I'm about to write up wild shape statblocks for my Gnome Druid 4.
Obviously if I shift into Medium size I will no longer benefit from +1 size bonus on attacks and AC. Do I also need to recalculate Dex? Like, take a -2 dex bonus to size as if I used Enlarge Person?
Does a medium Druid get the bonus to AC and attacks when shaping into a small critter?
Page 212:
"If a polymorph spell is cast on a creature that is smaller than Small or larger than Medium, first adjust its ability scores to one of these two sizes using the following table before applying the bonuses granted by the polymorph spell."
It looks like if you're Small, then you just apply the ability score changes from Beast Shape.
I'm about to write up wild shape statblocks for my Gnome Druid 4.
Obviously if I shift into Medium size I will no longer benefit from +1 size bonus on attacks and AC. Do I also need to recalculate Dex? Like, take a -2 dex bonus to size as if I used Enlarge Person?
Does a medium Druid get the bonus to AC and attacks when shaping into a small critter?
Whether you start out small or medium, your wild shape causes the same changes. You don't "undo" your current stats to a medium baseline. You simply apply the modifiers in the Beast Shape (which is what Wild Shape uses) spell description.
At 4th level, you get to use Beast Shape I. So no matter whether you are small or medium in your normal form, when you turn into a small creature, you apply a +2 Dex and +1 natural armor. If you turn into a Medium creature you gain a +2 Str and +2 natural armor.
A medium druid turning into a medium animal gets +2 STR and +2 natural AC. A small druid turning into a small animal gets +2 Dex and +1 natural AC.
You do use the size modifiers of your current form to AC and attack bonus, so if you turn into a medium animal, you'll lose the +1 AC and +1 attack you got for being small.
ETA: But on the bright side, you'll also lose the -1 CMB/D for being small.
Page 212:
"If a polymorph spell is cast on a creature that is smaller than Small or larger than Medium, first adjust its ability scores to one of these two sizes using the following table before applying the bonuses granted by the polymorph spell."
It looks like if you're Small, then you just apply the ability score changes from Beast Shape.
Emphasis mine.
This thread was generated by me misreading that rule. Thanks for the clarification.
Followup:
An Emu's kicks are secondary attacks. A Battle Emu's kicks are not.
Is an Emu Wildshaped Druid (with a BAB +3) considered combat-trained?
bump
