Do you keep racial traits in wild shape?

Do You Keep Racial Traits in Wild Shape?

Wild Shape is a powerful Druid ability that allows them to transform into various beasts, granting them new abilities and characteristics. However, it’s essential to understand what happens to racial traits when a Druid Wild Shapes. In this article, we’ll delve into the details of racial traits and Wild Shape, providing a comprehensive answer to the question: Do you keep racial traits in Wild Shape?

Wild Shape Basics

Before we dive into racial traits, let’s review the basics of Wild Shape. According to the official 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons rules, Wild Shape allows a Druid to transform into a beast with the following characteristics:

• Statistics: The Druid’s game statistics are replaced by those of the beast.
• Alignment: The Druid retains their alignment.
• Personality: The Druid retains their personality.
• Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma: The Druid retains their Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores.
• Skill and Saving Throw Proficiencies: The Druid retains all of their skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature.

Racial Traits in Wild Shape

Now that we’ve covered the basics of Wild Shape, let’s focus on racial traits. Racial traits are unique abilities or characteristics that are inherent to a specific race or ethnicity. These traits can include things like darkvision, resistance to certain types of damage, or proficiency in specific skills.

Do You Keep Racial Traits in Wild Shape?

The short answer is: Yes, you do keep racial traits in Wild Shape. According to the official rules, when a Druid Wild Shapes, they retain their racial traits. This means that if you’re a Half-Elf Druid with darkvision, you’ll still have darkvision when you’re in Wild Shape.

Examples of Racial Traits in Wild Shape

Here are a few examples of racial traits and how they interact with Wild Shape:

Limitations and Exceptions

While racial traits are generally retained in Wild Shape, there are some limitations and exceptions to consider:

• Some racial traits may not be applicable: If a racial trait is specifically tied to a particular form or ability, it may not be applicable in Wild Shape. For example, if you’re a Dragonborn with a racial trait that allows you to breathe fire, you may not be able to use this ability in Wild Shape.
• Racial traits may be modified: Some racial traits may be modified or altered in Wild Shape. For example, if you’re a Half-Elf with a racial trait that grants you advantage on all Charisma checks, this advantage may not apply in Wild Shape.

Conclusion

In conclusion, racial traits are generally retained in Wild Shape, allowing Druids to keep their unique abilities and characteristics even when they’re in a beast form. However, it’s essential to review the specific rules and limitations of each racial trait to ensure that you understand how it interacts with Wild Shape. By doing so, you can make the most of your racial traits and use them to enhance your Wild Shape abilities.