[PF] Supernatural Abilities and Material Componenets (Wild Shape)

[Calinero]

So, I've been trying to figure out how Wild Shape works, and it's led to a few questions.

First of all, my GM and I were under the impression that I needed the material components to use Wild Shape, just like the spell Beast Shape, since Wild Shape is supposed to function almost exactly like Beast Shape. However, Wild Shape is a Supernatural Ability. The common consensus I'm seeing online is that supernatural abilities don't require material components, but where is this opinion coming from? I can't find it in the rules. Of the Special Abilities, only Spell-like Abilities specify that they do not have material components.

Secondly, if I don't need material components, what determines what animals I can Wild Shape into? I've seen a lot of people refer to using Knowledge (Nature) as the determiner, but where is this supported in the rules? And what are the DC's for a given animal?

I personally have no problem interpreting the rules in these ways, but I'd like to have a page number to point to for my GM.

Edit: Forgot to specify that I'm talking about Pathfinder

[Feilith]

For 3.5? Wildshape lets you wildshape into any animal you're familiar with, so if you've never seen a T-rex you can't be one. And, as far as I know you don't need material components to use your wild shape ability, because none are listed under its section in the druid entry.

[ArcturusV]

Generally the "familiar" thing is DM whim territory. It's usually going to be used to keep powerful options like some Dinosaurs out of your hands. There's no hard and fast rule for it. DMs might make up house rules for difficulty checks to see if you know about a particular animal... but really that tends to just be DM whim anyway (Do I make the DC so high they pretty much won't hit it? Or so low it's given to them?).

Wildshape itself references a spell for what it's effects do, but isn't actually that spell, so it doesn't require material components. The only things that do are explicitly Spells.

[nyjastul69]

There is no mention of Su. abilities needing components.


Originally posted by SRD:

Supernatural Abilities (Su)
Supernatural abilities are magical and go away in an antimagic field but are not subject to spell resistance, counterspells, or to being dispelled by dispel magic. Using a supernatural ability is a standard action unless noted otherwise. Supernatural abilities may have a use limit or be usable at will, just like spell-like abilities. However, supernatural abilities do not provoke attacks of opportunity and never require Concentration checks. Unless otherwise noted, a supernatural ability has an effective caster level equal to the creature’s Hit Dice. The saving throw (if any) against a supernatural ability is:
10 + ½ the creature’s HD + the creature’s ability modifier (usually Charisma).

[Calinero]

Sorry, I forgot to add that this was for Pathfinder. Don't know if that makes a difference.

[Rhatahema]

Yeah, they're different. In 3.5, Wild Shape was based on polymorph (a spell) and then received errata to be based on alternate form (a supernatural ability).

There's no mention of Supernatural Abilities not requiring material components because nothing in their description says they function like spells. Spell-like abilities mention not requiring material, somatic, or verbal components because they do function like spells.

What's confusing is that the designers apply those abilities in ways that aren't intuitive. The effects of Wild Shape are based on a spell, but the ability isn't spell-like. Some sorcerer bloodline powers have no relation to existing spells, but are spell-like.

[nyjastul69]

Sorry. Didn't see the PF reference.

[Calinero]

So, can anyone give me a page number for where the Knowledge (Nature) thing comes from?

[Andvare]

So, can anyone give me a page number for where the Knowledge (Nature) thing comes from?

That is not a rule, but a way to see if your character knows about a certain animal. Just like anyone on earth doesn't know every animal that exists on earth, neither does any druid (though with high enough skill mod, she can know every animal that is in the bestiaries).