In looking for the Attach, Blood Drain, Blood Rage, Musk, and Rage special abilities -- as powers made available through the four Beast Shape spells -- I found none of them. Specifically, they are all musteloid special abilities from the badger, skunk, weasel, and wolverine (across their various incarnations).
Were these special abilities omitted by accident? If so, where should they be reintroduced in the hierarchy of the four Beast Shape spells (to make them accessible for Wild Shaping druids)?
On a more logical note, one wonders where all that musk is being made :) Or poison, if turning into a snake. Or quills, if you're turning into a porcupine and are trying to throw them, etc.
Blood Drain would essentially require the PC to turn into a cannibal (seems like an evil druid would consider it) who might throw up after combat, and (Blood) Rage is a mental thing, which is important because the druid keeps their mind.
If you think those abilities aren't broken, you should consider creating feats to allow them. An evil druid could take "Blood Draining Shape" as a feat, for instance...
Well, considering that special abilities like breath weapon, ferocity, poison, and web are granted by Beast Shape, the spell clearly allows for some internalized powers. Musk and Blood Rage/Rage fall well within those design guidelines.
The reason I bring this up at all starts with a shaman archetype that was created for my Pathfinder game. Namely the Badger Shaman (posted at the end of this post after the jump).
The only problem I can identify with the Badger Shaman is that none of the defining special abilities of musteloids (except for Ferocity) are listed in any of the Beast Shape spells. Namely "Attach, Blood Drain, Blood Rage, Musk, and Rage". I really don't want to nerf this archetype. In every other way, the Badger Shaman is quite balanced against similar builds.
So yes, when it comes to Attach, Blood Drain, Blood Rage, Musk, and Rage, I could create a feat called "Musteloid Wildshaping" or some such, but that feels like an unfair tax. To my way of thinking, it would be much more fair to simply stagger the Attach, Blood Drain, Blood Rage, Musk, and Rage special abilities among the existing Beast Shape spells. The question is where?
Beast Shape I: None
Beast Shape II: Attach, Blood Rage
Beast Shape III: Blood Drain, Musk, Rage
How does that look at first blush? Attach shows up at the same time as Grab, Blood Rage is staggered before Rage (smaller bonuses and involuntary rage versus voluntary rage), and Blood Drain/Musk both show up at the same time as poison.
Thoughts?
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BADGER SHAMAN
A shaman with this totem calls upon the stubborn ferocity of these natural burrowers, who challenge any opponent no matter how imposing, and stop at nothing to unearth the truth.
Nature Bond
A badger shaman who chooses an animal companion must select a badger. If choosing a domain, the badger shaman must choose from the Animal, Earth, Destruction (Rage subdomain), and War (Blood subdomain).
Wild Empathy (Ex)
A badger shaman can use wild empathy with musteloids (badgers, skunks, wolverines, and weasels) as a full-round action with a +4 bonus.
Totem Transformation (Su)
At 2nd level, a badger shaman may adopt an aspect of the badger while retaining their normal form. A badger shaman gains one of the following bonuses:
• movement (burrow speed 10 feet, climb speed 10 feet, +4 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks)
• senses (low-light vision, scent)
• natural weapons (bite [1d6], 2 claws [1d4] for a Medium druid, +2 on combat manoeuvre checks to grapple)
• toughness (+2 natural armour bonus to AC, Endurance feat)
While using totem transformation, the badger shaman may speak normally and can cast speak with animals (musteloids only) at will. Using this ability is a standard action at 2nd level, a move action at 7th level, and a swift action at 12th level. The badger shaman can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to her druid level. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but they must be used in 1-minute increments. This is a polymorph effect and cannot be used while the druid is using another polymorph effect, such as wild shape.
Totemic Summons (Su)
At 5th level, a badger shaman may cast summon nature's ally as a standard action when summoning musteloids, and these summoned creatures gain temporary hit points equal to their druid level. A badger shaman can apply the young template to any musteloid to reduce the level of the summoning spell required by one. She can also increase the level of summoning required by one in order to apply either the advanced or the giant template, or increase it by two to apply both the advanced and giant templates.
This ability replaces a thousand faces.
Wild Shape (Su)
At 6th level, a badger shaman's wild shape ability functions at their druid level –2. If a badger shaman takes on the form of a musteloid, use their druid level + 2.
Bonus Feat
At 9th level and every 4 levels thereafter, a badger shaman gains one of the following bonus feats: Diehard, Critical Focus, Endurance, Skill Focus (Escape Artist), or Toughness. A badger shaman must meet the prerequisites for these bonus feats.
By RAW, you don't get any of them. That said... I don't think giving those will break anything. You already get things that are more powerful, and wildshaping into a badger is not as overpowered as wildshaping into, say, a dinosaur.
Your badger-shaman sounds very fun and very balanced. If I were your GM, it'll be aproved in a heart beat.
By RAW, you don't get any of them. That said... I don't think giving those will break anything. You already get things that are more powerful, and wildshaping into a badger is not as overpowered as wildshaping into, say, a dinosaur.
Your badger-shaman sounds very fun and very balanced. If I were your GM, it'll be aproved in a heart beat.
It's true, playing by RAW standards, the character would be out of luck if they wanted access to those special abilities. But then again, the badger shaman archetype would also be discounted by RAW standards. In for a penny, in for a pound I reckon.
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Since you're already introducing custom content, go ahead and make the minor change to Beast Shape that makes this workable.
Also... is this an attempt to make a Ragebadger druid?
Also... is this an attempt to make a Ragebadger druid?
Not overtly, but we'll see where it goes. ;)