How does AC work in wildshape?


Rules Questions


I've tried to google it, but couldn't find a conclusive answer.

If I understand correctly, this means that any armor (apart from those specially enchanted with the wild property) is lost during the change.

At level 4, the druid can take the form of any animal of small or medium size. This means that, regardless of the form taken, his AC would be 10 + dex + natural armor ?

So, a druid with 14 dex who shapes into a medium tiger gets 14 AC (10 + 2 from dex + 2 from NA) ? Sounds almost like a autohit to me.

Does this mean a shapeshanged druid is awefully squishy ? Is this still a problem at higher levels ?


I didn't have to much trouble with it at all when taking into account rings of protection and the very nice barkskin spell, your ac will be lower but with some self buffing you should be far from squishy, also be smart with the forms that you choose.

I found that when I get my dragonhide breastplate enchanted my AC skyrocketed above anybody else in the party.

Liberty's Edge

When the enemies are all dead because you pounced on them with 5 attacks, when everyone else is wandering about with 1 or 2, well AC tends to matter not so much.

But beyond that, neodreamweaver is right, also don't forget size bonuses and penalties.

Liberty's Edge

That is a big cost of wildshape I found when I had my druid in PFS. You increase you damage output dramatically, but lost a large amount of AC. I had a strength based druid with Stoneplate, waiting for the funds to make it Wild enhanced. I would take a 10 AC drop when I wildshaped (26 to 16). It's a tradeoff you need ot consider before you change shape until you get wild armor and shield


Yeah, druid AC tends to suck, especially touch AC. Tip: When you get the elemental body versions, if you use those, consider buying a buckler and taking it off before / put it back on after changing. It's REALLY dumb that something you can easily wear melds and becomes non-functional, but thems the rules. If you used that arm to slam, you'd lose the AC and take -1 to hit, though.

It's tough because it's the same slot as resistance bonus to saves, but if your AC bothers you at mid/high levels, consider cloak of minor displacement for a constant 20% miss chance.


One level dip into monk is also a solution on top of the +wis mod for AC use the bonus feat to pick up Dodge. Sohei archetype will let you always act in a surprise round and +1 initiative. All that and +2 to all saves, I normally hate any multiclassing with spellcasters but monk adds alot to a combat druid.


It's definitely less powerful, but it can work well. If you do dip monk, do Sohei AND Master of Many Styles (can't flurry and attack w/ natural weapons anyway). If you pick up dodge at level 1, you can dip at 3, take Crane Style as your level 3 feat, and take Crane Wing as your monk bonus feat (you need IUS from monk to qualify for crane style, so if you don't dip at 3, do it at 5 or some other odd level). Now you not only have wis to AC, by taking a -2 attack penalty, you gain +3 (+4 if you have 3 acrobatics ranks, which you should) AC and one melee hit on you per round gets negated.

I have a "kung fu dino druid" build concept that does the above + takes the feather subdomain. The Boon Companion feat gives +4 effective levels for the companion, so when you do get it at druid 4 (5th level w/ the monk dip), you can immediately take that feat and gain a fully advanced companion. Most would say take natural spell at 5th. But...wildshape is so limited per day and weak early on that I don't think waiting till 7 is so bad. If you disagree, reverse the order, and then bam! 7th level hits and your previously weak animal friend gains full advancement and the 7th level powerup. Not losing the CL at all is still better, but for 1 level lost, you sure do gain a lot of goodies.

Oh...and just general druid advice...take Menhir Savant. It's a rare and wonderful thing when an archetype is both cool/flavorful AND powerful.

Liberty's Edge

You can't do Sohei and Master of Many Styles, they both modify feats.


Sohei just adds extra options to your bonus feats list, it doesn't remove any or replace it. It stacks just as easily as Qinggong Monk does with other archetypes.


Grenouillebleue wrote:

I've tried to google it, but couldn't find a conclusive answer.

If I understand correctly, this means that any armor (apart from those specially enchanted with the wild property) is lost during the change.

At level 4, the druid can take the form of any animal of small or medium size. This means that, regardless of the form taken, his AC would be 10 + dex + natural armor ?

So, a druid with 14 dex who shapes into a medium tiger gets 14 AC (10 + 2 from dex + 2 from NA) ? Sounds almost like a autohit to me.

Does this mean a shapeshanged druid is awefully squishy ? Is this still a problem at higher levels ?

You are right.

But your Wildshape lasts really LONG even on lower levels. Just buy a barding and don it every time you wildshape. Nothing keeps you from it.
Though you will need a Dragon or Bone Armour. Bone is rather cheap and with a simple +1 enhancement it is as good as any other Armour.

As soon as you can afford a Wild Armour do so. And make sure its a fullplate!
While wildshaped you lose its max dex bonus, its acp and its reduction of movement speed.

Liberty's Edge

StreamOfTheSky wrote:
Sohei just adds extra options to your bonus feats list, it doesn't remove any or replace it. It stacks just as easily as Qinggong Monk does with other archetypes.

Incorrect. Sohei and Master of Many Styles both modify feats. It doesn't matter that Sohei just makes it better (which is debatable) you can not have two archetypes that modify the same ability.

Qinggong monk is different because it allows them to choose at each feature if they want to modify it or not.


StreamOfTheSky wrote:

Now you not only have wis to AC, by taking a -2 attack penalty, you gain +3 (+4 if you have 3 acrobatics ranks, which you should) AC and one melee hit on you per round gets negated.

I might be wrong, but I thought you couldn't make a full-round while being defensive ?

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