Wild armor question

[shilsen]

Does armor (or a shield) with the Wild ability have any effects when the wearer is wildshaped other than preserving its armor and enhancement bonus? What about weight, encumbrance, max Dex bonus, etc.?

 

[shilsen]

Anyone?

 

[sithramir]

I don't believe thats been covered by any rule. I, however, would assume that weight still applies but without the limit on movement if it was medium or heavy UNLESS the weight forced your movement slower which i'm assuming you'd be shaping into something stonger.

 

[Liminal Syzygy]

I asked about this in an earlier thread. Yes, there is no clear consensus as to the meaning of the phrase "While the wearer is in a wild shape, the armor cannot be seen."

Personally, and I do have a Druid with Wild armor in my campaign, I do assume that it is still there and that he has to deal with weight, encumbrance, the max Dex bonus, etc. Since this is such a powerful ability, this is a balancing factor in my opinion. But not too limiting... Druids can fly in small bird (eagle) or tiny bird (hawk) form due to the weight reduction in the armor as they get smaller... but in tiny form they lose half of the AC bonus I believe.

 

[shilsen]

Personally, and I do have a Druid with Wild armor in my campaign, I do assume that it is still there and that he has to deal with weight, encumbrance, the max Dex bonus, etc. Since this is such a powerful ability, this is a balancing factor in my opinion. But not too limiting... Druids can fly in small bird (eagle) or tiny bird (hawk) form due to the weight reduction in the armor as they get smaller... but in tiny form they lose half of the AC bonus I believe.

Works for me.

 

[Cheiromancer]

I asked about this a while back in the context of whether a Monk's belt would work with (merged) wild armor. The consensus was that it wouldn't. You still count as being armored.

And it kind of makes sense that if you are encumbered by your armor and gear, you are encumbered by it even when it merges with your form.

Imagine if you weren't: a druid could load himself up with stuff until he could barely stagger, and then wild-shape. Presto! All the weight goes away, and he flies off, free as a bird.

My conclusion is that wildshape does not stuff your armor and gear into some sort of druidic bag of holding when you wildshape. Reductions in speed, max dex bonus all still apply.

I would vary weight a little, though. If you were medium encumbered while in regular form, and assume a tiny form, keeping the weight the same might put you over into heavy encumberance. I wouldn't do that; I would say that you still experienced medium encumberance no matter the size or strength of the form you wild-shaped in.

 

[Saeviomagy]

By the rules as written, the armour melds with your form (ceasing to exist, or grant any benefits or hindrances). However because it is wild, it specifically DOES grant it's armour and enhancement bonus.

So - by the rules, the armour's only effect is to improve your ac (and incidentally also let you use any other type of enhancement bonus which is built into the armour...). It doesn't change your load, your max dex or anything.

However wildshaping also lets you carry anything up to your 'lift off the ground' load limit without any penalties (beacuse they meld with your form, ceasing to 'function').

So I'd say apply the penalties.

 

[Cheiromancer]

By the rules as written, the armour melds with your form (ceasing to exist, or grant any benefits or hindrances).

Where does it say that melding is the same as ceasing to exist?

However because it is wild, it specifically DOES grant it's armour and enhancement bonus.

So - by the rules, the armour's only effect is to improve your ac (and incidentally also let you use any other type of enhancement bonus which is built into the armour...).

I don't know what you mean by this last part. Do you mean that enhancements like Fortification still work? If so, what is your justification for this claim?

It doesn't change your load, your max dex or anything.

That's my interpretation, too. If your dex bonus was capped by your armor, it stays capped even when it is melded. If you were at a medium load before wildshaping, you are at a medium load afterwards, too.

However wildshaping also lets you carry anything up to your 'lift off the ground' load limit without any penalties (beacuse they meld with your form, ceasing to 'function').

I don't remember seeing that stated explicitly anywhere (or even implied). Could you cite the relevant passage, please? If this is true, doesn't it contradict the bit about not changing one's load or max dex?

So I'd say apply the penalties.

The main idea of your post is that wildshaped armor "ceases to exist" and that in wildshape you can carry up to your "lift off the ground" load limit without penalty- why exactly would you apply the penalties.

Sorry for being argumentative, but about a month ago I argued your side of this same point. Unsuccessfully, it turns out. The details are here, post 25 and following.