D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 polymorph/wildshape/etc question regarding weight

[RUMBLETiGER]

When you magically change your shape, your armor and gear get's obsorbed into your form.

What about the weight encumbrance? If you have platemail sucked into your body, as well as a weapon, a filled backpack, etc, is all that weight freed up or does that add to your mass and still factor into how much you can carry?

 

[Buugipopuu]

The mass magically goes away (like any other mass difference you get when shapeshifting). Otherwise Tiny wildshape would be a pretty useless feature.

 

[LiL KiNG]

The mass magically goes away (like any other mass difference you get when shapeshifting). Otherwise Tiny wildshape would be a pretty useless feature.

Agreed. That's how I'd rule it. But now I'm curious about the enchantment that would let a druid keep his armor even when wild shaped... that weight should probably still count if he has it.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

my understanding has always been that mass goes away... but I recently realized I couldn't find a RAW source that stated as much, so i didn't want to simply assume.

But I picture someone donning full plate mail, holding a greatsword in both hands, and having the total loot of a mansion stuffed into an enchanted backpack, polymorphing or wildshaping to a housecat and simply pranicng away.

Seems wrong somehow. But... that's what Munchkining is for!!

 

[LiL KiNG]

maybe a good way to do it then would be to count the encumbrance that you have as your encumbrance once transformed?

no, don't think that would work either because different animals have different strengths hence different encumbrance levels... that does seem like cheating the system though to load up on all the loot down to the silverware, then change into your cat form and prance away... great for a rogue though... I think you just made the Druid a better cat-burglar than the rogue... pretty much literally too...

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Tibbit. Just Sayin.