10 Wild Shape ability. It has pretty decent hit points, starting at 74 and topping out at 96, and a good damage output with physical attacks, dishing out at least 2d6 with the pounce attack, and 2d10+4 plus 1d8 acid damage for their bite, making them a foe to be reckoned with in a physical confrontation.
The really underrated part of the Dilophosaurus is the Corrosive Spit attack, which sprays a target with fluids andmelts through Armor Classeswhile dealing 2d8 acid damage. This then damages the target for 1d10 acid damage per turn and reduces the target’s Armor Class by one. It continues to wear down the Armor Class until 5 turns pass, which can make it so much easier for allies to land a killing blow on an annoying target.
