Wild shape question

[AJSW]

Hi everyone.

My first post/ question:

I have been playing a druid for a while and I have played the wild shape ability wrong so far. Looking through the errata and FAQ by wizards: I think I undrstand the intent of what they are trying to do but I am left with some questions; most of which center around the special qualities of the new shape not being accessable.

I have had the ability to wild shape into the plant type for a while (and played it wrong). Not having access to the special qualities of a plant I take it I do not get access to the plant traits. Which means I still take critical hits. This seems odd as my body is now the body of a plant right?

I just got access to being able to wild shape into an elemental. I have the same issues with critical hits here as I do for plant wild shaping. Additionally an invisible stalker is an elemental. Its invisibility is part of its special qualities. So it seems that I can only turn into a visible invisible stalker? Does this seem right? What do I look like then when I am an visible invisible stalker? Do observers just see me, the druid?

This could be right as the last line in the alternate form (MM p305) mentions that I'd be effectively camouflaged as a creature of its new form with a +10 bonus on disguise checks. If an observer sees through the disguise, what do they see? Me the druid? Does that mean I am always me, same shape and size no matter what other form I take? Does that mean I don't really take up all that space if I wild shaped into a huge critter? Or I actually take up more space than it might suggest if I wild shaped into a tiny one?

This all seems at odds with the whole bit about you taking on physical ability scores, natural armor and movement modes, etc...of the new form.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

You're probably over-thinking it. A lot of the changes that were made were to foster game balance (aka limit abuses) and don't necessarily mesh with the concept behind wildshaping.

Changing form was one of the most unbalanced things of the game so the band aids to fix it often don't fit the original concept. That's what 4E is (hopefully) for.

 

[jaelis]

I have had the ability to wild shape into the plant type for a while (and played it wrong). Not having access to the special qualities of a plant I take it I do not get access to the plant traits. Which means I still take critical hits. This seems odd as my body is now the body of a plant right?

You might try imagining that your body has "morphed" into the shape of a plant, but is still made of animal "stuff". So you still have your organs etc, it's more of a disguise than a real polymorph-style effect.

I just got access to being able to wild shape into an elemental. I have the same issues with critical hits here as I do for plant wild shaping. Additionally an invisible stalker is an elemental. Its invisibility is part of its special qualities. So it seems that I can only turn into a visible invisible stalker? Does this seem right? What do I look like then when I am an visible invisible stalker? Do observers just see me, the druid?

You don't have the ability to turn into any creature with the elemental type, only the specific elemental creatures (from pg 95 in the Monster Manual). So unless you have an additional special ability, invisible stalkers are out.

This could be right as the last line in the alternate form (MM p305) mentions that I'd be effectively camouflaged as a creature of its new form with a +10 bonus on disguise checks. If an observer sees through the disguise, what do they see?

If you fail the disguise check, the observer notices something isn't quite right about the new form. If you were trying to pass as a horse, the observer might say "there's something funny about this horse, let's have a closer look." He would not say "Hah, I see you, Joe the druid!"

 

[moritheil]

Welcome. The errataed wildshape is indeed as others have characterized it - more like Alter Self than Polymorph. If this doesn't seem satisfactory, know that you are far from alone in that assessment.

 

[Jhaelen]

My advice:
Stop worrying about the standard Wildshape and take the alternate class ability from PHB2.