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eyebreaker7
2020-10-01, 07:47 AM
When I cast Embrace the Wild what do I "gain" from an animal? For example if I choose a wolverine (shown below) what do I get? Also where can I find more options/animals that are not in the MM? Any suggestions on what animals to choose and what I'd gain from it?

Embrace the Wild
(Savage Species)

Transmutation
Level: Druid 3, Ranger 3, Consecrated Harrier 3,
Components: V, AF,
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 minutes/level

This spell allows you to adopt the nature and some abilities of a wild animal.
You retain your own form, but you gain the natural and extraordinary senses of the creature you choose, as well as its skill ranks (though these do not stack with any ranks
you already have in the same skills), for the duration of the spell.
Thus, depending on your choice of animal, you could gain blindsight, scent, and ranks in Listen, Spot, or other skills.
Embrace the wild does not grant you the animal's natural attacks, methods of locomotion, feats, or nonsensory extraordinary abilities, such as trample or improved grab.
Focus: Hide, skin, or feathers of the selected animal, or an item or component of its lair.
You must have obtained the focus from the animal yourself.

Example animal:

Wolverine
These creatures are similar to badgers but are bigger, stronger, and even more ferocious.
Combat
Rage (Ex): A wolverine that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage on its next turn, clawing and biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and -2 to Armor Class. The creature cannot end its rage voluntarily.

Skills: Wolverines have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

Size/Type: Medium Animal
Hit Dice: 3d8+15 (28 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4
Attack: Claw +4 melee (1d4+2)
Full Attack: 2 claws +4 melee (1d4+2) and bite -1 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Rage
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Climb +10, Listen +6, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Toughness, TrackB
Environment: Cold forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Advancement: 4-5 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

Necroticplague
2020-10-01, 08:32 AM
What's ambiguous about it? You seem to have highlighted the relevant section. You get skills equal to the creature's, and natural (i.e, not any special type (ex, su, sla, pla, ect.)/Extraordinary senses.

For the wolverine, you would get the following:

Low-light vision, Scent, +5 Listen, +5 Spot. These skill ranks would not stack with those you already have in the skills.

eyebreaker7
2020-10-01, 08:39 AM
Thus, depending on your choice of animal, you could gain blindsight, scent, and ranks in Listen, Spot, or other skills.
Embrace the wild does not grant you the animal's natural attacks, methods of locomotion, feats, or nonsensory extraordinary abilities, such as trample or improved grab.
Focus: Hide, skin, or feathers of the selected animal, or an item or component of its lair.
You must have obtained the focus from the animal yourself.


What animal would give me blindsight?

Elkad
2020-10-01, 08:42 AM
Lots give you blindsense. Bat, Shark, etc
Probably someone will chime in with full blindsight.

Necroticplague
2020-10-01, 10:03 AM
What animal would give me blindsight?

Off the top of my head, whales.

edit: a quick double check using an online tool confirms that the cetaceans on the SRD (orca, porpoise, baleen whale, and Cachalot) are the only animals with blindsight.

Darg
2020-10-01, 11:39 AM
Wow, it gives the skill "ranks"? Just found another early entry trick. As long as it is your ability to cast the spell anyways.

KillianHawkeye
2020-10-01, 02:46 PM
For the badger, you would get the following:

Low-light vision, Scent, +5 Listen, +5 Spot. These skill ranks would not stack with those you already have in the skills.

Minor correction: The badger has the Alertness feat, meaning it only has 3 ranks in Listen and Spot.

The need to manually calculate each animal's skill ranks is probably the most annoying thing about using this spell.

Kalkra
2020-10-01, 08:15 PM
FYI, the spell was nerfed in Spell Compendium.

KillianHawkeye
2020-10-02, 06:03 AM
FYI, the spell was nerfed in Spell Compendium.

I just looked up the Spell Compendium version, and tbh it's less of a nerf and more of a HUGE simplification while simultaneously being more versatile since you no longer require bits of a specific animal and you can just choose whether to get scent or blindsense. And no more math to figure out animal skill ranks. I 100% prefer and recommend the SpC version.

Kalkra
2020-10-02, 09:46 AM
I just looked up the Spell Compendium version, and tbh it's less of a nerf and more of a HUGE simplification while simultaneously being more versatile since you no longer require bits of a specific animal and you can just choose whether to get scent or blindsense. And no more math to figure out animal skill ranks. I 100% prefer and recommend the SpC version.

Sure, it's simpler, and it's two levels lower, but it's undeniably weaker in absolute terms. Instead of all the senses and all the skills of any animal, you get two of three senses, and +2 to two skills.

Necroticplague
2020-10-02, 10:13 AM
Wow, it gives the skill "ranks"? Just found another early entry trick. As long as it is your ability to cast the spell anyways.

I'm not sure animals have skills particularly useful for early entry tricks.

Miss Disaster
2020-10-03, 01:28 PM
So to optimize the Savage Species version, you have to visualize a high-CR animal with a template (or multiple templates!) that retain the Animal type, yet are able to accumulate a sizable list of natural & extraordinary senses.

I'll have to do a bestiary scan tonight and see what ridiculous combo I can come up with. :smallsmile:

Also, if this also applies to Pathfinder 1e, you suddenly now have even better options than 3.5 ...

Kalkra
2020-10-04, 09:43 PM
So to optimize the Savage Species version, you have to visualize a high-CR animal with a template (or multiple templates!) that retain the Animal type, yet are able to accumulate a sizable list of natural & extraordinary senses.

I'll have to do a bestiary scan tonight and see what ridiculous combo I can come up with. :smallsmile:

Also, if this also applies to Pathfinder 1e, you suddenly now have even better options than 3.5 ...

Paragon, Woodling, Magebred, and Warbeast are the classic templates to use with Lycanthrope, there are probably some good acquired ones as well.