First of all, I would like to thank the Dev team for the recent feats concerning druids. The increased variation in animal shapes to take has been a blessing.
However, despite that, there are some things that I feel should be adressed.
Not the arguement that only one animal shape from each feat is actually any good in combat. Frankly, that makes sense, or the feat would be too OP. The Original wildshape is also similar to that : Only the Bear is good in combat, the rest are subpar in comparison, but that's okay, they're great RP tools. Moving on!
I feel like wildshapes should have skill penalties and advantages, if they don't already. The larger dire animals should have penalties to Hide and Move Silently, and viceversa. In addition to whatever bonuses/penalties they get from their size. Mostly because the idea of say, a sneaking Dire Polar Bear being...difficult to fathom.
Also something I've heard voiced by other druid players : they were rather hoping that the wildshapes would have had more special abilities ( as far as I know, only the snake has a poison ability), instead of differing stat blocks and damage ranges. For example, that Winter Wolves would have some form of ice breath ability.
However, there is one big thing I noticed. The Dire Polar Bear and Dire Crocodile are both potent combat shapes. They're also eerily similar in way of physical stats:
Dire Crocodile : Str 37, Dex 10, Con 25
Dire Polar Bear : Str 39, Dex 11, Con 23
However, their damage ranges aren't.
A Dire Polar Bear has two possible attacks of 2d6+STR and one of 3d8+STR.
The Dire crocodile has a whopping extra die, with two attacks of 3d6+STR and one of 4d8+STR.
To put this in perspective, the penultimate shapeshifting, Elemental Shape, tends to have, at most, 2d10+STR.
In short: Unless I'm missing some sort of hidden mechanic, the Dire Crocodile is essentially superior in every fashion, With the exception of the Polar bear having 1 extra AB.. The idea of a Dire Crocodile being more hearthy then a Dire Polar Bear seems.....off. But I understand. These are the PNP stats for both creatures.
Still, as a player that uses the Dire Crococile shape, I'm of the opinion that it's...really powerful. Perhaps too powerful. And maybe just a bit too similar to the Dire Polar Bear?
Off the top of my head: Maybe the Dire Crocodile should be unlocked a bit later down the lane. Perhaps at lvl 14 Or 15?
Another suggestion could be to make the Dire Crocodile a seperate feat unlocked with more stringest requirements?
In place, another animal that could take it's place:
The Dire Rhinoceros (
https://dnd-wiki.org/wiki/Dire_Rhinoceros_(3.5e_Monster) ) : This one is interesting, due to the fact that it would need to have enormous spot penalties, due to the terrible eyesight Rhinoceros have. Giving it abilities similar to Charger or Stomp would also be neat. The fact that it has DR and slightly better Dex makes it more tank-based than the Polar Bear shape.
Giant Scorpion (
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/monstrousScorpion.htm) : This honestly seems like the better pick, because scorpions are rather well-known amongst us. The Terror of Scorpions from Har'akir! The Huge version could be the regular shape, And the Colossal version the dire version.
Changes needed for the server, though:
-The CON should be raised to 22 on the Dire version.
-The DC for the Poison should be lowered a level each. 33 DC is possibly too strong?
-Instead of tremorsense, make it perma-truesight ( not the original version) + an additional Spot bonus.
