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I have found the druid's shapechange ability to be very powerful, at all stages of the game. My druid aced the battle squares and the monk test without problems. So I wondered, how powerful are each of the forms? I figured it out and compiled this table. I am sorry if this information has already been discussed. I hope this table is readable.

Abilities
Shape***********Level Gained**Str**Dex**Con** Movement**AC Bonus*********Resistances
Boar************5th***********15***10***17*** Slower?***Gen +6***********Cold:5; Missile:2; Blud:2; Pierc:2; Slash:2
Winter Wolf*****7th***********13***18***16*** Fast******Gen +5, Dex +4***Cold:15; Fire:-15
Polar Bear******9th***********27***13***19*** Normal****Gen +5, Dex +1***none
Dire Bear*******12th**********30***13***19*** Normal****Gen +7, Dex +1***none
Dire Panther****14th**********24***21***17*** Fast******Gen +5, Dex +5***none
Fire Elemental**16th**********20***10***10*** Slow******Gen +8***********Cold:-15; Fire:20
Earth Elemental*18th**********20***10***10*** Slow******Gen +8***********none
Water Elemental*20th**********20***10***10*** Normal****Gen +8***********none
Air Elemental***22nd**********18***29***18*** As Dash***Gen +12, Dex +9**none
Boring Beetle***5th (feat)****15***10***10*** Slow******Gen +7***********none
Black Panther***5th (feat)****18***10***10*** Fast******Gen +4***********none
Shambling Mound*8th (feat)****18***10***10*** As Dash***Gen +10**********Electricity:20; Fire:6

Attacks
************************ Attack ****************** Strength * Damage
Shape*********** Attacks* Bonus* Critical* Damage* Bonus**** Potential* Special
Boar************ 2******* +2**** 20/×2**** 3d4**** +2******* 5-14
Winter Wolf***** 1******* +1**** 20/×2**** 1d6**** +1******* 2-7
Polar Bear****** 3******* +8**** 19-20/×2* 1d10*** +8******* 9-18
Dire Bear******* 3******* +10*** 19-20/×2* 2d6**** +10****** 12-22
Dire Panther**** 3******* +7**** 19-20/×2* 2d6**** +7******* 9-35****** Slashing +2d8 (10%) [Raking]
Fire Elemental** 1******* +5**** 19-20/×2* 1d8**** +5******* 7-17****** Fire +1d4 (observed low chance on hit, c. 10%)
Earth Elemental* 1******* +5**** 19-20/×2* 4d8**** +5******* 9-37
Water Elemental* 1******* +5**** 19-20/×2* 4d8**** +5******* 9-37
Air Elemental*** 3******* +4**** 19-20/×2* 3d8+6** +4******* 13-34
Boring Beetle*** 1******* +2**** 20/×2**** 5d4**** +2******* 7-22
Black Panther*** 3******* +4**** 19-20/×2* 2d6**** +4******* 3-32****** Slashing +2d8 (10%) [Raking]
Shambling Mound* 2******* +4**** 20/×2**** 2d8**** +4******* 6-32****** Bludg +1d4(50%); Blud +1d4(50%); Blud +1d4(50%); [observed chance to entangle victim on hit for about 1 round (c. 25-50%)]

Notes

• Druid Shapechange ability gained at Levels 5, 6, 7, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, and 30.
• Extra Shapechange feat may be taken 3 times.
• Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores are not affected by shapechange. (This means that if you have a Cha of 18, you will become a very good-looking Shambling Mound. )
• Str, Dex, and Con scores set as listed above even if character scores are higher.
• Items that adjust ability scores (such as Mercykiller Belt Str +2) still apply while shapechanged.
• New Str score will affect Weight allowance, but Strong Back feat still applies.
• - If your Str score is reduced as a result of shapechange, you could find yourself encumbered.
• New Dex score will affect Reflex saves and Armor class, but Lightening Reflex and Luck of Heroes feat bonuses still apply.
• New Con score will affect Fortitude saves and total Hit points, but Great Fortitude, Luck of Heroes, and Toughness feat bonuses still apply.
• - If your Con score is reduced as a result of shapechange, you will lose hit points.
• - However, a wounded character will heal hitpoints when shapechange occurs (12 points for all except 18 points for Air Elemental).
• – Shapechanging (or returning to natural form) will never reduce hit points lower than 1 – you can’t die due to shapeshifting.
• Natural resistances (such as Acid:5 gained after defeating the Guardian or racial resistances [e.g. Teifling]) are negated, including innate magic resistance.
• Resistances from items (such as Elven Gloves, Cold:1) and spells (such as Storm Shield) remain active during shapechange.
• Movement rates listed above are not affected by Dash feat or Boots of Speed.
• – “As Dash” = movement equal to Dash Feat; “Fast” = movement exceeds Boots of Speed.
• All armor class modifiers are negated, including armor, shield, racial (such as Deep Gnome Generic AC bonus +4), and Dodge feat (Generic +1).
• Armor Class bonuses (Generic and Dexterity) are added to the base AC of the character (usually 10).
• Note that if character normally has fewer attacks than shapechanged form, they will gain those attacks.
• Attack Bonus is applied to character’s base to-hit scores.
• The special ability icon bar seems to be a little buggy. Sometimes your new shape will show up, some times it won't until next level-up.

Wow, what a wealth of information! Perhaps this thread should be sticky?

Thanks.

Just found another thing. The Shambling Mound shape can still be Entangled. You would think a big plant would be immune to this spell.

Thanks Gwally This might save me asking you too many questions

I'll sticky this for a while - maybe Buck can use it Gwally?

@Gruntboy: Buck is more than welcome to use it, if it suits him! I have the table in Excel format if he would like....

@Ysh: So, have you broken down a purchased the game?

Speaking of shambling mounds...

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My ex-wife is so hairy that........
oops. Sorry.
My druid is 12th level.
I chose the shambling mound feat when last given the option.
It does not appear as a choice in the shape change selection area. Is there a wisdom criteria or something that I am missing? (Druid's W is about 19) Or armor limitation (wearing stidded leather)?
Or is the feat available before the ability?
What's the deal? Any thoughts?
Thanks.

Mr Brats:

I have noticed that sometimes the shape button doesn't always show up on the tool bar on level-up. Most recently with my 16th level Druid. The message would read "Gained Elemental Shape: Fire Elemental" but it wouldn't be there on the special ability bar. Later, I hacked some characters in order to run tests of these shapechanges, and the buttons would occasionally not appear - different buttons, different characters, same stats, same items, same armor.

I think its a bug.

I checked out another forum, but that forum had turned off its search function, so I couldn't find out if this issue has been addressed.

The buttons seem to re-appear on next level-up, but at 12th level that's a long time to wait.

Gwalchmai,

I'd be more than happy to post your shapeshifting tables on our Icewind Dale II site (with full credit). Feel free to email me the Excel file and I'll take a look at it.

Done.

Yay! And they all lived happily ever after, 'till the end of their days.

I have a L17 dr00d, with no elemental shape at all =/

Is there a chance you have to choose the "extra shape change" feat in order to use the feat based transformations?

Originally posted by baileyatbrats
Is there a chance you have to choose the "extra shape change" feat in order to use the feat based transformations?

No, you shouldn't have to, and my druid had no problems with the feat-based transformations (beetle, panther, and mound) and he never took the extra shape. My druid only had problems with the elemental transformation button no showing up on the tool bar. That said, taking the extra shape feat might (might) circumvent the special abilities bar bug. I know that the patch addressed similar issues with barbarian/druids. This leads me to suspect that there are other bugs in the special abilities button bar.

Its too bad, because the shambling mound is fun!

Yes. I used the staff of the woodlands in BG: TOB to summon them frequently.

I wish I had been shape changing earlier. My druid really is a power house now. She casts her good offensive and defensive spells at the beginning of the melee, then transforms into a bear and shreds. (So to speak)

She's a wood elf by the way.

I've added the shapeshifting tables to our Icewind Dale II section. Thanks Gwalchmai!