So I have recently made a handful of skinwalker characters because I really like the flavor of them when combined with nature oriented classes and I realized that I was not quite sure how their Shape Change ability interacts with a couple of different effects. My question is what happens when a skinwalker with Shape Change active uses a polymorph spell like Aspect of the Wolf, uses something like Wild Shape (if there is something slightly different between it and Aspect of the Wolf), or uses an ability like the Shapeshifter Ranger's Shifter's Blessing ability.
School transmutation (polymorph)
When you cast this spell, you take on an aspect of a wolf, including some of its physical characteristics. You become more rugged, your ears become elongated, and you sprout sharp fangs and fur.
You gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and Dexterity, the scent ability, a +2 enhancement bonus on trip attacks, and can make a trip combat maneuver as a swift action. This trip attack does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
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 the druid is familiar with.
At 3rd level, the shapeshifter can take on the aspects of a wild creature once per day as a swift action. He can remain in this form for a number of rounds equal to his Ranger level + his Wisdom modifier. While in one of his shifter’s blessing forms, the Ranger gains the shapeshifter subtype. The shapeshifter must choose one of the following forms. Once this choice is made, it cannot be changed.
At 8th level and again every five levels thereafter, the Ranger may select an additional form for his shifter’s blessing and may use this ability one additional time per day. This is not a polymorph ability; a Ranger with shifter’s blessing in one of his shifted forms can be affected by a polymorph ability and retain his bonus and Traits gained by the class feature.
I assume that due to the second part I copy+pasted from Shifter's Blessing means I could have it and Shape Change active at the same time, but it is always good to have a second opinion on such things.
Change shape is a polymorph effect
You can only be under the effect of one polymorph effect at a time
Shifter's Blessing can be used while shifted, but for aspect of the wolf or wild shape you can only be affected by one of them.
Hm, good to know. Funny enough it makes the idea of a skinwalker druid that less appealing if one major class feature replaces a major racial feature. I assume it also affects things like the Shape Change bestial feature of witchwolves like the +2 racial bonus to all saves?
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Hmm, I think you're good since the Skinwalker's Change Shape isn't called out as a Polymorph effect.
"Change shape" is in the universal rules linked above. It is a polymorph effect. I can't find anything to indicate it is a different ability.
A real pity, I was hoping to make the wolfiest wolf man that ever wolfed as a Mooncaller Drovier Druid Witchwolf with the Wolf Domain. Aspect of the Wolf would really have completed it.
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Hmm, I think you're good since the Skinwalker's Change Shape isn't called out as a Polymorph effect."Change shape" is in the universal rules linked above. It is a polymorph effect. I can't find anything to indicate it is a different ability.
There are a few things that indicate as a different ability.
For one, the Change Shape in the Universal Monster Rules is a Special Quality, distinct form the Special ABILITY Change Shape that Skinwalkers get.
For two, a Skinwalker's Change Shape works, in every way, differently from the SQ Change Shape. It is limited in times per day, grants unique ability modifiers, a unique menu of abilities (from which you may choose one), and does not work as an Polymorph spell.
Compare/Contrast how the SQ Change Shape works, which is alwayy explicitly as a spell (Beast Form I, Wolf or Alter Self, Humans only or for perhaps its most famous possessor "Small, Medium, or Large humanoid; alter self or giant form I"), fully transforms you into the creature, and never grants ability score bonuses or penalties.
The two are not in any way equivalent to each other despite sharing a name, any more than the Feat Stalwart and the class ability Stalwart are the same thing.
That's not to say a Skinwalker's Change Shape ISN'T a Polymorph ability, but it is certainly not the same thing as the Change Shape SQ. Literally the only things in common between them are the name.
It's not? Woah, that's sweet. When was that changed?
They did, including the fact that you no longer take a penalty to charisma when using it. The only way for it to be limited to once per day is through the terrible alternate racial trait. I say terrible because any skinwalker with speak with animals as a spell-like (even from traits like Lamashtu's Voice of Monsters) can obtain a shoulder item called the Pelt of the Beast that makes said spell at-will. You can take the shoulder regardless, but skinwalkers and people with said spell as a spell-like gain the most benefit.
Does anyone know if the Mutagen with the Feral Mutagen discovery count as a polymorph effect? How about an alchemist with the Beastmorph archetype? Can I use either of these and use Change Shape?
Mutagen is also not a polymorph effect. It is a separate effect entirely, giving an alchemical bonus to your abilty scores. Beastmorph is also a rider on the mutagen ability, and not a polymorph effect itself, even though it gives abilities from polymorph spells.