Do Magic Items Work While Wild Shaped?

[Turhan]

Greetings, Can anyone tell me if a wild shaped druid gets the benefits of all his magic rings, amulets and such while in animal form?

I know his armor is not effective, since the rule says he gains the animal armor class, and I know he can't use things he holds in hand, but what about bracers of armor or boots of dexterity and all the other clothing, rings and doo-dads?

We're using the 3.5 rules now, too. Under 3.0 the polymorph spell said items became non functional when wildshaped/in animal form. Under 3.5 it sounds like the similarity to Alter Self means the magic items merge into the body, and become non-functional, as well.

Can anyone confirm or deny my suspicion that all the magic items become non-functional?

thanks a bunch,

 

[ThirdWizard]

It is my understanding that anything the animal can wear/use stay with him. Everything else melds into the body and becomes useless. So in ape form, he can wield weapons in his hands, but not in bear form (barring magical items that have thumbs *shudder* and magical items with other special rules).

Just what exactly stays is debatable.

 

[Turhan]

Just one bump. Sorry to be a pest, but Does anyone have anything additional I can refer to?

 

[werk]

I don't see anything in the druid class or wild shape descriptions in the SRD that suggest that they cannot use their items other than the line that says it functions like the polymorph spell, which also doesn't mention worn or carried items at all but does say to refer to alter self...which says:

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.

Polymorph is a can of worms and I'd recommend a lengthy reading of the RotG articles.

EDIT: in the descriptions of rings and wondrous items it says "Anyone can use (rings/WI)" so it comes down to a DM call whether animals count as Anyone or not. IMC they do not.

 

[Krelios]

In my experience it is best to limit what can be worn to things that only fit a "gross anatomy" a bracer goes over a forearm, a cloak on the back around a neck, etc. A ring, on the other hand, would obviously require fingers, not talons, paws, flippers or any other sort of appendage. It is, by necessity, the DM's call, since there are far too many items and far too many creatures to list all possible combinations.

There are some amusing and ambiguous items though... hats for example...

PC1: "Is that a bear charging towards us?"
PC2: "Yes... Is he wearing a pointy hat?"

 

[Brother MacLaren]

A ring, on the other hand, would obviously require fingers, not talons, paws, flippers or any other sort of appendage.

So dragons cannot wear rings on their talons in your judgment?

 

[guzzi74]

This is what Wizards thinks quadruped animals can wear:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031125a

 

[Pinotage]

Welcome to the boards, guzzi74!

Pinotage

 

[werk]

This is what Wizards thinks quadruped animals can wear:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031125a

Wow, that's really useful, thanks!

 

[mikebr99]

This is what Wizards thinks quadruped animals can wear:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031125a

Darn.. you beat me to it.



Welcome!


By the above from WoTC... which didn't make it into any book... or errata... or FAQ... <sigh>

I would think, that any magic item (except weapons & armour) will re-size, and be active for a druid, in animal form. But I have no RAW to quote, other then the obscure alterself reference, that was already quoted.


Mike