Treeventurer?

[Inevitability]

Tree Shape is a 2nd-level druid spell that allows one to assume tree form for 1 hour per level, so a continuous item of it would be only 12000 GP. The spell itself gives some interesting bonuses, such as immunity to crits and a whopping +10 natural armor bonus, but it also sets your dexterity and speed to 0.

I was wondering: is there a way to be a viable adventurer while being permanently transformed into a tree? Are there any obvious tricks to use with Tree Shape?

One thing I came up with was using the spell to give a dexterity-less creature a dexterity score of 0, but I'm not sure whether there's any practical benefits to that.

[Cerefel]

If yyou can find a way to turn 0 dex into 1+ dex then things could get interesting. You'd also need to get some movement speed (overland flight?)

EDIT: If things like soulmelds apply after the transformation, you could get a speed(sort of) from Airstep Sandals. Also binding Paimon is a way to get a nonzero dex score.

[Vizzerdrix]

Isint their a feat for using an astrial construct option on yourself? So you should be able to go tree, then snag flight.

Also- those goblins that turn into branches would make appropriate minions.

Also also- any way to get either bark armor, or vine armor?

[AvatarVecna]

Arboreus? (http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/americandad/images/f/f4/Aboreus.png/revision/latest?cb=20100127161409) :smalleek:

[gooddragon1]

Isint their a feat for using an astrial construct option on yourself? So you should be able to go tree, then snag flight.

Also- those goblins that turn into branches would make appropriate minions.

Also also- any way to get either bark armor, or vine armor?

The problem is having a 0 dex. You're paralyzed.

EDIT: Not sure if it's ninja'd if it's so far back.

[Exocist]

Step 1) Be an Adu'ja (Dragon 317, playable plant race)
Step 2) Alter Self into a tree
Step 3) ???
Step 4) Profit

The problem I see with "getting" a dexterity score is this:


By means of this spell, you are able to assume the form of a Large living tree or shrub or a Large dead tree trunk with a small number of limbs. The closest inspection cannot reveal that the tree in question is actually a magically concealed creature. To all normal tests you are, in fact, a tree or shrub, although a detect magic spell reveals a faint transmutation on the tree. While in tree form, you can observe all that transpires around you just as if you were in your normal form, and your hit points and save bonuses remain unaffected. You gain a +10 natural armor bonus to AC but have an effective Dexterity score of 0 and a speed of 0 feet. You are immune to critical hits while in tree form. All clothing and gear carried or worn changes with you.

You can dismiss tree shape as a free action (instead of as a standard action).

Note that it says "You have an effective Dexterity score of 0". Not that your actual Dexterity score is 0, but you're treated as having 0 dexterity. No matter how you can manage to get bonuses to your Dex stat, you'll always be treated as having 0 DEX, which will prevent you from moving, although:


Dexterity

Any creature that can move has at least 1 point of Dexterity. A creature with no Dexterity score can’t move. If it can perform actions (such as casting spells), it applies its Intelligence modifier to initiative checks instead of a Dexterity modifier. The creature automatically fails Reflex saves and Dexterity checks.

You can still cast Silent-Stilled spells and use those to move around I guess?

[khadgar567]

I am groot or I understand wrong

[Inevitability]

I am groot or I understand wrong

The second one, I suppose.

[khadgar567]

The second one, I suppose.
you want walking trees and grood is walking tree

[ExLibrisMortis]

You can still be moved, so get a mount, or a cart, or a levitating plant pot. As long as you're a psion and avoid attack rolls, you don't need that dexterity score to be any higher than zero. Put an affinity field on your plant pot, give your party members self-grown acorns of far travel, manifest buffs all day.

[Extra Anchovies]

How about an Awakened tree? You can be PAOd into one, Astral Seed -> Mind Switch with one, or (with DM approval) just straight-up play as one from the get-go. You may run into the clunky issue of being a Plant with Con Ø because the spell forgets to give them one, but you're fully mobile without any ongoing magical effects (if you use Mind Switch, that is).

[Vogie]

I am groot or I understand wrong

"Tree shape" is different than Wild Shaping into a Treant. In the PRD, a Treant is considered a "huge plant" (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/treant.html), and thus IS covered by Natural Spell.

All it Tree Shape does is turns you into an actual tree. "Large living tree or shrub or a Large dead tree trunk with a small number of limbs". Basically, it's an object and thus in NOT covered by Natural Spell.

So the use of such a low-level spell would be as camouflage, gaining height (a la crow's nest or makeshift ladder), providing shade, and not a whole lot else... Although This Thread (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2lql3?Tree-Shape-Wood-Shape) mentions that you should be able to use Still Spell & Silent Spell on Wood Shape after shifting into a large dead tree trunk to turn into a crude wooden object. Which is using a lot of metamagic to say "Look! I'm a folding boat".

Not RAW, or even useful based on the other things druids can do, but I would also say they should be able to "eat" by absorbing sunlight whilst in tree form. That's just science.

Unless you invest in a whole lot of metamagic silent/still and something move around with, there's not much that comes to mind.

To tell the truth, I've ignored this spell, but I will now want to use it as a plot point if I get to DM and the druid can't show up to the session. Their character will just tree shape, get stuck, and the party will have to decide what they'll do in that instance...