Druids and their animal form attacks

[Tagros_Beta]

The Druid animal form ability states that it uses your weapons treasure effects (the example they give is a flaming weapon would add 1d6 flaming damage). I have been assuming, because of the plural of weapon, that if you were equipped with two weapons, that it would use TWF abilities (as long as you had taken those feats), with the secondary weapon effect only happening occasionally (depending upon how many TWF feats you have taken).

This is not what seems to happen. Only the primary weapon seems to have its abilities proc - is this WAI?

I don't have a problem with it if this is WAI, as I will just equip a shield and improve my AC/PRR - and it actually makes sense from a physical point of view as there is only one set of jaws doing the attacking! It will also mean that my character will only have to carry half as many weapons and I can feat swap the TWF for SWF or similar.

The wolf form uses slashing (and I think piercing), so would SWF feats actually help (or even THF)?
And does improved critical slashing cause the critical range to improve from 19-20 to 17-20 or do I need both improved critical slashing and improved critical piercing, or is the critical range fixed for animal form attacks?

This is my second time as a druid, (my toon is a single completionist, I'm working on getting it to 3 of each) - the first time I mostly took the bear form and put all my APs into the animal form fighting enhancements and TRed as soon as I reached lvl20. After seeing one of Voodu Spyce's UTube videos (Creeping Death on LE), I figured I'd give it another go. It seems much more effective (and so, more fun) using the SLA's of the casting enhancement tree...

Thanks in advance for any advice

[Lonnbeimnech]

Some effects work, like if you have seeker on the second weapon, or sneak atack damage, virtigo, dazing etc. But stuff like holy, shocking flaming etc do not work.

swf does increase your attack speed so long as you have one single handed weapon. thf does nothing. twf does work in animal form, though it's a bug, it's worked since druid came out.

[Gauthaag]

If u want improve threat range of your attack u have to pick IC: Bludgeoning weapons as its this feat that applies to wolf natural attack, not the IC: piercing or slashing

[unbongwah]

Only the primary weapon seems to have its abilities proc - is this WAI?
Yes. Only passive bonuses from your offhand weapon (or shield) will apply to your wolf-form attacks: e.g., Seeker.

The wolf form uses slashing (and I think piercing), so would SWF feats actually help (or even THF)?
This is where things get...complicated. See these threads:

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/455517-Melee-druid-what-is-working-with-it
https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/470613-Question-about-Wolf-Form-and-fighting-feats

And does improved critical slashing cause the critical range to improve from 19-20 to 17-20 or do I need both improved critical slashing and improved critical piercing, or is the critical range fixed for animal form attacks?
Neither: you take IC:Blunt because animal forms are considered unarmed atks, which falls under the Blunt Weapon category.

twf does work in animal form, though it's a bug, it's worked since druid came out.
Not quite: druids came out with MotU (U14); the TWF bugs were introduced with the U19 Enhancement overhaul.

[Tagros_Beta]

Ok. from this info I see that
Single Weapon Fighting is pointless (in my eyes) unless you are a swashbuckling bard because most of the time you'd either want two weapons or sword and board, and while in wolf form the addition of a shield adds some much needed PRR. But you could go the SWF route if you limited yourself to just a single weapon.
(I haven't used SWF in any of my builds yet, I had presumed that SWF meant sword & board - I find it very difficult to think of a shield as a weapon; unless you pick it up two handed and bash them over the head with it)

Two Handed Fighting is also pointless in animal form.

Two Weapon Fighting could be useful if you were to use several feats - TWF, ITWF and GTWF

and I should have taken improved critical: bludgeon - a quick word with Fred should sort that out.

Thanks for all the info!

One further question:
The passive benefits of a secondary weapon still can apply - does this also happen with shields? If I have a wooden shield with acid guard on it, does that nasty horrible monster hitting me take acid damage for its trouble while I'm in animal form?

[unbongwah]

But you could go the SWF route if you limited yourself to just a single weapon.
Don't forget you're also allowed to use non-metal orbs (http://ddowiki.com/page/Category:Orbs). Most of them are caster-centric, but there are a few which are decent for melee druids: e.g., Blazing Sun provides Devotion, WIS, and Insightful Sheltering bonuses, along with an augment slot.

The passive benefits of a secondary weapon still can apply - does this also happen with shields? If I have a wooden shield with acid guard on it, does that nasty horrible monster hitting me take acid damage for its trouble while I'm in animal form?
Yes. OTOH, if you had a shield with, say, Improved Bashing, that does nothing for your wolf build. EDIT: it's not clear to me which if any bonuses from Vanguard carry over to wolf forms.

[Amundir]

Ok. from this info I see that
Single Weapon Fighting is pointless (in my eyes) unless you are a swashbuckling bard because most of the time you'd either want two weapons or sword and board, and while in wolf form the addition of a shield adds some much needed PRR. But you could go the SWF route if you limited yourself to just a single weapon.
(I haven't used SWF in any of my builds yet, I had presumed that SWF meant sword & board - I find it very difficult to think of a shield as a weapon; unless you pick it up two handed and bash them over the head with it)

I'm currently running a druid wolf life that is going the SWF route. And, imho, the attack speed boost is noticeable. And I haven't gotten all of them yet. 30% attack speed boost from wolf + 30% attack speed from GSWF, throw in from other sources a decent boost to doublestrike, crit chance, and crit multiplier, can I hear hellz yeah?