Mega Tree!

[Ruethgar]

Anyone ever thought to combine Tree Shape, Expansion, and Expeditious Retreat? Was thinking it would be rather funny for the kobold sorcerer to become a Huge tree with 28(from 10) Strength and 16(from 10) Con and just start smashing people.

[Crake]

Anyone ever thought to combine Tree Shape, Expansion, and Expeditious Retreat? Was thinking it would be rather funny for the kobold sorcerer to become a Huge tree with 28(from 10) Strength and 16(from 10) Con and just start smashing people.

Are you projecting the ability to move your tree form as if you were an animated object or something? Tree shape is a disguise, it doesn't let you move about. It also says nothing about adjusting your ability scores, at most you'd get +2 str/-2 dex from expansion.

[Ruethgar]

Are you projecting the ability to move your tree form as if you were an animated object or something? Tree shape is a disguise, it doesn't let you move about. It also says nothing about adjusting your ability scores, at most you'd get +2 str/-2 dex from expansion.

Tree shape is nearer Alter Self than Disguise, and you gain the size adjustments from increased size unless specified otherwise such as with Expansion givng +2/-2 instead of +4/-2/+2 for small to medium. Tree Shape sets your effective dexterity to 0, but Expansion makes it a minimum 1, letting you attack since you're no longer paralyzed with Dex 0, but you need a speed boost to move around, so Expeditious Retreat. Technically the apply in most favorable order could let you just grab the Quick trait for a little more tree-like speed and less magic needed.

[PrismCat21]

Tree shape is nearer Alter Self than Disguise, and you gain the size adjustments from increased size unless specified otherwise such as with Expansion givng +2/-2 instead of +4/-2/+2 for small to medium. Tree Shape sets your effective dexterity to 0, but Expansion makes it a minimum 1, letting you attack since you're no longer paralyzed with Dex 0, but you need a speed boost to move around, so Expeditious Retreat. Technically the apply in most favorable order could let you just grab the Quick trait for a little more tree-like speed and less magic needed.

You're effective score is different than your actual score. You can change your actual Dex score all you want, while in Tree Shape your 'effective' score is still 0.
The speed part is the questionable one. It can easily been read as if the 'effective' part applies to the speed of 0 feet as well, or as a separate restriction that is able to be increased. The intention is obviously that you can't move, just go with that.

[Ruethgar]

You're effective score is different than your actual score. You can change your actual Dex score all you want, while in Tree Shape your 'effective' score is still 0.
The speed part is the questionable one. It can easily been read as if the 'effective' part applies to the speed of 0 feet as well, or as a separate restriction that is able to be increased. The intention is obviously that you can't move, just go with that.

That’s why I picked Expansion and not Enlarge Person, Cat’s Grace, Animalistic Power or something else. Expansion is the only other effect that I’ve found that alters effective dexterity.

I read over it again and again, but it is difficult for me to see the ‘effective’ adjective applying to both the dexterity and speed smoothly. It could be read that way I suppose, but it seems more like it is only modifying dexterity to me, though I am considering getting an English teacher’s input in case it’s just my bias to make this work.

Why couldn’t WotC just use Oxford commas? That would’ve cleared it up.

[Crake]

and you gain the size adjustments from increased size unless specified otherwise

Quote on that? If you're referring to the size adjustment table in the back of the monster manual, that only applies to size changes from advancing hit dice, or when specifically referenced, it is not a general rule. Nothing in tree shape mentions any sort of ability score adjustment beyond 0 dex, and 0 speed, and I doubt any DM would let you move, even if you cast expeditious retreat on yourself, because you don't actually have any means of movement, you're a tree.