Shaman's Wild Shape question

[NikolaiJuno]

Wild Shape (Su)

At 6th level, a lion shaman’s wild shape ability functions at her druid level – 2. If she takes on the form of a feline, she instead uses her druid level + 2.

What level is used to determine the number of times per day you can use wild shape as a _____ Shaman? Is it Druid level, Druid -2 because it functions at -2 unless changing to a specific shape, or as I highly doubt +2?

[Taenia]

Assume that you basically have the following ability:

You can turn into a feline 2/day for 8 hours as per Beast Shape III and

You can turn into a small or medium animal 1/day for 4 hours as per Beast Shape I or into a feline for 8 hours as per Beast Shape III.

[Shane LeRose]

Taenia wrote:

Assume that you basically have the following ability:

You can turn into a feline 2/day for 8 hours as per Beast Shape III and

You can turn into a small or medium animal 1/day for 4 hours as per Beast Shape I or into a feline for 8 hours as per Beast Shape III.

. Wow. I played a wolf shaman once in a carrion crown game, but never changed into anything other than a wolf. This is an excellent interpretation!

[Christopher Dudley]

Shane LeRose wrote:

Taenia wrote:

Assume that you basically have the following ability:

You can turn into a feline 2/day for 8 hours as per Beast Shape III and

You can turn into a small or medium animal 1/day for 4 hours as per Beast Shape I or into a feline for 8 hours as per Beast Shape III.

. Wow. I played a wolf shaman once in a carrion crown game, but never changed into anything other than a wolf. This is an excellent interpretation!

Never occurred to me to read it any other way. But to clarify, it's been FAQ'ed and mentioned many times that even though the ability says that you apply the modifier starting at 6th level, that means you don't get the regular Wild Shape power at 4th. [Animal] Shamans don't get ANY wild Shape until 6th.

When you hit 6th level as a lion shaman, you have wild shape as an 8th level Druid for all felines. You have wild shape at 4th level for all other forms. Yes, that means that as soon as you can wild shape, you can get huge.

[NikolaiJuno]

Oh! Shaman wild shape doesn't say too replace or modify Wild shape, so you get both abilities?

[Taenia]

No the faq makes it clear you replace regular wild shape. However you can multiclass and pick up shaping focus to regain more levels in wild shape

[NikolaiJuno]

So the number of times per day is based upon the unmodified druid level, then the uses are given the modifier?

Taenia your initial explanation made it sound like it could shape a total of 3 different times per day, just into differently restricted forms. I don't think that was your intent.

[Avoron]

The modifiers to your level do apply to your uses/day. That is how you get the number of 3/day.

At 6th level, for the purpose of turning into a feline, you count as level 8, which means you can wild shape 3/day.

For other purposes, you only count as level 4, so you can wild shape 1/day.

You therefore have 3 uses, but if you can only use one of them for turning into a non-feline.

[NikolaiJuno]

O.K. that works rather wonky and unintuitive, but it makes a better build. So I'm happy.

[Avoron]

It probably just seems strange because I'm really bad at explaining things.

[NikolaiJuno]

No, it's the rules. They're weird for that archetype.