master of many forms questions

[Venger]

so, I am pretty clear on how wild shape is keyed off alternate form. I have a few issues I'm a little hazy on:

I know you no longer get the HP of what you turn into, keeping your own base HD. do you modify your hp accounting for your new con if you turn into something with more con than you have?

also, how does grappling regarding wild shape work? if you grapple an enemy, are you entitled to just 1 natural attack against him (since they are light weapons) or do you get more? do you get to attack with all but the limb youa re grappling with, or all limbs or just that one?

[theUnearther]

I am led to believe changes to Constitution always result in changes to Hit Points. Bear in mind that it would work both ways; you can die by changing into a form with lesser Con, or by your beneficial form running out.

As for grapple, it says you get a single attack, so that should be it. Unless of course you changed into something that has the "You take a -20 penality to grapple checks to no longer count as being grappled", assuming you can get that ability.

[BowStreetRunner]

I am led to believe changes to Constitution always result in changes to Hit Points. Bear in mind that it would work both ways; you can die by changing into a form with lesser Con, or by your beneficial form running out.

In fact the Rules Compendium specifically states that the creature retains hit points, but that the total might change based on the new ability scores. (p.24)

So you keep your base hit points (before con bonus) and then apply your new con bonus.

[theMycon]

You keep your old HP, but do regain 1 HP/level.
FromThe Druid's Wildshape description (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/druid.htm)

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.

So, we look at Alternate Form (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#alternateForm).

*The creature retains its hit points and save bonuses, although its save modifiers may change due to a change in ability scores.
*Except as described elsewhere, the creature retains all other game statistics of its original form, including (but not necessarily limited to) HD, hit points, skill ranks, feats, base attack bonus, and base save bonuses.

[Piggy Knowles]

1. No, you explicitly have the same HP total when you use wild shape or alternate form. Your saves change, though.

2. The wording in the SRD says you get one attack, singular. However, in Skip's "Rules of the Game (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050308a)," he did say:


You can't attack with two weapons while grappling, even if both are light weapons. If you have multiple natural weapons, however, you can use all of them while grappling.

There's also the Black Blood Cultist, which gets an ability that deals natural weapon damage of all your natural weapons every time you succeed on a grapple check. It's, um, pretty boss.

[BowStreetRunner]

One important discrepancy to keep in mind.

The SRD states "the creature retains the hit points of its original form despite any change to its Constitution" which is valid if you are not using Rules Compendium.

However, if you are using Rules Compendium, then you need to take into account that the rule was changed to read: "The creature retains its Hit Dice, hit points, base attack bonus, and base save bonuses, although some of these numbers might change based on its new ability scores."

[LTwerewolf]

There are also many forms (usually felines, but some others) that allow additional attacks (such as rake) when grappling as well.

[StreamOfTheSky]

RAW, you only get one natural attack in a grapple, though rake and similar attacks would stack onto that. Almost every Dm I've seen plays it as the monster gets all of them, though. In any case, you can opt to just full attack at -4 to hit instead of using the grapple mechanic at all if you just want to rip someone up in a grapple. It's just that sometimes the grapple check has much higher success rate (and can't autofail on a 1).

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Rake (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#rake)
A creature with this special attack gains extra natural attacks when it grapples its foe. Normally, a monster can attack with only one of its natural weapons while grappling, but a monster with the rake ability usually gains two additional claw attacks that it can use only against a grappled foe. Rake attacks are not subject to the usual -4 penalty for attacking with a natural weapon in a grapple.

A monster with the rake ability must begin its turn grappling to use its rake—it can’t begin a grapple and rake in the same turn.


Improved Grab (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#improvedGrab)
...
A successful hold does not deal any extra damage unless the creature also has the constrict special attack. If the creature does not constrict, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for the attack that established the hold. Otherwise, it deals constriction damage as well (the amount is given in the creature’s descriptive text).
...

There you have it. You only get to use one natural weapon when grappling, plus Rake attacks if you have them. Most creatures can also Rake on a Pounce attack, but that's an exception which doesn't apply to every creature.

Natural weapons don't get iterative attacks for a high BAB, but grapple checks do. If you Improved Grab an opponent, you can take a full attack action to make multiple grapple checks to deal damage with the natural weapon with which you've grabbed them, plus any Constrict damage you may get, plus Rake attacks. Your grapple checks would be at successive -5 penalties as normal for iterative attacks.

I'd recommend the feats Martial Study and Martial Stance for Crushing Weight of the Mountain to gain a Constrict special attack for when you're in a form that doesn't normally have one, such as one of the many big cats.