Baldur’s Gate 3 Druids have got to be one of my favorite classes. After much deliberation, it was the option I chose for my first character, so I’ll always have a special bias. Beyond that, Druid companions Halsin and Jaheira are two of the most interesting and fun characters to have around. Yet while the Druid’s signature spell Wild Shape is a very cool and undoubtedly powerful ability, allowing you to transform into all manner of different animals, it can feel a little one-note, with several of the forms rarely seeing use. That’s all changed now, however, thanks to a new BG3 mod.
Baldur’s Gate 3 mod Druid Wild Shape Viability comes from creator ‘Syrchalis,’ who wanted to address the slightly simplistic nature of the various animal forms offered to one of the best Baldur’s Gate 3 classes. It’s a great way to add a bit more spice and variety to Larian Studios’ Dungeons and Dragons RPG game, helping to enhance the roleplaying aspect with more flavorful moves at your disposal and making it a worthy addition to the best Baldur’s Gate 3 mods.
“Ever used Badger? No? You aren’t alone,” Syrchalis says, “When every Wild Shape only has one or two abilities, why use one with less health or that deals lower damage? This mod fixes that.” While you won’t see any new animal options here, each of the forms has been focused into a more purposeful role, with several new spells added, and rebalancing given to existing abilities where needed to avoid things getting too strong.
The aforementioned Badger loses its standard claw, but gains a multi-hit attack that can deal devastating damage to targets that are prone. Complementing this, Burrow is now a two-spell combo, and a great way to knock those enemies to the ground. The Wolf becomes more of a support class, with reduced damage on its own attacks but new abilities to buff and enhance your allies. Note that the examples shown in the below image are at level 11, so they won’t all start out this strong.
The Panther and Saber-Toothed Tiger get some new slashing attacks, and their Jugular Strike becomes especially deadly but now requires its target to be prone. Two of my personal favorite updates are the Spider and Owlbear. The former enhances its ranged support roll with poison attacks and the ability to wrap a foe in a restrictive cocoon, and at level four becomes one of those nasty Phase Spiders that can teleport, an ability that resets upon scoring a killing blow.
The Owlbear, always a fan favorite, becomes a more aggressive tank form. Take enough damage in a single turn and you’ll gain access to a vicious multi-hit counterattack, an ability that’s also offered to the Bear form for Circle of the Moon Druids. Not every single transformation gets an overhaul here, or simply has some small balance tweaks included to make them feel more worthwhile, but the combination should make you feel a lot more like a shapeshifting powerhouse.
The Baldur’s Gate 3 Druid Wild Shape Viability mod is out now. If you’re curious to try it for yourself, you can find all the instructions to install it at the mod page. Syrchalis also recommends their Druid Quality of Life mod as an accompaniment, which rebalances the way Wild Shape charges are used and allows you to perform convenient tasks like lockpicking without having to transform back. It’s an optional extra, but is linked to from the mod page if you like the sound of it.
Once you’ve got this up and rolling, be sure to check in with the best BG3 Druid builds to ensure you’re ready for action. You can even take things one step further and kit the rest of your party out with the best Baldur’s Gate 3 builds for all classes. Then, once your journey is over, we’ve got the best games like Baldur’s Gate 3 for you to try next.
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