Wildshaping: adopting animal feats and attacks

[Murrdox]

This has probably been answered before, but it's kinda hounding me, and I can't find any specific rules on it.

I realize that when you Wildshape you don't get any supernatural, extraordinary, or spell-like abilities of the animal you transform into.

I know that you retain your own BAB, modified by your new STR or DEX.

I know that you gain racial abilities of the animal you turn into... such as normal flight, improved vision abilities, and so forth.

However, can someone tell me if you get any of the following when wild-shaping?

1) Feats of the animal (Improved Grab for the Crocodile, Improved Trip for the Wolf, Scent, Multiattack, etc)

2) Skills of the creature (Owl's +10 to spot checks, a Shark's bonus to swim, etc.)

3) Attack sequence of the creature (For a bear, 2 claws and a bite - and if you DO get all these attacks, how do you figure out what your total attack bonus is for each one? Do your two claw attacks count as using two weapons? If you only have one attack, can you still use both claws and bite?)

 

[Pielorinho]

Check out the revised wild shaping rules for answers.

I realize that when you Wildshape you don't get any supernatural, extraordinary, or spell-like abilities of the animal you transform into.

Actually, this isn't quite right:

She does not gain any supernatural or spell-like abilities (such as breath weapons or gaze attacks) of her new form, but does gain all the form's extraordinary abilities.

1) Feats of the animal (Improved Grab for the Crocodile, Improved Trip for the Wolf, Scent, Multiattack, etc)

2) Skills of the creature (Owl's +10 to spot checks, a Shark's bonus to swim, etc.)

druid also gains all the racial bonuses and feats of the animal form selected.

3) Attack sequence of the creature (For a bear, 2 claws and a bite - and if you DO get all these attacks, how do you figure out what your total attack bonus is for each one? Do your two claw attacks count as using two weapons? If you only have one attack, can you still use both claws and bite?)

Natural abilities include ... natural weapons (such as claws, bite, or gore)

Does this answer your questions?

Daniel

 

[Pielorinho]

Figuring out a druid's attack bonuses with her wildshaped forms is only a little bit of a pain in the butt. You just substitute in your own BAB for the animal's BAB. The easiest way to do this, IMO, is to multiple the animal's HD by .75, round down, and subtract the result from each of the animal's attacks; you then add your own BAB to each attack, and you're good to go. You'll probably want to figure out your new grappling bonus as well, if you're playing a critter with improved grab. If you have weapon focus: unarmed, remember to add that in as well.

I recommend creating an index card with your stats in your wildshaped forms: this can save you time in the middle of a fight, so that you don't have to pause combat while you figure out what your claw attack's bonus is now.

Daniel

 

[Murrdox]

Ah, that helps tremendously. I forgot to look at the web enhancement. Thanks!

 

[Dark Dragon]

*scratch* Umm, why not simply take the druid's BAB and add his new STR modifier?

The idea with the index card is definetivly a good idea to speed up combat. Don't forget to add in attack modifiers from feats like Multiattack (MotW), Multidexterity and Weapon Focus (claw / bite). And have a card ready with the grappling rules (see the the hompage of S.K. Reynolds).

 

[Pielorinho]

*scratch* Umm, why not simply take the druid's BAB and add his new STR modifier?

Because you'll invariably forget to add in the size modifier. I speak from bitter experience.

You also need to keep track of which attacks are primary attacks and which ones are secondary attacks, and whether the animal has the multiattack feat, and whether the animal has weapon finesse, and so on. Though I've tried approaching it from both directions, I find it easier to subtract the animals's BAB and add the druid's than to start with the druid's BAB and add on all the appropriate modifiers.

Daniel

 

[Dark Dragon]

Because you'll invariably forget to add in the size modifier. I speak from bitter experience.

Oh, heck, there was something I forgot..
Ok, I'll have to rewrite my animal card. Thanks for clarification.

 

[Pielorinho]

Oh, heck, there was something I forgot..

Toldja!

Daniel

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Well, for my shifter I did not create index cards, only a single page with approximately 12 "forms" in it.
I noted only Attacks (including number) and damage, and the usual AC (without special buffs) I would gain, and my best possible AC (with every buff I know I might get ).
I usually also noted special attacks (Stamp, Poison and so on)

Finding more details to the creature is relatively easy, since I only use monsters from the MM and MotW.

Mustrum Ridcully