Can Druids or Arcane Hierophants Prepare Spells while using Wild Shape?

[Droningbass]

So, here's the core question: Can a spellcaster (in this case, a Druid or Arcane Hierophant) prepare his/her spells while in a different form?

Here are a few examples that come to mind:
-A Druid wants to prepare his/her spells in a safe place, and uses Wild Shape to turn into a Tiny Bird and prepare spells high in the trees and out of notice (or turns into a burrowing animal and digs into a deep hole, etc.).
-An Arcane Hierophant has just finished resting, but suspects that he/she might be ambushed during the time it will take to prepare spells. In order to feel combat-ready, he/she uses Wild Shape to become a Dire Bear while preparing both Wizard spells and Druid spells (assuming that he/she is able to finagle a spellbook with enormous paws or through the use of Prestidigitation, a Ring of Telekinesis, or something similar).

Is this possible? Can you prepare spells when you're not in your natural form?

Here's an additional question: If you are playing an Illumian character with the the "Aeshkrau" or "Uurkrau" Illumian words can you use these Wild Shape ability scores (like a Dire Bear's Strength or a Legendary Eagle's Dexterity) to give you some significant bonus spells? What happens to these bonus spells if you have to revert to your natural form?

[ZamielVanWeber]

You are good to go. Divine spells do not say anything about what form you have to be in (just that you need do it at the same time every day, spells cast in the last 8 hours count against, etc). Arcane spell specify the same thing in general.

[Necroticplague]

So, here's the core question: Can a spellcaster (in this case, a Druid or Arcane Hierophant) prepare his/her spells while in a different form?

Here are a few examples that come to mind:
-A Druid wants to prepare his/her spells in a safe place, and uses Wild Shape to turn into a Tiny Bird and prepare spells high in the trees and out of notice (or turns into a burrowing animal and digs into a deep hole, etc.).
-An Arcane Hierophant has just finished resting, but suspects that he/she might be ambushed during the time it will take to prepare spells. In order to feel combat-ready, he/she uses Wild Shape to become a Dire Bear while preparing both Wizard spells and Druid spells (assuming that he/she is able to finagle a spellbook with enormous paws or through the use of Prestidigitation, a Ring of Telekinesis, or something similar).

Is this possible? Can you prepare spells when you're not in your natural form? Sure, why not? The rules don't in any way link your form to your spell preparation. After all, if an awakened bear with cleric druid levels can prepare spells, why wouldn't a druid wildshaped into a bear be able to?



Here's an additional question: If you are playing an Illumian character with the the "Aeshkrau" or "Uurkrau" Illumian words can you use these Wild Shape ability scores (like a Dire Bear's Strength or a Legendary Eagle's Dexterity) to give you some significant bonus spells? What happens to these bonus spells if you have to revert to your natural form?
Yes. They go away if you un-wildshape. Yes, they do come back if you re-wildshape, but they aren't refreshed. Think of it like this: Normally, you can cast, say, 10 spells per day. As the bear, you could cast 15. So while a bear, your cap is higher. However, you can't switch between forms repeatedly to get slots back. So if you cast 12 spells and un-wild shape, you can't cast any more, because you've cast 12/10 spells available. However, if you go back to being a bear, you can now cast 3 more times, since your cap is now 15, so you've cast 12/15 spells. I forget where in the rules it is, but I know thats how it works (the example was turn undead uses and a cleric targetted by Eagle's Splendor, if it helps anyone who looks for it).