Warning: This post contains major spoilers for Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Doric, a tiefling druid, transforms into seven animals over the course of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Doric is a member of the Emerald Enclave and is able to shape-shift into a variety of animals, depending on the situation. Sometimes, Doric’s transformations happen in quick succession; in other moments, the tiefling druid remains in animal form for a while. Doric is a skilled druid who comes alive in her transformations, which lend Honor Among Thieves a thrilling visual element.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is an adaptation of the beloved game with plenty of Easter eggs and references. Starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, and Sophia Lillis as Doric, among others, Honor Among Thieves has a talented cast leading the fantasy comedy onscreen. As a druid, Doric can wild shape, the magical ability to change into any animal at will. Doric can fight human attackers in defense of herself and other of the Emerald Enclave, as well as keep other animals at bay by pretending to be one of them. To stop Forge and Sofina, the Red Wizard, Doric s Edgin, Holga, and Simon, putting her shape-shifting abilities to good use throughout the film.
8 Fly
To infiltrate Forge Fitzwilliam’s castle, and eavesdrop on the conversation he has with Sofina, who is using the Lord of Neverwinter to further her own plans to turn its population into the army of the undead, Doric wild shapes into a fly. It’s a creature small enough to go unnoticed in a room. As the fly, Doric sits comfortably on curtains, moving closer to hear the conversations about the Red Wizard’s plans for Neverwinter. Typically, Doric would have been able to remain a fly undetected, but thanks to Sofina, the powerful druid doesn’t stay in the form of a fly for very long before hightailing it out of the castle in another animal form.
7 Mouse
Doric shape-shifts into a mouse while escaping the castle after spying on the Red Wizard Sofina. As a mouse, Doric is able to quickly scurry away from Sofina and the guards after she was outed as a spy; a mouse is, after all, small enough to maneuver through holes and cracks in the wall, making travel around the castle seamless and undetectable. Unfortunately, Sofina knows magic all too well and senses Doric’s presence even in her shape-shifted form, forcing the druid to escape.
6 Cat
One of Doric’s many animal transformations is that of a cat, in which she changes into in a bid to escape Sofina and the clutches of Forge’s guards. Cats are typically pets that are generally beloved by humans, so Doric figured shape-shifting into one would have likely protected her from being discovered. Red Wizards, however, can sense other magic, and so there weren’t very many places to hide after becoming a cat. Still, Doric’s feline was capable of jumping from great heights and diving under barrels being wheeled in the street, blending well into daily life.
5 Hawk
One of Doric’s most beautiful transformations is into a hawk. Doric shape-shifts into a hawk after she’s been spotted by Sofina as a mouse, and the winged creature is a go-to transformation thanks to its ability to fly. As the hawk, Doric soars through the air, and has an easier time maneuvering through the castle’s surroundings, as well as the outside city. Doric’s shape-shifting abilities require her to think quickly on her feet, especially while she’s being chased down by a group of armed men and a wizard. Doric’s hawk transformation is at once useful and lovely to watch as she flies through the air, free for a short while.
4 Deer
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves had no shortage of Doric transforming into a variety of animals. Big or small, Doric showed off her skills throughout the film, which included her shape-shifting into a deer. This was Doric’s final transformation during her escape from the Red Wizard Sofina. As the deer, Doric races around the city, looking for an escape route. The deer is an interesting creature to morph into considering it’s larger and naturally draws more attention. The deer doesn’t blend in as well as a mouse, cat or hawk, but it doesn’t come off as a threatening animal, either, which is likely why Doric shape-shifted into the beloved animal.
3 Snowy Owlbear
In the realm of Dungeons & Dragons, an owlbear is an animal that has an owl’s head atop a bear’s body. It might sound strange, but the visual it creates is rather stunning. The owlbear is the form the rest of the group first meets Doric in the Neverwinter Wood, and which she shape-shifts into during the final battle against Sofina at the end of Honor Among Thieves. The owlbear seems like a favorite of Doric’s; it’s the one she turns into the most. The formidable owlbear is also one of the more visually intriguing animals in the film, as its aesthetic is different from others within the world of Dungeons & Dragons.
2 Axe Beak
The Axe Beak is an animal that is wholly unique to Dungeons & Dragons. It’s a flightless bird, one that leads with its head and legs as it runs, and most closely resembles an ostrich, but with a beak shaped like an ax (hence the name). The Axe Beak is yet another creature Doric wild shapes into during Honor Among Thieves’ escape sequence. Unlike the mouse, or even the cat, and fly, the Axe Beak is a larger, far more noticeable creature. Doric seems to be using every animal she can think of to evade Sofina and the guards, and her time as an Axe Beak certainly has its moments.
1 Horse
Doric likes to turn into majestic creatures, like the owlbear, deer, and horse. The latter is an animal the druid wild shapes into before becoming the owlbear, taking out a group of soldiers. Disguised as a horse, Doric is able to be among the soldiers who have tied up one of her friends, another member of the enclave. It’s a clever transformation and one that blends in well as Doric prepares to best the soldiers as the larger owlbear. Sometimes, one’s got to go small before they go big. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a showcase for Doric’s shape-shifting abilities. If there’s a sequel, there’s no telling what else she could wild shape into.