Animal Shamen

[SuperUberGeek]

Has there been a clarification on if and animal Shamen can wild shape at 4th level (I think they can not) and how many times they can wild shape at 6th (and if they can wild shape into their animal extra times).

[mplindustries]

There does not need to be any. It is plainly written. They cannot wild shape until 6th level and at 6th level, they can wildshape more times into their special animal(s). And you also very plainly can't wildshape into a templated animal or a form that isn't in a Bestiary (like a Huge wolf, for example) without GM fiat.

All the questions on this are from people coming from the "it can't possibly be that crappy" angle. It is, in fact, that crappy, assuming you're looking for a wild shaper, which is the wrong reason to play an Animal Shaman. They are great summoners, and in exchange, they have a penalized wild shape. This is intended. It sucks, but it's correct.

[Nefreet]

It is not "plainly written" as mpl claims. If it were there wouldn't be so many questions like this spread across the message boards.

That being said, the general consensus, evidence, and developer comments thus far lead strongly to the ruling being that Shamans do not wildshape until 6th level.

[Nefreet]

But you will always encounter a dissenter here and there.

[Matthew Downie]

At 6th level they can wild shape into their special animal three times a day, for up to eight hours each time. Or they can wild shape into something else, once, for up to four hours. Not both in the same day though.

[LazarX]

mplindustries wrote:

There does not need to be any. It is plainly written. They cannot wild shape until 6th level and at 6th level, they can wildshape more times into their special animal(s). And you also very plainly can't wildshape into a templated animal or a form that isn't in a Bestiary (like a Huge wolf, for example) without GM fiat.

All the questions on this are from people coming from the "it can't possibly be that crappy" angle. It is, in fact, that crappy, assuming you're looking for a wild shaper, which is the wrong reason to play an Animal Shaman. They are great summoners, and in exchange, they have a penalized wild shape. This is intended. It sucks, but it's correct.

Depending on the shaman, it's not really that penalized. The Bear Shaman is pretty damm tough when he finally gets wildshape. The Eagle Shaman gets an option for flight at 2nd level!.

What they are is more focused as wildshapers. It's also quite arguable that not every druid shaman is meant to be a physical melee monster.

[SuperUberGeek]

I am thinking Sauran Shamen, which has lots of options.