Shifter, mix & match..

[Dwarmaj]

From MotW:
If the shifter already has the wild shape ability from another class, she may convert her uses per day of wild shape to uses per day of greater wild shape on a one-for-one basis. She may also mix and match the benefits of the two abilities as desired to gain the maximum advantage for any daily use.

Does this allow a shifter to get around the HD limitations of Greater Wild Shape when using their daily uses of Wild Shape (no HD limitation with Wild Shape)? Is the lack of a HD limitation a benefit?

If I have a Druid 5/Shifter 7 and he wanted to become a Bronze dragon, using GWS, he'd be limited to a Medium sized young Bronze Dragon. If the HD restriction was removed, the above character could change into a Huge sized very old Bronze Dragon once per day. (creature familiarity is still needed)

Am I reading too much into the Mix & Match text in the GWS description.

Dwarmaj

 

[Crothian]

I think your reading to much into in. If it was that versatile, I doubt they would have put that restriction in since if it is as you say it would only effect those few that get here without wildshape. I think the wildshape route is the intended way.

 

[EOL]

I think that what they meant was you could mix and match types and sizes. So anything that shows up under the special column of either the druid or the shifter is eligable.

 

[Dwarmaj]

A Druids Wild Shape, at level 5, allows a Druid to change into any small/medium animal reguardless of HD. A shifter of level 7 could change into a huge creature.

Why couldn't a Shifter 7/Druid 5 use his one use of WS to become a huge animal with no HD limitation? He's taking the size he's allowed from his Shifter class and applying it to a Wild Shape usage.

If not, then the mix & match is really only useful for characters with a few levels in Shifter.

Dwarmaj

 

[Lord Pendragon]

The Druid/Shifter can't use Mix&Match to escape the HD limit for reasons already stated. Where the ability becomes useful is after the Shifter gains the ability to change into things other than animals. This ability allows the multiclass Shifter to use previously gained Wildshape charges to change into non-animal forms.