Making the Most of Wild Shape Forms for 5E D&D Druids

Over at Nerdarchy the YouTube channel Nerdarchists Dave and Ted get animalistic and take a look at the best beasts in fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons for a druid to Wild Shape into during tier one of game play. While they point out the highlights of various beasts I’m of a mind to expand on this and see all the possibilities from official 5E D&D sources along with the environments in which they’re typically found. So let’s get into it.

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Live the beasts mode lifestyle in 5E D&D

When it comes to Wild Shape for 5E D&D druids there’s parameters for the beasts eligible through this iconic class feature and the Circle of the Moon takes the feature further by making it usable as a bonus action as well as allowing for more powerful beasts in which to transform.

A 5E D&D druid’s level determines the limits of Wild Shape as a baseline. At 2nd level the maximum challenge rating for beasts they can transform into is 1/4 and is further limited to beasts without flying or swimming speeds. This bumps up to 1/2 at 4th level and removes the restriction on swimming speed. Eligible beasts cap out at CR 1 for 8th level druids with no limitations on movement speeds.

Circle of the Moon druids focus on improving the Wild Shape feature and start off at 2nd level with a maximum challenging rating of 1 but with the same limitations as other druids. At 6th level eligible beasts are those with a challenge rating equal to the druid’s level divided by three, rounded down.

Wild Shape eligible beasts for 2nd-3rd level druids

Beast	Environment	Source
Almiraj	Unspecified	Tomb of Annihilation
Axe Beak	Grassland, Hill	Basic Rules
Baboon	Forest, Hill	Basic Rules
Badger	Forest	Basic Rules
Boar	Forest, Grassland, Hill	Basic Rules
Camel	Desert	Basic Rules
Cat	Desert, Forest, Grassland, Urban	Basic Rules
Cave Badger	Forest	Out of the Abyss
Chimeric Baboon	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Chimeric Cat	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Chimeric Fox	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Chimeric Rat	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Chimeric Weasel	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Cow	Grassland	Volo's Guide to Monsters
Cranium Rat	Underdark, Urban	Volo's Guide to Monsters
Deep Rothe	Underdark	Volo's Guide to Monsters
Deer	Forest, Grassland	Basic Rules
Diseased Giant Rat	Forest, Swamp, Underdark, Urban	Basic Rules
Draft Horse	Urban	Basic Rules
Elk	Forest, Grassland, Hill	Basic Rules
Fastieth	Unspecified	Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Fox	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Giant Badger	Forest	Basic Rules
Giant Centipede	Underdark, Urban	Basic Rules
Giant Fire Beetle	Underdark	Basic Rules
Giant Lizard	Coastal, Desert, Forest, Swamp, Underdark	Basic Rules
Giant Rat	Forest, Swamp, Underdark, Urban	Basic Rules
Giant Riding Lizard	Underdark	Out of the Abyss
Giant Weasel	Forest, Grassland, Hill	Basic Rules
Giant Wolf Spider	Coastal, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill	Basic Rules
Goat	Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Urban	Basic Rules
Guthash	Forest, Swamp, Underdark, Urban	Sunless Citadel
Hadrosaurus	Grassland, Swamp	Volo's Guide to Monsters
Hare	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Haungharassk	Unspecified	Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Hyena	Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill	Basic Rules
Jackal	Desert, Grassland	Basic Rules
Lizard	Unspecified	Basic Rules
Mastiff	Forest, Hill, Urban	Basic Rules
Mountain Goat	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Mule	Desert, Hill, Urban	Basic Rules
Ox	Grassland, Urban	Volo's Guide to Monsters
Panther	Forest, Grassland, Hill	Basic Rules
Pig	Forest, Grassland, Hill	Storm King's Thunder
Pony	Urban	Basic Rules
Rat	Swamp, Urban	Basic Rules
Riding Horse	Grassland, Urban	Basic Rules
Rothe	Grassland	Volo's Guide to Monsters
Scorpion	Desert	Basic Rules
Sheep	Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Urban	Storm King's Thunder
Snarl	Forest, Grassland, Hill	Lost Mine of Phandelver
Spider	Unspecified	Basic Rules
Stench Kow	Unspecified	Volo's Guide to Monsters
Velociraptor	Forest, Grassland	Volo's Guide to Monsters
Weasel	Unspecified	Basic Rules
Wolf	Forest, Grassland, Hill	Basic Rules

Wild Shape eligible beasts for 4th-7th level druids

The beasts in this table add to those from available to 2nd-3rd level druids for the Wild Shape class feature.

Beast	Environment	Source
Ape	Forest	Basic Rules
Barnacle Bees	Coastal	Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Black Bear	Forest	Basic Rules
Clawfoot Raptor	Unspecified	Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
Constrictor Snake	Desert, Forest, Swamp, Underwater	Basic Rules
Crab	Coastal	Basic Rules
Crocodile	Swamp, Urban	Basic Rules
Dimetrodon	Coastal, Swamp	Volo's Guide to Monsters
Dolphin	Coastal, Underwater	Volo's Guide to Monsters
Fiendish Giant Spider	Coastal, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill	Out of the Abyss
Frog	Unspecified	Basic Rules
Giant Crab	Coastal	Basic Rules
Giant Frog	Forest, Swamp	Basic Rules
Giant Goat	Grassland, Hill, Mountain	Basic Rules
Giant Poisonous Snake	Desert, Forest, Grassland, Swamp, Underdark, Urban	Basic Rules
Giant Sea Eel	Unspecified	Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Giant Sea Horse	Underwater	Basic Rules
Kingsport	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Knucklehead Trout	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Jaculi	Unspecified	Tomb of Annihilation
Octopus	Underwater	Basic Rules
Poisonous Snake	Coastal, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Swamp	Basic Rules
Quipper	Underwater	Basic Rules
Reef Shark	Underwater	Basic Rules
Sea Horse	Unspecified	Basic Rules
Seal	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Walrus	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Warhorse	Urban	Basic Rules

Wild Shape eligible beasts for 8th+ level druids

The beasts in this table add to those from available to 4th-7th level druids for the Wild Shape class feature.

Beast	Environment	Source
Bat	Unspecified	Basic Rules
Blood Hawk	Arctic, Coastal, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain	Basic Rules
Brown Bear	Arctic, Forest, Hill	Basic Rules
Chimeric Hare	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Clawfoot	Unspecified	Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Deinonychos	Forest, Grassland, Hill	Volo's Guide to Monsters
Dire Wolf	Forest, Hill	Basic Rules
Eagle	Coastal, Grassland, Hill, Mountain	Basic Rules
Flying Monkey	Unspecified	Tomb of Annihilation
Flying Snake	Desert, Forest, Grassland, Urban	Basic Rules
Giant Bat	Forest, Underdark	Basic Rules
Giant Eagle	Coastal, Grassland, Hill, Mountain	Basic Rules
Giant Fly	Unspecified	Dungeon Master's Guide
Giant Hyena	Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill	Basic Rules
Giant Octopus	Underwater	Basic Rules
Giant Owl	Arctic, Forest, Hill	Basic Rules
Giant Rocktopus	Underdark	Out of the Abyss
Giant Spider	Desert, Forest, Swamp, Underdark, Urban	Basic Rules
Giant Toad	Coastal, Desert, Forest, Swamp, Underdark	Basic Rules
Giant Vulture	Desert, Grassland	Basic Rules
Giant Wasp	Forest, Grassland, Urban	Basic Rules
Hawk	Unspecified	Basic Rules
Ice Spider	Desert, Forest, Swamp, Underdark, Urban	Storm King's Thunder
Lion	Desert, Grassland, Hill, Mountain	Basic Rules
Moorbounder	Unspecified	Explorer's Guide to Wildemount
Nyxborn Inyx	Forest, Grassland	Basic Rules
Old Croaker	Coastal, Desert, Forest, Swamp, Underdark	Explorer's Guide to Wildemount
Owl	Arctic, Forest	Basic Rules
Pteranodon	Coastal, Grassland, Mountain	Basic Rules
Raven	Hill, Swamp, Urban	Basic Rules
Sangzor	Grassland, Hill, Mountain	Curse of Strahd
Spider King	Desert, Forest, Swamp, Underdark, Urban	Out of the Abyss
Stirge	Coastal, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark, Urban	Basic Rules
Tiger	Forest, Grassland	Basic Rules
Tressym	Unspecified	Storm King's Thunder
Two-Headed Crocodile	Unspecified	Infernal Machine Rebuild
Vulture	Desert, Grassland, Hill	Basic Rules

Wild Shape eligible beasts for Circle of the Moon druids

Wild Shape eligible beasts for 2nd-5th level Circle of the Moon druids are identical to those available to other druids found in the tables for 2nd-3rd and 4th-7th level druids above and subject to the same level based limitations on movement types. The options expand tremendously starting at 6th level when Circle of the Moon druids can Wild Shape into beasts with a CR equal to their druid level divided by three, rounded down.

Circle of the Moon 6th-8th level (CR 2)

Beast	Environment	Source
Allosaurus	Grassland	Basic Rules
Aurochs	Grassland, Hill, Mountain	Volo's Guide to Monsters
Cave Bear	Unspecified	Monster Manual
Enormous Tentacle	Desert, Forest, Swamp, Underdark, Underwater	Acquisitions Incorporated
Giant Boar	Forest, Grassland, Hill	Basic Rules
Giant Constrictor Snake	Desert, Forest, Swamp, Underdark, Underwater	Basic Rules
Giant Crayfish	Unspecified	Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan
Giant Elk	Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain	Basic Rules
Giant White Moray Eel	Underwater	Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Hunter Shark	Underwater	Basic Rules
Ice Spider Queen	Desert, Forest, Swamp, Underdark, Urban	Storm King's Thunder
Plesiosaurus	Coastal, Underwater	Basic Rules
Polar Bear	Arctic, Underdark	Basic Rules
Rhinoceros	Grassland	Basic Rules
Saber-Toothed Tiger	Arctic, Mountain	Basic Rules

Circle of the Moon 9th-11th level (CR 3)

Beast	Environment	Source
Amphisbaena	Desert, Forest, Swamp, Underdark, Underwater	Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan
Ankylosaurus	Grassland	Basic Rules
Awakened White Moose	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Bristled Moorbounder	Unspecified	Explorer's Guide to Wildemount
Giant Lightning Eel	Unspecified	Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan
Giant Scorpion	Desert	Basic Rules
Giant Snapping Turtle	Unspecified	Tomb of Annihilation
Killer Whale	Underwater	Basic Rules
Quetzalcoatlus	Coastal, Hill, Mountain	Volo's Guide to Monsters

Circle of the Moon 12th-14th level (CR 4)

Beast	Environment	Source
Elephant	Grassland	Basic Rules
Giant Coral Snake	Unspecified	Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Giant Subterranean Lizard	Unspecified	Forge of Fury
Giant Walrus	Unspecified	Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Stegosaurus	Forest, Grassland	Volo's Guide to Monsters
Two-Headed Plesiosaurus	Unspecified	Tortle Package

Circle of the Moon 15th-17th level (CR 5)

Beast	Environment	Source
Brontosaurus	Forest, Grassland	Volo's Guide to Monsters
Giant Crocodile	Swamp	Basic Rules
Giant Shark	Underwater	Basic Rules
Hulking Crab	Unspecified	Storm King's Thunder
Large Subterranean Lizard	Swamp	Against the Giants
Obliteros	Underwater	Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
Triceratops	Grassland	Basic Rules

Circle of the Moon 18th-20th level (CR 6)

Beast	Environment	Source
Mammoth	Arctic	Basic Rules

Beasts, beasts everywhere!

Whew! Combing through all those 5E D&D beasts and creating tables caused me a level of exhaustion. A few observations emerged while doing the legwork. First off the vast majority of beasts come from the Basic Rules, which are also found in the Monster Manual and some in the Player’s Handbook. There’s also only five beasts with higher CR than any druid could Wild Shape into (giant ape, huge giant crab, sperm whale, Traxigor and tyrannosaurus rex).

The most widely spread beast at least according to the environments shown at D&D Beyond is the good old stirge. I included the environments because I know lots of druid players enjoy drawing from a pool of beasts found in particular biomes. Speaking of D&D Beyond it’s worth mentioning on character sheets the Extras tab allows players to add various creatures directly onto the sheet for easy access. Also players can unlock individual creatures from books so if a druid player wants to Wild Shape into a Chimeric Fox from Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden they could unlock the creature without purchasing the entire book from the D&D Beyond Marketplace. (Unlocked content prorates future purchases from the same source.)

Comparing the beasts available for any particular druid’s Wild Shape feature with the Learning Beast Shapes section in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything can be useful for players too. Any time the 5E D&D design team creates a new beast I imagine there’s consideration for Wild Shape opportunities. Nyxborn Lynx stood out to me with its Magic Resistance for example.

There’s definitely many more 5E D&D beasts out there from third party creators as well. All of the creatures in our own Chimes of Discordia: Fantastical Mounts come to mind. You can find this title over at Nerdarchy the Store here.