Aberration Wild Shape combo... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Aberration Wild Shape combo... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
BarbeChenue
01-21-06, 05:15 AM 1. Divine Minion: Wildshape as a level 11 druid, Large and Tiny creatures are allowed, limited creature choices.

2. Aberration Wild Shape: Become able to take the shape of any Aberration of your choice, requires the Aberration Blood feat and "wild shape ability" (not class feature, as some have argued with the MoMF).

3. Enhance Wild Shape: Gain all Extraordinary Abilities of the next creature you take the shape of with Wild Shape.

4. Archivist: Great all around caster that can learn *all* divine spells (like Enhance Wild Shape) if he has the necessary scrolls. Great flavor with Aberrations!

Combo:

Let's take the Nilshai (UE) for example. It has "Fearsome Celerity" as an Extraordinary Ability. Yes, exactly the same as Quickness, except it's an Ex ability. Enhance Wild Shape gives us these abilities, so we get Fearsome Celerity.

Yes, that's nice. And we didn't have to use "Assume Supernatural Ability".

Of course, the potential of this is not limited to the Nilshai. Just think of *any* aberration of 11 HDs or less (Illithids, Will-O'-Wisps, etc.), and you get the idea.

This combo is ideal with the Wild Shape amulet (MoF), depending on how you interpret the text (since "It allows a druid to use her wild shape ability as if she were four level higher", not any other class). I would say it doesn't work under normal circumstances.

Are there any good Aberration forms to take and that are 11 HDs or lower?

Suggestions:

MMI - Monster Manual (I)

Attach: Nice melee abilities all around, 3 arms, doesn't require any Archivist trick, not really optimized.
Chuul: Paralysis is always nice and encourages grappling. Stacking Cleric spells on top of this would be quite deadly.
Mimic: Inventive uses abound. No save against it, mundane means (Spot vs. Disguise) are the only working counter to it.
Mind Flayer: Spell Resistance: 25 + class levels. Telepathy 100 ft. is also nice.
Will-O'-Wisp: Natural Invisibility (Ex) and Spell Immunity (pierced only by Magic Missile). Perfect flight speed is excellent here, although Somatic and Material components are not available (it has no hands).

UE - Unapproachable East

Nilshai: Fearsome Quickness: As the Choker's ability, except Ex, not Su.
widow
01-21-06, 10:23 AM You could always sink some points into use magic device so you can use the druid amulet if your DM rules it not counting.

On another note, when using the minion template, are any of the wild shape feats worth it. Since you have unlimited uses per day of wild shape, some of those feats that add wings, claws, or natural armor must be useful.
Surreal
01-21-06, 02:14 PM Go here: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=363632 and look up the section on abberations.
lostone
01-22-06, 01:14 PM Something to maybe consider (I'm at work so can't remember if this conflicts with the previously stated):

Exalted Wild shape gives you the Ex and SU abilities of an assumed form. Might be better than enhance wild shape.
Khan the Destroyer
01-22-06, 01:54 PM Where can I find Enhance Wild Shape?
Roatso
01-22-06, 02:18 PM I think it's a spell in that new compendium if I'm not mistaken.
Kallius
01-22-06, 03:07 PM Yes it is in the Spell Compendium. Remember that with Wild Shape, you gain all the extraordinary abilities of the creature with respect to attack (poison, improve grapple/grab, and so forth) so it mainly applies to qualities such as darkvision, scent, and extraordinarily high movements rates (the polymorph spell descriptor has the exact number, but I believe it is over 60' land speed or over 120' air speed). Plus the casting time is one minute (not really good for combat unless you can get the drop on your enemies) and applies to your *next* Wildshape only (so if you switch forms, it only applies to the first one).
BarbeChenue
01-23-06, 12:41 AM Wild Shape, being based on polymorph, only gives you the Extraordinary Special Attacks of the creature, not its Ex Special Qualities. Regeneration, Spell Resistance or Immunity, Natural Invisibility or Buoyancy are good example of Extraordinary Qualities that you do not get without Enhance Wild Shape.

Only classes that grant Wildshape qualify for Exalted Wild Shape, because the feat has a requirement of both "Wild shape class ability" and "Wild shape class level 8th", which Divine Minion doesn't grant.

The main advantage with Wild Shape, is that contrary to Polymorph, it can't be dispelled, so it's very useful against spellcasters. I'm going to look at the Aberrations available, and revisit the thread if necessary.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
BarbeChenue 01-21-06, 05:15 AM	1. Divine Minion: Wildshape as a level 11 druid, Large and Tiny creatures are allowed, limited creature choices. 2. Aberration Wild Shape: Become able to take the shape of any Aberration of your choice, requires the Aberration Blood feat and "wild shape ability" (not class feature, as some have argued with the MoMF). 3. Enhance Wild Shape: Gain all Extraordinary Abilities of the next creature you take the shape of with Wild Shape. 4. Archivist: Great all around caster that can learn all divine spells (like Enhance Wild Shape) if he has the necessary scrolls. Great flavor with Aberrations! Combo: Let's take the Nilshai (UE) for example. It has "Fearsome Celerity" as an Extraordinary Ability. Yes, exactly the same as Quickness, except it's an Ex ability. Enhance Wild Shape gives us these abilities, so we get Fearsome Celerity. Yes, that's nice. And we didn't have to use "Assume Supernatural Ability". Of course, the potential of this is not limited to the Nilshai. Just think of any aberration of 11 HDs or less (Illithids, Will-O'-Wisps, etc.), and you get the idea. This combo is ideal with the Wild Shape amulet (MoF), depending on how you interpret the text (since "It allows a druid to use her wild shape ability as if she were four level higher", not any other class). I would say it doesn't work under normal circumstances. Are there any good Aberration forms to take and that are 11 HDs or lower? Suggestions: MMI - Monster Manual (I) Attach: Nice melee abilities all around, 3 arms, doesn't require any Archivist trick, not really optimized. Chuul: Paralysis is always nice and encourages grappling. Stacking Cleric spells on top of this would be quite deadly. Mimic: Inventive uses abound. No save against it, mundane means (Spot vs. Disguise) are the only working counter to it. Mind Flayer: Spell Resistance: 25 + class levels. Telepathy 100 ft. is also nice. Will-O'-Wisp: Natural Invisibility (Ex) and Spell Immunity (pierced only by Magic Missile). Perfect flight speed is excellent here, although Somatic and Material components are not available (it has no hands). UE - Unapproachable East Nilshai: Fearsome Quickness: As the Choker's ability, except Ex, not Su.
widow 01-21-06, 10:23 AM	You could always sink some points into use magic device so you can use the druid amulet if your DM rules it not counting. On another note, when using the minion template, are any of the wild shape feats worth it. Since you have unlimited uses per day of wild shape, some of those feats that add wings, claws, or natural armor must be useful.
Surreal 01-21-06, 02:14 PM	Go here: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=363632 and look up the section on abberations.
lostone 01-22-06, 01:14 PM	Something to maybe consider (I'm at work so can't remember if this conflicts with the previously stated): Exalted Wild shape gives you the Ex and SU abilities of an assumed form. Might be better than enhance wild shape.
Khan the Destroyer 01-22-06, 01:54 PM	Where can I find Enhance Wild Shape?
Roatso 01-22-06, 02:18 PM	I think it's a spell in that new compendium if I'm not mistaken.
Kallius 01-22-06, 03:07 PM	Yes it is in the Spell Compendium. Remember that with Wild Shape, you gain all the extraordinary abilities of the creature with respect to attack (poison, improve grapple/grab, and so forth) so it mainly applies to qualities such as darkvision, scent, and extraordinarily high movements rates (the polymorph spell descriptor has the exact number, but I believe it is over 60' land speed or over 120' air speed). Plus the casting time is one minute (not really good for combat unless you can get the drop on your enemies) and applies to your next Wildshape only (so if you switch forms, it only applies to the first one).
BarbeChenue 01-23-06, 12:41 AM	Wild Shape, being based on polymorph, only gives you the Extraordinary Special Attacks of the creature, not its Ex Special Qualities. Regeneration, Spell Resistance or Immunity, Natural Invisibility or Buoyancy are good example of Extraordinary Qualities that you do not get without Enhance Wild Shape. Only classes that grant Wildshape qualify for Exalted Wild Shape, because the feat has a requirement of both "Wild shape class ability" and "Wild shape class level 8th", which Divine Minion doesn't grant. The main advantage with Wild Shape, is that contrary to Polymorph, it can't be dispelled, so it's very useful against spellcasters. I'm going to look at the Aberrations available, and revisit the thread if necessary.