Druid Clarification Needed

[jerjabs]

I'm kinda new to Pathfinder (played 3.5 for years) and definetly new to playing druids. I've created a 13th level druid for a core book campaign we are going to play, and have some questions. My druid is focused on using wild shape and being a front line fighter. I have a tiger as my companion. I'm confused on what item enhancements merge with the wild shape I'm taking. Does all my armor, shield, rings, amulet (nat armor) and bark skin spell bonuses ALL slide into the shape I take?

I plan on having Bark Skin casted with these current items equiped:

Rhino Hide +5
Wooden Shield +1
Ring of Protection +3
Cloak of resistance +3
Amulet of natural armor +2

Thanks for the help!!!

[BigNorseWolf]

Your armor shuts off
Your shield shuts off
The ring still works
The cloak still works
The amulet of natural armor still works, but won't stack with your barkskin.

Kinda new to pathfinder is a weird place to playing at level 13.

You want to look in the magic chapter under polymorph for the rules on how wildshape works.

[jerjabs]

For wanting to be in wild shape during most if not all combat, where should I focus my magic item purchases?

[pauljathome]

jerjabs wrote:

For wanting to be in wild shape during most if not all combat, where should I focus my magic item purchases?

It depends a lot on what you'll be wild shaping into.

Elementals can wear armor, activate rings, etc. It is a quite viable option to take off your magic items, transform, then put them all back on. Obviously only works if you intend to stay in the same shape for long periods of time.

I had a (Core) Archer Druid who spent almost all of his time as an Air Elemental. So his magic items were bow, bow and oh yes arrows :-).

But for a more traditional combat druid an amulet of mighty fists is your go to item (note that it cannot have anything that you have to activate like Flaming but it CAN have automatic things like pluses, holy, etc)

[Dragonborn3]

Why wouldn't Flaming be allowed, out of curiosity?

[BigNorseWolf]

Dragonborn3 wrote:

Why wouldn't Flaming be allowed, out of curiosity?

the argument against it is that it shuts off when you wildshape and then you can't turn it on.

The argument for it is you just have your friend turn it on and then put it around your neck while you're a dinosaur.

[wraithstrike]

If you want to keep the armor bonuses from your armor while wildshaped you need the wild(+3) enhancement. I would suggest picking up Craft Item and Craft Arms and Armor magic item feats so you that you and your pet can both have sufficient gear.

[BigNorseWolf]

Rather than the very expensive wild enhancement, you could pick your favorite combat form and get barding. Buy the wizard a pearl of power and have a mage armor on you in case you need to switch forms.

[wraithstrike]

BigNorseWolf wrote:

Rather than the very expensive wild enhancement, you could pick your favorite combat form and get barding. Buy the wizard a pearl of power and have a mage armor on you in case you need to switch forms.

If he intends to stay in animal form the barding is a better idea.

I was also thinking that it was animal specific, but the rules don't say that so as long as he is mostly using animals with similar sizes and shapes, that could work. If humans and dwarves can wear the same armor I dont see a problem with it.