Wild Shapes are a key part of playing Druids in Dungeons and Dragons. The ability to morph into various animals can be incredibly useful when exploring dangerous areas and fighting monsters. Not to mention the endless roleplay possibilities that come with it, from letting the party sleep next to a fuzzy wolf, to trying to convey the scouted information as a weasel.
Moon Circle is the best choice for those looking for more beast options, as they get access to higher CR levels and even Elementals. But all Circles have access to great options, especially when used with a little extra creativity.
8 CR 1/4 Giant Wolf Spider
Giant Wolf Spiders are a fantastic early game choice for many reasons. First of all, it has a climbing speed of 40 feet, making it an excellent option for navigating difficult terrain, as well as climbing on walls and ceilings. Additionally, it has blindsight, making it immune to the effects of darkness or invisibility.
Its bite attack deals poison damage, which can be particularly effective against enemies with low constitution. With decent speed and damage, this is a good choice when exploring caves and dungeons. And who knows, should players come upon another spider’s den, perhaps the druid will be spared and adopted.
7 CR 1/4 Giant Badger
Giant Badger is another great exploration choice, as it gets access to burrowing. With that, it is easy to dig one’s way through any plausible terrain, making new paths for their party to follow. It also has neat Darkvision of 30 feet, and a Keen Smell to further help scouting.
Badgers are capable of multiattacks with their bite and claws, averaging around 10 damage per round, which isn’t too bad for a low-level beast. Overall, it is a great Wildshape to have in mind at earlier stages of a campaign.
6 CR 1/2 Ape
Apes are incredibly versatile when it comes to both combat and exploration. With a decent health pool of 18 and AC of 12, they can take a few hits and keep swinging. Speaking of which, Apes can attack twice with their fists, averaging around 12 damage.
But their hidden power lies in their other ability. Apes can fling a rock up to 50 feet, giving them an extremely rare Ranged attack that very few beasts in the entire manual have access to. Given their prowess, a DM might allow the throwing of all kinds of objects, perhaps even wielding something as a weapon.
5 CR 1/2 Jaculi
This ferocious snake can spring up on an unsuspecting enemy, dealing good damage while having great stealth properties. With Camouflage, they have advantage on stealth checks, allowing them to lay a perfect trap. With Blindsight and a climbing speed, they are also great scouts that can easily avoid detection.
Their Spring ability allows them to shoot themselves up to 30 feet, dealing even more damage with their bite that way. Their HP isn’t the best, but they do have a surprisingly decent AC of 14.
4 CR 1 Giant Vulture
The Giant Vulture is often overlooked when players get access to flying shapes, but it is actually better than the Giant Eagle in many ways. It has access to Keen Sight and Keen Smell, making it a superior scouting pick.
They both deal an average of 16 damage per turn, but the vulture has access to Pack Tactics, allowing it to land hits much more consistently. Overall, between the two choices, it is ultimately up to the player to decide which one fits their situation better, but both are stellar flying Wild Shapes.
3 CR 1 Old Croaker
The Old Croaker is a giant toad, and it is a fantastic battle option for druids with access to CR 1 creatures. It has a massive health pool of 39, a great swim speed of 40, and darkvision to boot. It can comfortably stand in front of the party in the darkest caves, and even underwater.
It is also capable of swallowing enemies whole, making the fight easier for their party, as they slowly digest their prey. On top of that, they are immune to cold damage, making them a formidable enemy to many monsters in Dungeons and Dragons.
2 Moon Circle, CR 3 Giant Scorpion
While the Moon Circle druids do get access to more powerful beasts later on, the Giant Scorpion is an absolute unit for when players acquire it. They are very sturdy with their 15 AC and 52 HP, letting them survive fights even at later levels. A massive blindsight range of 60 feet lets them feel comfortable even in 0 vision scenarios.
Their offensive power is nothing to sneeze at, with average damage from the multiattack coming to around 19. But the danger lies in the poison from their Sting. Should the enemy fail their saving throw, they will be hit with 4d10 poison damage, easily ruining anyone’s day.
1 Moon Circle, CR 5 Elementals
At level 10, Moon Circle Druids can use two charges of their Wild Shape to transform into an Elemental of their choosing. Each of the four Elementals has their own unique powers and abilities, allowing Druids to easily adapt to any terrain and situation.
All Elementals are incredibly hard to destroy, with various damage immunities and resistances, large health pools, and great AC. Which form to use is entirely situational, but all of them provide good damage and utilities based on their element. Overall, this is one of the best Moon Circle shapes in terms of power and adaptability.