In Baldur's Gate 3, Druids don't begin the game with one of their most class-defining abilities: Wild Shape. At Level 2, in addition to choosing a subclass, Druids gain the ability to shapeshift into an animal of their choosing a handful of times every short rest. At Level 2, four shapes are available to Druids (five for those who go with Circle of the Moon), but the list of options keeps expanding as Druids continue through the game.

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The Druid class in BG3 can shapeshift into different animals, and the Circle of the Moon Druid build amps up Wild Shape's damage and party utility.

The total number of Wild Shape forms available to Druids in Baldur's Gate 3 is 15, seven of which are reserved for Circle of the Moon Druids only. But some Wild Shape forms aren't nearly as powerful, or useful, as others – and some are flat-out broken. Spend time getting to know the ins and outs of these five Druid Shapes to learn how they can benefit the party in and out of combat.

Updated March 20, 2024 by Erik Petrovich: The BG3 Wild Shape ability is a little bit different than it is in the game's base source of mechanical inspiration, DnD 5th Edition. In DnD, you can WIld Shape into any animal your character has seen before. Things are a little more limited in Baldur's Gate 3, but the Wild Shape ability is still at the core of the Druid class. Instead, you have a selection of various animals and elementals that you can transform into, each with different benefits and uses. The Dire Raven, for example, can be used to scout ahead and get to areas otherwise unreachable as a Druid, while the Bear and Owlbear Wild Shape forms are more for melee combat and taking damage. This guide has been updated to include these two recommendations, as well as some new details on existing suggestions for the best BG3 Wild Shape forms.

7 Cat

• Unlock Requirements: Druid Level 2 (all subclasses)
• Total Base HP: 2
• Notable Abilities: Tiny creature size, distract enemies with Meow to set up Stealth maneuvers

When comparing stats and abilities directly to one another, the Cat Wild Shape form seems like one of the class' worst options. It has barely any HP and hardly any use in combat – but this Wild Shape form does something no other class can do: fit into small places.

Sometimes players will stumble across a burrow, hole in the wall, or other tiny passageway out in the world. The only way to fit into these small crevices is to change your size, and the Cat Wild Shape form lets Druids do exactly that. As one of the few Tiny creature-size Wild Shape options for Druids in BG3 (and the only ground-based one) turning into a Cat is the only way to use these secret entrances and scout ahead of the rest of the party to see what dangers lurk around the corner, so to speak.

6 Dire Raven

• Unlock Requirements: Circle of the Moon Druid Level 4
• Total Base HP: 13
• Notable Abilities: Fly, Rend Vision

While being a Cat will get you through tunnels and secret entrances on the ground, the Dire Raven is one of the best Druid Wild Shape forms because it lets you take to the skies. There aren't many ways to fly in Baldur's Gate 3, but by turning into a Raven, as long as you can reach a targeted location, you can Fly to it.

Use this ability before combat to scout out the area and reveal enemies lying in wait without triggering combat, or to check out what's on top of a tower without having to climb the whole thing. Your party members' AI may not be able to Pathfind to your landing spot, so be sure to disengage the Druid from the party before scouting.

5 Bear

• Unlock Requirements: Circle of the Moon Druid Level 2
• Total Base HP: 30
• Notable Abilities: Goading Roar, Claws

The Bear form is one of the base Circle of the Moon Druid Wild Shape forms in BG3, and isn't available unless you choose this subclass. Though Druids aren't great as Tanks, the Bear's Goading Roar ability can be a decisive Taunt that will help get attention away from weak allies in the early game. Its 30 base HP isn't bad, and it improves every two levels to a final max of 111 HP.

Its Claws ability is one of the most useful for the melee Druid, too, as it is essentially a Cleave that lets you attack multiple enemies in a close area in front of the Druid. Later on, the best Wild Shape forms BG3 offers greatly expand and the Bear becomes a bit less interesting. But for a long while, this will be your go-to as a Circle of the Moon Druid, especially if the rest of your party members aren't very Defense-oriented.

4 Wolf

• Unlock Requirements: Druid Level 2 (all subclasses)
• Total Base HP: 18
• Notable Abilities: Inciting Howl, Exposing Bite, Pack Tactics

The Wolf is a Wild Shape Druid form with some style. It has three main abilities: Inciting Howl, Exposing Bite, and Pack Tactics (a passive). Wolves start off with 18 HP and 14 AC, a respectable stat arrangement with Strength at the highest, and a decent movement speed. Though other forms can be viable in the right circumstances, the Wolf form can be a reliable damage-dealer in every situation.

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The Inciting Howl ability lets allies move an extra 3 meters on their next turn as long as they are within 10m of the Druid. Exposing Bite makes the next hit a guaranteed Critical Hit, which can amount to insane damage if an ally uses a particularly strong attack against them. Pack Tactics, the passive, grants the Druid guaranteed Advantage against targets who are 3m from another ally.

3 Dilophosaurus

• Unlock Requirements: Druid Level 10 (all subclasses)
• Total Base HP: 74
• Notable Abilities: Acidic Bite, Spit, and prone-inducing Pounce

The Dilophosaurus might be the Druid's most wacky Wild Shape in Baldur's Gate 3. The Dilophosaurus is a unique model not seen anywhere else in the game, and yes, it's a dinosaur.

In Dilophosaurus form, Druids can Bite enemies for 2d10 damage plus an additional 1d8 Acid damage, which can inflict the Acid status effect. Corrosive Spit deals 2d8 Acid damage from a distance, with the same chance to inflict Acid on the opponent and reduce their AC. Pounce gives the Druid a way to enter combat with a powerful 2d6 attack, which also knocks targets hit prone.

Its 19 Strength and 17 Constitution mean it has a relatively high HP, too. Go with the Dilophosaurus if enemies seem hard to hit, as its variety of Acid attacks can make it much easier for allies to be effective.

2 Elemental Myrmidon

• Unlock Requirements: Circle of the Moon Druid Level 10
• Total Base HP: 90-103
• Notable Abilities: Varies, each Myrmidon has a unique skillset that benefits different team comps and situations

There are technically four Elemental Myrmidon Wild Shape forms in Baldur's Gate 3, and each of them are incredibly powerful options in different situations. It would be unwise to take the form of a Water Myrmidon against a Lightning-type damage-dealing enemy, for example. But in general, the four forms of the Air, Earth, Fire, and Water Myrmidons are among the strongest Wild Shapes in BG3.

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The Air Myrmidon uses primarily Lightning damage, and can stun and silence enemies, as well as go invisible. The Earth Myrmidon can slam the ground for AoE Thunder damage, create difficult terrain, and strengthen itself. The Fire Myrmidon can give itself Haste, deal Fire damage and burn foes with direct and AoE attacks, and even use the Hellish Rebuke reaction. Finally, the Water Myrmidon is able to teleport, heal nearby allies, and deal both direct and AoE Cold damage with the chance to freeze.

These Myrmidons have very high base HP, but consume both of a Druid's Wild Shape charges at once. Keep an eye on the number of charges that remain, and make sure both are up, or players won't be able to take advantage of these powerful forms in the heat of combat.

1 Owlbear

• Unlock Requirements: Druid Level 6 (all subclasses)
• Total Base HP: 65
• Notable Abilities: Crushing Flight, Rupture, Enrage

The Owlbear Wild Shape form is easily the strongest in Baldur's Gate 3. It has a whopping 20 Strength, a huge 112 HP at Max Level, and abilities that decimate enemies near and far. Like the Bear, the Owlbear can swipe nearby enemies with its Claws ability, dealing 2d8+Strength damage. It can also Rupture the ground, 3d8 damage to enemies and objects in its path. Owlbears can also Enrage, increasing Strength even more and causing enemies to gain the Fearful status effect.

The most powerful ability in Baldur's Gate 3 for the Owlbear has to be its Crushing Flight skill. With this ability, the Owlbear will leap at an opponent, bite it for 2d8 damage, and knock it to the ground. But the thing is, this damage increases based on how far the Owlbear flies.

If a Druid uses Crushing Flight from far enough above an enemy that they would normally suffer fall damage, players might be shocked at how much more damage the skill does. In fact, this ability is so strong, that if an Owlbear leaps at the Grymforge Boss from the overlook above, it will die in one hit.

Baldur's Gate 3

Platform(s)

PC , macOS , PS5 , Xbox Series X

Released

August 3, 2023

Developer(s)

Larian Studios

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence