Druid Wild Shape rules and advise?

[Rob_dogg]

firstly, I am currently playing a lvl 14 druid, at that level all wild shape options are available so lets see if I get this...

Any polymorph grants +10 disguise skill check, gain the size, movement types, abilities and natural attacks specific to that chosen form, {Restricted by the corresponding spell used}.

Each specific spell also grants temporary ability modifiers based on size and form, this also includes natural armour. proficiency with ALL natural attacks of chosen form. finally, allowed wild shape x/day based off druid class table.

beast shape 1,2,3:

tiny <-> huge (animal only) burrow, climb, fly, swim, blind-sense, dark-vision, low-light vision, constrict, ferocity, grab, jet, poison, pounce, rake, scent, trample, trip and web.

plant shape 1,2,3

small <-> huge (plant only) dark-vision, low-light vision, constrict, grab, poison, trample, vulnerability, DR, regeneration 5, and resistance 20.

Elemental body 1,2,3,4

small <-> huge (air, earth, fire, water elemental only) fly, burrow, swim, dark-vision, earth-glide, burn, whirlwind, vortex, immune to bleed, immune to critical hits, immune to sneak attacks and DR 5/-.

...correct?!

Secondly, from best I can tell wild shape does not really accommodate any form beyond bestiary 1. you have the option to turn into a plant, animal, elemental form in bestiary 2,3,4 but most have listed abilities not covered by any polymorph spells… opinions? advise?

thanks guys and girls!

[Nothing]

If the animal/plant/elemental you choose has abilities not listed in the spell you ignore them, you can only gain the abilities listed (and then only if the chosen creature has them).

Elemental form is good defensively, with DR and immunity to crits/bleed. Beastform can do great damage with pounce and rake. The best forms for you will depend on campaign setting and your party.

[DesolateHarmony]

Here is a guide that might help with some questions. It is better researched than I could explain.

[Bob Bob Bob]

If it doesn't give you an ability, you don't get it. That's how the spells work. It's also how they should work, as 3.5 polymorph was all kinds of broken (both too powerful and ambiguous). The only spells that actually need an overhaul are Elemental Body, as they've added quite a bit more elementals to what's around. All of the others are generic enough to allow almost anything (and plant shape even had abilities it would grant before any listed monster had those abilities).

And a quick point, you don't get the movement types of a monster unless it's granted by the spell. You get the movement speed. Which can be pretty nice for faster creatures.

[Lifat]

Bob Bob Bob wrote:

If it doesn't give you an ability, you don't get it. That's how the spells work. It's also how they should work, as 3.5 polymorph was all kinds of broken (both too powerful and ambiguous). The only spells that actually need an overhaul are Elemental Body, as they've added quite a bit more elementals to what's around. All of the others are generic enough to allow almost anything (and plant shape even had abilities it would grant before any listed monster had those abilities).

And a quick point, you don't get the movement types of a monster unless it's granted by the spell. You get the movement speed. Which can be pretty nice for faster creatures.

And the movement speed is even restricted. The spell has a maximum movement speed and the creature has a maximum movement speed. You only get the lower of the two.

If a creature grants you 90 speed and the spell grants you 60, then you get 60.
If a creature grants you 30 and the spell grants you 60, then you get 30.

[Bob Bob Bob]

Lifat wrote:

Bob Bob Bob wrote:

If it doesn't give you an ability, you don't get it. That's how the spells work. It's also how they should work, as 3.5 polymorph was all kinds of broken (both too powerful and ambiguous). The only spells that actually need an overhaul are Elemental Body, as they've added quite a bit more elementals to what's around. All of the others are generic enough to allow almost anything (and plant shape even had abilities it would grant before any listed monster had those abilities).

And a quick point, you don't get the movement types of a monster unless it's granted by the spell. You get the movement speed. Which can be pretty nice for faster creatures.

And the movement speed is even restricted. The spell has a maximum movement speed and the creature has a maximum movement speed. You only get the lower of the two.

If a creature grants you 90 speed and the spell grants you 60, then you get 60.
If a creature grants you 30 and the spell grants you 60, then you get 30.

In this case I was just referring to the line in the Polymorph subschool that says "Your base speed changes to match that of the form you assume." So you do get better land speeds. And looking at it, probably worse land speeds too.

[Taenia]

Yep, love those plants with a 5' move speed.