We play druids at this table in a different way than what’s listed in the PHB, mostly around the Wild Shape ability.
The Problem With RAW Wild Shape
“Starting at 2nd level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before. You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.”
The biggest problem I have with RAW (Rules As Written) Wild Shape for Druids is that it essentially makes the player into Beast Boy from Teen Titans. “…magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before.” Have you seen a wolf? A cat? How about a cow in a field? A squirrel in a tree? Then Rules As Written, there’s no real limitation to what a Druid can transform into.
While that’s great for most settings, it doesn’t fit our version of Theria very well – far too overpowered in this DMs opinion. Theria is inherently a somewhat-lower-magic setting, so a druid being able to transform into any beast they’ve laid eyes on is more out of place than anything else.
How We’ve Changed It Up
A Druid at our Theria table forms a connection/affinity to/for a certain type of beast. For instance, a Druid who lives primarily in the forest may have a connection to the wolves or foxes that call it home. A druid who lives closer to a city or town may have a connection to cats or rats. Either way, the type of beast a Druid can transform into is determined by their connection with that creature type.
In short, a standard Druid gets to pick one (1) beast that they have formed a bond or connection with. The same goes for higher levels when they get to pick a creature with swimming and flying speeds – the Druid would be forming a bond or connection with that creature type throughout the lower levels until it’s strong enough to allow them to transform into that creature type.
This limitation can be reduced depending on the Druid Circle chosen at second level. The Circle of the Moon Druid gets to have more bonds and connections with creatures – up to their Wisdom Modifier. For example – if a Moon Circle Druid has a Wisdom score of 18, they can have bonds with up to 4 beasts of their choosing. When they can form bonds with swimming creatures, they can have another 4 forms they can transform into.
The rest of the Circle of the Moon Druid class features are left unchanged.