Why isn't Powerful Charge and Trample in Beast Shape III where you're finally able to reach Huge? Is this a mistake? I'm asking because it's weird that you're not able charge or trample when the creature is known for it. Why morph into a rhino/elephant/triceratops when you can't do its signature attack?
Sorry. My mistake. However, I've noticed that they're some abilities that are unique to the animal, but aren't in the described abilities.
The rhino/triceratops Powerful Charge, the Giant Frilled Lizard's Intimidating Charge or the Giant Morray Eel's Gnaw. What's the point of turning into a squid and not being able to use ink or an electric eel and not use the attack you were named after?
I imagine the limitation on which abilities you can get through wild shape is due to balance purposes. It also gives DM's a better idea of what to expect from a wild shape'ing character.
I imagine the limitation on which abilities you can get through wild shape is due to balance purposes. It also gives DM's a better idea of what to expect from a wild shape'ing character.
Then wouldn't it be better for the DM to just look up the creature than to look up both the creature AND the spell to see what the druid can pull off?
I don't mean to sound like a shmuck, but most of those abilities are physical ones. Doesn't seem fair that the druid/shaper can change into the physique and not use the ability. Especially the druid that supposed to be the expert in nature. I just wish there was, at the very least, a feat the druid could take to get those abilities.
I imagine the limitation on which abilities you can get through wild shape is due to balance purposes. It also gives DM's a better idea of what to expect from a wild shape'ing character.
Then wouldn't it be better for the DM to just look up the creature than to look up both the creature AND the spell to see what the druid can pull off?
I don't mean to sound like a shmuck, but most of those abilities are physical ones. Doesn't seem fair that the druid/shaper can change into the physique and not use the ability. Especially the druid that supposed to be the expert in nature. I just wish there was, at the very least, a feat the druid could take to get those abilities.
Well, with Ultimate Magic forthcoming... who knows... maybe there will be.
(Especially if enough of use clamor for said feat).Never know, could happen. :)
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I imagine the limitation on which abilities you can get through wild shape is due to balance purposes. It also gives DM's a better idea of what to expect from a wild shape'ing character.
Then wouldn't it be better for the DM to just look up the creature than to look up both the creature AND the spell to see what the druid can pull off?
I don't mean to sound like a shmuck, but most of those abilities are physical ones. Doesn't seem fair that the druid/shaper can change into the physique and not use the ability. Especially the druid that supposed to be the expert in nature. I just wish there was, at the very least, a feat the druid could take to get those abilities.
The problem they're trying to avoid with the way the spells work now was that in 3.x the polymorph spells got better and better with every Monster Manual you added to your game. (If I remember correctly War Troll was a rather nasty thing to polymorph into back in the day.) It's an attempt to not have to police every future monster they release to prevent power creep.
==AKA 8one6
I imagine the limitation on which abilities you can get through wild shape is due to balance purposes. It also gives DM's a better idea of what to expect from a wild shape'ing character.
Then wouldn't it be better for the DM to just look up the creature than to look up both the creature AND the spell to see what the druid can pull off?
I don't mean to sound like a shmuck, but most of those abilities are physical ones. Doesn't seem fair that the druid/shaper can change into the physique and not use the ability. Especially the druid that supposed to be the expert in nature. I just wish there was, at the very least, a feat the druid could take to get those abilities.
The problem they're trying to avoid with the way the spells work now was that in 3.x the polymorph spells got better and better with every Monster Manual you added to your game. (If I remember correctly War Troll was a rather nasty thing to polymorph into back in the day.) It's an attempt to not have to police every future monster they release to prevent power creep.
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AKA 8one6
+1
It's not really about reducing the bookkeeping required by the player or DM. It's about giving freedom to the game designers, allowing them to create nifty monsters without having to stop and think "oh, but what if a PC turns into one" each and every time.
I imagine the limitation on which abilities you can get through wild shape is due to balance purposes. It also gives DM's a better idea of what to expect from a wild shape'ing character.
Then wouldn't it be better for the DM to just look up the creature than to look up both the creature AND the spell to see what the druid can pull off?
Sure, at the table when the player is actually using the wildshape, it would be easier to just look up the creature in question.
What I meant was that the list of abilities makes it easier for DM's (and other adventured designers) when they are creating encounters. Instead of having to look at every single creature your Druid would be able to wildshape into, you can look at the list and see what the Druid could conceivably do.
For me personally, I don't really like the limitations. I can see why they were put there though.
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Thread necro
This seems like a good place to ask this question,
Assuming that the only way a Druid can wildshape into a Medium Creature is to use Beast Shape I, is it true that you can never wildshape into a medium creature and have the pounce ability?
You would have to use Beast Shape II and change into a Large animal and get pounce?
Or can you use Beast Shape II to change into a medium animal and gain the pounce ability?
Function as beast shape I means adds more options, but does not remove any.
So you could become a med or small creature and make use of abilities like pounce using beast shape II.
A druid with enough levels to wildshape into a large animal *can* also wildshape into a medium animal with pounce and gain that ability.
Wildshape says: "When taking the form of an animal, a druid's wild shape now functions as beast shape II." -- not "When taking the form of a large animal".
As such *any* wildshape (animal) the druid of that level does is now governed by the rules of beast shape II -- which does everything beast shape I does (small and medium animals and a limited list of abilities and speed) -- but it adds a few things: access to grab, pounce and trip, *plus* large and tiny animals.
Similarly, someone casting Beast Shape III can turn into a small or medium animal and gain poison, jet, blindsense, a fly speed of 90 (good) or any other such ability (assuming there is a corresponding animal form that grants the ability)