Optimus Primal? (Warforged Druid Wildshape)

[zyborg]

What happens when a Warforged Druid uses Wild Shape? I know it keeps its (Living Construct) subtype, as Wild Shape keeps subtypes, but... fluffwise, how does it work? Is it like a Transformer(TM) where parts inexplicably shift into new positions that may or may not be normally possible? Do they morph like regular living beings using Wild Shape, just that the final form is made of different materials? Or do they end up looking just like the animal, just keeping the subtype? Or does this all boil down to preference?

[Lateral]

Short answer? However you want it.

[RandomNPC]

I always imagined them turning into wagons, siege engines, and the like.

More in line with the rules, maybe a clockwork looking copy of the creature in question?

[Deth Muncher]

What happens when a Warforged Druid uses Wild Shape? I know it keeps its (Living Construct) subtype, as Wild Shape keeps subtypes, but... fluffwise, how does it work? Is it like a Transformer(TM) where parts inexplicably shift into new positions that may or may not be normally possible? Do they morph like regular living beings using Wild Shape, just that the final form is made of different materials? Or do they end up looking just like the animal, just keeping the subtype? Or does this all boil down to preference?

Well, first off, you'd need to be using the Unarmored Body feat, since Druids can't use metal. Second:


Wild Shape (Su)
At 5th level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into any Small or Medium animal and back again once per day. Her options for new forms include all creatures with the animal type. This ability functions like the alternate form special ability, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. Each time you use wild shape, you regain lost hit points as if you had rested for a night.

Any gear worn or carried by the druid melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When the druid reverts to her true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on her body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in the assumed form fall off and land at the druid's feet.

The form chosen must be that of an animal the druid is familiar with.

A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)

A druid can use this ability more times per day at 6th, 7th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level, as noted on Table: The Druid. In addition, she gains the ability to take the shape of a Large animal at 8th level, a Tiny animal at 11th level, and a Huge animal at 15th level.

The new form’s Hit Dice can’t exceed the character’s druid level.

At 12th level, a druid becomes able to use wild shape to change into a plant creature with the same size restrictions as for animal forms. (A druid can’t use this ability to take the form of a plant that isn’t a creature.)

At 16th level, a druid becomes able to use wild shape to change into a Small, Medium, or Large elemental (air, earth, fire, or water) once per day. These elemental forms are in addition to her normal wild shape usage. In addition to the normal effects of wild shape, the druid gains all the elemental’s extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities. She also gains the elemental’s feats for as long as she maintains the wild shape, but she retains her own creature type.

At 18th level, a druid becomes able to assume elemental form twice per day, and at 20th level she can do so three times per day. At 20th level, a druid may use this wild shape ability to change into a Huge elemental.

Nothing in there says that you keep anything from your original body (in terms of your looks, etc), so presumably, you would just turn into the standard version of the animal - and REALLY freak some people out when you revert.

EDIT: However, Rule of Cool.

[zyborg]

Um... it doesn't mention NOT keeping type or subtype, and since it acts like Alternate Form except where specified, you would keep the Construct types.

[Deth Muncher]

Um... it doesn't mention NOT keeping type or subtype, and since it acts like Alternate Form except where specified, you would keep the Construct types.

You would keep living construct, yes, so you would keep all of the benefits of that. But it does not say, however, that if your character has a wart on its face, then whatever you wildshape into has a wart on its face. Cosmetic things change, since you are altering yourself into the other creature.

That being said, were I a DM in this situation, I wouldn't have any problem at all letting the player become a Warforged version of whatever animal they were becoming - but that means that they're quite painfully obvious as to what they are, so if they wanted to become an animal to sneak into something, anyone who saw them could not be Bluffed into thinking they were a normal animal. Also, this creates some wonkiness with flying animals, though there are, of course, flying Warforged creatures.

[IthroZada]

Well, first off, you'd need to be using the Unarmored Body feat, since Druids can't use metal. Second:
l.

Composite Plating does not limit a Warforged Druid. Only Mithral and Adamantine Body do that.

[zyborg]

I thought so, as there are Feats for Warforged armor that pretty much say "if you take this feat, u no can b druid, LOL", so you should be able to use the powers of a druid if you don't take those armor Feats.

[Psyren]

Well, first off, you'd need to be using the Unarmored Body feat, since Druids can't use metal.

False. Warforged need neither Unarmored Body nor Ironwood Body to be Druids.

The anti-metal prohibition comes into play if you choose Mithral Body or Adamantine Body at 1st-level - those are the body-types that will bar your Warforged from using Druid abilities.

cursed ninjas

[Swok]

Its more fun to be a Warforged Wildshape Ranger since they do not have druid code, and get Adamantine Body and run around as an animal of whatever sort wearing Adamantine full plate. Bonus points for being a Master of Many Forms while doing this.

[NineThePuma]

I prefer wildshape Shapeshift Druid. It's more fun, just because you can shape shift a WHOLE LOT.

[zyborg]

Its more fun to be a Warforged Wildshape Ranger since they do not have druid code, and get Adamantine Body and run around as an animal of whatever sort wearing Adamantine full plate. Bonus points for being a Master of Many Forms while doing this.


I prefer wildshape Shapeshift Druid. It's more fun, just because you can shape shift a WHOLE LOT.


Okay, where are the sources for these... these sound awesome.

[Swok]

Okay, where are the sources for these... these sound awesome.

Wildshape Ranger is from SRD here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#ranger)
Shapeshift Druid is from Players Handbook 2.

[NineThePuma]

Wild shap eranger: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#ranger

SS Druid is in PHB2

[NecroRick]

So would playing a couple of levels (5?) as an Adamantium bodied Warforged Druid (and hence be unable to cast spells) be a 'natural' [sic] way to get into that ex-Druid prestige class that burns everything to power their Ur-priest-like progression? (blighter I believe)

[Psyren]

So would playing a couple of levels (5?) as an Adamantium bodied Warforged Druid (and hence be unable to cast spells) be a 'natural' [sic] way to get into that ex-Druid prestige class that burns everything to power their Ur-priest-like progression? (blighter I believe)

While the Adamantine Body says "Warforged druids who take this feat cannot cast druid spells or use any of the druid’s supernatural or spell-like class features" - it doesn't come right out and say you're an Ex-Druid. Of course, that could simply be due to Eberron's reluctance to make you an ex-anything. Bottom line, talk to your DM.

[Deth Muncher]

Huh. Fair enough guys, I stand corrected. I knew the armored body feats took away your Druid-ing, I thought the composite plating did too. My bad.

[Vemynal]

the more appropriate reference here would have been Beast Wars and not Transformers ;)

And i would totally play as Dinobot

[MeeposFire]

the more appropriate reference here would have been Beast Wars and not Transformers ;)

And i would totally play as Dinobot

Well in the title it says Optimus Primal which is from Beat Wars Transformers so I think he got it :smallwink: ...