Druids, Items & Wild Shape [Archive] - Wizards Community

Druids, Items & Wild Shape [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Callista
03-30-05, 08:24 PM I am playing my first Druid and need advice.

What items can you use while in Wild Shape? What changes when you take the feats that allow you to speak or cast spells while wild shaped?

If you can cast spells while in Wild Shape, can you use a scroll if someone holds it in front of you so you can see it? What about wands and other spell trigger items?

The "wild" armor ability is a +3 bonus... this seems to me like you can't attach a wilding clasp to a suit of armor, right, since the +3 bonus costs more?

Speaking of wilding clasps, what can you use them for? Amulets make sense... what other stuff? 4000 gp is a lot right now (at 5th level); so I really can't afford more than one. What's the best thing to attach it to?

What's the best way to maximize a Druid's wildshaped AC? It seems as though a Druid's wild shape is a lot like barbarian's rage, in that you make yourself more vulnerable in exchange for higher physical stats... only the druid's hit dice is a d8! How do I keep myself alive, and still deal reasonable damage (or help others deal reasonable damage)?

What's your advice on using Wild Shape in battle? I've been using a bear shape... what are my other options? What about when I get smaller and larger animals, later on?

Thanks.
Moon-Lancer
03-30-05, 08:51 PM well that +3 makes it blend with your form but you retain the bonus, so heavy armor doesent impead you anymore. There is a less version of that enhancment that makes the armor shape around your body and grow with you. That leaves the armor check penilty in tackt. Its considerably less then a +3. I think it might be a +2 or a +1.

I think you could cast a spell if someone held th the scroll up for you. useing wonds might be pushing it. It might meld into your body and you use the wond charge from inside like you use focuses and materal componets. You would proably need natural spell to even consider passing it to your dm.
Callista
03-30-05, 09:46 PM I do, indeed, have natural spell; in fact, I was thinking of getting a backpack made for an animal companion to wear (kinda like saddlebags), and easy to paw open so that I could reach a wand during wildshape. Naturally, it wouldn't be very easy to do during battle, since retrieving and using the wand would probably take at least two turns, and then I'd have to drop it if I wanted to use my bite attack... but after battle, it could be useful.

Thing is, I only have so many uses of wild shape; and if I can CLW-wand cure my companions after a battle while in wild shape, that would help in cutting down the number of times I have to get in and out of it.

Any idea on where I can find that "lesser" version of the Wild enchantment?
Count Arioch the 28th
03-30-05, 09:54 PM well that +3 makes it blend with your form but you retain the bonus, so heavy armor doesent impead you anymore. There is a less version of that enhancment that makes the armor shape around your body and grow with you. That leaves the armor check penilty in tackt. Its considerably less then a +3. I think it might be a +2 or a +1.

Are you sure about that? I'm pretty sure the +3 version just alters the armor with your form, and doesn't remove the Armor check penalty. Of course, I am capable of making mistakes here.

Either way, the Wilding Clasp can be used on armor as written. It was made before teh "WIld" enhancement was even thought up, it's a 3.0 item, and in my opinion, is broken, as it's way too cheap for soemthing that basically removes a druid's limitations. However, this is the game you're in we're talking about, not mine.

Here's a thought, according to the rules, anything you are wearing that the new form could wear transforms with you. Since animals generally can't wear guantlets or gloves, maybe pick up golves of dexterity, clasp them, and you have enhanced dexterity in the new form. Also, it's arguable, but I would rule that an animal could in fact wear a necklace, so maybe an amulet of natural armor might help. (In 3.5, it provides an enhancement to existing natural armor, which would stack with the animal's natural armor. In 3.0, it doesn't stack, check with the DM before using.)
BW0222
03-31-05, 05:31 AM >I am playing my first Druid and need advice.

>What items can you use while in Wild Shape? What changes when you take
>the feats that allow you to speak or cast spells while wild shaped?

Animals don't normally come with equipment listed so almost anything which you are wearing melds into your new form.

>If you can cast spells while in Wild Shape, can you use a scroll if someone
>holds it in front of you so you can see it? What about wands and other spell
>trigger items?

No. Most forms do not allow you to manipulate items and speak command words. A silent spell scroll might work or one without V components.

>The "wild" armor ability is a +3 bonus... this seems to me like you can't
>attach a wilding clasp to a suit of armor, right, since the +3 bonus costs
>more?

Wild armor melds into your form. You still gain it's full armor (and enhancement bonus) in animal form. A suit of +1 hide wild armor gives you a +4 armor bonus in any animal form.

>Speaking of wilding clasps, what can you use them for? Amulets make
>sense... what other stuff?

Anything worn in the neck location. Periapt, necklace, amulet, etc.

>...4000 gp is a lot right now (at 5th level); so I really can't afford more than
>one. What's the best thing to attach it to?

Typically, the only think to put it on is an amulet of wisdom. Otherwise, when wildshaping your wisdom drops and you lose bonus spells granted by the higher wisdom.

>What's the best way to maximize a Druid's wildshaped AC?

Try a turtle and go full defensive!

On a more serious note. Buy some mage armor scrolls (or a wand) for a wizard or sorceror in the party. Otherwise potions of mage armor are still fairly inexpensive. Barkskin works (and stacks with normal armor). On a mundane note, depending upon your form, you can carry around some barding with you and have someone put it on. Protection from evil or shields of faith are welcome from your clerics.

Hint: Work this out a head of time with your fellow PCs. Remember you can't talk in wildshape and you typically don't have a lot. Work out some basic communication systems and try handing out a few potions of speak with animals to the group so you can explain complex things (such as scouting reports) without ending your wildshape.

>It seems as though a Druid's wild shape is a lot like barbarian's rage, in that
>you make yourself more vulnerable in exchange for higher physical stats...
>only the druid's hit dice is a d8! How do I keep myself alive, and still deal
>reasonable damage (or help others deal reasonable damage)?

At 5th-7th levels the main purpose of wildshape is not combat related. You only wildshape in combat because you are out of spells and/or forced into melee. Wildshape is better used for scouting (eagle, snake), travelling (eagle, cheeta), spying (mule, dog, etc.), clearing bar brawls (dire skunk), avoiding drowning (fish, dolphin, etc.), escaping (snake), dog/wolf (tracking), etc. You can come up with lots of imaginative uses. For example, why not sleep in a tree as a leopard, or dig a den as a wolverine and sleep in safety?

>What's your advice on using Wild Shape in battle? I've been using a bear
>shape... what are my other options?

If you have to go into combat, the leopard or black bear are the best forms. Use magic to buff yourself -- bull's strength, produce flame, barkskin, magic fang, etc. are handy. Make use of your increased speed and any special attacks (poison, trip, grappling, etc.) granted by the form and remember.

Next, remember that you can communicate with animals of the same general type in wildshape. This works well with summoned animals. At 5th-level you could use a 3rd-level spell to summon 2-5 normal wolves, wildshape into a wolf, and then join the attack. This makes it extremely hard for most NPCs to tell you apart from the other wolves and you can direct their actions by talking with them. In addition to summoning, just going into your animal companions form is often a good idea.

Finally, wildshaping can be used in some fairly serious ambushes. For example, casting call lighting, wildshaping into an eagle, fly over camp, call lighting down on the leader until gone. Cast poison, wildshape into a viper, slither into someones tent, and go after the leader in her bed roll. She'll be down 10 points of Con before she even wakes up.

>What about when I get smaller and larger animals, later on?

For larger animals, there are a few more no-combat forms to consider. A dire bat can carry a passenger as can a horse, bisson, etc. A horse can grass around the bad guys camp for horses listening to conversations without being noticed. You can every kidnap folks easily by looking like one of their horses!

Even at 8th+ when larger forms are available, your best actions in combat is always to cast a spell. You can summon almost any creature you can wildshape into and it is much better to have the bad guys dealing with a summoned creature (while you continue casting spells from safety) rather than having them beat on you.

However, there are times when you can be forced into it. Someone grapples you, surprises you, etc. Brown and polar bears are good forms as is the tiger. Against humaniods, the tiger with improved grab and rake attacks usually dishes out damage quicker. Most of the same tactics apply. Stoneskin is a great (but costly) spell if you really plan on going into combat. Greater magic fang is often better due to the duration.

If you are considering going into combat in wildshape alot, then consider a form which a fighter-type PC can ride. Have them bring an exotic saddle and some exotic barding (non-metal of course) with them. Team up with your fighter. An 8th-level barbarian on a barded tiger is pretty scary. You can buff yourself and/or the passenger, heal either as necessary, and summon more tigers just prior to combat. Opponents will have an extremely hard time deciding who to try to take out first and the combined damage potential usually discourages anyone from going toe-to-toe.
Callista
03-31-05, 08:10 AM Mmkay, here's some specifics about the druid:

Feats are Speaking Wild Shape and Wild Spell. Does that change the magic item use thing?

The party fighter is a half-fiend who prefers to attack from the air... so no teaming up with a rider, really, unless the party ranger wants to try it. What are the rules on intelligent mounts, though? I dunno that you'd be able to use a Ride check to negate damage when your mount is as aware of what's coming at her as you are...

I've already been using Summon Nature's Ally to good effect--a couple of bears and some wolves, and we have the front-line fighters we need. Right now, we actually have no real "tanks"--the party consists of the half-fiend fighter, a ranger, a psion of some sort, my druid, and a rogue; the ranger can be front line for a while, but he doesn't last nearly as long as a barb or a fighter.
Count Arioch the 28th
03-31-05, 09:10 AM Speaking wild shape won't let you activate scrolls, unless the scrolls were made by bears. It doesn't let you speak, it's a misnomer, it allows you to speak with the type of animal you turn in to.
DrMorganes
03-31-05, 09:24 AM The "wild" armor ability is a +3 bonus... this seems to me like you can't attach a wilding clasp to a suit of armor, right, since the +3 bonus costs more?
Right. The +3 enhancement bonus of the Wild Armor enchantment means you add +3 to the total enhancements on the armor for cost calculation purposes only. That +3 doesn't apply to your Armor Bonus - it just boosts the cost. Ferinstance: The cost of +1 Wild Leather armor is calculated as though you were crafting +4 armor. You're paying a boatload of coin to preserve only a few extra AC points.

Instead of wild armor, check out the Beast Armor enhancement in Complete Adventurer. Instead of melding with your animal form, Beast Armor actually resizes as you wildshape. You end up looking like a bear wearing bear-sized armor, but it's only a +1 enchancement.

There's also a prestige class in Complete Adventurer called the Daggerspell Shaper. It's a Druid/Rogue PrC that gives you some interesting combat options for wildshape. Among them are the ability to apply the enhancements on your dagger or daggers to your wildshaped claw attacks (flaming dagger = flaming claw for the paw that held the dagger), wildshaping as a move action (instead of a standard action), and the ability to continue to use the magical enhancements of certain equipment while wildshaped (such as Gloves of Dexterity or an Amulet of Natural Armor). You need to take at least 1 Rogue level to qualify for the PrC, and you give up at least two levels of druid casting ability (1 for the Rogue level and 1 for entering the PrC; all other Daggerspell Shaper levels grant +1 druid casting level)
Callista
03-31-05, 12:07 PM Speaking wild shape won't let you activate scrolls, unless the scrolls were made by bears. It doesn't let you speak, it's a misnomer, it allows you to speak with the type of animal you turn in to.
You can do that in normal wild shape... from the SRDs:A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)
Speaking Wild Shape does, indeed, allow you to communicate with anyone whose language you speak... that's why you take the feat; so you can communicate with party members while wildsahped. I took the feat for just that reason--it allows me to yell strategy commands to party members while I'm wildshaped (the character is the party strategist). It'd be nearly useless otherwise. Whether it allows you to cast spells from scrolls (if you have the Wild Spell feat, or even if you don't) or using wands, is entirely another matter, though.

Speaking (heh, get it?) of which: Is it possible to speak in Wild Shape by having an "at will" magic item of a spell which allows communication, like Message or Whispering Wind, made for you, and attaching a wilding clasp to it? It'd be fairly expensive, but for a mid-level druid without the feat, it might be useful... then again, that WIS-increasing amulet could be equally necessary.

What do you think?
Moon-Lancer
03-31-05, 04:50 PM To clarify. There is a +3 enhancement called wild. It’s in the players guild. It lets you retain bonuses while in wild shape. Why would anyone want that when in complete adventurer, there is a +2 enhancement that does the same thing (sort of) its called beast skin.

The reason for the difference is with beast skin the armor resizes to fit you and reshapes to accommodate your form. You keep the movement penalties and armor check penalties

Wild armor doesn’t have form and melds into your new shape while still retaining its armor benefit but you loose the downsides to it. Like moment speed and armor check penalty in heavy armor.

sorry sometimes my writing is sloppy. (see above posts)
eudas
03-31-05, 05:57 PM this is just me talking without fact-checking any of this, but off the top of my head:

If you wear dragonscale full plate (+8AC, +1 max dex, -5 armor check penalty, 20ft movement) with the WILD enchantment and then wildshape into a cheetah (50 ft move, IIRC) then you can run 50'.

If you wear dragonscale full plate with the BEAST SKIN enchantment, and then wildshape into a cheetah, it sounds to me as though you are a cheetah wearing dragonscale full plate and can only run 20ft...

someone correct me if i'm wrong.

eudas
PurdueDave
03-31-05, 06:38 PM When reviewing the "wild" vs. "beast skin" armor abilities, I would prefer "wild" unless the armor has a quality far beyond simply an armor bonus (like "fortification" or something).

I agree that the "wildling clasp" is a bit overpowered at 4000gp mainly because it doesn't scale with the power of the item it modifies. It seems appropriate when your like 7th or 8th level but when your 15th or 16th level the benefit it provides is cheap at twice the price. If I had to come up with a house-rule allowing it on the spot in 3.5 I might say it's a property built into the item (non-transferable) that increases the cost by 50% or so. In answer to your question, one thing I like to apply it to that's not the standard "periapt of wisdom" is a "golembane scarab".

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Callista 03-30-05, 08:24 PM	I am playing my first Druid and need advice. What items can you use while in Wild Shape? What changes when you take the feats that allow you to speak or cast spells while wild shaped? If you can cast spells while in Wild Shape, can you use a scroll if someone holds it in front of you so you can see it? What about wands and other spell trigger items? The "wild" armor ability is a +3 bonus... this seems to me like you can't attach a wilding clasp to a suit of armor, right, since the +3 bonus costs more? Speaking of wilding clasps, what can you use them for? Amulets make sense... what other stuff? 4000 gp is a lot right now (at 5th level); so I really can't afford more than one. What's the best thing to attach it to? What's the best way to maximize a Druid's wildshaped AC? It seems as though a Druid's wild shape is a lot like barbarian's rage, in that you make yourself more vulnerable in exchange for higher physical stats... only the druid's hit dice is a d8! How do I keep myself alive, and still deal reasonable damage (or help others deal reasonable damage)? What's your advice on using Wild Shape in battle? I've been using a bear shape... what are my other options? What about when I get smaller and larger animals, later on? Thanks.
Moon-Lancer 03-30-05, 08:51 PM	well that +3 makes it blend with your form but you retain the bonus, so heavy armor doesent impead you anymore. There is a less version of that enhancment that makes the armor shape around your body and grow with you. That leaves the armor check penilty in tackt. Its considerably less then a +3. I think it might be a +2 or a +1. I think you could cast a spell if someone held th the scroll up for you. useing wonds might be pushing it. It might meld into your body and you use the wond charge from inside like you use focuses and materal componets. You would proably need natural spell to even consider passing it to your dm.
Callista 03-30-05, 09:46 PM	I do, indeed, have natural spell; in fact, I was thinking of getting a backpack made for an animal companion to wear (kinda like saddlebags), and easy to paw open so that I could reach a wand during wildshape. Naturally, it wouldn't be very easy to do during battle, since retrieving and using the wand would probably take at least two turns, and then I'd have to drop it if I wanted to use my bite attack... but after battle, it could be useful. Thing is, I only have so many uses of wild shape; and if I can CLW-wand cure my companions after a battle while in wild shape, that would help in cutting down the number of times I have to get in and out of it. Any idea on where I can find that "lesser" version of the Wild enchantment?
Count Arioch the 28th 03-30-05, 09:54 PM	well that +3 makes it blend with your form but you retain the bonus, so heavy armor doesent impead you anymore. There is a less version of that enhancment that makes the armor shape around your body and grow with you. That leaves the armor check penilty in tackt. Its considerably less then a +3. I think it might be a +2 or a +1. Are you sure about that? I'm pretty sure the +3 version just alters the armor with your form, and doesn't remove the Armor check penalty. Of course, I am capable of making mistakes here. Either way, the Wilding Clasp can be used on armor as written. It was made before teh "WIld" enhancement was even thought up, it's a 3.0 item, and in my opinion, is broken, as it's way too cheap for soemthing that basically removes a druid's limitations. However, this is the game you're in we're talking about, not mine. Here's a thought, according to the rules, anything you are wearing that the new form could wear transforms with you. Since animals generally can't wear guantlets or gloves, maybe pick up golves of dexterity, clasp them, and you have enhanced dexterity in the new form. Also, it's arguable, but I would rule that an animal could in fact wear a necklace, so maybe an amulet of natural armor might help. (In 3.5, it provides an enhancement to existing natural armor, which would stack with the animal's natural armor. In 3.0, it doesn't stack, check with the DM before using.)
BW0222 03-31-05, 05:31 AM	>I am playing my first Druid and need advice. >What items can you use while in Wild Shape? What changes when you take >the feats that allow you to speak or cast spells while wild shaped? Animals don't normally come with equipment listed so almost anything which you are wearing melds into your new form. >If you can cast spells while in Wild Shape, can you use a scroll if someone >holds it in front of you so you can see it? What about wands and other spell >trigger items? No. Most forms do not allow you to manipulate items and speak command words. A silent spell scroll might work or one without V components. >The "wild" armor ability is a +3 bonus... this seems to me like you can't >attach a wilding clasp to a suit of armor, right, since the +3 bonus costs >more? Wild armor melds into your form. You still gain it's full armor (and enhancement bonus) in animal form. A suit of +1 hide wild armor gives you a +4 armor bonus in any animal form. >Speaking of wilding clasps, what can you use them for? Amulets make >sense... what other stuff? Anything worn in the neck location. Periapt, necklace, amulet, etc. >...4000 gp is a lot right now (at 5th level); so I really can't afford more than >one. What's the best thing to attach it to? Typically, the only think to put it on is an amulet of wisdom. Otherwise, when wildshaping your wisdom drops and you lose bonus spells granted by the higher wisdom. >What's the best way to maximize a Druid's wildshaped AC? Try a turtle and go full defensive! On a more serious note. Buy some mage armor scrolls (or a wand) for a wizard or sorceror in the party. Otherwise potions of mage armor are still fairly inexpensive. Barkskin works (and stacks with normal armor). On a mundane note, depending upon your form, you can carry around some barding with you and have someone put it on. Protection from evil or shields of faith are welcome from your clerics. Hint: Work this out a head of time with your fellow PCs. Remember you can't talk in wildshape and you typically don't have a lot. Work out some basic communication systems and try handing out a few potions of speak with animals to the group so you can explain complex things (such as scouting reports) without ending your wildshape. >It seems as though a Druid's wild shape is a lot like barbarian's rage, in that >you make yourself more vulnerable in exchange for higher physical stats... >only the druid's hit dice is a d8! How do I keep myself alive, and still deal >reasonable damage (or help others deal reasonable damage)? At 5th-7th levels the main purpose of wildshape is not combat related. You only wildshape in combat because you are out of spells and/or forced into melee. Wildshape is better used for scouting (eagle, snake), travelling (eagle, cheeta), spying (mule, dog, etc.), clearing bar brawls (dire skunk), avoiding drowning (fish, dolphin, etc.), escaping (snake), dog/wolf (tracking), etc. You can come up with lots of imaginative uses. For example, why not sleep in a tree as a leopard, or dig a den as a wolverine and sleep in safety? >What's your advice on using Wild Shape in battle? I've been using a bear >shape... what are my other options? If you have to go into combat, the leopard or black bear are the best forms. Use magic to buff yourself -- bull's strength, produce flame, barkskin, magic fang, etc. are handy. Make use of your increased speed and any special attacks (poison, trip, grappling, etc.) granted by the form and remember. Next, remember that you can communicate with animals of the same general type in wildshape. This works well with summoned animals. At 5th-level you could use a 3rd-level spell to summon 2-5 normal wolves, wildshape into a wolf, and then join the attack. This makes it extremely hard for most NPCs to tell you apart from the other wolves and you can direct their actions by talking with them. In addition to summoning, just going into your animal companions form is often a good idea. Finally, wildshaping can be used in some fairly serious ambushes. For example, casting call lighting, wildshaping into an eagle, fly over camp, call lighting down on the leader until gone. Cast poison, wildshape into a viper, slither into someones tent, and go after the leader in her bed roll. She'll be down 10 points of Con before she even wakes up. >What about when I get smaller and larger animals, later on? For larger animals, there are a few more no-combat forms to consider. A dire bat can carry a passenger as can a horse, bisson, etc. A horse can grass around the bad guys camp for horses listening to conversations without being noticed. You can every kidnap folks easily by looking like one of their horses! Even at 8th+ when larger forms are available, your best actions in combat is always to cast a spell. You can summon almost any creature you can wildshape into and it is much better to have the bad guys dealing with a summoned creature (while you continue casting spells from safety) rather than having them beat on you. However, there are times when you can be forced into it. Someone grapples you, surprises you, etc. Brown and polar bears are good forms as is the tiger. Against humaniods, the tiger with improved grab and rake attacks usually dishes out damage quicker. Most of the same tactics apply. Stoneskin is a great (but costly) spell if you really plan on going into combat. Greater magic fang is often better due to the duration. If you are considering going into combat in wildshape alot, then consider a form which a fighter-type PC can ride. Have them bring an exotic saddle and some exotic barding (non-metal of course) with them. Team up with your fighter. An 8th-level barbarian on a barded tiger is pretty scary. You can buff yourself and/or the passenger, heal either as necessary, and summon more tigers just prior to combat. Opponents will have an extremely hard time deciding who to try to take out first and the combined damage potential usually discourages anyone from going toe-to-toe.
Callista 03-31-05, 08:10 AM	Mmkay, here's some specifics about the druid: Feats are Speaking Wild Shape and Wild Spell. Does that change the magic item use thing? The party fighter is a half-fiend who prefers to attack from the air... so no teaming up with a rider, really, unless the party ranger wants to try it. What are the rules on intelligent mounts, though? I dunno that you'd be able to use a Ride check to negate damage when your mount is as aware of what's coming at her as you are... I've already been using Summon Nature's Ally to good effect--a couple of bears and some wolves, and we have the front-line fighters we need. Right now, we actually have no real "tanks"--the party consists of the half-fiend fighter, a ranger, a psion of some sort, my druid, and a rogue; the ranger can be front line for a while, but he doesn't last nearly as long as a barb or a fighter.
Count Arioch the 28th 03-31-05, 09:10 AM	Speaking wild shape won't let you activate scrolls, unless the scrolls were made by bears. It doesn't let you speak, it's a misnomer, it allows you to speak with the type of animal you turn in to.
DrMorganes 03-31-05, 09:24 AM	The "wild" armor ability is a +3 bonus... this seems to me like you can't attach a wilding clasp to a suit of armor, right, since the +3 bonus costs more? Right. The +3 enhancement bonus of the Wild Armor enchantment means you add +3 to the total enhancements on the armor for cost calculation purposes only. That +3 doesn't apply to your Armor Bonus - it just boosts the cost. Ferinstance: The cost of +1 Wild Leather armor is calculated as though you were crafting +4 armor. You're paying a boatload of coin to preserve only a few extra AC points. Instead of wild armor, check out the Beast Armor enhancement in Complete Adventurer. Instead of melding with your animal form, Beast Armor actually resizes as you wildshape. You end up looking like a bear wearing bear-sized armor, but it's only a +1 enchancement. There's also a prestige class in Complete Adventurer called the Daggerspell Shaper. It's a Druid/Rogue PrC that gives you some interesting combat options for wildshape. Among them are the ability to apply the enhancements on your dagger or daggers to your wildshaped claw attacks (flaming dagger = flaming claw for the paw that held the dagger), wildshaping as a move action (instead of a standard action), and the ability to continue to use the magical enhancements of certain equipment while wildshaped (such as Gloves of Dexterity or an Amulet of Natural Armor). You need to take at least 1 Rogue level to qualify for the PrC, and you give up at least two levels of druid casting ability (1 for the Rogue level and 1 for entering the PrC; all other Daggerspell Shaper levels grant +1 druid casting level)
Callista 03-31-05, 12:07 PM	Speaking wild shape won't let you activate scrolls, unless the scrolls were made by bears. It doesn't let you speak, it's a misnomer, it allows you to speak with the type of animal you turn in to. You can do that in normal wild shape... from the SRDs:A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.) Speaking Wild Shape does, indeed, allow you to communicate with anyone whose language you speak... that's why you take the feat; so you can communicate with party members while wildsahped. I took the feat for just that reason--it allows me to yell strategy commands to party members while I'm wildshaped (the character is the party strategist). It'd be nearly useless otherwise. Whether it allows you to cast spells from scrolls (if you have the Wild Spell feat, or even if you don't) or using wands, is entirely another matter, though. Speaking (heh, get it?) of which: Is it possible to speak in Wild Shape by having an "at will" magic item of a spell which allows communication, like Message or Whispering Wind, made for you, and attaching a wilding clasp to it? It'd be fairly expensive, but for a mid-level druid without the feat, it might be useful... then again, that WIS-increasing amulet could be equally necessary. What do you think?
Moon-Lancer 03-31-05, 04:50 PM	To clarify. There is a +3 enhancement called wild. It’s in the players guild. It lets you retain bonuses while in wild shape. Why would anyone want that when in complete adventurer, there is a +2 enhancement that does the same thing (sort of) its called beast skin. The reason for the difference is with beast skin the armor resizes to fit you and reshapes to accommodate your form. You keep the movement penalties and armor check penalties Wild armor doesn’t have form and melds into your new shape while still retaining its armor benefit but you loose the downsides to it. Like moment speed and armor check penalty in heavy armor. sorry sometimes my writing is sloppy. (see above posts)
eudas 03-31-05, 05:57 PM	this is just me talking without fact-checking any of this, but off the top of my head: If you wear dragonscale full plate (+8AC, +1 max dex, -5 armor check penalty, 20ft movement) with the WILD enchantment and then wildshape into a cheetah (50 ft move, IIRC) then you can run 50'. If you wear dragonscale full plate with the BEAST SKIN enchantment, and then wildshape into a cheetah, it sounds to me as though you are a cheetah wearing dragonscale full plate and can only run 20ft... someone correct me if i'm wrong. eudas
PurdueDave 03-31-05, 06:38 PM	When reviewing the "wild" vs. "beast skin" armor abilities, I would prefer "wild" unless the armor has a quality far beyond simply an armor bonus (like "fortification" or something). I agree that the "wildling clasp" is a bit overpowered at 4000gp mainly because it doesn't scale with the power of the item it modifies. It seems appropriate when your like 7th or 8th level but when your 15th or 16th level the benefit it provides is cheap at twice the price. If I had to come up with a house-rule allowing it on the spot in 3.5 I might say it's a property built into the item (non-transferable) that increases the cost by 50% or so. In answer to your question, one thing I like to apply it to that's not the standard "periapt of wisdom" is a "golembane scarab".