Not to be confused with Shapechange.
Unkitted Druids and Avengers gain the ability to Shapeshift into various animals at level 7. Totemic Druids cannot shapeshift, and Shapeshifters have a unique ability instead (Shapeshift: Werewolf).
There are three default forms that the druid may each use once per day, and an extra three abilities that only the Avenger receives.
Many of the shapeshifting descriptions (only added in the Enhanced Editions) are incorrect; this page will only list the correct traits.
If a Druid dual-classes into Fighter, he loses his shapeshift abilities until he can reactivate his druid levels.
Effects[]
All forms have the following characteristics:
- Shapeshift has an infinite duration; the caster gains the ability "Shapeshift: Natural Form" to return to normal.
- Forms may equip/remove items normally, except for main-hand weapons, which can be removed but not equipped again.
- Forms may move between areas, open doors, loot containers, and bash locks. They may not initiate dialog, however.
- Forms may use charged equipment (such as the The One Gift Lost), quick items (such as potions), and special abilities. They may not cast spells, however.
- Only Strength and Dexterity are modified by the form; all other ability scores are unchanged. There are some counter-intuitive interactions with this:
Baldur's Gate:
Enhanced Edition (2012)
This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign. Equipment that sets STR/DEX (such as the Hands of Takkok or Gauntlets of Dexterity) will not apply their effects.
Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition – Shadows of Amn (2013)
This icon indicates content from the Shadows of Amn campaign of the Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition. Equipment that sets STR/DEX will apply their effects, but only if they are equipped while shapeshifted.- Equipment that modifies STR/DEX (such as Kiel's Buckler) will apply their effects normally.
Baldur's Gate:
Enhanced Edition (2012)
This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign. Potions and spells that set or modify STR/DEX (such as Strength of One or a Potion of Agility) will apply their effects normally, as long as they are used after shapeshifting.- Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition – Shadows of Amn (2013)
This icon indicates content from the Shadows of Amn campaign of the Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition. Potions and spells that set or modify STR/DEX (such as Strength of One or a Potion of Agility) will apply their effects normally. If used before shapeshifting, their effects will persist.
- Base THAC0 is set to the caster's base; i.e., a 7th level single-class druid will have 16 base THAC0 when shapeshifted. The STR bonus still applies.
- Armor Class is set by the ability; this means that it will override worn armor and effects such as Barkskin on the caster. The DEX bonus still applies.
- Baldur's Gate:
Enhanced Edition (2012)
This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign. Spells and potions that modify AC (such as a Potion of Defense) will apply their effects normally, as long as they are used after shapeshifting. - Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition – Shadows of Amn (2013)
This icon indicates content from the Shadows of Amn campaign of the Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition. Spells and potions that modify AC (such as a Potion of Defense) will apply their effects normally. If used before shapeshifting, their effects will persist.
Standard Druid Forms[]
These forms are accessible by both the unkitted druid and the Avenger. All values were obtained from the Enhanced Editions.
The bear forms have extremely high APR for when shapeshifting is unlocked, making them good melee fighters. However, their high AC and low enchantment level makes them unable to scale into higher levels effectively. The Black Bear form is exactly the same as the Brown Bear form, except it has worse AC.
The wolf form is defensively stronger and has the best damage dice, but its low APR makes it ineffective as a damage dealer.
Baldur's Gate:
Enhanced Edition (2012)
This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign. All three forms allow offhand weapons and shields to be used as normal. They all benefit from Sword and Shield Style while using shields and Single Weapon Style otherwise (even while equipped with an offhand weapon). In all forms, reequipping armor only provides bonuses (eg AC modifiers against damage types or Fire Resistance), it doesn't alter the character's Base AC.
Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition – Shadows of Amn (2013)
This icon indicates content from the Shadows of Amn campaign of the Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition.Shields may be used as normal (if equipped before transforming), but offhand weapons cannot attack, they only provide bonuses (eg +1 APR from Belm or +50% Fire Resistance from Icingdeath) and charge abilities (eg 1x/day Summon Spectral Blade from the Spectral Brand). All forms benefit from Sword and Shield style while equipped with a shield, Single Weapon Style while the offhand is empty and no weapon style while the offhand has a weapon. In all forms, reequipping armor provides full benefits, including altering the character's Base AC (if better).
| Form | Icon | STR | DEX | AC | Adj. AC |
Damage | Adj. Damage |
Ench. Level |
APR | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bear | 
|
18/00 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 1d6+1 (Piercing) |
1d6+7 (Piercing) |
+1 | 3 |
Faster Movement Speed1 |
| Brown Bear | 
|
18/00 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 1d6+1 (Piercing) |
1d6+7 (Piercing) |
+1 | 3 | Faster Movement Speed1 |
| Wolf | 
|
18 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 1d8 (Piercing) |
1d8+2 (Piercing) |
+1 | Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition (2012) This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign.1
|
Faster Movement Speed2 100% resistance to Cold/Magic Cold 50% resistance to Electricity |
1 - This is applied to the base movement speed of a normal brown/black bear. These forms actually move ~15% slower than normal speed.
2 - This form moves ~25% faster than normal speed.
Avenger Forms[]
These forms are accessible by the Avenger only. All values were obtained from the Enhanced Editions.
The baby wyvern and sword spider forms have great synergy with Web, which the Avenger has access to as part of its kit bonuses. The Avenger can render groups of enemies helpless, then transform and pick off enemies.
The baby wyvern's poison is highly effective, dealing a total of 100 damage (even more, if the enemy is under a Haste effect) and interrupting almost all spellcasting. Its high save penalty and the wyvern's higher APR make it very reliable as well.
The fire salamander can easily reach over 100% fire resistance using spells such as Resist Fire and Cold or equipment such as Batalista's Passport, making it effective against fire using enemies. It also has the highest enchantment level of any shapeshifting form, but has low APR. But its Breathe Fireball ability allows one to easily damage Mages, as it's considered a nonmagical ability and, therefore, ignores all spell protections (and even Fire Resistance won't prevent stagger, meaning the ability can still disrupt spellcasting while doing 0 damage). One is also able to renew the 3x Breathe Fireball casts once by using the Salamander shapeshift ability again (while already being in Salamander form), meaning one Avenger can use it a total of six times in a single encounter.
Baldur's Gate:
Enhanced Edition (2012)
This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign. The Baby Wyvern and Sword Spider forms allow offhand weapons and shields to be used as normal, while the Fire Salamander form does not, it can only use charge abilities from offhand shields or weapons. The Baby Wyvern and Sword Spider forms benefit from Sword and Shield Style while using shields and Single Weapon Style otherwise (even while equipped with an offhand weapon), while the Fire Salamander form benefits from the Two-Handed Weapon Style. In all forms, reequipping armor only provides bonuses (eg AC modifiers against damage types or Fire Resistance), it doesn't alter the character's Base AC.
Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition – Shadows of Amn (2013)
This icon indicates content from the Shadows of Amn campaign of the Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition.In Baby Wyvern and Sword Spider forms, shields may be used as normal (if equipped before transforming), but offhand weapons cannot attack, they only provide bonuses (eg +1 APR from Belm or +50% Fire Resistance from Icingdeath) and charge abilities (eg 1x/day Summon Spectral Blade from the Spectral Brand), while in Fire Salamander form, shields and offhand weapons only provide charge abilities, if any. The Baby Wyvern and Sword Spider forms benefit from Sword and Shield style while equipped with a shield, Single Weapon Style while the offhand is empty and no weapon style while the offhand has a weapon, while the Fire Salamander form benefits from Two-Handed Weapon Style. In all forms, reequipping armor provides full benefits, including altering the character's Base AC (if better).
| Form | Icon | STR | DEX | AC | Adj. AC |
Damage | Adj. Damage |
Ench. Level |
APR | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baby Wyvern | 
|
16 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 1d6+2 (Piercing) |
1d6+3 (Piercing) |
+2 | 2 |
Inflicts poison on hit (5 damage/second for 20 seconds, Save vs. Poison at -4 penalty to negate) |
| Fire Salamander | 
|
18/75 | 19 | 2 | -2 | 1d8+33 (Piercing) |
1d8+63 (Piercing) |
+3 | 1 |
Faster Movement Speed4 Long-reach weapon (like a spear or a quarterstaff) |
| Sword Spider | 
|
16 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 2d6 (Piercing) |
2d6+1 (Piercing) |
+1 | 45 |
Permanent Normal Haste |
3 - The fire salamander's weapon is a Spear +1 and the caster gains the benefits of Two-Handed Weapon Style if the caster has placed points into it.
4 - In Enhanced Editions, movement speed is increased to 11 — by default, a humanoid character moves at 9. In the original edition of Baldur's Gate II, the Salamander Form has a permanent Weak Haste effect and moves at speed 14 in addition to other Haste bonuses.
5 - With the innate Haste effect, this is actually 5 APR.