Wildshape Elemental - Recent article

[Hypersmurf]

If you wildshape into an animal, then you have the animal's type. It references, for rules consistency, the Polymorph spell for the wildshaping ability; at 16th level and above, a Druid can wildshape into an elemental, and since it uses the term "wildshape", it must then conform to all rulings of regular wildshaping, with the exceptions noted in the specific ability description (i.e., the separate usage-tracking for elemental wildshaping, the acquisition of spell-like abilities of an elemental, etc.).

Huh? I'm not sure what you're saying.

Elemental Wildshape does, indeed, conform to all rulings of regular wildshaping, with the exceptions noted in the ability description. ie, the separate usage-tracking for elemental wildshaping, the acquisition of spell-like abilities of an elemental, the elemental’s feats, and "she retains her own creature type".

Since it's an exception noted in the ability description, isn't it conforming to your expectations exactly?

-Hyp.

 

[Eldren]

Yeah, Hyp, I realized that after I hit the "Submit" button and carefully reread the elemental wildshape text in the 3.5 Player's Handbook. It specifically states that your type doesn't change. I'm just feeling a little too lazy to go back and either edit the previous post so it still makes sense, or just attempt to delete it altogether (assuming I even can; I haven't tried to do that on these boards, so I don't know if it's possible; again, I'm feeling too lazy to look at the FAQ at the moment; it's one of those sluggish nights for me).

This being said, it still makes little sense to me. I suppose it's a case of overanalyzing things; you have the entire physiology, such as it is, of an elemental when you wildshape into one, but for purposes of magical effects, you maintain your previous type.

Of course, this also brings up new twinkery which I've read on another board: You go into an animal shape, where your type does change into "animal", and then you go directly into elemental form. You're an elemental, but you still technically have the animal type, which means you could conceivably be a legal target for Animal Growth. Imagine turning your Huge elemental form into a Gargantuan one... *shudder*

 

[Hypersmurf]

You're an elemental, but you still technically have the animal type, which means you could conceivably be a legal target for Animal Growth.

Looks right.

-Hyp.

 

[monboesen]

Well the logic conclusion to all this is that polymorph (and to a lesser extent?) wildshape are not and will never be reasonable as one single spell or even three different ones as it is now.

You would potentially need one spell for each form. With the spell level determined by the power of the new form. So you could have a Ogre form spell at level x and a Eagle form spell at level y.

Turning into powerful magical beings and gaining their supernatural abilities should likely just be impossible, as the impact on the game is so difficult to predict.