Totemic Skald Wild Shape question


Rules Questions


1 person marked this as FAQ candidate.

First, the relevant quote from the ability.

"At 5th level, a totemic skald gains the ability to wild shape into the form of a Small or Medium version of his totem animal, as the druid class feature. His effective druid level for this ability is equal to his skald level – 1. He can use this ability twice per day at 11th level, and three times per day at 17th level. This doesn't allow the skald to assume other forms, such as elementals, plants, or other kinds of animals."

I'm having trouble telling from the way it's worded, is the Totemic Skald only able to Wild Shape into Small/Medium animals with his Wild Shape forever, or does scaling "as the Druid class feature" mean it increases up to Tiny/Large and onwards at the appropriate level a Druid of his level(minus 1) would?


Bump

Grand Lodge

Based on the "This doesn't allow the skald to assume other forms, such as elementals, plants, or other kinds of animals." I think you can take larger and smaller forms.

The druid wild shape says it acts as beast shape I at level 4, beast shape II at level 6 and finally, beast shape III at level 8, but only when turning into animals.


Now that you mention it, I did think the mention of non-animal forms seemed odd if I could only turn into Small/Medium animals anyways.

Alright then, thanks.


The Totemic Skald can only turn into small or medium animal. One animal only no matter what beast shape I II III says. Remember these are hybrid classes so you don't get the full benefits of wild Shaping.

Grand Lodge

Jeff, are you saying that a totemic Skald who chooses Frog basically got an unuseable ability?

How about Falcon, Bat and Mouse. None of those creatures are in the small to medium size range. Thus, a third of the list gives you a dead power.


It is not restricted to small/med forever no.

Read druid wild shape, it starts the same way druid gets to wildshape into small/med, the language is very similar.

They say use skald as effective level -1 so they don't have to reprint the entire ability.


plaidwandering wrote:

It is not restricted to small/med forever no.

Read druid wild shape, it starts the same way druid gets to wildshape into small/med, the language is very similar.

They say use skald as effective level -1 so they don't have to reprint the entire ability.

Totem (Su)

At 3rd level, the totemic skald chooses one animal from the hunter's animal focus list. Once selected, this choice cannot be changed. This animal becomes the skald's personal totem animal and influences his later abilities. He gains the following rage power.

Wild Shape (Su)

At 5th level, a totemic skald gains the ability to wild shape into the form of a Small or Medium version of his totem animal, as the druid class feature. His effective druid level for this ability is equal to his skald level – 1. He can use this ability twice per day at 11th level, and three times per day at 17th level. This doesn't allow the skald to assume other forms, such as elementals, plants, or other kinds of animals.

Like I posted earlier this is a hybrid classes so you don't get full benefits of the druid wild shaping ability.


Dafydd wrote:

Jeff, are you saying that a totemic Skald who chooses Frog basically got an unuseable ability?

How about Falcon, Bat and Mouse. None of those creatures are in the small to medium size range. Thus, a third of the list gives you a dead power.

Giant Frog is medium size.

Frog, Giant

This creature looks like a normal frog, with moist, mottled, blackish-green skin, but grown to truly monstrous size.
Giant Frog CR 1

XP 400
N Medium animal
Init +1; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +3
DEFENSE

AC 12, touch 11, flat-footed 11 (+1 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 15 (2d8+6)
Fort +6, Ref +6, Will -1
OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee bite +3 (1d6+2 plus grab) or tongue +3 touch (grab)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (15 ft. with tongue)
Special Attacks pull (tongue, 5 feet), swallow whole (1d4 bludgeoning damage, AC 10, 1 hp), tongue
STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 1, Wis 8, Cha 6
Base Atk +1; CMB +3 (+7 grapple); CMD 14 (18 vs. trip)
Feats Lightning Reflexes
Skills Acrobatics +9 (+13 jumping), Perception +3, Stealth +5, Swim +10; Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics (+8 jumping), +4 Stealth


Jeff Clem wrote:

This doesn't allow the skald to assume other forms, such as elementals, plants, or other kinds of animals.

Like I posted earlier this is a hybrid classes so you don't get full benefits of the druid wild shaping ability.

I think tiny and small frogs are kind of same, just different sized.


So, if I were to choose bat would I ever be able to use this ability? The regular bat is too small and the dire bat is too big.

Sczarni

Melkiador wrote:
So, if I were to choose bat would I ever be able to use this ability? The regular bat is too small and the dire bat is too big.

Yes, just apply the beast shape stat changes to the bat creature template.

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