Feral Hunter - wildshape - Beast shape 3

traolcoladistraolcoladis
in d20PFSRD
I was looking up wildshape for druids. They have access to plant and elemental domains. Which in game rules is Elemental Body 1 and plant shape 1 according to level.

At 8th level, a druid can use wild shape to change into a Huge or Diminutive animal, a Medium elemental, or a Small or Medium plant creature. When taking the form of animals, a druid’s wild shape now functions as beast shape III.

Beast Shape III
This spell functions as beast shape II, except that it also allows you to assume the form of a Diminutive or Huge creature of the animal type. This spell also allows you to take on the form of a Small or Medium creature of the magical beast type. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability: burrow 30 feet, climb 90 feet, fly 90 feet (good maneuverability), swim 90 feet, blindsense 30 feet, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, constrict, ferocity, grab, jet, poison, pounce, rake, trample, trip, and web.

Diminutive animal: If the form you take is that of a Diminutive animal, you gain a +6 size bonus to your Dexterity, a -4 penalty to your Strength, and a +1 natural armor…

The Feral Hunter “SPECIFICALLY” says that they cant take Plant or Elemental forms.
Beast shape III refers to creatures in its wording. In particular of the Animal type.
At this level it Also allows Creatures (small and medium) magical beast type.
No where does it say for the Druid can’t take magical beasts. 

At 4th level, a feral hunter gains the ability to change shape. This ability functions like the druid wild shape ability, except the hunter can take only animal forms (not elemental or plant forms). The hunter’s effective druid level is equal to her class level. 

Thus the Feral hunter does not gain access to Elemental Body or Plant forms.

It does not say Animal type which would restrict the wildshape to Animal type only. Magical beasts are animal forms

Thus the feral hunter is limited to Beast Shape 3 which is as high as the Druid is able to go. Except the Druid also has access to elemental and plant forms.

Beast shape 1 and 2 focus on Animal forms.
Beast shape 3 allows access to magical Creatures in addition to Animal forms. 

Thus I am putting forward that Feral hunters at level 8, gain access to magical Creatures.

Am I wrong in this assumption

Comments

  • mountainmountain
    I would say the way it's worded makes that pretty unclear. The problem is where it says you only gain animal forms (not plant or elemental). At the level you first gain the ability, animals are your only choice, so there's no confusion, but since it specifically calls out plants and elementals as unavailable, with no mention of magical beasts, I would say that yes, you could take the form of one, and gain whatever abilities are allowed by Beast Shape III, upon being high enough level.

    That being said, I could easily see a DM ruling that the "animal forms only" part means animals only, especially when animals are the focus of the archetype.
  • traolcoladistraolcoladis
    I get that as well.

    When you look up Magical Beasts:
    quote:
    Magical beasts are similar to animals but can have Intelligence scores higher than 2 (in which case the magical beast knows at least one language, but can’t necessarily speak). Magical beasts usually have supernatural or extraordinary abilities, but are sometimes merely bizarre in appearance or habits.
    ‘unquote:

    From what I can see it should be in the purvey of the SU ability.
    Also none of the other types mention Animals as the word.

  • traolcoladistraolcoladis
    @mountain. Update. The GM ruled that the character does not get access to magical creatures. I have since found the Planar Focus feat that I will be exploring.
Sign In or Register to comment.