Shirt of Immolation + Wild Shape / polymorph?

[Mordain Thade]

So this seems like it'd be a cute combo for shifting into creatures with grab, but I can't decide if it works or not. Same thing for a Crown of Conquest. Somewhat related for Deliquescent Gloves.

The relevant polymorph rules:

Spoiler:

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). Items that require activation cannot be used while you maintain that form.

Shirt of Immolation:

Spoiler:

Whenever the wearer is grappling (whether on the offense or defense), this shirt automatically bursts into flame, dealing 1d6+10 points of fire damage every round to anyone grappling the wearer. The flames do not harm the wearer and last one round (though it continues to burn if the wearer is still grappling after one round). The shirt burns for a maximum of 10 rounds per day. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.

Crown of Conquest:

Spoiler:

This crown of steel and gold projects an aura of menacing power. The wearer gains a +4 competence bonus on Intimidate checks, and whenever he confirms a critical hit, the crown creates a prayer effect centered on the crown's wearer (caster level 5th).

Deliquescent Gloves:

Spoiler:

These heavy leather gloves ripple and flows at the wearer's command, reshaping to fit any hand, claw, tentacle, or alien limb. The wearer's melee touch attacks with that hand deal 1d6 points of acid damage. If the wearer uses that hand to wield a weapon or make an attack with an unarmed strike or natural weapon, that attack gains the corrosive weapon special ability.

So since the druid isn't activating them, do they play nicely with wild shape? Or, does the fact that they trigger on their own somehow block them from working, since they aren't providing constant bonuses? Or is their ability to trigger the "constant bonus" that they provide?

I'm personally leaning toward "those all work fine", but I'm not 100% certain, and am curious about other people's possible interpretations. Anyone have any input?

[DeltaOneG]

I agree with the "they all work fine" because they do not need to be activated but rather activate themselves.

In other words their function (exploding into flame upon grapple) is continuous or constant.

[Diego Rossi]

Constant bonus. Beside the +4 to intimidate checks those aren't constant bonuses.
They aren't even bonuses at all.

From the PRD, Common Terms in the getting started section ot the rules:

PRD wrote:

Bonus: Bonuses are numerical values that are added to checks and statistical scores. Most bonuses have a type, and as a general rule, bonuses of the same type are not cumulative (do not “stack”)—only the greater bonus granted applies.

[Mordain Thade]

Diego Rossi wrote:

Constant bonus. Beside the +4 to intimidate checks those aren't constant bonuses.

They aren't even bonuses at all.

From the PRD, Common Terms in the getting started section ot the rules:

PRD wrote:

Bonus: Bonuses are numerical values that are added to checks and statistical scores. Most bonuses have a type, and as a general rule, bonuses of the same type are not cumulative (do not “stack”)—only the greater bonus granted applies.

Hm, that's a good point there. It slipped my mind that the word "bonus" is an actual specific game term. Thanks for that, Diego!

So then, the question becomes, is it correct to use the ultra-strict interpretation of the phrase, "Items that provide constant bonuses and do not need to be activated continue to function while melded..." and disallow them since they do not provide bonuses, or is it correct to look past the usage of the specific word "bonuses" and allow them to work since they don't need to be activated (as they activate themselves or give static benefits)?

Again, I really lean toward the latter, since by strictest interpretation, something as simple as feather step slippers cease to function because they don't provide a bonus as defined by the CRB, where boots of striding and springing do because they do give a bonus. That just seems silly and inconsistent to me.

Anyone else with input?

[Darkwolf117]

I'm inclined to say that 'bonuses' in the case of polymorph refers to constant magical effects, whatever they may be, as long as they aren't use-activated.

As another example of the scenario making little sense:

.

-A Belt that has you constantly under the effect of Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, and Bear's Endurance. Works fine.
-A Ring that has you constantly under the effect of Resist Energy or Freedom of Movement. Doesn't work for some reason.
-A Ring that has you constantly under the effect of Shield of Faith. Now this one does work fine.

It puts things in a weird place. The only difference between those is that there's a number attached to examples 1 and 3.

I get the feeling RAI is that they would all work, and using 'bonuses' was just... the word that was used. The followup "Items that require activation cannot be used while you maintain that form," makes me figure that's the part to pay attention to, not whether there are numbers specified somewhere in the item.