The MMF bible revised

Hi everybody! The wild shape rule have undergone another substantial change with the so-called polymorph
announcements, and now many are once again confused what the actual wildshape rules are now.
So here I am with the new MMF bible that tells you what the Official Wild Shape Rules actually are, gathered
together from the different official sources like Monster Manual and Complete Adventurer books, Official Game
Rule FAQ, Errata, WotC website announcements, the three recent polymorph articles that actually don't even deal
with polymorph etc. And where that leaves the Masters of many Forms (MMF) from the Complete Adventurer
Sourcebook, whose patron saint I am, and how they can make the most out of the situation.

Let me state one thing up front: I know that the MMF is not very strong for a shapeshifting class. It is weaker
than the old shifter, than the shapechange spell, possible even than simple polymorph, at least before you reach
level 7. And even that ability is given away for free to straight druids with the Enhanced wildshape spell from the
Spell compendium. But this thread is not to lament about that, it is about how to make most out of the PrC as it is.
(You go into battle with the PrCs you have...)
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The wildshape rules are not exactly easy to comprehend, seeing that improved wildshape is based on wildshape
which is based on polymorph, then modified by various errata, FAQ and articles.

That's why I gathered together from the different sources what the official wildshape rules are now.

For a number of times indicated by your class and expanded by MMF and Nature’s Warrior levels, as a
supernatural standard action, you assume the form of a small or medium animal or of any additional types or
sizes which your levels in a prestige class like Master Of Many Forms (MMF) allow you. You must be familiar with
a race to take its form. The assumed form can’t have more Hit Dice than your level in the wildshape class (e.g.
druid, ranger) plus any MMF and Nature’s Warrior levels.
You may not take the form of a creature advanced in size through additional racial Hit Dice, or with a template.
The actual rules do not forbid incorporeal or gaseous forms. The change lasts for a number of hours equal to your
wildshape class level plus any MMF levels. While wildshaped, you have a moderate aura of transmutation magic.

You gain:

• the size of the creature, and if it has it, the aquatic subtype
• the Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores of the new form, including their modifier and all the
related effects.
• all extraordinary special attacks possessed by the form. You do not get the extraordinary special
qualities possessed by the new form such as darkvision, low-light vision and so forth, unless you reach MMF
level 7. At MMF level 7, you also gain the so-called type and subtype traits written under Extraordinary
qualities, like the immunities from plant traits.
You don’t get any supernatural or spell-like abilities.
• natural armor bonus, movement modes, natural weapons (such as claws, bite, and so on) including the
form’s attack routines like 2xclaw or 8xtentacle, and any gross physical qualities (presence or absence of
wings, number of extremities, and so forth). You do not get racial bonus feats or racial skill boni until you
reach MMF level 7. The Official Game Rules FAQ notes that racial feats and skills are extraordinary qualities,
so you get them when you each MMF level 7.
• lost hit points as if you had rested for a night

You retain:

• your own alignment and your HD with everything related to your HD: number of racial HD, LA, class and
PrC levels, base attack bonus, skill ranks, base saves and all class and PrC abilities. DCs from extraordinary
abilities are based on your HD, not the creatures.
• your own mind, including your own Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores
• all extraordinary qualities of your original form, but no extraordinary attacks
• all supernatural abilities of your original form except for breath weapons and gaze attacks
• all spell-like abilities of your normal form
• the ability to speak intelligibly. If you are an MMF, you can speak in any form (usually only if a member of
that race can actually speak)
• any spellcasting ability you had in your original form, but can use verbal components only if you can
speak in this form (see above), and can only use somatic or material components if you have limbs capable
of fine manipulation
• your subtypes
• your type abilities and vulnerabilities: Even when wildshaped into a different type like animal, you are still
vulnerable to spells that target your original type like hold person if you were humanoid, and still can use
items that only your original type or race could use.

You lose:

• all extraordinary special attacks not derived from class levels

• your old natural attacks, if you have any, and your other old natural armor and movement modes
• any item you carry melds into your form and becomes non-functional. Exceptions are items tied to a
wildling clasp (Magic item compendium, 4.000 gp). Items tied to such a clasp remain active and change size
to fit your new size.

You can designate the new form’s minor physical qualities (such as height, weight, hair color, hair texture, skin
color etc) within the normal ranges for a creature of that kind. If you use this spell to create a disguise, you get a
+10 bonus on your Disguise check, and are not tied to the other disguise modifiers from the PHB.
Any part of the body that is separated from the whole keeps its new form. If slain, you revert to your original form,
though you remain dead. True Seeing spells or effect reveal your true form.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Becoming a MMF
The best races for this PrC are:

The best class to become a MMF is druid (or druidic avenger (UA p. 51) or even better wildshaping ranger (UA
p.58) if you use the Unearthed Arcana optional rules. Thanks Veldrane and mycroft65536 ! Another great option
ist the wild monk from Dragon magazine 324, although you enter the PrC one level later then). Some PrCs like
the OA shapeshifter offer the wildshape feature and thus make possible bases too, but they usually allow you to
enter the class too late, making them worse options. Most MMFs are druid-based.

Good PrCs to follow up on the MMF are:

• Nature's warrior from Complete warrior. I quote Iku Rex: "Nature's warrior gives you a couple of druid
spellcaster levels, full "wild shape progression" and (over 5 levels) three nifty abilities. I like "Armor of the
Crocodile" (+5 increase natural armor), "Earth's Resilience" (DR 3/-) and "Serpent's Coils" (gain constrict
attack in form with improved grab) or "Wild Growth" (fast healing 1)."
• going on with druid after MMF is also a good choice, for you gain additional wildshape uses and form
HDs, plus additional spells and class abilities. In fact, the Enhanced wildshape spell from the Spell
Compendium makes it a more powerful and versatile build to start with 5 or 7 level of druid, then to take only
three MMF levels, and after that to go on with druid. You miss little, since you will gain plant and elemental
forms from druid, too, and can gain access to aberration and medium dragon forms via feat. Vermin, fey,
ooze and other dragon forms are a price worth paying for seven more spell levels and eventually access to
shapechange.
• Rather an alternative to the MMF than an addition, but interesting when you just a few MMF levels: The
Planar Shepherd from Faiths of Eberron. On level 2, yoiu can wildshape into all magical beast from one
plane, but more important, at level 9, you gain access to all outsiders from one plane. In Eberron cosmology,
taking the battle plane Shavarrat for example gives you access to almost all devils, demons, and archons.
You gain all their extraordinary, supernatural and even spell-like abilities, and can take templated forms. That
of course will make you more powerful than you can become as an MMF. And of course, you will get full
wildshape DH and duration progression together with full druid spell progression. What else do you want?
• two or even four levels of warshaper from Complete Warrior for its great abilities like immunity to critical
hits, +4 to strength and constitution.
• two levels of deep warden from Races of Stone if you are a dwarf, since on level 2 you add your
constitution modifier to your AC, which can be immense (also possible for a changeling with racial emalation
keeping dwarf form with minor change shape underneath, or if you have three levels in the stoneblessed PrC
(also from RoS), (thanks MonkeyGreatSEOH )
• The chameleon: To quote Lilt :
"If the MoMF takes Able learner and invests some skill points into Bluff and Disguise (skill-cap is cross-class,
but they still cost 1/rank) then the Chameleon PrC becomes available for the Druid/MoMF after level 13. The
first Chameleon ability that really shines is the second level feat, because you can use that to cherry-pick the
feats which grant you different wildshape forms (Frozen Wildshape, ETC) for that day or even taking the
Assume Supernatural Ability feat on different abilities from day to day."
• As URL=http://boards1.wizards.com/member.php?u=505727]_Inertia_[/url] suggested, taking a level
of Warblade (Book of 7 Swords) gets you third level maneuvers, which can include Iron Heart Surge, which
is one of the few way for a MMF to counter antimagic fields, and moment of perfect mind, which allows you to
make a concentration check instead of will saves - our weakest save.
• If you are human-based and thus have no problem with an XP penalty, a level of monk (or CW Ninja,
as Surreal suggested) can also be useful, due to the higher unarmored AC, flurry of blows and the free
improved grapple feat.

All except the Nature's warrior, planar shepherd and the druid don't extend the Form HD Maximum or wildshape
duration! Same is true for other nice PrCs like daggerspell shaper (CAd): The abilitiy to retain the weapon boni or
enhancements from magic items is cool, but giving up form maximum HD progression is a very high price.

When you reach epic levels, the epic progression is that of the shifter PrC, since the MMF is the official 3.5
update to it. You can find the epic shifter here: Epic progression.
There are quite some useful epic feats for the MMF, like Colossal Wildshape, Fine Wildshape and Magical beast
wildshape.

Making the most out of the MMF’s advantages

Effectively, the MMF has but two advantages over simple polymorph casters:
- The duration is longer, measuring hours instead of minutes.
- When reaching level 7, the MMF gets access to the very valuable EX qualities of his forms. Polymorph can’t do
that, and the way more powerful shapechange spell should still be a few levels away for his competition. For that
reason, it is wise to try to get to that level as fast as possible, ideally at character level 12. Up until 7th level, level
means power for the MMF. On the other hand, the MMF reaches its power peak at level 7. It may be wise to then
first take one or more levels in another PrC like Nature's Warrior before finishing this class. But that is also a
matter of taste.

A MMF must make all he can from these advantages, otherwise he won’t be able to compete. Here are a few
ways to do that:

Armor: AC is one area where the MMF excels. Many forms have great natural AC of +12 or more, which can be
combined with equipment in different ways. For item advise, see the next post below.
This turns the MMF into one of the PrCs with the highest AC of all. AC 40 to 50 is quite possible for a MMF at
character level 12, and that without any armor check penalties.
Items: Items are a tricky thing for the MMF, for when he uses wildshape, all his items meld into his body,
becoming non-functional. A MMF taking another human form is naked. There are two ways to combat this:
- You can take off items and put them on again afterwards. However, that means that changing shape takes
several rounds for you, so you won't be able to do it when needed like in combat. Instead have to use forms that
are both good in combat and adventuring all the time. That is a possibility, but I don't like it, for walking around in
the same form all the time goes against the concept of being a shapechanger in the first place.
- You can get numerous wildling clasps from the Magic item compendium (4.000 gp each) and attach them to
your items. These won’t be melded and change its size to fit your new form. You can find the best candidates for
them in the forth post of this thread. Of course, buying a claps for a cloak, a vest, an amulet, two rings, a belt and
a pair of bracers costs 24.00 gp alone, without the items. So "stacking" enchantments on just few of them may be
cheaper, depending on level.
Stacking means that items can be further enhanced by special abilites normally reserved for other items. For
example, for x1.5 the normal price, you can add to a wildshape amulet the effects of a ring of protection, bracers
of armor, amulet of natural armor, periapt of wisdom, amulet of health, cloak of resistance or other item having to
do with protection or wisdom. Any other item effect can be added for 2x the normal price.
- Since items generally meld even when the new form is humanoid, this means that an MMF staying wildshaped
all day can make great use out of the wild armor special ability. Since wild armor melds, it has no penalties, but
still offers the full AC (but can't be combined with a monk's belt, see post #20). So you don't need proficiency with
it and can choose armor as heavy as possible, for example mountain plate from Races of Stone. A wild mountain
plate+1 costs about 20.000 gp and gives you a free armor bonus of +11. If you are druid-based, you'll have to
choose a dragon-hide version of it, which costs about 24.000 gp. You will get a higher armor bonus than with a
monk's vest, but a lesser touch-AC and incorporeal-touch-AC. At higher levels, a wild tower shield+1 at 16.000 gp
is also a good choice for an additional shield AC of +5.

Grappling: The grappling rules are great for many of the MMFs forms, because they put many opponents not
specially made for that at a huge disadvantage. For example, greatsword-wielding blackguards or enemy
spellcasters have major troubles in a grapple. On the other hand, the +4 bonus to grapple checks per size
category alone makes MMFs great grapplers. Plus many forms allow you to deal additional damage with each
grapple check. Or try grappling an opponent, moving him to a cliff, and then throwing him down there. Rules for
that can be found on page 48 of the DMG2.
In short, try grappling as often as possible.

Immunities: One of the great advantages of reaching level 7 is that you will gain access to extraordinary
immunites, and thus will be able to take an optimal form for a given opponent. Many forms are immune to a lot of
things:

• Fire: A form with the fire subtype makes you immune to all fire and heat damage when you reach level
7, so e.g. the phoelarch from MM3 is useful, or e.g. red dragons (level 10).
• Cold: A form with the cold subtype is immune to cold damage at level 7, so e.g. the marzanna hag or the
Frost folk from Frostburn are great against monsters like cryohydras. Other forms like white dragon (level 10)
can also be used.
• Electricity: When you have reached level 7, a shambling mound (which even gains constitution from it),
a grell or a blue or bronze dragon form (level 10) makes you immune to all electricity effects like lightnings
from the sky.
• Acid: For example the very powerful octopus tree form (level 7, 14 HD) from FF and the brine swimmer
from Sandstorm (5 HD vermin) are immune to acid after level 7, as are the black, green, copper or silver
dragons (available at level 10).
• Sonic: After reaching level 7, gulgar form (MM3) makes you immune to sonic damage, as does taking
howling dragon form from draconomicon (level 10).
• Suffocation: The gargoyle (MM, level 3) does not breathe and thus is not suffocated e.g. under one of
the murderous devil dunes from Sandstorm. The zern's (MM4) adaptive defence protects him after level 7.
Elementals (level 8) are also a choice. If you are merely thrown under water, any form with an aquatic
subtype will help, like merfolk (level 1).
• Petrification: Since most petrification abilities are based on Flesh to stone, a form not made of flesh is
immune to that, e.g. a plant form (level 7) like woodwoad or treant. The protean scourge (MM3) is also
immune to petrification after level 7 (thanks slarabee). The zern's (MM4) adaptive defence protects him after
level 7. And at MMF level 10, you are immune to petrification anyway (thanks snowlynx .
• Grapple: When fighting opponents that like to grapple, taking a form as big as possible is always helpful,
since each size category gives you +4. After reaching level 7, the darktentacles form is one of the best
braplers there is because of its racial +16 bonus.
• Swallow whole: A good way to fight creatues dangerous because of the swallow whole attack form is to
take a size equal to them, which prevents most from swallowing you. If that isn't possible, getting a high
grapple bonus though size tec. is helpful, as is a form that can deal a lot of damage at once, since you can
then tear your way free again. Forms that give you sneak attack dice are one such choice, for a monster
swallowing you is flatfooted against your attacks.
• Ability Damage or drain: The leechwalker form from MM2 is immune to ability damage and drain after
level 7.
• Poison: All plant (level 7) and elemental (level 9) forms are immune to poison, as are e.g. duergar and
kuo-toa forms after level 7. The zern's (MM4) adaptive defence protects him after level 7.
• Disease: The phoelarch (MM3) is immune to disease after level 7. The zern's (MM4) adaptive defence
protects him from this after level 7.
• Hold: While plant and kuo-toa form MMFs after level 7 can be held in high esteem, they can't be held by
by the Hold spells and abilities. The zern's (MM4) adaptive defence protects him from this after level 7.
Please bear in mind that when you are held in human form, you still have the ability to wildshape into a plant
and thus shrug off the effect, since you can still use purely mental actions.
• Paralysis: All plants (level 7) and elementals (level 9) are immune to paralysis, as are duergar, kuo-toa
and grell forms after level 7. The zern's (MM4) adaptive defence protects him from this after level 7. As with
hold effects, you can take these forms after being paralysed in another form.
• Polymorph: All plants (level 7) and oozes (level 8) are immune to polymorph effects. The zern's (MM4)
adaptive defence protects him from this after level 7. If you have the shapechange subtype, you can always
change back, too.
• Sleep: While sleep is rarely an issue at higher levels, plant (level 7), ooze (level 8) or elemental (level 9)
forms will make you immune to is, as will e.g. elf or tri-kreen form after level 7. The zern's (MM4) adaptive
defence protects him from this after level 7.
• Stun: All plants (level 7), oozes (level 8) and elementals (level 9) are immune to stun. The zern's (MM4)
adaptive defence protects him from this after level 7.
• Fear: All plants and neogi (MM2) after level 7 are immune to mind effects and thus to fear, as are the
quaggoth form (Monsters of Faerun) after level 7.
• Mind-affecting effects: Plant (level 7) and ooze (level 8) forms and neogi after level 7 are immune to all
mind-affecting effects, grimlocks are immune to all illusions after level 7. The level-1-spell protection from evil
saves you from mind control, too, which is why such a potion is well worth its 50 gp.
• Gaze attacks: Speaking of grimlocks, when faced with something like a bodak, a form with blindsight is
recommended, like the grimlock or dark stalker (FF) after level 7. All oozes (level 8) have blindsight, too.
• Critical hits and sneak attacks: All plants (level 7), oozes (level 8) and elementals (level 9) are immune
to critical hits and thus also to sneak attacks, an assassin's death attacks, coup de grace, precise strike,
quivering palm, wounding and so on.
• Swarm attacks: Swarms are a threat much more deadly than their CR indicates. Often, when you don't
have a spellcaster with area spells, there is little you can to against them, since most swarms are immune to
all weapon damage and all effects that targets single creatures. But there are a few forms that can be used to
combat swarms. The Gulgar (level 3, 10 HD, MM3) has a sonic attack that deals 3d6 area damage (*1.5
against swarms for being an area effect). and after level 7 gets DR 10/adamantine, which will keep him alive
longer. If you count trample as an area-effect (the rules don't say, but it seems realistic), any such form like
treant (MM, level 7) is also be really useful.
• Negative energy and energy drain: The kir-lanan gargoyle from Faerun is healed by negative energy
and thus immune to level drain. Although it doesn't say, that is probably an extraordinary ability and thus
available at level 7. The shadow dragon is another form immune against level-draining effects, but only
available at MMF level 10. If you are hit with negative levels, however, remember that whether a level loss is
permanent is a fortitude save after 24 hours, taking a form with lots of constitution like cave troll (level 2, 9
HD) or war troll (level 2, 12 HD) then is a good idea.

And now a few tips not on how to optimize your character, but how to play it right, because when you play your
MMF wrong, your main opponent may not be some monster, but your DM.

• Ask the DM up front how he wants to resolve the familiarity question: Can you take forms which never
appeared as a monster to your party? Perhaps a few per level, can you choose which ones? Or do you
resolve that with knowledge rolls? Sooner or later you will want to take a form that will have a great effect in a
certain situation, and if you succeed with your plan, your DM will want to know why it is possible. Make that
clear from the beginning.
• Always have the data for your form ready. Write down before starting the game what your stats will be
in this or that form. You cannot hold up the game by borrowing the DMs monster manual and reading for half
an hour when battle is supposed to start. The less the hinder the flow of the game, the less the DM is likely to
object to your character.
In the same way, if you want to use grappling and your group is not used to it, you have to be the one who
knows the rules in and out. Read them and re-read them, they are mostly not that difficult.
• Don't overkill. Choose forms that fit to your groups power level. If you have a group that plays high-
power, with other players being wizards using only the best spells and other characters being optimized race-
class-feat combos, you can use the best forms available to you. However, when your group rather consists of
a bard, a normal ranger and an average monk, taking a powerful form like cryohydra early on and killing all
opponents by yourself before your fellow characters have much time to do any damage will make your DM
ban you. I found it best to use middling forms and only pull out the big guns once the tide of battle has
seriously turned against you. If you play powerful forms, the DM will send more powerful monstres, and you
less optimized comrades may not be able to keep up with this escalation. In short: De-escalate and avoid the
problem.
• Focus on your adaptability, not your power. Your character should ideally not be best known as the
character who can kill any monster, but as the one who will find a solution, no matter how dire the situation
looks. Bluff your way through or disguise yourself as one of the enemy (and thus put ranks in both). Perhaps
fly over opponents that are too strong and in your way, or burrow under their feet. Look for your opponent's
weaknesses and exploit them. But don't be ashamed to flee, instead take a big fast form and carry your
slower teammates (otherwise your group may not be able to flee at all). Having to flee every now and then is
good, it shows the DM that he set the power levels high enough and allows you to regroup and try a different
approach. In short: Be a shapechanger, not just a tank.

The best forms per level:

The following list describes which forms are best for the different MMF levels. Some earlier forms are put at level
7, when they only are good because of an extraordinary quality we get at that MMF level.
If a form needs more HD than that MMF has at least at that level, it is indicated.
Furthermore, for each form there is an indication from which book it comes, and it is indicated as either:
- adventuring form (af), which means it is a good form to wear when not in a special situation (and most often can
look like an ordinary human with a hat of disguise or changeling abilities);
- combat form (cf) indicating it is well suited for certain combat situations and
- special-effect form (sf), saying that the form has a special feature that can be useful in a special situation.
Of course, other forms may be also interesting if the listed ones are not available for some reason, like familiarity
rules.
A few words to familiarity: There is a lot of confusion about the passage in wildshape saying that a druid has to
be familiar with an animal to take its form. It is nowhere explained what that means, from having heard stories
about it to having dated it for a year...
I suggest to not introduce a familiarity restriction for the MMF that is hard to fulfil. Polymorph doesn’t have one
either, and there is no reason to make that simple spell even more advantageous over this PrC's only ability.

Abbreviations: BoED = Book of exalted deeds rulebook, BoVD = Book of vile Darkness rulebook, CA = Complete
Adventurer rulebook, CAr = Complete Arcane rulebook, CD = Complete Divine rulebook, CF = Complete Fighter
rulebook, CotSQ = City of the Spider Queen rulebook, DR = Damage Reduction, Drac = Draconomicon rulebook,
DV = Dark Vision, ECS = Eberron Campaign Setting, E5N = Eberron Five Nations, FB = Frostburn rulebook, FCS
= Faerun Campaign Setting rulebook, FF = Fiend Folio rulebook, HoH = Heroes of Horror, LEF = Lost Empires of
Faerun, LLV = LLV, LoM = Lords of Madness, MH = Miniature Handbook, MM = Monster Manual rulebook, MM2
= Monster Manual 2 rulebook, MM3 = Monster Manual 3 rulebook, MM4 = Monster Manual 4 rulebook, MMF =
Master of many Forms PrC, MoF = Magic of Faerun, MoI = Magic of Incarnum, MONoF = Monster of Faerun
rulebook, MotP = Manual of the Planes rulebook, OA = Oriental Adventures rulebook, PrC = Prestige Class,
PsiHB = Expanded Psionic Handbook rulebook, RoD = Races of Destiny rulebook, RoE = Races of Eberron, RoS
= Races of Stone rulebook, RoW = Races of the Wild rulebook, SaS = Sandstorm, SM = Silver Marches rulebook,
SR = Spell resistance, SoX = Secrets of Xen'drik, SS = Savage Species rulebook, SW = Stormwrack, ToM =
Tome of Magic, UE = Unapproachable East rulebook, UD = Underdark rulebook)

MMF level 1 (humanoids + animals, size M or S)

- black bear animal(MM; cf): a combat form with two claw attacks. 3HD, Medium Animal, 19str, 13dex, 15con, 2
natural armor

- bug bear (MM, af): While nothing special, bugbear form may nevertheless be interesting if your natural
attributes are very low. 3 HD, medium humaniod, 15str, 12dex, 13con, at level 7: +4 Move silently

- crucian(SaS; cf): humanoid with great natural armor of +8. Medium humanoid, 3 HD, 15str, 8dex, 17con, 8
natural armor

- dark stalker (FF; af, cf): Nice stats and +3d6 sneak attack make this both a good combat as well as adventuring
form. 3 HD, medium humanoid, 14str, 17dex, 13con, 2 natural armor, poison use, sneak attack 3d6; at level 7:
blindsight 60ft, light sensitivity

- desmodu hunting bat(MM2, cf): high dexterity + good maneuverability. 4 HD, meduim animal, 15str, 24dex,
13con; 3 natural armor

- dire badger (MM; sf): This form has a burrowing speed of 10, which means it allows a MMF to dig tunnels
usable by others at a speed of 1 m/sec. Like a giant mole, this can be used to circumvent walls, opponents etc.
You can gain familiarity from a summon spell. 3 HD, Medium Animal, 14str, 17dex, 19con, 3 natural armor, 3
natural attacks, rage, at level 7: LLV, scent

- dire hawk(RoW; sf, cf): This is a great outdoor form with superb dexterity. It has a fly speed of 80, 3 natural
attacks. Medium Animal 5 HD, 12str, 22dex, 15con, and 3 natural armor. Thanks Todd.

- fleshraker dinosaur (MM3, cf): This interesting form has the ability to charge an opponents, damage him, trip
him, grapple him and pin him, all in one round. It’s a workable technique especially against enemy spellcasters
with low grapple checks. Plus the form has a very good AC for this level because of natural armor and dexterity. 4
HD, medium animal, 17str, 19dex, 15con, 6 natural armor, leaping pounce, poison, rake; at level 7: LLV, scent, +8
hide, +6 jump

- gnoll, flind (MM3, af): Nothing special, but strength 17 is nice as a starting adventuring form before you find
something better next level. 2 HD, medium humanoid, 17str, 12dex, 15con, 2 natural armor; at level 7: DV

- legendary ape (MM2, af, 13 HD!): One of the few medium-sized form with strength 30 that can be disguised as
human with disguise self effects. 13 HD, medium animal, 30str, 17dex, 16con, 6 natural armor, rend, at level 7:
lowlight, scent

- leopard (MM, cf): Not as strong as a bear, but faster and able to pounce and start a grapple. 3 HD, Medium
Animal, 16str, 19dex, 15con, 1 natural armor, improved grab, pounce, rake; at level 7: +8 jump, balance, climb, +4
Move silently, Hide

- merfolk (MM, sf): Merfolk breathe underwater and have a swim speed of 50 while still being humanoid. 1 HD,
Medium humanoid, 13str, 13dex, 14con, aqzuatic subtype; at level 7: amphibious, LLV

- phaerlock (UD, af, cf): While nothing special, this form offers a natural armor of +7. 2 HD, Medium humanoid,
15str, 10dex, 14con, 7 natural armor; at level 7: all-around vision (no flanking), hold breath

- protocerops (SaS, cf): Good allrounder combat animal form. Medium animal, 5 HD, 16str, 11dex, 19con, 8
natural armor, powerful charge 2d8+11; at level 7: +4 survival

- severm (Serpent Kindom, sf): This snake has a poison that is a contact anesthetic, so in this form you can
actually work as anesthesist. Small animal, 2 HD, 17str, 17dex, 11con, 3 natural armor, attach, blood drain,
poison; at level 7: LLV, scent

- tren (Serpent Kingdoms, cf. Thanks Iku Rex). OK beginners combat form, although the stench ability will be
problematic with your comrades. And aquatic with 40' swim speed. 4 HD, medium aquatic humanoid, 15str,
13dex, 14con, 8 natural armor, stench; at level 7: DV 60 ft., multiattack

- varag (MM4, af, cf, sf): The varag offers an acceptible allround package with great speed and acceptable stats.
Later, he gets spring attack at level 7.
Medium humanoid, 3 HD, 15str, 15dex, 13con, 3 natural armor, speed 60 ft.; at level 7: spring attack, run, DV 60
ft., scent, +8 move silently, always take 10 when moving silently, +4 survival when tracking by scent

MMF level 2 (giants, size L)

- cave ankylosaurus(MH, cf): This form grants a whopping +17 to natural armor, so it might be nice if you are
flanked by rogues. large animal, 7 HD, 21st, 6 dex, 21 con, +17 natural armor, trample 3d6+7; at level 7: DV 60 ft.

- cave triceratops(MH, cf): Nice combat animal with powerful charge and trample abilities. Large animal, 8 HD,
19st, 8 dex, 21 con, +10 natural armor, powerful charge (4d6+12), trample 3d6+6; at level 7: DV 60 ft., scent

- cave t-Rex(MH, cf): Quite some jaws on this one. Large animal, 9 HD, 25str, 14dex, 17con, 4 natural armor,
improved grab, swallow whole (2d6+7+6 acid), at level 7: DV 60 ft., scent

- cave troll (MM3; cf; 9 HD!): One of the best grappling forms! Great attributes coupled with a high natural AC
and great damage from its natural attacks and rend and rake abilities. Plus a quite effective dazing blow ability if
both claws hit. After you reached level 7, add fast healing 8 to that. 9 HD, large giantn 29str, 13dex, 27con, 11
natural armor, dazing blow, improved grab, pounce, rake, rend; at level 7: DV, fast healing 8, LLV, scent

- desmodu guard bat(MM2, cf): high dexterity plus wounding. 4 HD, large animal, 17str, 22dex, 17con; 5 natural
armor, wounding; at level 7: dodge

- dire ape (MM; cf): While it is soon overpowered by forms on higher levels, the dire ape is a good combat form if
you go straight to the MMF und thus can't use highee HD forms at this level. Easy familiarity through bought
summon spells. 5 HD, large animal, 22str, 15dex, 14con, 4 natural armor, rend 2d6+9.

- dire barracuda (SW; sf): The dire barracuda swims at 80 feet and can later still charge after 3x that movement.
8 HD, large animal, swim 80 ft. (60 for wildshape), +6 natural armor, 19str, 15dex, 14con, sprint (3x move when
charging)

- dire bat (MM; sf): The dire bat is one of the earliest large flying forms which means it can possibly carry other
characters in the air. Familiarity even with a level 2 summon nature's ally spell. 4 HD, large animal, 17str, 22dex,
17con, 5 natural armor, fly 40 ft. (good); at level 7: blindsense 40 ft.,

- dire eagle (RoS, sf): An even better carrier for slow parts of the party is the dire eagle, for it is stronger and
faster and can carry 200 kg as a light load at full speed, 400kg with speed 40 and 600kg with speed 20.
Thanks NightScreamer20. 4 HD, large animal, 20str, 19dex, 17con, 5 natural armor, fly 60 ft. (average); at level 7:
LLV

- dire wolf (MM; cf, sf): Great strength makes this one a good combat form, while its good speed make it suited
for following others. You can gain familiarity from a bought summon spell. 6 HD, Large Animal, 25str, 15dex,
17con, 3 natural armor, trip; at level 7: LLV, scent, +2 hide, listen, move silently, survival, track

- dusk giant, least (HoH; cf, af): Really nice adventuring form for starters, for you can take it right away, gain
decent stats, natural armor and rend. Use of the cannibalize special attack would be considered cheating by most
DMs (see MMF Tricks), but even without that, this is a good form. Medium giant, 6 HD, 20str, 13dex, 18con, 6
natural armor, rend, cannibalize, at level 7: LLV

- dusk giant, lesser (HoH; cf, af; 12 HD): An large "upgrade" from the least dusk giant for those with more HD,
this form has better strength than any other halfway humanoid form at this level, great natural armor and abilities.
Large giant, 12 HD, 34str, 11dex, 25con, 11 natural armor, rend, rock throwing, cannibalize, at level 7: LLV, rock
catching

- filborg (MM2; af, cf; 13 HD!) A form with the perverse strength of 36 plus natural armor 12 and trample (and
later fast healing), this is one hell of a fighter. Especially trample is great if you fight a large number of opponents.
13 HD, large giant, 36str, 13dex, 23con, 12 natural armor, rockthrowing, trample; at level 7: DV, fasthealing, rock
catching

- forest troll (MM3; af): Probably the medium-sized form with the highest constitution, this form is ideally suited to
be worn beneath a human disguise in everyday situations. Natural armor and claws with quite deadly poison are
an additional plus. 5 HD, medium giant, 17str, 16dex, 21con, poison; at level 7: DV 90ft, fast healing 5, LLV scent,
+2 hide

- giant octopus animal(MM, cf; 8 HD!) A giant octopus has nine attacks per round, has improved grab and can
constrict in a grapple. You can gain familiarity from a summon spell. 8 HD, large animal, 20str, 15dex, 13 con, 7
natural armor, improved grab, constrict; at level 7: ink cloud, jet, LLV, +4 hide, +10 escape artist, aquatic subtype

- jungle giant(SoX, sf; 11 HD!) A jungle giant has a dexterity of 28, so it is a well suited form to either dodge
spells and traps or to pick locks etc with. Large giant, 11 HD, 21 str, 28dex, 16con, 5 natural armor; at level 7:
woodland stride, lowlight vision, +4 hide, survival in jungle terrain

- tiger (MM; af, cf): Though soon not able to keep up with better forms like cave troll, the tiger is a good choice for
druid5/MMF2 characters who want to grapple at this level, due to improved grab, pounce and rake. Plus bought
summon spells give you easy familiarity. 6 HD, large animal, 23str, 15dex, 17con, 3 natural armor.

- troll (MM; af, cf): The high constitution and strength coupled with good natural AC, claws attacks and reach
makes the regular troll a good allrounder form in combat. 6 HD, large giant, 23str, 14dex, 23con, 5 natural armor,
rend; at level 7: regeneration 5, LLV, scent, DV 90 fct.

MMF level 3 (Monstrous humanoids)

- Aarakocra (RoF, sf): Not much to them really, except for their excellent flight speed. Useful for travel at early
levels while remaining in humanoid-like form.
Races of Faerun, 1HD, Monstrous Humanoid, +1 NA, 9 Str, 15 Dex, 10 Con, claws and foot talons, land speed
20', fly 90' (average).

- abeil soldier (MM2, cf): This one deals damage with each successful grapple check, so you can grapple a weak
opponent like a spellcaster and pin him, making him immobile and harming him at the same time. 6 HD, large
monstrous humanoid, 22str, 13dex, 16con, drone, improved grab, poison; at level 7: DV 60ft, DR5/+1, special
enemy

- annis (MM; af, cf): The annis combines high natural AC and attributes with great grappling abilities, making it a
great form for a bit of close-up combat. 7 HD, large monstrous humanoid, 25str, 12dex, 14con, 10 natural armor,
improved grab, rake (no grappling penalties to claw attacks), rend; at level 7: damage reduction 2/bludgeoning,
DV, SR level+12

- dusk hag (ECS; af, cf): Dusk hags are good adventuiring forms with +10 natural AC, but less HD than a green
hag. They become additionally good at level 7, when you get their SR 20.
8 HD, monstrous humanoid, 17str, 12dex, 15con, 10 natural armor; at level 7: DV 60 ft., charm, sleep, fear
immunity, spell resistance level+12, +4 sense motive

- gargoyle (MM; sf): Gargoyles don't have to eat, drink, or breathe, which is one of the few forms thus immune to
suffocation effects. 4 HD, medium monstrous humanoid, 15str, 14dex, 18con, 4 natural armor, freeze ability; at
level 7; add +2 hide, listen, spot, +8 hide (total) against stone

- green hag (MM; af, cf; 9 HD!): The green hag is one of the medium-sized forms with the highest natural armor,
making it a good adventuring form. At level 7, you additionally get spell resistance. 9 HD, medium monstrous
humanoid, 19str, 12dex, 12con, 11 natural armor, +8swim; at level 7: SR level+9, DV 90ft, mimicry

- gulgar (MM3; cf, sf; 10 HD!): The gulgar form has two great advantages: For one, its natural attacks are treated
as adamantine for overcoming DR, so you don’t need a special weapon. And as second, the gulgar has an EX
sonic cone attack with 3d6 damage and 30 feet range. 10 HD, large monstrous humanoid, 20str, 7dex, 17con, 8
natural armor, crystalline bone, sonic pulse, powerfull charge; at level 7: DR10/adamantine, DV, immunity to
sonic, stability, subsonic speech, tremorsense, +4 listen, -4 spot

- kir-lanan (FRCS; sf): The kir-lanan has a fly speed of 90 with good maneuverability, while still giving you hands
and legs. Thus, it is a decent flying form, it for example can cast spells with somatic components while flying.
Even better is the level 7, when this is the best form against negative energy: It gets healed by it, not damaged or
drained. 4 HD, medium monstrous humanoid, 14str, 12dex, 10con, fly 90 (good), 4 natural armor; at level 7: +4
hide, harmed by positive energy, healed by negative

- marrulurk (SaS; cf, sf): The marrulurk has an assassin's death attack, albeit at a not so high DC. Small
monstrous humanoid, 3 HD, 12str, 16dex, 14con, 2 natural armor, sneak attack 2d6, death attack (DC 11+
Charisma mod), poison use; at level 7: +4 hide, move silently

- marzanna hag (FB; af, cf, sf): The marzanna has a good natural AC, attributes and damage (even rend), but its
best feature is the cold subtype, making it totally immune to all cold effects after level 7. Even has a swim speed.
8 HD, medium monstrous humanoid, 21str, 12dex, 14con, 9 natural armor, rend; at level 7: DV, immunity to cold,
SR level+7, vulnerability to fire

- phoelarch (MM3; af, sf): It itself has a heat attack that adds 1d6 fire damage to all your natural or metal
weapons. At level 7, you are also immune to all fire and heat attacks. Plus it can be disguised as human with
disguise self magic. 7 HD, medium monstrous humanoid, 14str, 17dex, 15con, heat; at level 7: DV, immunity to
fire, poison, and disesase, SR level+11, vulnerability to cold

- phthisic (PsiHB; cf, sf): The phthisic is quite similar to the troll in its abilities, but it has one very important
feature: Its bite attack deals intelligence damage. That means that one single bite is usually enough to finish off a
purple worm, frost worm, or any animal!
6 HD, large monstrous humanoid, 23str, 12dex, 21con, 8 natural armor, Mind feed; at level 7: DV 60 ft.,
regeneration 5, resistance to cold 10, scent

- rhek (BoED; cf): Average form with good natural armor and powerful charge. Its advantage is that it can be
called up as part of a monster summoning IV spell per page 190's update to the summon tables to include MM2
and BoED. 5 HD, medium monstrous humanoid, 19str, 10dex, 19con, 7 natural armor; powerful charge 2d8+8

- sarkrith thane (FF; cf, sf; 11 HD!): Although con 28 makes this a usable form at any level, it really begins to
shine when you get its EX qualities at level 7: Then you get an additional move or attack action per round,
adaptive energy resistance and can’t die from bludgeoning damage. 11 HD, large monstrous humanoid, 26str,
10dex, 28con, 5 natural armor; at level 7: adaptive resistance, adrenaline boost, DV 60ft, resist blows, SR
level+12, mask scent, scent.

- war troll (MM3; af, cf; 12 HD!): This is one of the best forms for the MMF! Incredible attributes and natural AC
plus a great dazing blow ability that keeps opponents from acting in many rounds. When you have reached level
7, it becomes even more powerful with regeneration 9 (acid), DR 5/adamantine, scent, spell resistance 20, dark-
and LLVR Just great.
12 HD, large monstrous humanoid, 31str, 16dex, 29con, 14 natural armor, dazing blow; at level 7:
DR5/adamantine, DV, LLV, regeneration 9, scent SR level+8

- zern (MM4; af, cf, sf): One of the coolest adventuring forms. Take a shapechanging ability as a swift action that
can either make you large, small, better armored, faster, better at squeezing through, or better at wounding
opponents, and you have a very decent medium-sized form.
At level 7, add among spell resistance and fast healing an immunity to all effects that require fort saves unless
they affect objects (which for example include disease, poison, paralysis, hold effects, petrification, nausea,
exhaustion, high-altitude, dehydration etc.), and you have a great adventuring form
Medium monstrous humanoid, 8 HD, 16str, 17dex, 18con, 6 natural armor, malleable form; at level 7: adaptive
defences, fast healing 5, SR level+10, DV 60 ft., +4 caster level for transmutation spells

MMF level 4 (Fey, size T)

- bisan (OA, cf, 10 HD!): The bisan has a touch attack that deals 1d10 points of damage and a natural armor of
+8, which makes her good if you face an opponent with high AC. 10 HD, medium fey, 11str, 14dex, 10con, 8
natural atmor, at level 7: SR level+11

- bog imp (HoH; sf): The bog imp has an impressive burrowing speed of 60, which is as fast as a horse!
Small fey, 4 HD, 8str, 21dex, 15con, sicken, at level 7: amphibious, immunity to acid, paralysis, poison, sleep;
LLV, liquid burrow, code of law

- redcap (MM3; af): The redcap is not impressive in its ordinary form, but since it uses different advancement
rules than usual, at higher HD it becomes a great adventuring form, and the rules only prohibit advancement that
changes the creatures size. A 20 HD redcap is still small, but has strength 30, dexterity 29, constitution 30 and
nine natural armor, so it is a good form if you must look totally harmless.
Small fey, 4 - 20 HD, strength 10+HD, dex 9+HD, con 10+HD, natural armor 2 - 9, powerful build.

- verdant prince (MM4; sf, 16 HD!): The verdant prince has a dexterity of 26, so it is useful when you have to
open doors, steal things etc.
medium fey, 17str, 26dex, 18con, 3 natural armor; at level 7: evasion, LLV, track

MMF level 5 (vermin)

- giant stag beetle (MM, cf, sf) This form gives you a 4d6 base bite damage. If you have a warshaper level or the
improved natural attack feat, that becomes 6d6. So this is a good form when you need to deal a lot of damage in
one hit, e.g. to punch trough DR or break something. You can gain familiarity from a summon spell. 7 HD, large
vermin, 23str, 10dex, 17con, 10 natural armor, trample 2d8, bite 4d6; at level 7: add vermin traits, darkvision 60 ft.

- knell beetle (MM3, cf, sf; 12 HD!): A knell beetle can make all next to it fall prone each round unless they
succeed at a reflex save vs. DC 24. 12 HD, large vermin, 26str, 10dex, 23con, 15 natural armor, rend, shake the
earth, trample; at level 7: DV 60ft, immunity to sonic, vermin traits, +8 balance, listen, spot

- leechwalker (MM2, cf, 13 HD): A leechwalker drains 2d4+3 constitution points with every successful grapple
check. Plus when you reach level 7, it is immune to ability drain, massive damage and subdual damage. It looks
humanoid enough to disguise it as human with a hat of disguise or similar tricks. 13 HD, medium vermin, 18str,
11dex, 16con, 2 natural armor, blooddrink, improved grab, wounding; at level 7: all around vision, immunities

- sword spider (MonOF, cf): This form can jump at opponents and wound them with many legs at once. 5 HD,
large vermin, 18str, 10dex, 14con, 8 natural armor, impalement, poison

MMF level 6 (aberrations, size H)

- allosaurus (MM2, cf): Very high trample damage allows you to mow down large number of opponents,
improved grab, huge size + rake make grappling interesting. Ergo: a form of many possibilities. 10 HD, huge
animal, 24str, 12dex, 17con, 5 natural armor, improved grab, rake 2d8, swallow whole, trample 5d8; at level 7: DV
60ft, LLV, scent

- chuul (MM, cf): Can paralyse opponents when grappling them. 11 HD, large aberration, 20str, 16dex, 18con, 10
natural armor, constrict 3d6, improved grab, paralytic tentacles; at level 7: amphibious, DV, immunity to pioson

- cloaker (MM, cf, sf): Cloakers have interesting ranged sonic abilities. For example, the stupor ability means that
it can hover above a non-flying victim till it fails a save and is helpless for 5 rounds. 6 HD, large aberration, 21str,
16dex, 17con, 7 natural armor, moan, engulf; at level 7: DV

- cloaker lord (MonOF, cf, sf): Like cloaker, but more so. What can be much btter, though, is the ability to
dominate all regular cloakers who will follow your orders. 9 HD, huge aberration, 26str, 13dex, 20con, 8 natural
armor, moan, engulf, dominate cloakers, at level 7: SR level+9

- corruption eater (HoH, sf; 15 HD!): The HoH book brings us rules for taint, a corruption that inflicts even the
purest heroes. The corruption eater form allows you to remove that corruption from your comrades.
Medium aberration, 15 HD, 20str, 20dex, 19con, devour corruption; at level 7: corruptuin scent, purity vulnerability

- cryohydra (MM, cf; 12 HD for 12-headed): To take this form you have to take the frozen wildshape feat from the
Frostburn book. But it can be worth it: You get all (up to 12) bite attacks, which you can use as a simple action,
e.g. in addition to moving or wildshaping. You also get an improved combat reflexes feat that gives you one AoO
per head, which again can be up to 12. Things get even better at level 7: Your 12-headed form grants you a
whopping fast healing 22 plus cold immunity! Plus the ability to grow additional heads if some of yours should be
cut off, up to 24 heads.
If that's still not enough, you could choose the Assume SU ability feat from Savage Species. Then you get a
breath weapon with an area of 10 ft. x 20 ft. and 36 d6 points of cold damage!
Huge magical beast, 5 - 12 HD (one HD per head), for 12-Headed: 23str, 12dex, 20con, 13 natural armor, swim
20 ft., 12 attacks, DV 60 ft., fast healing 22, LLV, scent, combat reflexes, cold subtype

- darkweaver (FF; cf, sf): A darkweavers bite deals 2d4 strength damage. This is one of the few forms that can
deal strength damage. 9 HD, medium aberration, 17str, 18dex, 12con, 8 natural armor, improved grab, strength
damage; at level 7: all around vision, cold resistance 10, DV 60ft, fast healing 3, sunlight vulnerability, tentacle
regeneration

- deathkiss beholder (MonOF, cf, 12 HD!): Lots of tentacles that can drain constitution upon hitting makes this a
good combat form.

- delver (MM, sf; 15 HD!): Delver form allows you to dissolve large quantities of rock very quickly, or at level 7 to
soften and reshape it. For the artistically inclined. 15 HD, large aberration, 27str, 13dex, 21con, 15 natural armor,
corrosive slime; at level 7: stone shape, immunity to acid, tremorsense 60ft

- dragonhawk (E5N; sf): The dragonhawk is a huge animal with strength 25 and a base flying speed of 120 ft.
That makes him ideal for carrying your whole party somewhere: He can fly unhindered with up to 600 kg on his
back, and still fly at 80 feet with up to 1800 kg.
Huge animal, 8 HD, 26str, 12dex, 20con, speed 10, fly 120 (average; 24 mph), natural armor 9; at lvel 7: LLV,
blindsense 60 ft.; +8 spot;

- dusk giant, greater (HoH; cf, af; 18 HD!): One of the most powerful halfway humanoid forms, this form offers
incredible strength and combat abilities.
Huge giant, 18 HD, 48str, 9dex, 32con, 17 natural armor, rend, rock throwing, cannibalize, at level 7: LLV, rock
catching
- elephant (MM, cf, sf): Though nothing special at this level, this form is easy to get familiar with (use summon
spells or travel to an oriental country), has a great trample attack dealing 2d8+15 points of damage to up to 48
squares, and is especially useful to haul great weights around: everything up to 1.6 tons is a light load, 3.2 ton is
medium, 4.8 tons are maximum and thus can still be lifteds above your head, and you can drag 24 tons, twice that
with favorable conditions like logs to roll the weight on.
Huge animal, 11 HD, 30str, 10dex, 21 con, speed 40 ft., +7 natural armor, trample DC 25, 2d8+15; at level 7:
LLV, scent

- folugub (PsiHB, cf, sf): A folugub can liquefy any chrystal. That is a deadly weapon against crystal golems and
against anyone living in a high chrystal towerR
4 HD, medium aberration, 10str, 17dex, 17con, 5 natural armor, Liquefy crystal, at level 7: DV 60 ft., scent

- great fihyr (MM2, cf, sf; 16 HD!) A great fihyr will panic anyone looking at him attacking unless a will save (DC
20) succeeds. This form can be used to rout entire armies. 16 HD, medium aberration, 11str, 14dex, 12con, 6
natural armor, frightfull presence, at level 7: invisbility, DV 60ft, scent

- guardian naga (MM; cf) A guardian naga has a ranged touch poison spit attack with 30 feet range and very
powerful poison (DC 14+level/2, 1d10 con/1d10 con), which isn among the best ranged attacks for MMFs.
large aberration, 11 HD, 21str, 14dex, 19con, +7 natural armor, poison, spit.; at level 7: DV 90 ft., eschew
materials

- harpoon spider (MM3; cf) A harpoon spider can shoot strands at opponents to trip them.
Large aberration, 5 HD, 17str, 19dex, 18con, natural armor+3; improved trip feat; harpooning, poison, at level 7:
DV, evasion, spines, web movement
Dread harpoon spider: huge aberration, 9 HD, 25str, 17dex, 23con, natural armor+3; improved trip feat;
harpooning, poison, at level 7: DV, evasion, spines, web movement

- hive mother beholder (LoM; sf; 20 HD!) A hive mother has an antimagic cone of 240 feet range. Quite
something for the 3.0 Assume SU ability feat. Huge aberration, 20 HD, 24str, 14dex, 22con, 25 natural armor,
improved grab, swallow whole; at level 7: all-around voision, DV 60 ft., flight

- hook horror (MM2, cf): Can sunder weapons without AoOs and deals 5d6+24 with each successful grapple
check, which includes pins. 10 HD, large abberation, 24str, 17dex, 14con, 10 natural armor, improved grab,
power sunder, rending bite; at level 7: blindsight 60ft, light sensitivity

- kuo-toa leviathan (UD; sf, 15 HD!): Too bad this form has 15 HDS, for it has a ton of nice EX abilities: Stun
opponents, later eeing invisible and ethereal creatures, wisdom bonus to AC, improved evasion.... 15 HD, huge
monstrous humanoid, 26str, 13dex, 21con, +14 natural armor, improved grab, swallow whole; at level 7: stun,
amphibious, DV 60 ft., immunities (poison, paralysis, hold, figments, nets), improved evasion, keen sight, light
blindness, energy resistance 10, sea mothers blessing, slippery, uncanny dodge

- kython (BoVD, af, cf): A kython adult (or better, if you have 12 HD, the kython impaler) features great natural
AC and good attributes combined with two bonus feats at level 7. While it can’t fight as good as some other forms
at this level, it is a good form to wear beneath a human disguise. impaler: 12 HD, medium aberration, 18str,
20dex, 17con, 12 natural armor, charge 6d6+8, wield kython weaponry, poison; at level 7: kython traits (blindsight
60 ft., acid, cold immunity, fire, electricity resistance 20)

- mind flayer (MM, cf, sf): The illithid form is interesting for two reasons: For one, its instant kill feature of brain
extraction is cool, but the low grapple bonus make that option seldom effective. Much better is its spell resistance.
8 HD, medium aberration, 12str, 14dex, 12con, 3 natural armor, improved grab, extract; at level 7: SR level+17,
telepathy.

- phaerimm (LEF, sf): According to the Lost Empire of Faerun book, phaerimms have damage reduction /magic,
telepathy and a special sight ability that works like see invisible, arcane sight or true seeing as extraordinary
abilities. That is probably just sloppy rules design, since this kind of DR and telepathy is always SU and the sight
ability should also be, but if you play strictly by the rules, this is a good way to get telepathy and true seeing, both
of which can be invaluable.
tiny to huge aberration, HD and stats varies, implant, at level 7: telepathy, damage reduction varies/magic, flight,
full vision, immunities (polymorphing, petrification), spell resistance

- quetzalcouatlus dinosaur (MM2, sf): This huge dinosaur has a fly speed of 100 ft. and can carry 1200 pounds
without slowing down, and up to 3600 pounds with a speed of 66 feet (according to the Heroes of Battle). So if
you need to take your whole party somewhere else, this is as fast as a flying ship.
huge animal, 10 HD, 26str, 13dex, 20con, speed 20, fly 100 (poor; 20 mph), AC+8 (28), bite (2d10+8+swallow
whole), 2xwing (2d6+4); swallow whole (M); at level 7: LLV, DV 60 ft.; carrying capacity: light 0.6t/ medium 1.2t/
heavy 1.8t/ drag 9t (HoB: fly 66 ft. if medium of heavy load)

- rukanyr (FF, cf): 10 attacks combined with a nice disarming ability. 7 HD, large aberration, 21str, 7dex, 24con,
15 natural armor, poison, stunning strike; at level 7: DV, fast healing 5, reflexive sunder, sonic immunity,
stability+20

- rust monster (MM, cf, sf): Rust monster form allows you to rust metal very quick.
5 HD, medium aberration, 10str, 17dex, 13con, 5 natural armor, rust; at level 7: DV, scent

- scorrow (SoX, sf): The scorrow is only an average adventuring form, but may be useful because they can
influence scorpions, and thus may help against a scorpion swarm when other options fail. Large aberration, 10
HD, 21str, 16dex, 16con, 9 natural armor, speed 50 ft., favored enemy +2 (animals, giants, magical beasts); at
level 7: scorpion empathy, track, SR 11+level, DV 60 ft, tremorsense 60 ft, +4 hide, move silently, survival

- seryulin (MMIII, sf): The seriulyn has a spray attack that can glue enemies to the ground or make flyers drop.
The form gets more interesting on level 7: Then it gets a "slick" ability that works like freedom of movement,
except in a grapple. Plus damage reduction and trip immunity.
10 HD, large aberration, 20str, 12dex, 14con, 10 natural armor, pain poison, sticky spray; at level 7: amphibious,
blindsense 60 ft., can't be tripped, damage reduction 5/piercing or slashing, DV 60 ft., acid resistance 10, slick

- slasrath (FF, cf): The slasrath has a nifty charge ability that affects all within reach, dealing nice damage and
destroying their armor. 8 HD, large aberration, 21str, 14dex, 19con, 6 natural armor, poison, wingslash; at level 7:
DV

- sun giant (MM2, cf; 13 HD!): Need some artillery? Nothing says “Let’s rock this place” like a rock thrown with
strength 37. Catapults are harmless compared, considering the rate of fire. 13 HD, huge giant, 37str, 14dex,
25con, 10 natural armor, rockthrowing, fire subtype; at level 7: DV 60ft, rock catching

- will-o’-wisp (MM, cf, sf): In will-o’-wisp form you should be among the best regarding touch attack AC and reflex
save. Plus you get an electrical touch attack that rarely misses, and at level 7, you’ll be always invisible and
immune to almost all spells. Great form! 9 HD, small aberration, 1str, 29dex, 10con, shock attack; at level 7:
invisibility at will, weapon finesse and spell immunity

- ulitharid (LoM; cf): Like the mind flayer, but betters stats and two additional tentacles. Large aberration, 12 HD,
16str, 14dex, 16con, 5 natural armor, improved grab, extract; at level 7: SR 15+HD

- Urophion (LoM; cf; 12 HD!): This really powerful form has six touch attack that deal massive strength damage
and drow opponents nearer where you can extract their brains. Bon appetite... Large aberration, 12 HD, 19str,
13dex, 16con, 14 natural armor, drag, extraction, weakness (Fort DC 19, 2d8 str), strands; at level 7 DV 60 ft.,
immunity to electricity, vulnerability to fire, cold resistance 10, SR level+18, LLV.

MMF level 7 (Plant, EX qualities)

- battlebriar: warbound impaler (MM3, cf): Great combat form: The battlebriar does not only have plant
immunties, a trample attack, a ranged area attack dealing 5d6 damage, improved grab plus four attacks of
opportunity and a penalty to opponent's tumble checks around you. It also has a great 'impale' ability that, if you
succeed at an additional grapple check while grappling, allows you to impale opponents on your spikes, which
renders them helpless and suspicable to coup de gras attacks. Given, to keep them impaled, you suffer a hefty -
20 penalty to grapple checks, which is easy to beat for most opponents. But if you act right after the opponenet,
you can impale him and have a friend kill him before it is his turn again. (thanks Surreal
Large plant, 12 HD, 23str, 6dex, 22con, natural armor+12, impale, improved grab, thorn volley, trample, at level 7:
DV, LLV, thorn field, plant traits

- briarvex (MM4, sf): Th ebriarvex can move through all kinds of underbrush unimpeded, even magically
animated brush.
Large plant, 8 HD, 25str, 10dex, 19con, 10 natural armor, DR 5/slashing, improved woodland strike

- dark naga (MM, sf): Dark nagas are immune to mind reading. 9 HD, large aberration, 14str, 15dex, 14con, 3
natural armor, poison; at level 7: DV, immunity to poison, resistance to charm, guarded thoughts, eschew
materials

- darktentacles (MM2, cf): When you get the racial boni at level 7, the racial grapple bonus of +16 makes this
form one of the best grapplers there is! Pin opponents and wait till your constrict damage wore them down. Can
even wield a dozen of oversized greatswords in all those tentacles. 9 HD, large aberration, 19str, 15dex, 17con, 7
natural armor, constrict 2d6, improved grab; at level 7: DV 60ft, enhanced multiweapon fighting, tentacle
regeneration, tremorsense, weapon use

- dharculus (PH, sf): The dharculkus has a dual-nature ability usable at level 7 that allows you to retreat fully to
the ethereal plane. Medium aberration, 8 HD, 12str, 14dex, 20con, +10 natural armor, dualplanar, ethereal bite

- director beholder (LoM; sf): Directors get +8 to handle animal checks. Large aberration, 8 HD, 12str, 12dex,
16con, 10 natural armor; at level 7: SR level+8, DV 60 ft.
- doppelganger (MM; sf): Once you get racial skill boni at levcel 7, doppelgangers give you a +4 racial bonus to
bluff checks. So it is a good form to wear beneath a disguise self effect if you want to lie to someone. 4 HD,
medium monstrous humanoid, 12str, 13dex, 12con, +4 natural armor, +4 bluff, disguise

- duergar (PsiHB, sf): The duergar has three power points as a natural ability. So if you want to use an item after
level 7 that only works if you have PP, this form can help. 1 HD, Medium humanoid, 10str, 10dex, 12con, at level
7: immunity to paralysis, phantasms, and poison.

- gas spore (LoM, sf): To quote Lilt: What about the Gas Spore form from LoM 148-149? Now that you don't
apply the new con to your HPs, the con of 4 doesn't make you so weak. It's most powerful out of combat,
however, for use with the infestation ability. You can use this to harvest gas spore poison (quite valuable) or to
start a gas spore outbreak in enemy territories. It only takes a few hours to turn a KOed enemy into 1d4 gas
spores which you can harvest 1d4 doses of poison worth 500gp each from. Turning a single enemy into 3k woth
of poison is delightfully evil.
10 HD, large plant, 16str, 4dex, 4con, death throes, infestation; at level 7: all-around vision, beholder camouflage,
flight (20 ft., poor), LLV

- greater doppelganger (MonOF, sf): See the Greater Doppelganger trick under “Mean and dirty tricks” below.

- greenspawn sneak (MM4, sf): The greeenspawn sneak is one of the few form that gives us a racial bonus to
bluff, in this case +5.
Small monstrous humanoid, 2 HD, 11str, 16dex, 13con, 2 natural armor, 2d6 sneak attack damage, two-weapon
fighting, DV 60 ft., +5 on bluff, hide, move silently,

- grimlock (MM, sf): Grimlock forms at level 7 are able to see through all illusions. 3 HD, medium monstrous
humanoid, 15str, 13dex, 13con, 4 natural armor, at level 7: blindsight 40ft, immune to gaze attacks, visual effects,
illusions; +10 hide in mountains or underground, track

- gulguthydra (MonOF, sf; 15 HD!): A gulguthydra nauseates everyone in 80 feet range that has less than 9 HD.
Can be good to fight against an army. 15 HD, huge aberration, 20str, 10dex, 24con, 15 natural armor, improved
grab, at level 7: nauseating stench

- human (MM, sf): Since The Sage changed the racial bonus feat a human gets into an extraordinary quality in
the Official Game FAQ, human now becomes a great form once you reach level 7: You effectively gain a free feat
of your choosing. So if you would like to be able to take cryohydra form then, you could change into a human, get
frozen wildshape from Frostburn as the bonus feat, and use it to take cryohydra form. Other interesting feats thus
available are e.g. wild feats, metamagic feats, or things like skill focus.
Medium humanoid, 1 HD, 10str, 10dex, 10con, at level 7: free racial bonus feat

- ironmaw (FF, cf): The ironmaw has four long range tendril attacks that sap constitution. 12 HD, huge plant,
30str, 9dex, 23con, 18 natural armor, attach, emgulf, illness, tendrils, wounding; at level 7: plant traits

- ironthorn (SSt, cf): If you succeed in grappling an opponent with this form (which is not the best grapple,
though), you can expose him to your powerful paralysing poison.
10 HD, large plant, 17str, 10dex, 25con, natural armor+15, improved grab, impale, poison (1d4 min paralysis, 2d4
con); at level 7: blindsense 60 ft., DR 5/bludgeoning or slashing, plant traints

- mimic (MM, sf): At this level, you can use mimic form to copy objects, walls etc., things whose form you usually
can’t take. 7 HD, large abberation, 19str, 12dex, 17con, 5 natural armor, adhesive crush; at level 7: mimic shape,
immunity to acid, add darkvision 60ft., +8 disguise

- minotaur (MM, sf): At this level, minotaurs never become lost in mazes etc. 6 HD, large monstrous humanoid,
19str, 10dex, 15con, 5 natural armor, powerfull charge; at level 7: natural cunning, DV, scent, +4 search, spot,
listen

- minotaur, greathorn (MM4; sf): The greathorn minotaur is one of the forms that can swim through earth like a
fish through water.
Large monstrous humanoid, 11 HD, 24str, 8dex, 20con, 7 natural armor, DR 5/-, earth glide, natural cunning, DV
60, scent, tremorsense, awesome blow, +4 listen, search, spot

- myconid sovereign (MM2, sf): It may not make much sense, but by the rules you can brew most potions there
are in this form without knowing the needed spells. It even has brew potion as a bonus feat. 6 HD, large plant,
18str, 12dex, 17con, 2 natural armor, spores; at level 7: potion making

- oread (FF, sf): An oread can swim through rock, earth etc like a fish through water, leaving no trace. 7 HD,
medium fey, 19str, 13dex, 18con, 9 natural armor; at level 7: burrow, cold immunity, earth mastery, LLV

- octopus tree (FF, cf, 14 HD!): a great allround fighter. Regeneration 10, plant immunities, high strength, great
grappler due to 8 tentacles with improved grab plus immune to acid. 14 HD, huge plant, 30str, 3dex, 20con, 24
natural armor, frightful presence, improved grab, swallow whole; at level 7: acid immunity, plant traits,
regeneration 10

- rimefire eilodon (FB, sf): A rimefire eilodod can move through ice and snow like a fish through water. 12 HD,
medium fey, 10str, 24dex, 17con, 2 natural armor; at level 7: DR 10/CI, immunity to cold, vulnerability to fire,
tremorsense, LLV, ice glide

- shambling mound (MM, sf): In shambling mound form, electrical attacks give you additional constitution. This
may be used to boost you HP or fortitude saves to obscene hights. 8 HD, large plant, 21str, 10dex, 17con, 11
natural armor, improved grab, constrict; at level 7: electricity absorbtion, +4 hide, listen, move silently, DV,
resistance to fire 10

- skulk (FF, af, sf): Though not powerful, the skulk form becomes useful at this level to remain unseen with its
racial +8 to move silently and +15 to hide checks and can even run while hiding at no penalty. Keep in mind that
see invisible makes invisibility problematic at this level, however hide remains effective. 2 HD, medium humanoid,
11str, 14dex, 11con; at level 7: peerless camouflage, trackless path, +8 Move silently, +15 hide

- spell weaver (MM2, sf): Spell weaver form allows you to cast more than one spell per round (not that we have
many), while keeping you save from mindreading and mind-influencing effects. 10 HD, medium monstrous
humanoid, 9str, 16dex, 9con, 5 natural armor; at level 7: chromatic disk, DV 60ft, immunity to mind effects,
shielded mind, spell weaving, SR, telepathy

- tendriculous (MM, cf): Tendriculous form offers regeneration 10, improved grab and a swallow whole ability that
also paralyses opponents, to prevent indigestionR 9 HD, huge plant, 28str, 9dex, 22con, 9 natural armor,
improved grab, swallow whole, paralysis; at level 7: regeneration 10, LLV, plant traits

- treant (MM, cf, sf): Treants have DR 10/slashing and deal double damage against objects. 7 HD, huge plant,
29str, 8dex, 21con, 13 natural armor, deal double damage against objects, trample; at level 7: DR 10/slashing,
vulnerability to fire, plant traits, +16 hide in forests

- vine horror (FF, cf, sf): Like all plants, the vine horror is immune to things like mind-affecting effects, poison,
disease, critical hits and quite a lot of other threats. It looks humanoid enough to disguise it as human with a
changeling’s abilities and still is able to move through small cracks. Its aquatic subtype limits its usefulness,
though. 5 HD, medium plant, 18str, 10dex, 19con, 8 natural armor; at level 7: half damage from piercing and
slashing, malleability, plant traits

- wood woad (MM3, af): A human-sized plant, the woodwoad form can easily be disguised as human and still
offers all the cool plant immunities. 8 HD, medium plant, 17str, 12dex, 16con, +4 balance, hide, lightning reflexes;
at level 7: LLV, vulnerability to fire, plant traits

- yak folk (MM2, sf): Although that may be seldom needed: Yak folk form allows you to use any staff, regardless
of if it is your kind of magic or not.

- yellow musk creeper (FF, sf): This nice plant has a ranged touch attack that makes opponetns come near an
stand there not resisting our attacks. And an ability to then drain their intelligence. So highly effective against low-
int-monsters. Thanks Surreal.
6 HD, huge plant, 10str, 16dex, 21con, 6 natural armor, musk puff (DC level/2+5), consume intelligence; at level
7: blindsight 30 ft., regeneration 5 (acid, fire), plant traits

MMF level 8 (oozes, size D)

- arcane ooze (MM3, cf; 15 HD!): The arcane ooze is a good grappler with huge size and 4d6 slam damage, but
its best feature is its magic immunity. 15 HD, huge ooze, 22str, 1dex, 26con, acid, improved grab, constrict; at
level 7: immunity to magic, blindsight, ooze traits

- black pudding (MM, cf, sf): This form has a very powerful acid that dissolves enemy weapons and armor. 10
HD, huge ooze, 17str, 1dex, 22con, acid, constrict, improved grab; at level 7: blindsight 60ft, split, ooze traits, +8
climb

- brine ooze (SaS, cf): This form sucks water from opponents dealing an additional 4d6 damage. It is also one of
the surprisingly few forms that are not affected by dehydration (it seems you can even dehydrate a fire ). huge
ooze, 12 HD, 17str, 1dex, 24con, desiccating impact (4d6, 4d8 for water elenemtals and plants), improved grab,
constrict; at level 7: immunity to desiccation, camouflage (looks like water pool), ooze traits

- corruptere (MM4, cf): The corruptere has an burst ability with 20 ft. radius for 6d6, usable each round, acid
damage, plus DR, trample, illusion immunity et al. Nice.
Huge ooze, 11 HD, 31str, 1dex, 29con, trample 2d6+a5+2d6 acid, acid sheath, acid burst, amphibious, immune to
acid, gaze attacks, illusions, visual effects, DR 5/-, SR level+7, ooze traits
- dissolution ooze (MoI, cf, sf): This orm allows you to sense the presence of incarnum in creatures and to
unshape the soulmates of hit creaures. Whatever that means (haven't read the rest of the book yet). 6 HD, large
ooze; 15str, 1dex, 29con, acid, dissolution; at level 7: blindsight, incarnum sense, ooze traits

- gelatinous cube (MM, cf): Can paralyse opponents for minutes and is almost invisible. 4 HD, huge ooze; 10str,
1dex, 26con, acid, engulf, paralysis; at level 7: transparent, immunity to electricity, blindsight, ooze traits

MMF level 9 (elementals)

- crysmal (PsiHB, sf): The crysmal gives us a +8 bonus to appraise checks at level 7. 6 HD, small elemental,
15str, 14dex, 12con, 8 natural armor, elemental traits; at level 7: Damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, immunity to
fire and cold, resistance to electricity 15

- earth elemental (MM, SF): Earth elementals glide through rock like a fish through water. A safe way to explore
dungeons or to flee a prison. You can gain familiarity from a summon spell.

- magma hurler(MH, cf): This form has a great ranged attack that does a hell of damage. The most funny thing is
that it is rated as CR 3. I think most 3rd-level characters would have no chance against a monster that deals
3d10+8+1d6 fire per hit... Medium elemental, 4 HD, 26str, 13dex, 24con, +4 natural armor, magma rock (move
action, 3d10+8+1d6 fire), at level 7: DV 60 ft., immunity to cold, fire vulnerability

MMF level 10 (dragon, size G)

- dragon turtle (MM, sf): This form has a chance to capsize and sink a ship of any size. 12 HD, huge dragon,
27str, 10dex, 21con, 17 natural armor, capsize, at level 7: immunity to fire sleep and paralysis, LLV, scent, DV
- gorynych (LEF, cf, 16 HD!): The gorynych has special grappling abilities: If it used its many tails, it can reduce
the penalty for grappling with only an appaneage, which lets him act as if not grappled. Its rend is also nice.
Huge dragon, 16 HD, 28str, 11dex, 18con, natural armor+19, improved grab, rake, rend, tail wrap; at level 7: DV,
LLV, scent, immune to sleep and paralysis

- gray linnorn (MM2, cf): If you want to take dragon form, this is one of the most effective. High damage and
natural AC while not too many HD. 13 HD, huge dragon, 24str, 11dex, 20con, 19 natural armor, crush, poison; at
level 7: blindsight, immunities, keen senses, SR

- Ibrandlin (MonOF, cf): This is a quite effective form due to its size and its pin ability, which can pin up to six
medium-sized opponents without even starting a grapple, so it can work instantaneous. You can even choose to
not harm opponents when doing so. 10 HD, gargantean dragon, 35 str, 11dex, 24 con, 11 natural armor, pin; at
level 7: SR level+10, fire immunity, cold damage

- roc (MM, sf, 18 HD!): To quote TheCarrionCrawler: It's great for carrying the whole party when magical means
are not available...
Gargantuan animal, 18 HD, 34str, 15dex, 24con, 9 Natural armor, fly 80 ft. Thanks Knastymike.

- sea drake (FF, cf, sf): One of the few gargantuan forms with not too many HD, the sea drake allows you not
only to grapple well with its +16 size bonus to grapple, it even has a special ability to sink whole ships. 12 HD,
gargantuan dragon, 35str, 10dex, 21con, 20 natural armor, constrict ship, crushing blow, swallow whole; at level
7: inkcload, regeneration 2, dragon traits

- shadow dragon (MONoF, sf): One of the forms to offer protection against energy drain, the shadow dragon is a
good choice when fighting negative energy creatures. Their stats make them weak fighters at this level, however.
juvenile shadow dragon: 13 HD, medium dragon, 15str, 10dex, 15con, natural armor+16; at level 7: spell
resistance 17, immune to energy drain, sleep, paralysis, blindsight 120 ft., keen senses

The so-called "polymorph announcement" provoked lots of head-shaking among MMFs. While WotC claimed that
it was done because polymorph became too powerful, they actually left polymorph exactly like it was, added
further more powerful polymorph spells in the Playeres Handbook II, and just took abilities away from wildshape
users, for example ruling that type and subtype are no longer gained, that equipment always melds, that you
cannot take forms advanced in size though the advancement rules, do not get racial bonus feats and skill boni, all
unlike polymorph.

So if you feel that your favorite PrC gets the short stick (to which I personally don't agree, see post #22 for an
example), here are tricks to increase your power beyond what was meant to be. I am saying "trick", for these are
rule hoops that may perhaps be legal, but at least for the major tricks weren't intended to work like that in the first
place. Don't be angry at your DM if he outrules them.
MMF tricks

• Minor MMF trick 1: the big vest pocket

It is possible to add abilities of one item to another one that usually does not have this kind of abilities, for 2x
the price. So for 5.000 gp, you probably could add the magic of a handy haversack (DMG, it's sort of a
smaller but better bag of holding)) to a vest you wear on a wildling clasp. The clasp will prevent the vest from
melding, and everything in the "vest of holding", too. That is one way to work around the problems produced
by the item meld rule: You won't be able to use this to keep items you have to wear like rings or a cloak, but
you can keep your beast claws, pearl of power, healing potions, antitoxin, rope, lamp, rations, blanket etc. in
easy reach even after you had to wildshape suddenly, e.g. because you were attacked.

• Minor MMF trick 2: UHAUL I wildshape

Thinking of moving, say, a few tons of stuff over dangerous terrain, a ballista perhaps or a few large boulders
up a steep hill you are defending? Easy. You take a very strong form like elephant and then load yourself up
to your maximum encumbrance, which is almost 5 tons for n elephant. Then you wildshape into something
else. Since all equipment melds and melded equipment doesn’t weight a thing, which means that you have
no penalties whatsoever. When you reach your destination, you change back, and all the stuff reappears.

• Major MMF trick 1: the Greater Doppelganger trick

The greater doppelganger from Monsters of Faerun can eat opponent’s brains and thus gain all their abilities,
like arcane spellcasting sneak attack etc. He can remember abilities from more than one creature at the
same time, thus becoming a MMF/Wizard/Assassin/R. You need an assume SU ability feat from the Savage
Species rulebook for that. It has not yet been updated. Since 3.5 is just an update of 3.0, everything not
updated remains official.
So if another character really tries to be a dick about how shapechange is better than the MMF, kill him, eat
his brain, thus becoming a spellcaster, and try the spell for yourself. Disadvantage: When you change back,
you will probably lose your stolen abilities again.
• Major MMF trick 2: Pun-pun, the mighty kobold
As oxybe observed, a druid 5/MoMF 9 could pull off a Pun-pun, using a tiny viper animal companion+snake
blooded feat to become the sharruk (from Serpent Kingdom) and pun-pun your way to godhood. Just in case
your DM is totally out of his mind.
• Major MMF trick 3: Hannibal the dusk giant
The Heroes of Horror form dusk giant has the EX attack of cannibalize, which means that for every 20 HD of
non-sentinent creatures he eats, he gets one HD. While these are only dusk giant HD and will be lost once
you change form again, this allows a whatever5/MMF2 to buy a lot of chickens or rats, eat them all, and grow
into a huge dusk giant with strength 48 and lots of natural armor.
• Major MMF trick 4: the invulnerable construct
When you gain an immunity to subdual damage (e.g. because you are a warforged with two levels in the
warforged juggernaut PrC), taking a form with regeneration will make you almost invulnerable to regular
attacks: Because regeneration converts most damage to subdual damage, and you are immune to subdual
damage, you effectively gain regeneration infinite, healing all wounds instantly unless they come from the
thing that bypasses your regeneration or deals non-HP damage like e.g. ability damage and death effects.
For example, in war troll form you will only be wounded by acid. There are a few limitations tom this trick,
though: You need a constitution score to use regeneration, so using an undead or construct base race other
than a warforged won't work. A warforged would have to choose a non-druid base class like wildshaping
ranger, too, or his adamantide body feat would interfere with his wildshape.
• Major MMF trick 5: You keep what you steal
Another trick that can be tried if your DM still allows the Assume SU ability feat from Savage Species is
taking a form that can steal other beings abilities. widow suggested the mind stealer, other possible form
exist. With the mindstealer, you need three Assume SU ability feats, but then you can add the absorbed
creature's Hit Dice, hit points, base attack bonus, base save bonus, skills, and feats to those of the
mindstealer drone. The mindstealer drone uses its own speed and its own ability scores or those of the
absorbed creature, whichever are higher. Nice. Disadvantage: When you change back, you will probably lose
your stolen abilities again.
• Major MMF trick 6: the Divine Minion template trick
Ok, this is far-fletched, but anyway: On the WotC Website is an article describing an inherited template for
followers of certain mulhorandi gods. This template gives you the wild shape ability of a level 11 druid as a
free action as often as you want with unlimied duration, and only has an LA of 1.
So if your DM doesn't step in, you can start with this template at character level 2 (whatever 1 + LA 1 from
the template) and thus take your first MMF level at level 3.
The main rule argument against that is that wild shape gained from a template is not a "class feature" as the
prerequisites of the MMF demand. The reply usually is that you get the ability to "wild shape as an 11th-level
druid", not just like one, so it could mean you get the druids class ability. May not sound so believeable, but
hey, it's supposed to be a trick anyway.
If that isn't rulebending enough for you, you could try what Juliano suggested: If you can take a form that gets
a free standard action (sarkrith thane at level 7, for example), then you can take you normal actions in a
round, at the end use a free action to wildshape into that form and use the extra action, for example for an
extra attack. Then you again use a free action shift into another such form, get yet another action, and so on
in eternity... Cheese, I know, but these are supposed to be rule tricks.

good items for the MMF

MMFs have the problem that all equipment melds when they wildshape. The usual solutions are to either take
your stuff off before changing form or to wear only items immune to this (amulets and vests on wildling clasps
from the Magic of faerun book, wild armor).

• First in this list should therefore be the mentioned wildling clasps, as Nausicaa pointed out. They cost
4.000 gp and prevent either an amulet, necklace etc or a vest from melding while wildshaping, instead
changing their size to fit your new form. Since this was supposed to be a druids item, who usually wildshape
into animals, it seems that those items stay active even when the new form usually cannot wear them (like
most animals probably cannot wear a vest).
• The next base item for the MMF is the vestment of many styles (Races of Eberron, costs only 500gp).
When you wildshape, all clothes meld with you and you are naked, which is not cool. Wear such a vest on a
wildling clasp, and it gives you whatever clothes you like, which change size together with you. You stay
clothed after wildshaping, can more easily disguise yourself as someone else entirely, and can even pull of
tricks: For example, if you change your vestment into clothes resembling camouflage netting (Heroes of
battle) suitable for where you are, you can make hide checks even when having nothing to hide behind in
natural or underground environments, just like hiding in plain sight (and MMFs tend to be very good at hiding,
with small or tiny forms and racial skill boni at level 7). Or change it into a forestwarden shroud (RoW) to
better move silently through forest. Others would have to carry around a dozen types of such camo wear, we
just wear a vest.
• A good combination of regular item magic would be a wildling clasp with a vest with the monk's belt
ability on it (since vests are tied to "Class ability improvement" and monk's belt are a prime example of class
ability improving items (DMG, monk level+5 for damage and AC), it should cost no extra money to make
a monk's vest instead of a monk's belt. Add the vestment of many styles as added ability (Races of Eberron,
cost 500 x1.5), and the item costs 14.000 gp (+4.000 for the clasp) and gives you both fitting changable
clothes and a dodge AC bonus equal to your wisdom modifier+1, plus nice unarmed damage, which stay with
you when wildshaped.
• another good item ability combination is another wildling clasp with an amulet with the ability of bracers
of armor (DMG) on it. Since amulets are tied to "protection, discernment" and that is what these bracers do,
such an amulet of armor also costs no additional money. Add the abilities of ring of protection, amulet of
natural armor, cloak of resistance or periapt of wisdom (all DMG, all protection or discernment, so as added
abilities only cost x1.5). So such an amulet with armor+3, deflection+1, natural armor+1, resistance+1 would
cost 20.500 gp including the wildling clasp and give you an additional 5 to AC and +1 to resistances when
wildshaped. Together with the vest above, both affordable around level 9, you should be well equipped AC-
wise (forms natural AC+dex+wisdom+6), incorporeal-touch-AC-wise (dex+wisdom+5) and touch-AC-wise
(dex+wisdom+2) and still have no armor penalties. The next step in AC would be wisdom+2 on the amulet
(+6.000 gp), which improved the effect of the monk's vest, or adding either a luck, insight, sacret or profane
bonus to AC, which will also improve your touch AC (all those cost bonus^2*2.500 according to the DMG,
times 1.5 for adding to an existing item, that means 3.750 gp for a +1 bonus added, 15.000 gp for a +2
bonus). Alternatively, such a bonus to saves costs bonus^2*2.000 gp, so a +1 luck, insight, sacred or profane
save bonus added to an existing amulet costs 3.000 gp. Using these bonus, you can rack up quite
impressive AC (and touch AC) and save boni for not too muck money.
Two other cheap but effective additional amulet abilities would be constitution+1 (1.500 gp) and strength+1
(2.000 gp). That is because most form have uneven numbers in their strength and constitution score, so a
mere +1 should increase the modifier by one. The Miniatures Manual also has a few surprisingly cheap items
whose abilities make good additions even at 200% the price. And while we're at it, if you can add the item
ability of drow house insignia to your amulet, you pay a mere 540 gp to get a free shield spell once per day.
Yes, that's an additional +4 AC when it really matters.
• An alternative amulet for an MMF of higher level is the wildshape amulet from Magic of Faerun. It costs
40.000 gp, but allows him to wildshape as if he had 4 more HD, plus giving him 2 additional wildshapes per
day (Thanks Sir Draconion). Such an item can also be used with a wildling clasp.
• An alternative vest would be the vest of the druid, which gives you +1 wild shape/day, as proposed
by Sir Draconion.
It too should have an added vestment of many styles ability from Races of Eberron for 750 gp, which
changes form into a whole set of clothes at your command, so you are not naked when you wildshape into
civilized forms.
• To keep items that are not worn like weapons, scrolls, potions etc. handy, adding the enchantment of
a handy haversack to your vest on a wildling clasp is a good choice, too. See Minor MMF Trick No. 1 above.
• armor: There are generally two ways for an MMF to get a decent AC: One is the monk's vest/amulet
combo described above. The best alternative is the wild armor special ability from the DMG. Since wild
armor melds, it has no penalties, but still offers the full AC (but can't be combined with a monk's belt). So you
don't need proficiency with it and can choose armor as heavy as possible, for example mountain plate from
Races of Stone. A wild mountain plate+1 costs about 20.000 gp and gives you a free armor bonus of +11. If
you are druid-based, you'll have to choose a dragon-hide versiuon of it. So you will get a higher armor bonus
than with a monk's vest, but a lesser touch-AC and incorporeal-touch-AC. Both ways allow you to operate
without any armor penalties or hindrances.
Of course, the perfect addition to a wild mountain plate would be a wild tower shield+1 for an additional
 shield AC of +5 (again, not usable with monk's abilities). Since it's a wooden shield, you don't even need
dragon hide.
• While not an item in the strict sense, if you can locate a garden of nature's rage (DMG II page 240),
you're lucky. If you find one, you get +4 strength and constitution as an enhancement bonus on one of your
wildshapes per day for a year, after which you can recharge yourself. Well worth the 8.000 gp, and there is
nothing to meld.

Items that have to be taken off/laid down/but in a vest of holding before wildshaping:

• weapons: MMFs usually use natural weapons. The beast claws from Savage Species are great for
MMFs. A lesser alternative is e.g. an amulet of natural weapon from the same book.
Another piece of gear is gloves of titan's grip (PsiH) - +8 bonus on grapple checks. There's a similar item in
Sword and Fist. (Thanks, Iku Rex.)
And since we are talking weapon anyway, if you prefer to use a real weapon, the morphing special
ability from the Underdark Sourcebook allows you to change your weapon to fit your actual disguise style
(archer, quarterstaff-wielding monk, greatsword-slasher...) and only costs a +1 bonus. Sizing (CAdv, +1)
allows your weapon to change to your new size. And a good general weapon choice is a
keen maiming (MinHB) scimitar (or falchion if you are wild ranger-based). Since many forms have very high
strength and we usually don't use shields, their two-handed critical hits tend to do a lot of damage.
• Another good item is the Pearl of Power, especially for wild shape ranger MMFs. For a mere 1.000 gp,
we get one additional 1st-level spell.

Wow, all that cool stuff costs a lot of money, you say? Yes, that's true, but there are ways to save money:

• Ritual of Travel: The DMG II introduces rituals that allow you to enchant your own items without using
spells or item creation feats. Most rituals are not useful for us, but the Ritual of Travel is taylored for MMFs: 6
ranks of survival and a journey of 50 miles per level, and you can enchant your own item and gain a
permanent +1 bonus to survival to boot. So adding the magic of bracers of armor+4 to a magic amulet
usually costs 24.000 gp, but with the ritual, it instead costs only 12.000 gp and 960 XP. Your level must be at
least as high as the needed caster level, however, so the wildshape amulet with its caster level requirement
of 15 is out of reach for a long time. The mentioned bracers of armor just need a level of 2x the bonus, so at
level 8, you are good for armor+4.
There is no reason the journey should not be circular, so when your party stays in a town for a week to rest
and heal, you should have enough time for the ritual.
That is because of wildshape, which should enable MMFs to accomplish that journey quick: We must travel
on foot, but if we use fast groundmoving forms like calimite warhorse (champions of valor) or deinonychus
dinosaur (MMF), we have a base speed of 7 vs. 6 miles per hour. Hustle 6 hours (32 points of nonlethal
damage), and you will march 2x your speed rating per day, so 120 miles in deinonychus and 140 miles in
calimite form, and still have time to sleep 8 hours and meditate one for the ritual and one for spells. Speaking
of spells: Add a couple of longstrider spells, and you make another 20 miles a day. An alternative is Tern's
persistence from Stormwrack, which allows you to hustle longer.
The Ritual of Fire is another ritual usable for MMFs, you you need an enemy spellcaster whose caster level
at least equals you level to cast a fire spell on you, so you have less control when that will happen. The Ritual
 of Blood is another possibility, but it seems only suited for weapons, as dealing a killing blow with an amulet
or vest sort of makes no sense.
• Another good way to save money is to pay items with XP instead: According to this article, you can pay
1 XP for 5 gp of the item cost, up the the number of XP used for the item creation, even if you are not the
creator. So when someone creates you a wildshape amulet for 40.000 gp, you could provide 1.600 XP and
just pay 32.000 gp, for you get a discount of 1.600 * 5 = 8.000 gp.

the best feats for the MMF

• [i]aberration wildshape[/i] (LoM): If you just want to take two or three levels of MMF, this feat gives you
access to abberration forms
• [i]able learner[/i] (RoD): A great feat for humans and changelings. It gives you at least limited access to
vital skills like bluff, tumble, move silently. If you take a few ranks in balance, this will become interesting.
• assume supernatural ability (3.0!) (SS): Since the savage species book has not yet been updated to
3.5, it remains official, and so does the assume SU ability feat. VERY good feat if chosen for the right forms,
like beholder.
• awesome blow (MM): While nice, the improved bull rush prerequisite makes this feat too expensive in
my eyes.
• [i]cosmopolitan[/i] (FRCS): Good to get additional skills. No MMF should be without some ranks in bluff,
for example, for if you pose as someone else, you will have to support your disguise with good bluffs.
• dive for cover (CA): They MMF has access to forms with very high constitution and forms immune to
mind-influencing effects, which is why they tend to fear reflex saves most of the three saves. Most good
forms have only average dexterity. This feat helps to protect you there.
• [i]dragon wildshape[/i] (3.0, D): Although this allows you to get a creatures EX qualities and SU
abilities, at a minimum of level 12, medium-sized dragons are not really good forms.
• [i]elephant’s hide[/i] (CD): Useful feat to boost an otherwise good form that lacks in natural armor, since
it give a natural armor of 7 for 10 minutes.
• [i]extra wild shape[/i] (CD): Since the MMF does not get unlimited wild shapes per day as the shifter
did, this feat may help a lot. It allows you to remain wildshaped 24 hours per day on MMF level 1 already, so
it's a good choice for character level 6.
• [i]frozen wild shape [/i](FB): A great addition to the MMFs repertoire, this feat allows you to take the
form of magical beast with the cold subtype. Most important are frostworm (MM), cryohydra (MM) and frost
salamander (MM2) (Thanks Vecna and TaliaWinters !).
• [i]improved grapple[/i] (PHB): Since grappling is one of the MMFs best combat styles, everything that
helps you with it is good.
• improved natural attack (MM): This feat can be either useful when chosen for claws, for then it also
increases the rend damage many forms have, or bite, for there are forms with very high bite damage, and
this feat becomes more effective the more damage the attack form already does.
• [i] improved trip [/i](PHB, proposed by Iku Rex) "Trip checks are based on size and Str, both of which
you'll have plenty of at higher levels. (The prerequisite, combat expertise is also especially good for a high-
AC character.)"
• [i]jack of all trades[/i] (CA): If you lack the race or skill points to make good use of the able learner feat,
this may help substitute that a little.
• [i]Large and in Charge[/i] (Drac, thanks Veldrane) "With the big-size-high-strength forms you have, you
can easily keep one enemy at distance. Followed by Combat Reflexes, if you enjoy it."
• [i]martial study (moment of perfect mind)[/i] (Bo7S) allows you to use a concentration check instead
of a will saving throw once per encounter. That allows you to avoid being surprised by Will attacks (which the
MMF is really bad against) und gives you time to switch into a form immune to the will save, e.g. a plant form.
• [i]multiattack[/i] (MM) is quite useful for a MMF. There are forms with good or numerous secondary
attacks. Note, however, that the prerequisite is three or more natural attack. If your form e.g. just has a bite
and a tail slam attack, you can’t use multiattack.
• [i]multiweapon fighting[/i] (MM): Although you can only use this feat if the original creature whose form
you take could have used it too, there are quite some forms like darktentacles that have it, but not as a racial
bonus feat.
• [i]oaken resilience[/i] (CD): For a daily wildshape use and lasting 10 minutes, this feat give you
immunity to critical hits, stun, paralysis, polymorph, sleep and poison, and all related effects like the
assassin's death attack, a monks quivering palm, hold effects, and so on. Plus +8 vs. trip and bull-rush. While
that is nice, it really shines when combined with a form that has regeneration, because immune to critical hits
means immune to coup de grace, which boils down to: Unless all of your HP have been taken by fire/acid or
whatever your regeneration is vulnerable to, you won't be dead, no matter how many HP you lost. For most
opponents, killing you will be difficult even after you went down, and at least take a few minutes (for building
and lighting a pyre or for choking you to death), not just one action.
• [i]Persona Immersion [/i](RoE, proposed by TheCarrionCrawler ): If you are a changeling by race, this
feat allows you to give false responses to low-level divination spells like detect thoughts.
• [i]power attack [/i](PHB, proposed by Iku Rex) "Any melee character aiming for high levels should have
power attack. You'll rarely regret picking it."
• [i]practiced spellcaster[/i] (CD): Add up to +4 to your caster level. Let me quote stamhaven: "That
caster level increase bumps not only duration up, but for Resist Energy it doubles the resistance from 10 to
20, Protection from energy goes from 60 points to 108 points worth. Call lightning now lets you send 9 bolts,
and Barkskin goes from +2 enhancement up to +4 as a 9th level caster for 90 minutes. I know it's not as big
a deal at very high levels but if powerful forms are few and far between in your campaign (especially early in
the MoMF career), this is a nice way to give you some extra punch."
• [i]scent[/i] (CA): This feat was great in 3.0 when it was always active. The updated version must be
activated, and thus it is not worth one feat plus one wildshape use, for there is a druid spell doing the same.
Still, having the scent ability is great in many roleplaying situations. The ability to identify a person by scent
e.g. means that you can identify a murderer by just sniffing at the killing weapon.
• [i]snatch[/i] (MM): Although the prerequisite of huge size makes this feat only interesting at higher
levels, by then it is a viable option: It allows a flying MMF to lift an opponent off the ground and later fling him
away without a save, to throw an opponent in a chasm of lava pool, and other such trick.
• [i]Stand Still[/i] (PsiHB, thanks Veldrane) Good to stop opponents from approaching if you are larger
then they are.
• [i]Vow of Poverty[/i](BoED, thanks Veldrane) Good if you want to forget about equipment, especially
now with the melding equipm,ent problems a good choice for MMFs. The bonusses given are quite well
suited for an MMF, and stay with you in any form. Plus free access to the exalted bonus feats like Exalted
Wild Shape (actually very very very good, best movement form in the game, Blink Dog with (Su) allowed),
Sanctify Natural Attacks, Nymph's Kiss, etc.

Epic feats
• [i]Colossal Wildshape[/i] (ELH): - Only partially useful, for there are not that many colossal form that
don't have too many HD.
• [i]Fine Wildshape[/i] (ELH): Nice addition to the wildshape repertior
• [i]Imbue Wild Shape[/i] (Epic progression): Only partially useful, since it can only give druid wildshape
to others. Can be good to grant plant immunities, however.
• [i]Magical beast wildshape[/i] (ELH): Great addition to the form repertoir and also grants SU abilities.
• [i]Quicken Wild Shape [/i] (Epic progression): Would be great, but the prerequisites are bad.

Combat tricks
Grappling is very enjoyable for MMF, for you get bonusses for size, not penalties. So, check out the grappling
rules.

- Especially try to grapple :

a) spellcasters. Most spells require somatic components, which can't be used in a grapple, and concentration
checks, which are not easy, at least.
b) opponents that have high AC values. Grappling allows you to ignore AC.
c) Opponents that specialize in weapons that are not light. Only small or natural weapons can be used in a
grapple.
d) Opponents that specialize in two- or multiweapon fighting. Those feats can't be used in grapples.
e) Single opponents who get their high AC from dexterity. This may not help you, but your comrades outside of
the grapple can ignore the dex bonus. Also, grapple if you have comrades with sneak attack damage and have
strength in numbers.

- Better don't grapple when :

a) Opponents are formidable grapplers with high strength, many natural attacks, good size and constrict or
swallow whole abilities. Speaks for itself.
b) Opponents outnumber you and have sneak attack damage. When you grapple, you have no Dex mod to AC
against attacks from outside, so you can be sneak attacked quite easily.
c) Your AC is very high. No reason to let that advantage go to waste.

Grappling techniques:
First, realize that even some grappling forms are better in melee combat than in a grapple. A giant squid for
example has 10 attacks outside of a grapple, but only two grapple checks in a grapple. It may be better off not
using its improved grab as long as its opponents don't have a very high AC.
A few basics of grappling:

• You have one grapple check per 5 BAB. That is independent from you number of natural attacks.
• You can make a normal full attack with all of your natural attacks in a grapple instead, but get a -4
penalty. Rake attacks are usually additional attacks you get in a full attack. They don't get the grappling
penalty. In case of the annis, the rake attack are not additional attacks.
• If a form has constrict, it deals its constrict damage as additional damage after you sucessfully started a
grapple ("got a hold") and after every grapple check to damage an opponent. You don't deal constrict
damage when trying to pin, move an opponent, etc.
• A pin only lasts one round, so to keep an opponent pinned, you have to make one successful grapple
check each round. If your BAB is 5 or less, that means you probably won't be doing anything else.
• A grapple, once started, automatically goes on until someone sussessfully escapes it. You do not have
to spend actions to maintan it (unlike pins, for example).

Now to the grappling tricks:

• When you have more than 5 BAB, grapple an opponent in a form good at grappling like darktentacles or
octopus tree. Use one grapple action to pin the opponent and any further ones to do damage to him with
 grapple checks (supported by improved grab and constrict abilities). That way, you are not harmed by your
opponent, but harm him.
• There is a rule about how to throw opponents over an edge on page 48 of the DMG II. If you pin your
opponent and then make a successful grapple check and a free strength (15) check, you throw your
opponent out of the grapple and down a neighboring field (or pit, chasm...). Combined with the knowledge
that you can move opponents in a grapple with a successful check (with a bonus of +4 when the opponet is
pinned, automatically if you have improved grab), this allows us a great new trick: Grapple an opponents,
move with him to the edge of a cliff, and throw him down there. By the way, if you fail the grapple check, you
still have your opponent pinned. If you fail the strength check, the pin is broken.
• Since we covered moving an opponent already: If you are attacked while sitting at your evening camp
fire, you could grapple an opponent while in a form with fire resistance (like from the fire subtype after level 7,
or you cast resist energy) and then move into the fire. A large camp fire deals 2d6 per round, according to the
XPH control flame power. You could even do this when grappling more than one opponent. The opponent
would have to break your grasp or move the grapple again to leave the fire. This damage is additional to your
regular actions.