30
\$\begingroup\$

I'm wondering if the Alert and Lucky feats carry over when a druid assumes a Wild Shape.

PHB p.67 stipulates:

Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast...

So I would tend to think that that precludes the +5 to Initiative in the Alert Feat, but I thought it would be a good idea to check with you guys.

\$\endgroup\$

2 Answers 2

36
\$\begingroup\$

Feats, generally, aren't supplanted by beast statistics. (Though your ability to make use of them may be supplanted.) Alert and Lucky, specifically, still apply in their entirety.

Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast. (PHB p.67)

To see what is supplanted or augmented, take a look at beasts' statistics. ("Statistic," as a defined term, appears on MM pp.6-11):

  1. Size. Your size is replaced by that of the beast.
  2. Type. Your type is now beast, not humanoid.
  3. Alignment. Not replaced, per Wild Shape.
  4. Armor Class. Replaced.
  5. Hit Points. Replaced. So no "Tough" carryover, per both our site and Sage Advice.
  6. Speed. Replaced.
  7. Ability Scores. STR, DEX, CON replaced. INT, WIS, CHA not, per Wild Shape. (We'll get to initiative and Alert in a moment.)
  8. Saving Throws. You retain your proficiencies and choose the higher ability modifier of yours and the beast form's, per Wild Shape.
  9. Skills. Ditto saving throws.
  10. Vulnerabilities, Resistances, and Immunities. You've got 'em.
  11. Senses. Replaced. (Specifically called out: if your humanoid form has darkvision and the beast form doesn't, you've just lost darkvision.)
  12. Languages. "Your ability to speak... is limited to the capabilities of your beast form." (Wild Shape) But as your mental stats and "personality" aren't changed, I think it's fair to say you still know your languages.
  13. Challenge. Moot, but in case you care, you now have a CR.
  14. Special Traits. You've got 'em.
  15. Actions. You've got 'em. (Including, as was recently asked, Multiattack.)
  16. Reactions. Sure.
  17. Limited Usage. Yup.
  18. Equipment. Beasts don't come with equipment. But if they did this'd be a weird one....
  19. Legendary Actions, Lair Actions, Regional Effects. Not assumed, per Wild Shape.

"You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so." (Wild Shape)

Alert

You gain a +5 bonus to your initiative. You can't be surprised while you are conscious. Other creatures don't gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being hidden from you. (PHB p.165)

Okay, my beast form is definitely capable of taking advantage of all of those. For initiative I now look at my beast's DEX modifier, add +5 from Alert, and that's my initiative modifier.

Lucky

You have inexplicable luck that seems to kick in at just the right moment. [The mechanism by which we game-play that luck.] (PHB p.167)

My beast form is lucky. Cool.

Some other examples:

Inspiring Leader (targets need to see, hear, and understand you) will likely be a hard sell. Mounted Combat's another one.1 But Mobile and Savage Attacker should work just the same. For that matter, so does Great Weapon Master: note that MM at pp.10-11 specifies that (most) monsters' melee attacks are weapon attacks, even those with "a natural weapon, such as a claw or tail spike."

Ability score increases borne from feats, however, are replaced by beast statistics, as Miniman's excellent answer to that linked question explains.


1 Contrary to what most people say, the most dangerous animal in the world is not the lion or the tiger or even the elephant. It's a shark riding on an elephant's back, just trampling and eating everything they see. -Deep Thoughts, Jack Handey

\$\endgroup\$
4
  • \$\begingroup\$ Are there any RAW references, claiming that senses are "replaced"? The rules says only about losing Darkvision, but not about gaining it. \$\endgroup\$
    – enkryptor
    Nov 17, 2016 at 14:54
  • 3
    \$\begingroup\$ Yes: the implication (in the A->B logic sense) from (a) darkvision is a sense (look at any statblock), (b) senses are statistics (MM pp.6-11, esp. at p.8), (c) "statistics are replaced" in the Wild Shape description. \$\endgroup\$
    – nitsua60
    Nov 17, 2016 at 15:51
  • \$\begingroup\$ Keeping in mind that "specific beats general", there is a special point about senses, which is ambiguous. Having no experience with echolocation, could a Druid be proficient with it? I would give a Disadvantage on Perception checks, at least. \$\endgroup\$
    – enkryptor
    Nov 17, 2016 at 15:57
  • 8
    \$\begingroup\$ @enkryptor I'm not sure I'm catching your point about senses. Is there a change you think I should be making? As to your point about echolocation, that way lies madness methinks. How do you decide which senses are different "enough" to warrant penalizing? Lateral lines? Cats have two independent olfactory systems...? Birds' eyes' spacings are rather different from a humanoid's...? I won't be including any recommendations as to parsing sense-changes that finely. \$\endgroup\$
    – nitsua60
    Nov 17, 2016 at 16:58
8
\$\begingroup\$

You keep, and still benefit from, your feats. Wild Shape says:

You retain the benefits of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so.

Feats are a class feature, unless you are a variant human, in which case they're a racial feature, so yes, they still apply. The only exception to this would be if your new form was physically incapable of using them - obviously, this is not the case with the Alert feat.

\$\endgroup\$
1
  • \$\begingroup\$ Interestingly, Jeremy Crawford stated that Tough does not apply because your hit point totals are changed to the animal's. \$\endgroup\$
    – Aviose
    Nov 22, 2016 at 21:02

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .