What do you smell like in wildshape?

[Srasy]

How does smell work with wild shape? and the minor change shape of changelings? and also the ability to gain the extraordinary abilities of the forms i turn into from master of many forms? How do they work together and which ones overlap the others?
Note: I am not talking about scent I am talking about if a dog or a creature with scent smelled you what would they smell

1. If I wild shape into a bear do I smell like a bear? or my base race
2. If I am a changeling and make my bear look like a ape?
3. Do Females and Males smell different in DND? Because Changeling can change sexes which should change the smell of the base creature right?
4. If I get the smell of the creature with the extraordinary abilities with master of many forms wouldn't I also have the smell of a changeling?
5 If I just minor change shape into an elf would I smell like an elf?

[Phelix-Mu]

Alright. Here's my stab at this question.

Wildshape: If absolutely all of your equip blends into your new form, then you start smelling like an animal of that type. Note that a significantly intelligent creature with scent will be able to tell individual animals apart even after only casual contact. Even a dog will probably learn your scent from that of other specific animals eventually. I imagine when you wild shape into an animal form, each time you smell the same. It wouldn't be hard to use magic to change this.

For minor shapechange and stuff that doesn't effect equipment, anything that you carry for any length of time beyond a few minutes picks up your scent. A changeling's equipment will smell like a changeling, I assume, if that equipment was carried in the changeling's natural form, while the changeling itself probably smells like whatever humanoid form it is currently in (otherwise this change in shape would be significantly nerfed). Magic can be used to mask the different scents, and I believe someone else will refer you to mundane items that disguise scent. Can't recall the book at the moment. Scentblind, maybe?

Thus,
1.) One you smell like a bear, but not like any other bear. You may or may not smell the same each time you wild shape...seems to me that such fine manipulation is outside the scope of wild shape.

2.) Changeling's ability is a physical change, thus includes the aspects of physiognomy that produce scent (largely sweat glands and other excretions from the skin). Changing from a bear to an ape should produce ape smell. Does minor change shape really allow this, though? Not an expert.

3.) Something with scent can even tell individuals apart, but this might be by fluff. The mechanic mainly refers to locating a creature. Realistically, it would be strange for a DM to rule that creatures like dogs can't tell males and females apart...male dogs are mainly attracted to females by scent, specifically during estrus, but that is an entirely different matter to RAW.

4.) The equipment of a changeling (should there be any) will smell like changeling, though if the character isn't actually a changeling, it will also smell like your natural form. I imagine this would simply confuse animals with scent, while intelligent creatures might think that the human/changeling is wearing a shirt also worn by a changeling that was also worn by whatever you look like at the time. If you used wild shape to get rid of equipment, then this isn't a problem.

Also note that changelings are rarely found in the presence of other creatures in their natural form. Thus, a creature with scent may perceive the scent of changeling, but not have the necessary knowledge to associate that scent with that race. Pretty much limited to the specific experience of the creature with scent.

5.) Yes, you smell like an elf, but your equipment smells like it whatever other forms you've been in, as above.

[Deophaun]

1.) One you smell like a bear, but not like any other bear. You may or may not smell the same each time you wild shape...seems to me that such fine manipulation is outside the scope of wild shape.
Wild shape acts like alternate form, which, if used to create a disguise, gives you the same bonus to disguise checks as the thousand faces ability. I'd say such fine manipulation is very much in the scope of wild shape.

You're new form is not illusory, it's an actual physical change that changes your physical ability scores. Seems like that would change how you smell, as well, and you could even use wild shape to smell like a specific animal.

[Twilightwyrm]

A simple rule I follow with regards to this is, if the "change" is part of an illusion, glamor, etc, it does not mimic smell unless stated otherwise. If it is part of an actual transformation, as per Alter Self or, yes, Wild Shape, than it can actually change smell. So in the case of the Changeling, using their shape shifting ability would not alter their scent.

[Phelix-Mu]

Wild shape acts like alternate form, which, if used to create a disguise, gives you the same bonus to disguise checks as the thousand faces ability. I'd say such fine manipulation is very much in the scope of wild shape.

You're new form is not illusory, it's an actual physical change that changes your physical ability scores. Seems like that would change how you smell, as well, and you could even use wild shape to smell like a specific animal.

Hmm. You change into a standard example of an animal from the MM. I guess I was assuming that the appearance/smell/etc of this animal is not within your control, you are an average example of said creature. My view on this is not supported by RAW, as far as I can see.

It's not clear to me that the bonus to Disguise noted in the Alternate Form ability is from the ability to finely control features as in the Thousand Faces ability; an identically sized bonus doesn't imply that it comes from the same ability. Obviously, if you, a humanoid, use wild shape to Disguise yourself, anyone that doesn't know you can wild shape will likely be fooled regardless of if you look like an average wolf or any wolf you wish. I would interpret that as the source of the bonus from Alternate Form, since that special ability makes no reference to either Alter Self or Disguise Self.

On the other hand, Master of Many Forms is supposed to be much better at wild shaping, so if the DM lets you change into a wolf with a coat with white streaks, go for it. Good way to be easily noticed by party members.

[Vizzerdrix]

When I wild shape, I smell like muffins.

[awa]

i always say that if you shape shift into a bear you smell like a bear that has been thoroughly rubbed with a human.

what im saying is you are now producing bear smell but the human smell did not go away just becuase you transformed.

you would smell different in a different gender but the difference would be very subtle girl you would smell more like boy you then any other living creature.

[Deophaun]

Hmm. You change into a standard example of an animal from the MM.
No. It says that you turn into "all creatures with the animal type," not "a standard example of the animal." The neighbor's dog is a creature with the animal type, so I may turn into the neighbor's dog. I get a +10 on my Disguise check to pass myself off as the neighbor's dog.

i always say that if you shape shift into a bear you smell like a bear that has been thoroughly rubbed with a human.
I was going to go with something like this, but then I remembered: your equipment merges with you. So, there's precedent that something that is on you but is not actually your body (such as any scents you have picked up) disappears during the transformation. Definitely a grey area.

[Darth Stabber]

So a woman walks on to an elevator and says to the guy already there, "can I smell your balls?".
The man says, "no you cannot".
The woman says, "must be your feet then".

On a more serious note: the question probably depends on a number of factors.

1) when you change, is the new form clean, or does the previous dirt, sweat, and grime attach itself to the new form. If the old dirt and such does, you probably don't pick up the full animal funk for a few minutes, unless the wildshape converts the old funk into the new funk. And if the smells do stick around, well it can be said that druids frequently smell like wet animals, which might be an improvement over smelly hippy.

2) when you change and you have items wilding clasped on, do they shift the body odors already present on the item to the appropriate stink, or does it keep the old smell. If it keeps the old smell, and you have a big item (like hide armor), or lots of items, you probably smell atleast partially like your normal scent, especially if you are a smelly hippy.

[Mirakk]

So a woman walks on to an elevator and says to the guy already there, "can I smell your balls?".
The man says, "no you cannot".
The woman says, "must be your feet then".


I lol'd

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