Vow of Poverty and Polymorph.... am I being too much of an ass?

[Mishihari Lord]

My usual answer to such a question is "If you have to ask, then the answer is yes." You're the very first exception - you're fine.

 

[delericho]

For example, if we're going to reference the SRD (which is presumably kept up to date with all errata and other such changes)

Actually, I'm not sure it is - I don't think the errata files are listed as open content, which means that unless WotC also issued an update to the SRD then changes to the PHB should not be carried across.

Incidentally, it's worth noting that the PHB errata (and also the SRD here) indicate that the Wild Shape ability is derived from Alternate Form, not from polymorph. That said, the text of alternate form supports the interpretation that any extraordinary attacks that VoP grants are lost but that any special qualities (that is, most of the feat's effects) should be retained:

"The creature loses the natural weapons, natural armor, and movement modes of its original form, as well as any extraordinary special attacks of its original form not derived from class levels (such as the barbarian’s rage class feature)." (Note that feats come from character levels not class levels.) and "The creature retains the special qualities of its original form. It does not gain any special qualities of its new form."

if we're going to reference the SRD... Yet, if we look at the polymorph rules in Rules Compendium...

Annoyingly, I have a suspicion that a lot of the big errata for the polymorph spells was actually published in the PHB2 (it isn't in the PHB errata file and I'm sure there was more to it than is listed there). So it might be worth checking that book for more information. Unfortunately, I don't have it to hand.

(Finally, I'll agree with the majority here - the OP's issue isn't that he's being an ass over polymorph; his issue is that Vow of Poverty is broken and shouldn't be allowed.)