How does a druid's shape change work?


Advice


PRD wrote:

Wild Shape (Su): At 4th level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into any Small or Medium animal and back again once per day. Her options for new forms include all creatures with the animal type. This ability functions like the beast shape I spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. The form chosen must be that of an animal with which the druid is familiar.

A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)

A druid can use this ability an additional time per day at 6th level and every two levels thereafter, for a total of eight times at 18th level. At 20th level, a druid can use wild shape at will. As a druid gains levels, this ability allows the druid to take on the form of larger and smaller animals, elementals, and plants. Each form expends one daily use of this ability, regardless of the form taken.

Beast Shape I
School transmutation (polymorph); Level sorcerer/wizard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a piece of the creature whose form you plan to assume)
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 min./level (D)

When you cast this spell, you can assume the form of any Small or Medium creature of the animal type. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability: climb 30 feet, fly 30 feet (average maneuverability), swim 30 feet, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, and scent.

Small animal: If the form you take is that of a Small animal, you gain a +2 size bonus to your Dexterity and a +1 natural armor bonus.

Medium animal: If the form you take is that of a Medium animal, you gain a +2 size bonus to your Strength and a +2 natural armor bonus.

So let me get this right, Wild shape is just beast shape but lasts 1 hour/level. okay...

What about natural attacks? does the druid gain a bite as per the creature? or claws? or wings? or tail? if the druid becomes a hydra does he get multiple head attacks?

I'm very confused by all this, I have no idea how it's supposed to work and it's frustrating to me and my player, he wants to become creatures but as per this explanation all it gives him is some basic movement stuff or dark vision and some minor bonuses to stats, it doesn't give him breath weapons, or creature features, how does he get multiattack? or pounce? how does he even get an attack other then unarmed?

can someone explain this to me please?


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Alright here we go wildshaping 101:

You get movement types (up to those allowed by the beast shape you're currently given). You always get the full base land speed

You get the natural attacks, any and all of them. This doesn't include rake or constrict or special abilities.

You get stat changes. Pretty simple there.

You get the special abilities of the creature that the beast shape (or plant shape) allows IF the animal has it. So if you turn into a tiger, you get pounce if you have at least beast shape 2 aka druid 6. This is where you would acquire rake or constrict.

The questions your asking are answered in the magic section--> transmutation-->polymorph of the core rulebook.

Polymorph wrote:

Polymorph: a polymorph spell transforms your physical body to take on the shape of another creature. While these spells make you appear to be the creature, granting you a +10 bonus on Disguise skill checks, they do not grant you all of the abilities and powers of the creature. Each polymorph spell allows you to assume the form of a creature of a specific type, granting you a number of bonuses to your ability scores and a bonus to your natural armor. In addition, each polymorph spell can grant you a number of other benefits, including movement types, resistances, and senses. If the form you choose grants these benefits, or a greater ability of the same type, you gain the listed benefit. If the form grants a lesser ability of the same type, you gain the lesser ability instead. Your base speed changes to match that of the form you assume. If the form grants a swim or burrow speed, you maintain the ability to breathe if you are swimming or burrowing. The DC for any of these abilities equals your DC for the polymorph spell used to change you into that form.

In addition to these benefits, you gain any of the natural attacks of the base creature, including proficiency in those attacks. These attacks are based on your base attack bonus, modified by your Strength or Dexterity as appropriate, and use your Strength modifier for determining damage bonuses.

If a polymorph spell causes you to change size, apply the size modifiers appropriately, changing your armor class, attack bonus, Combat Maneuver Bonus, and Stealth skill modifiers. Your ability scores are not modified by this change unless noted by the spell.

Unless otherwise noted, polymorph spells cannot be used to change into specific individuals. Although many of the fine details can be controlled, your appearance is always that of a generic member of that creature's type. Polymorph spells cannot be used to assume the form of a creature with a template or an advanced version of a creature.

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. While in such a form, you cannot cast any spells that require material components (unless you have the Eschew Materials or Natural Spell feat), and can only cast spells with somatic or verbal components if the form you choose has the capability to make such movements or speak, such as a dragon. Other polymorph spells might be subject to this restriction as well, if they change you into a form that is unlike your original form (subject to GM discretion). If your new form does not cause your equipment to meld into your form, the equipment resizes to match your new size.

While under the effects of a polymorph spell, you lose all extraordinary and supernatural abilities that depend on your original form (such as keen senses, scent, and darkvision), as well as any natural attacks and movement types possessed by your original form. You also lose any class features that depend upon form, but those that allow you to add features (such as sorcerers that can grow claws) still function. While most of these should be obvious, the GM is the final arbiter of what abilities depend on form and are lost when a new form is assumed. Your new form might restore a number of these abilities if they are possessed by the new form.

You can only be affected by one polymorph spell at a time. If a new polymorph spell is cast on you (or you activate a polymorph effect, such as wild shape), you can decide whether or not to allow it to affect you, taking the place of the old spell. In addition, other spells that change your size have no effect on you while you are under the effects of a polymorph spell.

Yes wildshape follows these general rules, unless it specifically says otherwise. Like natural spell.

The Exchange Owner - D20 Hobbies

Beopere wrote:

You get stat changes. Pretty simple there.

You get the special abilities of the creature that the beast shape (or plant shape) allows IF the animal has it.

The stat changes are the +2 STR -2 DEX etc written in Beast Shape and not the scores the form has.

Any special ability with a number you get the number or the value in Beast Shape whichever is lower. So a 100 ft Fly creature with Beast Shape that says Fly 30 is limited to 30 fly.

Liberty's Edge

The the original poster ... typing in ALL CAPS, not to mention swearing, in a forum thread title is generally considered to be kind of rude ...

Just saying

Also, you mention changing into a hydra - a druid can only wild shape into animals, not magical beasts and the like

Digital Products Assistant

Adjusted thread title.


Marc Radle wrote:
Also, you mention changing into a hydra - a druid can only wild shape into animals, not magical beasts and the like

Well they can do plants and elementals. But yes the magical beast aspect of beast form is unavailable to them.

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