Two short questions.

[TessarrianDM]

1. Can a tied-up, gagged druid use his wildshape ability?

2. Can a character with the "helpless" condition speak, cast stilled and/or stilled/silent spells, activate an item or ability that uses mental commands, etc?

 

[Runestar]

1. Can a tied-up, gagged druid use his wildshape ability?

Yes, since it is a SU ability, and thus does not require verbal or somatic components. I am not sure if there are rules governing its interaction with obstacles such as bonds though.

2. Can a character with the "helpless" condition speak, cast stilled and/or stilled/silent spells, activate an item or ability that uses mental commands, etc?

He can perform purely mental actions, such as casting a spell modified with still+silent metamagic feats and the eschew material feat (assuming it has a cheap component), manifesting a power, or activating an item by mental command. He can't speak.

 

[Jack Simth]

1. Can a tied-up, gagged druid use his wildshape ability?

Yep, no problem - Su ability, no components. Unless he's dressed up in a Chain Shirt or something first, tying up a 5th+ level druid is not the way to keep him captive.

2. Can a character with the "helpless" condition speak, cast stilled and/or stilled/silent spells, activate an item or ability that uses mental commands, etc?

Depends on why they're Helpless. Someone who's got the Helpless condition due to the Unconscious condition? Sorry, no. Someone who's got the Helpless condition due to the Paralyzed condition? You're good to go. Depends on the source.

 

[moritheil]

Yes, since it is a SU ability, and thus does not require verbal or somatic components. I am not sure if there are rules governing its interaction with obstacles such as bonds though.

Well, if nothing else, he could turn into a snake if he just wanted to get out.

If you want rules for bursting bonds you could look to Enlarge Person (the cleric spell that increases size also has this text

If insufficient room is available for the desired growth, the creature attains the maximum possible size and may make a Strength check (using its increased Strength) to burst any enclosures in the process. If it fails, it is constrained without harm by the materials enclosing it— the spell cannot be used to crush a creature by increasing its size.