Rules Update: Druid Promotional Skill

The Druid Promotional Skill (Skin of the Chameleon) has been replaced with the following:

Transmute Form
Event Based; 5 Build
The caster, along with any possessions they are carrying, changes form to that of their Totem Animal. The change takes five seconds of concentration to perform, and the Druid may change between animal and native forms as many times as they wish within an hour of the ability being invoked.  The druid immediately reverts to native form at the end of an hour.  While in animal form, the caster retains only their Body Points, and the ability to call any skills or latent effects of a defensive nature.  The Druid retains their intelligence, but cannot communicate unless an ability is used on them that allows communication with animals by another character.  The use of a mask or other appropriate representation is strongly encouraged.  While in animal form, the druid also gains 30 build worth of lower list skills, Druid Points, or Body Points (at a 3:1 ratio) that are approved by the director and deemed to be appropriate for the animal totem, which will be noted on the Druid's card. The following skills are also available:

• ( 2 ) Small Claws: Druid may use a pair of small weapon sized claws while in animal form, that deal 1 damage each.
• ( 4 ) Large Claws: Druid may use a pair of 1-handed weapon sized claws while in animal form, that deal 2 damage each.
• ( 10 ) Might (Prerequisite - Small or Large Claws): The Druid may use any Strength or Weapon, Brawling, or Martial Arts Prof skills from their native form while in Animal form, with the claws (Weapon Profs apply to both claws, even if the skill is for a specific hand).  A Druid with Might has hardened claws, and does not take damage to them.  Additionally, if they have the spell Maul, they may Surge Cast and Weapon Cast it, and only that spell, while in Animal Form.
• ( 10 ) Flight: This ability allows the caster to fly instantly to a height of twenty feet in the air as long as the character stands with her arm outstretched and palm raised face out. The caster can only move at a slow walking pace while flying. While flying, the Druid may use skills granted to them by their Animal Form, or any defenses they may have.  The character can lower herself completely and safely to the ground so long as she is maintaining the ability, but if the ability ends for any reason while she is flying, she immediately falls to the ground with the normal force of gravity.  A character that is flying may not attack a target on the ground - they must land first to do so.  After landing (for any reason) you may not take off again for 10 minutes.
• ( 8 ) Stealth - As per the Master Rogue skill.

Never before have I wanted to play a Druid as hard as I do right now... I currently envy all druids...

Questions:

What happens when offensive effects are upon a person before using Transmute Form. For example, target has +2 damage from a battle cry then uses transmute form. Or target has spirit of the dragon active then calls transmute form, do they still receive the +2 damage in each case or do they not get the damage and only the body from spirit of the dragon?

If your totem has Might can you use your own Druid point pool to cast Maul or only the DP you have bought at a 3:1 ratio with the promo build?

Is it possible for a Druid to Transmute in to different animal forms IE you turn in to a Lion for combat, but a hawk to take flight. or is it totem specific?

Could this allow me to play Honest Treeworthy: Owl Psychologist? 

He'd be an adorable owl who wears a tiny pair of spectacles, and though he only tweets and twists his head at odd angles and swoops down to catch the occasional shrew...all his patients come away feeling better, and with a new understanding of themselves.

Random Quote:

Fogrom: "Mr. Treeworthy, Mr. Treeworthy!  This man, he's gone insane!  Can you help him?"

Honest Treeworthy: "Find someone who gives a hoot...me." *transforms into an owl with tiny spectacles*

wow you win

Could this allow me to play Honest Treeworthy: Owl Psychologist?  

He'd be an adorable owl who wears a tiny pair of spectacles, and though he only tweets and twists his head at odd angles and swoops down to catch the occasional shrew...all his patients come away feeling better, and with a new understanding of themselves.

Random Quote:

Fogrom: "Mr. Treeworthy, Mr. Treeworthy!  This man, he's gone insane!  Can you help him?"

Honest Treeworthy: "Find someone who gives a hoot...me." *transforms into an owl with tiny spectacles*

While in animal form, the druid also gains 30 build worth of lower list skills, Druid Points, or Body Points (at a 3:1 ratio) that are approved by the director and deemed to be appropriate for the animal totem

Is it possible for a Druid to Transmute in to different animal forms IE you turn in to a Lion for combat, but a hawk to take flight. or is it totem specific?

You choose one form and that is the form you have.  So one druid might turn into a ram, while another turns into a dog and so on.

If your totem has Might can you use your own Druid point pool to cast Maul or only the DP you have bought at a 3:1 ratio with the promo build?

That was poorly worded - Body is at 3:1, but Druid Points should still be 1:1.  (Body was specified since it's variable from class to class.)  I'll look into rephrasing it so it's more clear.

The intent is that you can still use your "native" DP while transformed into Totem form.

I'm not sure on buffs carrying over - I'll defer to Jon or James on this one.

Thanks Geoff,

Another question:

It states you only retain the ability to call skills or latent defenses of a defensive nature. What if you have speed cast, could you speed cast defensives on yourself since it would be defensive in nature?

The wording is clear in that you can only call the defensive abilities that are available to you. You cannot cast/invoke new ones while in the animal form.

If you want to cast a new latant defense you would have to first revert back to human form.

question about flight - if you land in a tree, does the 10 minute wait to fly again still in effect?

What happens when offensive effects are upon a person before using Transmute Form. For example, target has +2 damage from a battle cry then uses transmute form. Or target has spirit of the dragon active then calls transmute form, do they still receive the +2 damage in each case or do they not get the damage and only the body from spirit of the dragon?

Any passive buffs can transfer into the animal form.

question about flight - if you land in a tree, does the 10 minute wait to fly again still in effect?

Yes, also to be clear, you cannot vary your height from 20ft unless you're either rising into the air or landing, in which case it must be vertical (like Levitate).

For the purpose of a "what do I see?" question what is the answer is it just "you see a bear/hawk/beaver" ? or is there a subtle differences between a person who turns into an animal and a real animal?

Also it mentions that certain spells can be cast to communicate with a transmuted druid. What are they?

The person looks like a normal animal - there is no perceptable difference.

Spells/abilities that allow a PC to talk with a normal animal work on a transmuted druid, such as Animal Empathy.  I see no reason why the Psionic ability Telepathy wouldn't work as well. 

Question about Flight it says that if the affect ends for any reason other than landing you fall. What if I am flying and I OOG trip and fall on my face have I IG fallen or just landed really badly?

I think if you actually trip OOG while walking at a slow walking pace, you can laugh and say "I'm all good" get up, and let others know that it was an OOG trip.

Thanks I was wondering because I have this uncanny "ability" to trip over perfectly flat surfaces, while standing still.

okay so it states that a druid can use any defensive skills while in animal form, but what about offensive skills for example crit. is the druid simply unable to use it for the duration?

Unless it is an offensive skill granted by the form you are unable to use it.

Can you use your own bulid to buy skills for the totem form after spending the 30 build worth of skills granted for unlocking it? Example I buy Might Flight and Long Claws I'll have spent 24 build worth of skills leaving six left over can I combine this with two saved build to get Stealth or if I can't combine it spend eight unused build to get it and use the left over for DP and BP? Also on a related note if neither of these work can a Druid learn these skill at an event after the initial purchase of Transmute Form and would teaching be required? 

No.  The form has a set 30 build to have spent on it, and keep in mind that all skills have to make sense for the animal you have chosen.  I only mention that as I cannot think of any appropriate totem animal that could take flight and might.  An eagle can take out a goat for sure, but not by breaking its limbs with long claws....

To answer Welsher's question about the size of the totem form - because the skill does not state the animal is "Dire" or different in any way, it is not different in appearance from a normal animal.

Well in the wording it says "The caster, along with any possessions they are carrying, changes form to that of their Totem Animal" I am gonna assume that if you are wearing armor or have a trinket you do not receive the bonuses the normally give you in Native right?

Correct.