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Wild shape gives the druid the benefits of a beast shape, elemental body, or plant shape spell. Refer to those spells descriptions to determine what modifiers to apply to a shapeshifted druid.
You're also going to want to familiarize yourself with the general rules on spells of the polymorph subschool on p.211-212 of the Core Rulebook.
The key ways in which Wild Shape differs from the spells it emulates are...
1. Normally, starting with Beast Shape III, you can change into a Magical Beast, in addition to an Animal. Druids don't get this option. They can only change into Animals when emulating Beast Shape.
2. Beast Shape, Elemental Body, and Plant Shape spells have a duration of 1 minute per level. Wild Shape lasts 1 hour per level per use.
3. Because Wild Shape is a supernatural ability, it cannot be dispelled or counterspelled, but it is suppressed in an antimagic field.
4. Druids need the Natural Spell feat to cast while in Wild Shape, and this will almost certainly be your 5th level feat selection.
Spells like Beast Shape limit what abilities you get as detailed in each spell. All polymorph spells give you the ground movement of the form you're changing into, plus any natural attacks possessed by the creature. You'll lose any extraordinary or supernatural abilities possessed by your base form, so a dwarven druid will actually lose some of his racial advantages, such as darkvision, while Wild Shaped.
As an example, if your dwarven druid Wild Shapes into a Deinonychus at 4th level (as Beast Shape I), you get a 60 ft. ground speed, and 4 natural attacks (2x talons 1d8, bite 1d6, and foreclaws 1d4), as well as low-light vision, scent, a +2 size bonus to Strength, and a +2 natural armor bonus. You wouldn't get pounce, since this is not an ability granted by Beast Shape I (you'll get it at 6th level, however, when Beast Shape II kicks in). The talon and bite attacks are primary, based on your BAB plus adjusted Strength modifier, and add your Strength mod to the damage die. The foreclaws are secondary, so they are at -5, and they only add 1/2 of your Strength modifier to damage.
Non-ground movement forms are limited by each particular spell you're emulating. So, an eagle which normally has an 80 ft. Fly speed, would only have 30 ft. under Beast Shape I, 60 ft. under Beast Shape II, or 80 ft. under Beast Shape III (it's 90 ft. max Fly speed is limited to the 80 ft. that an eagle is capable of).
Hope that helps.
Yes, indeed! And what about Armor Class and Hit Points? Does the Druid keep his/her own Armor Class & Hit Points, or does s/he take the animal's?
Thank you all again!
V.
The druid keeps their own hit points, or gains some if they pick up a size bonus to constitution. Be very careful with those hit point, they aren't temporary hit points, so a druid shouldn't turn back from a form that grants constitution if he's in the negatives or running low.
Armor class is likely to change. Their armor and shield bonuses(including the enhancement bonus) are lost. They gain the natural armor according to the spell. Amulets of natural armor (which stack with beast shape) and rings of deflection still work.
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Armor class is likely to change. Their armor and shield bonuses(including the enhancement bonus) are lost. They gain the natural armor according to the spell. Amulets of natural armor (which stack with beast shape) and rings of deflection still work.
Also, I know that multi-classing is frowned on for full casting classes, but I actually think that it's worth taking 1 level of Monk with Druid, unless you want to be very caster-focused.
If you like to mix it up in Wild Shape, adding your Wisdom mod to AC (including flat-footed and touch AC) and CMD even in Wild Shape is pretty nice.
Especially in a high point-buy game. If you start with an 18 Wis, you can have a 24 Wis by 8th level (including +2 level adds and a +4 headband), and that's +7 to AC and CMD. Also gets a little bump to your saves, a bonus feat like Improved Grapple, and a few extra class skills, like Stealth, Acrobatics, and Escape Artist.
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Armor class is likely to change. Their armor and shield bonuses(including the enhancement bonus) are lost.
However, special abilities granted by magic armor or Bracers of Armor, such as Fortification or Invulnerability would not be lost once they meld with your form, since they are providing a constant effect that is not an Armor or Shield bonus to AC.
If you don't see the specific notice about Shield bonuses to AC going away in your Core Rulebook, note that it's in the 3.0 Errata for the Core Rulebook located here. If you have the Third Printing of the Core Rulebook, it's in your book, also.