Druid vs. Druid Archetype

[Michael Martinez-Colon]

After reading hundreds of messages under Druid Shaman in the Paizo forums I need some clarification.

1) Official rule is that a Shaman can WS at lvl 6 and not 4. Correct?

2) When doing a Shaman, do you loose the ability to WS into plants and elementals or you can do it but at a -2 lvl adjustment starting at lvl 6?

3) At shaman lvl 6 you can WS as lvl 8 for your totem creature. Is this the MAX a shaman can GO? At shaman lvl 8 supposedly you can WS as lvl 10 for your totem but you can't b/c normal druids can't (Beast Shape IV= magical beasts). So basically the shaman reaches a plateau for Totem WS at lvl 6. Correct??? Does it still progresses into plants/elementals????

4) What templates can you add to your totem WS at shaman level 8? I read here about young, giant, etc but I thought that applied to the summoning of totem Natures Ally creature (Ape, horse, lion, etc). Can someone clarify?

5) If templates can be added to WS for shaman beyond lvl 8, would they apply to a normal druid?

THX for the guidance and my apologies for some overlapping in my questions.

[Starglim]

1) Correct. She can then wild shape into her chosen animal type as an 8th level druid (3 times per day for 8 hours, to a Huge to Diminutive form) or otherwise as a 4th level druid (1/day, 4 hours, Small or Medium animal).

2) You can wild shape to plants and elementals at the appropriate effective druid levels. A 4th level druid can't change into an elemental. The shaman could become a Small elemental from 8th level or a Small to Medium plant from 10th level.

3) Basically that seems to be right. There are no plants or elementals that are bears, eagles, rocs, felines, snakes or canines (as appropriate). Also, see the next question.

4) None. Polymorph effects don't allow you to assume the form of a creature with a template.

5) Not applicable.

[Michael Martinez-Colon]

Starglim wrote:

1) Correct. She can then wild shape into her chosen animal type as an 8th level druid (3 times per day for 8 hours, to a Huge to Diminutive form) or otherwise as a 4th level druid (1/day, 4 hours, Small or Medium animal).

2) You can wild shape to plants and elementals at the appropriate effective druid levels. A 4th level druid can't change into an elemental. The shaman could become a Small elemental from 8th level or a Small to Medium plant from 10th level.

3) Basically that seems to be right. There are no plants or elementals that are bears, eagles, rocs, felines, snakes or canines (as appropriate). Also, see the next question.

4) None. Polymorph effects don't allow you to assume the form of a creature with a template.

5) Not applicable.

THX YOU so much for clarifying!!!!!!!!!!!

[Yaramos]

There was a thread on this with the archetype designer commenting on the Shaman archetypes. Here is the link.

Intent-wise, you can't Wild-Shape until 6th level, where it acts as Wild Shape III for your totem animal but Wild Shape I for anything else.

Additionally, you kinda-sorta can apply templates for shape-shifting. You can shape-sift to a huge bear, for instance. However, you only get the Wild Shape stat bonuses, NOT the bonuses for the template. The WS covers all the bonuses for turning into a creature of that specific size. It wasn't clear if you'd modify the damage dice based on the template or not. I'd say so, as a huge bear doing the same dice of damage as a large bear doesn't make sense. (Yes, you get some extra strength bonuses ut that still doens't make up for it.)

My thoughts, but please review the thread I mentioned above for further clarifications.

Hope that helps.

#Edited with link to post.