Level Up (A5E) CR 1 beast and plant shapes for a Druid Skinchanger

[Tessarael]

I put together a summary of CR 1 beast and plant forms for Druid wild shapes. I thought that some folks might find this useful, so posting it here.

I have omitted some of the worse options and some weirder and over-powered options. For example, the Squashling should be a monstrosity. I have ignored some non-core variants that look a bit too good like, Glass Gator, Young Winter Wolf, and Spider King. Drake should possibly instead of Beast be of type Dragon if they are considered related, but their statistics are consistent with other beasts listed below.

AC listed assumes a level 2 Druid with the Skinchanger archetype and Wisdom 16.

Most of these forms are size Large. Myconid Spore Servant is small or medium. Lance Crab, Raptor, and Thorny Vegepygmy are size medium.

Form	AC	Speed	Senses	Skills	Attack Action	Bonus Action	Notes
Black Talon Spider (A bit better than Giant Spider.)	17 = Shape 14 + 3	40', climb 30' Spider climb Web walker	Blindsight 10' Darkvision 60' Web sense	Insight 2+d4 Stealth 5	Bite +5, d4+3 (5.5), DC 11 Constitution save or 2d8 poison damage. Talon +5, d4+3 (5.5), grapple escape DC 13 Advantage on attacks if ally within 5' of target.	Web (recharge 5-6), range 20'/60', restrain larger or smaller creature if it hits. Can escape as an action with DC 12 Strength check, or by destroying web (AC 10, 1 HP, immune except to slashing, fire, force damage).
Brown Bear	15 = Druid 12 + 3	40', climb 30'		Perception 3 Advantage on smell Perception checks.	Bite +6, 2d6+4 (11) piercing Claw +6, 2d4+4 (9), grapple escape DC 14 medium/small creature
Dire Wolf (Raptor is similar, but 60' move, d10+3 (8.5) damage), no darkvision.)	16 = Shape 13 + 3	50'	Darkvision 30'	Perception 3 Stealth 4 Advantage on hearing & smell Perception checks.	Bite +5, 2d4+3 (8), DC 13 Strength save or prone. Advantage on attacks if ally within 5' of target.
Lion (Tiger is similar, with Darkvision 60' and Stealth 4+d4, instead of pack tactics and long jump.)	15 = Druid 12 + 3	50'		Perception 3 Stealth 4 Advantage on smell Perception checks.	Bite +5, d10+3 (8.5) Claw +5, d8+3 (7.5), DC 13 Strength save or prone if moved 20' before the attack Advantage on attacks if ally within 5' of target.	Bite prone target.	Long jump 25'.
Moorbounder 5E	16 = Shape 13 + 3	70'	Darkvision 60'		Claw +6, 4d4+4 (14)		Long jump 40', 20' high, from standstill.
Myconid Spore Servant 5E	16 = Shape 13 + 3	20'	Blindsight 30'	Telepathy 30'	Slam +5, d6+3+d4 (8)		Immune to poison, blinded, charm, fear, paralysis
Giant Octopus (Giant Rocktopus 5E is similar, better on land.)	15 = Druid 12 + 3	10', swim 60'	Darkvision 60'	Stealth 3+d4 Advantage on Stealth.	Tentacle +5, 2d4+3 (8), reach 15', grapple escape DC 13.	Ink Cloud 1/day underwater, 20' radius sphere, heavily obscures	Water breathing. Hold breath 1 hour in air.
Giant Toad	15 = Druid 12 + 3	20', swim 40'	Darkvision 30'		Bite +4, d6+2+d8 (10) poison, grapple escape DC 12. Swallow grappled medium or smaller target, blinded, restrained, 2d6 acid damage at start of my turn.		Leap 20' horizontal or 10' vertical, and can then bite a creature with advantage
Lance Crab	18 = Shape 15 + 3	30', swim 30'	Blindsight 30'	Stealth 4	Multiattack Claw +3, d8+1 (5.5) Claw +3, d8+1 (5.5), grapple escape DC 12 Spine barrage 2/day, DC 12 Dexterity save or 2d6+2 (9) in 5' radius, range 30', slowed until end of its next turn.
Raptor	16 = Shape 13 + 3	60'			Attack +5, d10+3 (8.5) Advantage on attacks if ally within 5' of target.
Thorny Vegepygmy 5E	17 = Shape 14 + 3	30'	Darkvision 60'	Perception 4 Stealth 3 Advantage on Stealth in vegetation terrain.	Bite +3, 2d8+1 (10) d4 damage to opponent if grappling at start of its turn		Regenerate 5 HP/turn, but not if took cold, fire, or necrotic damage last turn. Resist lightning, piercing.
Walrus	15 = Druid 12 + 3	20', swim 40'	Darkvision 120'		Slam +4, 2d8+2 (11)		Reaction: If moves 20' straight before attacking, Tusks +4, 2d6+2 (9).
Flying options
Giant Eagle	15 = Druid 12 + 3	10', fly 80'		Perception 4 Advantage on sight Perception checks.	Talon +4, 2d6+2 (9), grapple escape DC 13	Beak +4, d6+2 (5.5) vs. grappled creature.
Giant Raven 5E	15 = Druid 12 + 3	10', fly 60'		Perception 3 Advantage on sight and smell Perception checks.	Multiattack Beak +4, 2d4+2 (7), Talons +4, 2d6+2 (9) Advantage on attacks if ally within 5' of target.
Giant Vulture	15 = Druid 12 + 3	10', fly 60'		Perception 3 Advantage on sight & smell Perception checks.	Multiattack Beak +4, d8+2 (6.5) Talon +4, d8+2 (6.5)		Reaction: retreat 5' if would be hit in melee, disadvantage on attack
Large Drake 5E	16 = Shape 13 + 3	10', fly 80'		Perception 4 Advantage on sight Perception checks.	Multiattack Beak +5, d6+2 (5.5), Talons +5, 2d6+3 (10)

 

[Tessarael]

Looking through these options, if we don't care about grappling, focusing primarily on melee combat capabilities, these are the best options in my opinion for forms with climb, fly, and swim speeds. These are all from non-core publications, so take them with a grain of salt. They may be a little too good.

• Black Talon Spider: AC 17, Climb 30', Attack +5 + advantage if ally within 5' of target, d4+3 + DC 11 Constitution save or 2d8 poison damage.
• Giant Raven: AC 15, Fly 60', Multi-Attack +4 + advantage if ally within 5' of target, Beak 2d4+2 and Talons 2d6+2.
• Lance Crab: AC 18, Swim 30', Multi-Attack +3, 2x Claw d8+1 + target grappled escape DC 12.
  • Spine barrage is the only ranged attack among the above creatures, and rather nice.

If we focus only on core publications, the following are the best options, in my opinion:

• Giant Spider: AC 17, Climb 30', Attack +5, d4+3 + DC 11 Constitution save or 2d8 poison damage.
• Giant Vulture: AC 15, Fly 60', Multi-Attack +4, 2x d8+2. Reaction retreat 5' if would be hit in melee, and if this moves out of the attacker’s reach, the attacker has disadvantage on its attack.
• Giant Toad: AC 15, Swim 40', Attack +4, d6+2 piercing + d8 poison + target grappled escape DC 12.
  • Can then swallow medium or smaller target, 2d6 acid start of each of your turns + target restrained and blinded.

Compared to Brown Bear, Giant Spider is better due to higher AC, albeit slightly lower damage. The best size medium options are Lance Crab, Raptor, and Thorny Vegepygmy.