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I have read countless rules and discussions about what happens to magical and mundane armor when you wild shape or beast shape into an animal, what melds, what is kept, what is lost, etc. But I cannot find a single post or question relating to something related.
If a druid wildshapes, and then has barding (made for his/her animal shape) put on her, (either by her companions or by assuming a shape with thumbs such as a gorrilla) what happens to the barding when when she resumes humanoid(or other) form? does it meld into her human form? does it drop onto the ground? is she trapped in larger or smaller barding? what about magic items that can be worn as an animal? can you wear a bracer of armor as a gorrilla or velociraptor? your animal companion could, but what happens to that gear when you turn back to human form?
since wild shape lasts for so long, asuming the character doesnt mind not speaking, the time required to put on barding is a non-issue.
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anything worn by a druid while wildshaped, which is inappropriate for their humanoid shape or which takes up a slot that an item you were wearing when you wildeshaped and melded into your body, drops to the ground when the druid changes back into their humanoid form or wildshapes into a new form.
How many GMs would allow a gorilla to put on its own armor?
Gorillas' "thumbs" are not like human thumbs. Gorillas' ability to grasp things is very limited, and to manipulate them even more limited.
That was in 3.5, but not in Pathfinder.
When you cast a polymorph spell that changes you into a creature of the animal, dragon, elemental, magical beast, plant, or vermin type, all of your gear melds into your body. Items that provide constant bonuses and do not need to be activated continue to function while melded in this way (with the exception of armor and shield bonuses, which cease to function).
Gorillas are relatively humanoid shaped, and I have seen the call go both ways.
If I were a PFS judge I would probably be more strict about it though.
You can also get the "wild" enhancement on your armor and it will function in wild shape form.
The polymorph rules indicate that your gear merges into your animal form (meaning no backpack access, unless you have saddlebags with your barding), but magical effects keep working. Bracers, rings, amulets, etc keep going, even if your animal form can't wear them. Only armor and shields are specified as being disabled.
As written, your barding would not merge into your humanoid form. Generally speaking polymorph effects don't screw you over, so if the barding would be very uncomfortable to wear as a human, it'll end up somewhere innocuous. Like piled at your feat.
How many GMs would allow a gorilla to put on its own armor?
I'm not gonna argue with a gorilla, dude. Those things freak me out.
Seriously, though, gorilla hands (and feet) have at least some semblance of prehensile thumbs. If the druid took the time to make gorilla barding, I'm assuming the druid took the time to make gorilla-thumb accessible clasps and ties.
Also? there's human intelligence driving those stumpy little thumbs.
How many GMs would allow a gorilla to put on its own armor?I'm not gonna argue with a gorilla, dude. Those things freak me out.
Seriously, though, gorilla hands (and feet) have at least some semblance of prehensile thumbs. If the druid took the time to make gorilla barding, I'm assuming the druid took the time to make gorilla-thumb accessible clasps and ties.
Also? there's human intelligence driving those stumpy little thumbs.
They've done studies of what a human mind driving a gorilla or chimpanzee hand could accomplish, and the answer is "a lot less than you'd think." The human hand is not just a little better at grasping and manipulating, it's a lot better. Imagine trying to put on armor with your hand injected with novacaine, or with your thumb in a cast.
At the very least it would take a long time to do it. A looooong time.
But, hey, that's why they invented druid wild-shapable ape-men in 3.5. And it is, after all, a fantasy game...
The question came up when a druid in the party realized how ridiculously low his AC was when wild-shaping if he didnt have insanely high dex (14 at level 4 assuming a +2 dex, regardless of animal shape, As beast shape 1) so he tried to buy wild armor, Wild armor, being equivalent to a +3 bonus, requires +4 armor, which is impossible at 4th level unless your DM really likes to give you a lot of level inappropriate magic items. so he asked if he could wear barding, just like he has for his animal companion for himself? assuming that he spends the time to put it on, or has people to put it on, he would (works on any form, but with a human intelligence guiding a gorilla it is feasable that he could do it himself) I guess the real questions are:
Can a druid wear barding in wild shaped form?
Can he wear it himself or does it require help?
What happens to it when he shifts back?
what if is animal shape is vaguely human shaped?
wouldnt wearing a set of barding AND having a set of regular armor on as a human basically negate the need for wild armor?
isnt a +3 ridiculously high for wild armor?
(I apologize for the grammar, I cant find the apostrophe on my Japanese keyboard)
Get your science away from my D&D. Ugh. Cooties.
Yes, druids can wear barding while wildshaped.
In general it requires help to put on. Some GMs allow animals with thumbs to don their own armor.
The armor falls to the ground when he shifts back.
I think +3 is ridiculously high for wild armor, especially since bracers work in wild shaped form for free.
The wild armor was intended to be used. Barding can't really be put on people. At best you won't be able to move around correctly. If you GM wants to bypass the intent of the rules, and allow you to wear barding that is up to him but the problem is that the rules say all armor is melded into your form so even with barding on you are out of luck, unless the GM decides to help you out.
The wild armor was intended to be used. Barding can't really be put on people. At best you won't be able to move around correctly. If you GM wants to bypass the intent of the rules, and allow you to wear barding that is up to him but the problem is that the rules say all armor is melded into your form so even with barding on you are out of luck, unless the GM decides to help you out.
No, no. He's putting on the barding after the polymorph, when he's not a humanoid anymore.
I believe that the character in question has no intention of wearing barding in human form effectively, he is hoping that when he gets wild shape 2/day he cam simply change back into an animal, and not have to go through having his friends put them back o, even if he is only human for 1-3 turns a day.
also, due to the tone of this particular game, the ape druid in question also carries around a (very large rock-shaped) piece of chalk and a "chalckboard" piece of wood, which he uses to "speak" while in wildshape. so I dont think the DM would mind the character wearing oversized gorrilla pants while he is human,as he wants to wear a hide loincloth as it is.
thanks for the feedback though. it helped alot.
But basically he was HOPING that equipment worn in gorrilla/other forms would meld into his human form but would be available again if he assumed the same form. Am I correct in assuming that it doesnt (or at least, probably shouldnt) work this way?
I dont think the DM would mind the character wearing oversized gorrilla pants while he is human,as he wants to wear a hide loincloth as it is.
Magic item: "Hulk pants" 500g. These pants magically convert from neat and clean pants while in humanoid form to ragged bulky pants when in animal shape form for those druids who wish to keep their naughty bits covered even while in animal form.
But basically he was HOPING that equipment worn in gorrilla/other forms would meld into his human form but would be available again if he assumed the same form. Am I correct in assuming that it doesnt (or at least, probably shouldnt) work this way?
It does not work this way. The "meld" part of polymorph lists a specific set of creature types to which it applies. Humanoid is not on that list.
But basically he was HOPING that equipment worn in gorrilla/other forms would meld into his human form but would be available again if he assumed the same form. Am I correct in assuming that it doesnt (or at least, probably shouldnt) work this way?
By the rules the he can't do it. The polymorph magic takes affect when it is activated, not when it ends. If you are an elephant wearing barding then I would highly suggest you have it removed.
PS:Adam is also correct. Humanoid is not on the list so either way it won't work without the GM just deciding to be nice.
Doesn't matter, Raspberry, because you can't wear adamantine armor as a druid. :P
So what if he gets wild armor, and wild barding, and then wildshape into a third form? I guess both are absorbed? Which AC is granted? And are you allowed to wear metal barding in animal form or does it have to be leather barding?
Hehe.
There's also the idea of taking his usual armor off, wildshaping into a humanoid shaped earth elemental form, and then putting the armor back on again.
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For the record, I hate you Scott for that question...ok lets see.
So I would always assume that whenever you wild shape your armor merges with you and any armor you put on is effectively on for all intents an purposes.
However, each subsequent wild shape is its own event so if you wild shape from swam wearing swan armor to horse then your swan armor merges. If you wild shape into a swan again your armor is still merged and would not come back til you again assumed regular humanoid form (or whatever start point you have.)
So A druid in heavy dragonhide full plate changes into a dire tiger and has barding put on then transforms into an eagle who has eagle barding put on then into a horse and has horse barding put on who then transforms into a fish would have effectively 4 suits of armor melded and when he transforms back into normal form 3 suits will drop at his feet and he will be wearing his full plate.
One other note regarding above posts. Bracers of armor fail to function when you wild shape because you lose armor and shield bonuses, which bracers provide. It is highly probable that this is not intended but by a strict reading of RAW...
