D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5] Wildshape

[Lord Ben]

If a Druid is 11th level he can wildshape into a dire ape right? He'd get all the apes physical stats, 2 claw attacks at full BAB, 1 bite at -5, and Rend right? And he'd get this all for 11 hours?

The Druid really is a combat monster.

 

[youspoonybard]

Not only that, but any equipment that he can wear as an Ape stays (which is just about everything except the armor and weapon). Get Wild Armor, and you can keep the enhancement and AC bonus of your armor, too. Hell, Wild armor ignores the armor check penalties, so you can wear Dragonhide Full Plate without proficiencies, and whenever combat starts, Wild Shape and get the huge AC with no drawbacks.

Since they've clarified that Su attacks can not be dispelled, as long as you don't wander into a AMF, you're fine.

 

[Brekki]

Yes he gets all of that ... but needs a wild armor to keep it functioning in wildshape. Most other items can go with the wildshape without any problems.

 

[Pielorinho]

Everybody's favorite new druid build:

Feats:
EWP (spiked chain)
Natural Spell
Combat Reflexes

Abilities: High con, high wis
Possible multiclass: Monk
Equipment: huge spiked chain, on which Item has been cast
Allies: Wizard or Sorcerer with Mage Armor and Item spell

Wildshape into a dire ape
Cast animal growth on self (since polymorph changes your type, technically possible). Now you're a huge dire. Activate your huge spiked chain. You've now got a reach of 30' (I think), and can make many AoOs in that area. And that huge spiked chain does nice damage -- 3d6 + 1.5 str bonus, right?

Cover yourself with a barkskin and a mage armor, and you're golden.

Daniel

 

[youspoonybard]

Actually, I'm doing a similar thing with a mounted Druid, using a longspear (I got permission to trade scimitar (my only martial) weapon prof for a simple one).

Since you share the space, you control a huge number of squares...and what you don't control, your mount does.

More fun when you Animal Growth/Share Spells.

 

[Lord Ben]

Yikes, that's not the typical druid is it? I always saw them as something of a nature savant, not a drooling ape rending it's way to victory....

 

[Pielorinho]

Lord Ben, I agree. The new rules for wildshaping make it much more of a combat form, encouraging the druid to continue using tools (i.e. magical equipment) while wildshaped. It's goofy, IMO, and we've already houseruled wildshaping back to Masters of the Wild's version. (We'll deal with plant-forms when and if any druid in our games gains that ability; probably we'll handle it on a case-by-case basis figuring out which abilities are gained).

Daniel

 

[Dimwhit]

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I'd complain here. Druid's don't even get the sprint of a Cheetah when wildshaped. Some things I like about the new wildshape, many more I'm beginning to dislike. But they can still be tanks.

 

[Pielorinho]

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I'd complain here. Druid's don't even get the sprint of a Cheetah when wildshaped. Some things I like about the new wildshape, many more I'm beginning to dislike. But they can still be tanks.

Oh, absolutely they can still be tanks: the new wildshape makes them far better at being tanks than they were before. It makes them worse at doing other things. And it really changes the flavor, makes them seem less like mystical shamans, and more like creepy furry Marines.

Daniel

 

[Dimwhit]

I don't know. To be creepy furry marines, I think they would need to get low-light vision and scent.