So I am running a natural attack ranger build with the Shapeshifter archetype and have already taken Form of the Bear. I am about about hit level 8 with said Ranger and am looking at the next form to take.
My question concerns the base speed change of the form.
If I am reading it correctly, it just changes your character's base speed, meaning buffs to speed still work, such as Boots of Striding and Springing or Haste, correct?
Also, will using Form of the Cat with Form of the Bear at level 12 negate the loss in speed?
Bonus Question: If using the Synthesis Archetype of the Summoner would Form of the Bear reduce both the Summoner and the Eidolon's base speed to 20? If not, could the summoner use the Eidolon's base speed instead of his own, reduced speed?
-Haste and Striding are enhancement bonuses, so they will stack with Cat form.
-Yep, they will.
-The Synthesist archetype says nothing about gaining the movement speed of the Eidolon, but you get its evolutions. I'd say that until you take a movement evolution- swim, fly, burrow- you're stuck with your movement speed, not the Eidolon's. But I've played before with Synthesists who've used their eidolon's speed, so perhaps I am mistaken.
-Haste and Striding are enhancement bonuses, so they will stack with Cat form.
-Yep, they will.
-The Synthesist archetype says nothing about gaining the movement speed of the Eidolon, but you get its evolutions. I'd say that until you take a movement evolution- swim, fly, burrow- you're stuck with your movement speed, not the Eidolon's. But I've played before with Synthesists who've used their eidolon's speed, so perhaps I am mistaken.
Thanks for the input, I appreciate it and it answers my questions about the stacking.
As for the Synthesist, the movement speed increase (and indeed special movement speeds such as climb) come from the free evolutions granted by a form. I would have to say that since you can't use your own limbs while fused with an Eidolon, you would only be able to make use of their limbs. While that means you can't use your hands while fused with a quadruped, you would still get to use the 2 limbs (legs) evolutions to grant a +10 to base move for each set.
Of course the question is, how does this interact with Form of the Bear. Does it negate the evolutions or do the evolutions act as a buff to negate the penalty?