Wild Shape questions

[Seto]

So, I've got a few questions on some borderline cases of Wild Shape. There's a Druid in my party and these are bound to come up eventually (one already did). I'd like to clarify first that I'm the DM, so most of these questions can be resolved with a reasonable judgment call, but I'd like to know what the rules say. RAW and RAI are equally welcome, although I'd prefer to go with the latter.

- When a Medium Druid wild shapes into a 10ft/10ft. Large creature, I can only assume that one square of that creature's position is the square he occupied previously, and the three others are of his choosing. (Because how could it be ruled otherwise ?). But what happens when the Druid was next to a Medium opponent and wild shapes into something Large ? I'm guessing he cannot push the back nor occupy his square, so he has to choose unoccupied squares for his new form. Which begs the question : what happens when the Druid is surrounded by opponents ? Or when he his stuck between and opponent and a ravine, for example ? Can he Wild shape (Large) at all ?

- Can a Druid with sufficient HD choose to Wild Shape into an Advanced version of something ? For example, could a Druid with 17HD or more transform into a Huge Dire Boar instead of the regular Large version ?

- When a Druid is restrained by, say, medium-sized manacles and tries to Wild Shape into something Large or Huge. Which of these happen ? 1- He cannot because he doesn't have sufficient room. 2- He's allowed to make a STR check with his new form to break the manacles, and 2a - immediately goes back to human form if he fails, 2b - is transformed but still bound if he fails. 3- The manacles are "gear carried" by the Druid and "meld into the new form and become nonfunctional".
What if the Druid Wild Shapes into something Medium ? Deinonychus with manacles ? Or Small ? Eagle with manacles ?

- About Ooze Wild Shape. Say I'm a Druid 10/Master of Many Forms 10. MoMF lets me wildshape into a Gelatinous Cube and retain its (Ex) abilities. If I'm surrounded, wild shape and my Large Gelatinous Cube occupies squares where my opponents are, what happens ? Are they automatically Engulfed ?
What about an Elder Black Pudding ? It doesn't have Engulf, but it's Gargantuan, so it's bound to catch something in when I transform. It makes sense that people inside it are considered grappled by it, but is it legal ?
Finally, what the hell happens if I'm hit with slashing or piercing weapons while in Ooze form, and have to Split (ex) ? Am I one of the new smaller Oozes (with half HP ?). Am I the whole thing ? If I transform back into a human, does every cube disappear ? Do I choose from which cube (possibly the whole room apart by now) I appear ?

[Necroticplague]

So, I've got a few questions on some borderline cases of Wild Shape. There's a Druid in my party and these are bound to come up eventually (one already did). I'd like to clarify first that I'm the DM, so most of these questions can be resolved with a reasonable judgment call, but I'd like to know what the rules say. RAW and RAI are equally welcome, although I'd prefer to go with the latter.

- When a Medium Druid wild shapes into a 10ft/10ft. Large creature, I can only assume that one square of that creature's position is the square he occupied previously, and the three others are of his choosing. (Because how could it be ruled otherwise ?). But what happens when the Druid was next to a Medium opponent and wild shapes into something Large ? I'm guessing he cannot push the back nor occupy his square, so he has to choose unoccupied squares for his new form. Which begs the question : what happens when the Druid is surrounded by opponents ? Or when he his stuck between and opponent and a ravine, for example ? Can he Wild shape (Large) at all ?

- Can a Druid with sufficient HD choose to Wild Shape into an Advanced version of something ? For example, could a Druid with 17HD or more transform into a Huge Dire Boar instead of the regular Large version ?

- When a Druid is restrained by, say, medium-sized manacles and tries to Wild Shape into something Large or Huge. Which of these happen ? 1- He cannot because he doesn't have sufficient room. 2- He's allowed to make a STR check with his new form to break the manacles, and 2a - immediately goes back to human form if he fails, 2b - is transformed but still bound if he fails. 3- The manacles are "gear carried" by the Druid and "meld into the new form and become nonfunctional".
What if the Druid Wild Shapes into something Medium ? Deinonychus with manacles ? Or Small ? Eagle with manacles ?

- About Ooze Wild Shape. Say I'm a Druid 10/Master of Many Forms 10. MoMF lets me wildshape into a Gelatinous Cube and retain its (Ex) abilities. If I'm surrounded, wild shape and my Large Gelatinous Cube occupies squares where my opponents are, what happens ? Are they automatically Engulfed ?
What about an Elder Black Pudding ? It doesn't have Engulf, but it's Gargantuan, so it's bound to catch something in when I transform. It makes sense that people inside it are considered grappled by it, but is it legal ?
Finally, what the hell happens if I'm hit with slashing or piercing weapons while in Ooze form, and have to Split (ex) ? Am I one of the new smaller Oozes (with half HP ?). Am I the whole thing ? If I transform back into a human, does every cube disappear ? Do I choose from which cube (possibly the whole room apart by now) I appear ?

There are rules for squeezing into spaces too small. He'd Wild Shape, but he'd be taking the squeezing penalties.

Yep.

3. As carried gear, it merges into the Druid's form (unless the manacles had Wilding Clasps on them). This is true regardless off Wild Shaped size.

You can't occupy those squares without a spacial ability that says you can. Engulf is a standard action to activate. So You'd be crammed into your 2 squares (or 1 square with even worse penalties) as above, then you can use your standard action to spread out and engulf.
Again, can't occupy those squares, so you're squeezed into a small enough space that you don't share such squares.

[Crake]

3. As carried gear, it merges into the Druid's form (unless the manacles had Wilding Clasps on them). This is true regardless off Wild Shaped size.

Want to add an addendum to this, if the manacles are attached to something, like affixed to a wall, or chained to a slave wagon or something like that, I'd say it no longer is considered as part of the druid's gear and would act as 2a, but if the manacles are independent of anything like that, then yeah, go with 3.

[Necroticplague]

I don't really think there's any way by the rules that that would revert you to your original form. Using precedence from Enlarge Person, I'd say that you make a STR check (with the Bear's STR) to break it, and if you fail, you're simply constrained by it without harm (still as a bear, albiet one who's wrists and ankles are smaller than they would normally be, until the manacles are removed).

[nedz]

1. Since he has now entered someone else's square: he provokes.

3. This is hilarious
Is the manacle carried gear ?
If no it might break, but if yes: what about the chain attached to the manacle ?
Is the chain attached to the manacle carried gear ?
If no then the last link in the chain is embedded into the body, but if yes: what about the wall the chain is attached to ?
Is the wall the chain is attached to carried gear ?
...

I think this might be a dysfunction.