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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Al'Kelhar" data-source="post: 1311193" data-attributes="member: 7884">House rules affecting wildshapingSome house rules I've implemented which have an effect on the munchkinism of the druid's wildshape ability, and similar shapechanging magic:1)  Druids do not know how to wildshape into a creature until they have undertaken field research into that creature, or have received instruction from such a creature (if intelligent).  The druid needs to "know what it is to be" the subject creature.  Thus, the 5th level druid in my campaign knows only one wildshape - that of black bear.  I haven't yet decided how many wildshapes the druid can learn - perhaps equal to the number of wildshapes/day, adjusted by Cha modifier (it's a personality thing, not a knowledge thing), with a minimum of 1 - nor how long it takes to learn a new shape - perhaps 1 week plus 1 day per HD of chosen creature.  Choosing a new wildshape is therefore akin to a sorcerer choosing a new spell; much angst and balancing of pros and cons involved.  To learn how to wildshape into a plant, the druid must make peaceful contact with an intelligent plant (e.g. treant) and negotiate to study under it; similarly, to learn how to wildshape into an elemental, the druid must make peaceful contact with an intelligent elemental or elemental outsider (e.g. djinni) and negotiate to study under it.  [I haven't yet decided how to deal with the wizard and polymorph; maybe similar rules]2) All equipment in the physical possession of a creature automatically melds with the form of that creature if it changes its type due to a spell, spell-like ability or supernatural ability.  Thus, for example, humanoid -> humanoid changes don't result in equipment melding (but see 3) below), but humanoid -> animal do.  Creatures which do not change type when changing form, e.g. lycanthropes, have slightly different rules (humanoid <-> hybrid form, no melding; humanoid or hybrid -> animal form, equipment melds; animal form -> humanoid or hybrid form, equipment "de-melds").  Melded equipment becomes non-functional.A creature which doesn't want its equipment to meld can drop it on the ground, change form, then pick the equipment back up (assuming it can in its new form).  However, this takes valauble time in combat, and even if it's done prior to combat, it's pretty obvious to anyone with half a brain that the bear wearing the cloak and carrying the yew staff in its mouth is probably a druid...3) Magic items which can resize only resize within the size category of the creature they are originally manufactured for.  (Sauron's ring is too big for nassty little hobbitsses)Cheers, Al'Kelhar</blockquote>

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