An other Wild Shape question (*sigh*)

Ok, here it goes...

As we know, Wild Shape is linked to Polymorph. Which is linked to Alter Self. Which is linked...oh, stop here...

When the change occurs, your equipment, if any, either remains worn or held by the new form (if it is capable of wearing or holding the item), or melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When you revert to your true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on your body they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items you wore in the assumed form and can’t wear in your normal form fall off and land at your feet; any that you could wear in either form or carry in a body part common to both forms at the time of reversion are still held in the same way. Any part of the body or piece of equipment that is separated from the whole reverts to its true form.

Click to expand...

Now a few examples for WS and worn items:

1) A dire ape druid can still wield a weapon (because an ape has human-like hands), a shield, bracers, amulet, cloak, rings, belt, gloves? Armor and vestments perhaps not unless their size is also changed.

2) A dire bear druid can wear bracers, an amulet, a cloak, rings? Perhaps a belt?

3) An elemental druid (air, earth, fire, water) can wear what?

As a side note: The party recently encountered an adult blue dragon wearing bracers of health +4 and a huge cat-like creature wearing a ring of protection on a talon.

IMC, there are very few cases where I allow items to work in wildshape.

Wielding weapons as any animal: No.

I see no problem with the ape form using all of its magical items. Its just a big hairy human anyway.

I just don't like a human being familiar with natural weapons AND the humanbuilt weaponry.

It lacks style. A druid wildshaping to be more able with a greatsword? That smells munchkinny.

In 3.5, when a character uses polymorph or any similar effect to change form, his equipment either remains worn or held (if possible) or melds and becomes nonfunctional. Thus, wild shaping druids should be able to "hold on to" many more items than normal.

As a DM, I'd adjudicate this as loosely as possible--if I can even conceive of the possibility that the new form could wear the item in a manner similar to the normal form, I'd let it stick around.
Andy Collins
Senior Designer
Wizards of the Coast Roleplaying R&D

http://pub36.ezboard.com/fgameschat19968frm10.showMessage?topicID=475.topic

I dunno if linking to his boards always works, but this post is currently on page 9 of the D&D Discussion forum: "Druids and Magic Items".

Just because the rules might allow it does not mean that a PC should do it. IMO druids use wild shape to become a part of the nature. Naturally bears do not wear equipment. Why should a wild shaped druid? Power is the only reason which comes into my mind. Just imagine a dire bear with a belt and a cloak. I cannot help myself but some how that reminds me of Super Groby from Sesame Street.

In 3.0 the rules were clear: If the MM states that a creature uses equipment the polymorphed or wild shaped caster could too if not he could not. Simply great! IMO there was no reason to change that.

In our campaign my dire bear wears bracers, an amulet, a ring, eyes of the eagle, a belt and a vest (and a wild darkleaf fullplate).

pppo said:

Just because the rules might allow it does not mean that a PC should do it. IMO druids use wild shape to become a part of the nature. Naturally bears do not wear equipment.

Click to expand...

But this is exactly what the Handle Aminal skill is for... to train an animal for war... which gives the warAnimal the ability to wear armor (barding etc.)

The druid - when wildshaped - takes all his/her knowlege with him, as well as assuming all (or most) of the animal's natural abilities. So he/she is able to use both.

Druid's are trained for war... so a druid in animal form is also trained for war.
YMMV


Mike

"Power is the only reason which comes into my mind."

You talk about that like it's a bad thing. Power = staying alive. If you were in a battle for your life and you had the chance to do something that would greatly increase your chance of survival, but didn't seem "cool", would you do it? Of course you would.

If wildshape were only used to "become a part of nature" then D&D would allow a 1st level druid to turn into whatever animal he wanted, since it would obviously not be used in combat. Except that it *is* used in combat, and if the druid has the opportunity to use some items that may keep him alive longer, I don't see any reason why he wouldn't use them. This is life and death here, not a fashion show.

-The Souljourner

I'm not going to go back and search for where this info comes from, but WotC people (I think Andy Collins said all of this, but some could have come from custserv/the Sage) have said:

1.) The druid doesn't get a choice: If the item can remain, it remains. If it can't remain, it merges.

2.) "if I can even conceive of the possibility that the new form could wear the item in a manner similar to the normal form, I'd let it stick around. " - Andy Collins. Notice that this is not written as a statement of an official rule. It is just the way that he would adjudicate it. It is a judgement call left up to the DM. 3.5 is big on DM judgement calls.

3.) Items held in the hands stick around if the new form has hands capable of holding it, but weapons and shields do not resize. Just because hands are capable of holding something does not mean they can use it without penalty. Many DMs would impose multiple penalties on a druid trying to use his normal weapon when wildshaped into a dire ape: A penalty for using the wrong size weapon and a penalty for using a weapon with hands not 'designed' for wielding weapons.

4.) Armor does not resize, so it merges in a polymorph unless the new form is substantially the same as the original. [Thus, going from medium to large is pretty much guaranteed to force the armor to merge, though a DM might make an exception for unusual cases like a man wearing a chain shirt that is polymorphed into a centaur.]

In the end, I'd suggest the DM and the player of the druid discuss the issue, come up with a solution that works for them and then use it consistently with wildshape and polymorph. Unless WotC suddenly releases a huge document covering polymorph, these issues are likely to be left wihtout clear guidance.