D&D players torn over shapeshifting pregnancy rules
Wizards of the CoastD&D players are asking taboo questions about what happens to pregnant characters when they shapeshift into other forms.
In Dungeons & Dragons, there are many ways to change form with the aid of magic, such as with the Polymorph spell. There are also races with a natural affinity for altering their appearance, like the Changeling and the Shifter.
The class that has the easiest time changing form is the Druid, thanks to their level 2 Wild Shape ability. Wild Shape lets the user turn into a Beast creature within a certain Challenge Rating, allowing the Druid all kinds of utility, especially when they can turn into swimming or flying creatures.
Most Druids will use their Wild Shape ability in combat or utilize the animal form’s extra senses when exploring a dungeon. Some fans question how exactly their character’s biology adapts while in this new form, especially outside of adventuring.
D&D players are unsure what happens when pregnant characters shapeshift
A user on the DungeonsAndDragons Reddit created a thread asking for opinions on what happens to a pregnant character when they shapeshift, as D&D lacks any pregnancy rules. Fans had varied opinions on what happens during such a unique instance.
“Loki rules, the Druid must remain shaped until it comes to term,” one player answered, while another said, “That actually sounds like a fantastic background for how a sorcerer got their bloodline, or how a Warlock met their patron, the baby got exposed to fey magic in the womb.”
One answer that makes sense for most adventurers was suggested. “My answer would be that the nature magic simply envelopes them into your Wild Shape in such a way that they pretty much just disappear while you’re Wild Shape (essentially meaning that they’re connected to the rest of your body enough that they just wild shape into the form with you). They are, literally, part of your body, after all.
“Where do you think Tabaxi come from?” one fan joked about D&D’s popular cat race.
Another player suggested a viable solution: “While pregnant, a druid’s magical energy pathways are rerouted, so they are temporarily unable to Wild Shape until they give birth.”
Considering most D&D campaigns only cover a short span of in-game time, these questions are unlikely to come up in most groups. Fortunately, the Internet exists to give fans the space they need to answer these vital questions about the D&D situations that will (hopefully) never come up.