Bear Warrior - Bear form and magic items

[Dagredhel]

I was just over on the WOTC site reading through the pertinent FAQ and errata, but comparing it to the text of the "polymorph subschool" rules in PHB II and the Spell Compendium has left me confused.

In the case of a Bear Warrior (CW), do all magic items meld into the bear form (seriously nerfing the character,) or do items that a bear could wear (I figure throat slot for a collar/necklace/amulet and waist slot for a belt/harness at the very least) remain?

I understand that a Wildshaping Druid's equipment all blends into an animal form, becoming nonfunctional ("Wild" armor being the exception.) That seems relatively straightforward. But for polymorph effects in general, the FAQ and errata appear to contradict the "polymorph subschool" sources.

I'd appreciate everyone's thoughts, opinions, and guidance on the subject.

 

[blargney the second]

I'm with you on the totally confused about polymorph nowadays. I just pretend those abilities don't exist, and it saves me headaches.

I'd *love* to hear someone explain how they're supposed to work now, though! I'm particularly lost in that I don't even know where to go to find the latest rules about changing shapes.
-blarg

 

[Dread Polack]

IIRC, worn items like rings and such were still in effect, but armor and weapons were not usable. This was a problem.

As a fan of Beorn from the Hobbit, I looked into making a Bear Warrior, but decided against it when I compared it to an equivalently-leveled barbarian. The Bear warrior was inferior in pretty much every way. The stat bonuses from being a bear weren't even as good as what you get raging as a standard barbarian. Str might have been a little higher, but the damage you get from your weapon, and the ability to swing a two-hander while power attacking meant less damage, even when making a full attack. Not to mention your claws can't have magical properties (they might have been considered magic at some point, but I'm not sure).

Dread Polack

 

[mikebr99]

Everything melds and becomes non-functional... unless it has the "wild" enhancement... or you've purchased wilding clasps from MiC.

Mike

 

[Jhaelen]

Everything melds and becomes non-functional... unless it has the "wild" enhancement... or you've purchased wilding clasps from MiC.

I konw that's true for wildshape, but bear warriors? Lycanthropes, e.g. get to keep their armor after the polymorph errata.

 

[Michaluk]

You keep most of your equipment

As per polymorph, if your new form can wear it, you keep using it. For a biped morphing into a quadruped, most things are usuable. Does the bear have a head? Then it can wear a headband. A neck? Then an amulet is ok. Wrists? Time for a bracelet. My bear warrior had:
headband, bracers, amulet, cloak, belt, anklets, 2 rings and possibly some other stuff. My guy had anklets instead of boots for purely aesthetic reasons. There's no reason a bear couldn't wear shoes; it has feet and ankles.

 

[Dagredhel]

Everything melds and becomes non-functional... unless it has the "wild" enhancement... or you've purchased wilding clasps from MiC.

Mike

Unfortunately, the descriptions for both the "wild" armor enhancement and wildling clasp item specifically state that they function in conjunction with the Druid's wildshape ability, so wouldn't cover other polymorph effects (like the Bear Warrior's bear form.)

 

[Dagredhel]

IIRC, worn items like rings and such were still in effect, but armor and weapons were not usable. This was a problem.

As a fan of Beorn from the Hobbit, I looked into making a Bear Warrior, but decided against it when I compared it to an equivalently-leveled barbarian. The Bear warrior was inferior in pretty much every way. The stat bonuses from being a bear weren't even as good as what you get raging as a standard barbarian. Str might have been a little higher, but the damage you get from your weapon, and the ability to swing a two-hander while power attacking meant less damage, even when making a full attack. Not to mention your claws can't have magical properties (they might have been considered magic at some point, but I'm not sure).

Dread Polack

What prompted my question was an attempt at a reasonably competitive Barbarian/Bear Warrior build.

If items that the new form (a bear) could reasonably wear still function, then items like an Amulet of Mighty Fists (which work for natural attacks, too) and/or Necklace of Natural Weapons (Savage Species, adds weapon enhancements to natural attacks) would be essential. And with the item effect improvement/combination rules in MIC, the benefits of several useful items could be combined in items that fill just a couple body slots.

Otherwise, Vow of Poverty might be the only real option to stay competitive.

 

[Dagredhel]

As per polymorph, if your new form can wear it, you keep using it. For a biped morphing into a quadruped, most things are usuable. Does the bear have a head? Then it can wear a headband. A neck? Then an amulet is ok. Wrists? Time for a bracelet. My bear warrior had:
headband, bracers, amulet, cloak, belt, anklets, 2 rings and possibly some other stuff. My guy had anklets instead of boots for purely aesthetic reasons. There's no reason a bear couldn't wear shoes; it has feet and ankles.

That's exactly what I thought before I stopped to double-check. What concerns me is that the newer sources with the "polymorph subschool" stuff (PHB II and the Spell Compendium) say differently.

 

[Jhaelen]

As per polymorph, if your new form can wear it, you keep using it. For a biped morphing into a quadruped, most things are usuable. Does the bear have a head? Then it can wear a headband. A neck? Then an amulet is ok. Wrists? Time for a bracelet. My bear warrior had:
headband, bracers, amulet, cloak, belt, anklets, 2 rings and possibly some other stuff. My guy had anklets instead of boots for purely aesthetic reasons. There's no reason a bear couldn't wear shoes; it has feet and ankles.

True, but: if you're wearing that stuff at the time you polymorph it will meld and become non-functional.
What you have to do is to take it off and wear it after morphing.