Druid wildshape and size

[MarauderX]

This has probably been covered many times before, but I couldn't find anything on it readily, so I ask...

Say a Large-sized 5th level druid were to Wildshape, would it be able to become something of Small size? I would assume not, but according to the strict written rules there are no differences for size catagories. Does the size catagories just shift one depending on the original size of the Druid?

How about a Small 5th level gnome druid, would she be able to wild-shape into a Medium critter? Didn't see anything on that either, and if not, would the PC be limited to just Small? Or would the Small druid be able to become a step lower than small as well?

Thanks in advance -
~MX

 

[Krafen]

The druid eventually gains the ability to take the form of an animal from size Tiny to Huge, so I don't think it is intended to vary by the druid's base size. Also, there is a feat in Masters of the Wild that shifts the sizes available in Wild Shape relative to the druid's base size. That's v3.0, but I don't think the size range for druids changed in v3.5, so the feat should still be valid.

 

[melkoriii]

Druids Wildshape is not based off of the characters size. At 5th lvl you can WS into a small or medium size animal (within her HD range). A Huge Storm giant with 5 lvls of Druid can only WS into a small or medium animal.

From the 3.5 SRD

Wild Shape (Su): At 5th level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into any Small or Medium animal and back again once per day. Her options for new forms include all creatures with the animal type. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity.
The form chosen must be that of an animal the druid is familiar with.
A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)
A druid can use this ability more times per day at 6th, 7th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level, as noted on Table: The Druid. In addition, she gains the ability to take the shape of a Large animal at 8th level, a Tiny animal at 11th level, and a Huge animal at 15th level.
The new form’s Hit Dice can’t exceed the character’s druid level.
At 12th level, a druid becomes able to use wild shape to change into a plant creature with the same size restrictions as for animal forms. (A druid can’t use this ability to take the form of a plant that isn’t a creature.)
At 16th level, a druid becomes able to use wild shape to change into a Small, Medium, or Large elemental (air, earth, fire, or water) once per day. These elemental forms are in addition to her normal wild shape usage. In addition to the normal effects of wild shape, the druid gains all the elemental’s extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities. She also gains the elemental’s feats for as long as she maintains the wild shape, but she retains her own creature type.
At 18th level, a druid becomes able to assume elemental form twice per day, and at 20th level she can do so three times per day. At 20th level, a druid may use this wild shape ability to change into a Huge elemental.

 

[Brother MacLaren]

I'm playing the halfling druid in MarauderX's game.
The biggest downside that I'm concerned with is losing the halfling saving throw bonus, but I believe that is what happens when you polymorph, so it is what happens when you wild shape.
I've seen various threads about what happens to magic gear, but that isn't a concern at the moment (only 2nd level).

 

[Felix]

If you change type from Humanoid (Halfling) to something else, like Animal, then yeah, I think you'd lose the bonus based on being a Humanoid (1/2ling).

 

[fba827]

There is actually a feat in Masters of the Wild (for 3.0) that is specifically for "wildshape ability and not small or medium size" to allow for proportionate wildshape ability from the get go...

I'm guessing you're playing 3.5 since you didn't specify... but, just wanted to point out that - as others have said - size isn't an issue and there has been a feat in 3.0 edition to address just that

(of course, i've been drinking too much lead in my water so I could be remembering wrong )

 

[MarauderX]

(of course, i've been drinking too much lead in my water so I could be remembering wrong )

Me too. I am just wondering about having some large druid types being able to WS into a Small critter but not into a Large one. Not only that, but a Small druid can WS into a Large critter before a Tiny one... seems a bit, well, counter-intuitive, but thems da rules as I didn't see anything in the errata. Ah well, I will house-rule it to death in my next campaign...

 

[robberbaron]

Only allowing a 5th level Huge Druid to Wild Shape into Small or Medium creatures is just plain daft.

I don't know if it is amended anywhere, but this would be my "House Rule":

Standard ability is to Wild Shape into creatures your size or one step smaller.
Tiny Wild Shape allows creatures 2 steps smaller, Large allows 1 step larger and Huge allows 2 steps larger.
For example, a Huge Giant Druid could Wild Shape into a Large or Huge creature, but with Tiny Wild Shape, he could change into a Medium creature.

 

[Nail]

robberbarron, you'll need to look over the CRs of the large and huge anmials available, before you go house-ruling that. There are balance issues that you'd have to work out. (Besides.....name a huge animal besides elephant....the rest are all Dire.)

 

[UltimaGabe]

The biggest downside that I'm concerned with is losing the halfling saving throw bonus, but I believe that is what happens when you polymorph, so it is what happens when you wild shape.

As far as I know, that isn't the case. You're still considered your own race for purposes of certain bonuses and penalties- for example, a Half-Orc Druid turning into a Wolf still has the -2 to Intelligence and Charisma, regardless of what he turns into. And a Dwarven Druid still has his extra hit points due to Constitution when he changes for, regardless of his new race.

Haflings would still have all of their bonuses from the race, such as the bonus to saving throws and thrown weapons- because although they're in a different form, they're still resistant to poisons, quick-footed, and strong-minded, and they still know how to throw things.