Wild armor, wildshaping, max dex/armor check penalties, also bonuses when wildshaped.

[Question]

Heres an interesting question.

All gear worn by a druid when he wildshapes is melded into his new form and becomes non-functional. Most people would agree that the items dont weigh anything, and dont do anything........they dont get in the way for example, because they quite simply arent really "there" anymore.

Now with wild armor, you get to retain AC, including enchantment bonuses of an armor or shield you are wearing when you wildshape.

It makes absolutely no mention whether you get ACP or max dex while wildshaped with such an armor.

The armor is STILL melded into your form. So if you wildshape into a bear, the bear isnt suddenly wearing a bulky suit of, say, dragonhide full plate(or whatever), the magic of the wild property lets you get the AC bonuses.

So would you say wild armor still has max dex, armor check penalties, or modify your movement speed?

Now second question. Does a druid who gains inherent bonuses to his physical ability scores retain the bonuses while wildshaped?

One way of looking at it : No, your physical ability scores change to meet your new form(including ability score increases), and an inherent bonus counts as part of your base stat, unlike enchantment bonuses

Another : Yes, it is a bonus and only your base ability score is changed to fit your new form's.

 

[Prism]

Both by the rules and logically I would say that wild armour does not impose its skill check penalties, move restrictions and max dex when you are in wildshape. The armour has merged with your form but still provides a benefit. However any additional benefits such as silent moves would be lost since they are not enhancement AC bonus's

A wild shield provides no benefit at all since wild armour retains its armour bonus of which a shield has none - clearly a typo

I would allow inherent bonus's to be retained. Haven't got a source for that

 

[Question]

Hmm yes i just noticed it.......clearly a typo it should read "armor or shield bonus".

 

[Hypersmurf]

Now second question. Does a druid who gains inherent bonuses to his physical ability scores retain the bonuses while wildshaped?

It's a bonus. It doesn't stack with other inherent bonuses.

Unlike the increase to an ability every four levels, which simply changes the ability score, an inherent bonus is a modifier that is constantly in effect. If it were not, then two +1 inherent bonuses applied at different times would both increase the ability; the only way the second can overlap with the first is if the first is still applying its effect.

So just as a druid who casts Bull's Strength and wildshapes into a bear becomes a bear-with-a-+4-enhancement-bonus-to-Strength, a druid who reads a Manual of Gainful Exercise and wildshapes into a bear becomes a bear-with-a-+3-inherent-bonus-to-Strength.

-Hyp.

 

[Question]

Wiz support had a different take. Their definition of inherent bonus was that it was a adjustment to an ability score that did not stack with itself, and for all intents and purposes base ability score = base + inherent bonus.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Wiz support had a different take. Their definition of inherent bonus was that it was a adjustment to an ability score that did not stack with itself, and for all intents and purposes base ability score = base + inherent bonus.

It's not the first time I've considered a CustServ answer to be wrong

-Hyp.