Pathfinder 1E Druid Wildshape and Ability Scores

[koesherbacon]

I just want to clarify something quickly. When in Wildshape, do Druids keep their physical ability scores or do they transform into the physical ability scores of the creatures they've turned into?

I'm relatively certain they just gain bonuses based on which Beast/Elemental/Plant Shape/Body spell their emulating, but I just want to be certain since one of my players just brought it up.

Thanks!

 

[Cadence]

Except for effects of size, polymorph effects (like Beast Shape) don't change your ability scores unless the spell explicitly says they do. http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/magic.html#_polymorph

 

[Mr.E_Danger]

Even as a "seasoned" PF player, i find the wildshape rules to be rather confusing. Having to navigate the druid's page plus the polymorph and transmutation pages make it so rules are rather hard to find.

The PC's mental stats do not change. The physical ones change based upon the size of the creature you are wild shaping into. You gain the attacks listed in the stat block, but not the modifiers. The modifiers you use are whatever the PC's physical stats are.

For example, a 6th level PC has str ability score of 12, so he has a +1 mod to Strength. PC then wild shapes into a dire tiger, which is a large creature. Because of that, he gains +4 to his strength score (+2 mod). So when this PC is a tiger his attacks are: 2 claws (BAB of 4 + 3 str mod) +7 2d4+3, bite would be +7 2d6+3 Vs. the Dire Tiger's stat block which factors in the tiger's strength score of 23.

Hope that helps a bit and is not confusing.

 

[billd91]

A bit of advice - this is one area of the game in which putting together a play aid or cheat sheet can be a great help. Even putting together an index card for each spell, listing the modifiers or attacks so you can quickly apply them, can keep a session from bogging down during play.

 

[Mr.E_Danger]

THIS. In the beginning it is helpful having a few different forms on a cheat sheet to keep the game moving quickly. By the time you reach 12th level and you can be an animal, elemental, or a plant creature, you MUST have a cheat sheet. It takes a few minutes to do, but it's worth it to have all the attacks and correct modifiers already down. When you're in the middle of a battle with a BBEG and you are changing shape every few rounds, both your fellow adventurers and your GM will be thankful you have it.