Help me understand wolf form interactions...

[Marthesis]

So what I've read so far is that (correct me if I'm wrong):

Natural Fighting always works in wolf form (obviously)
Two Weapon Fighting feats always works in wolf form (but that's confirmed to be a bug)
Single Weapon Fighting feats work in wolf form if you have a 1-handed weapon equipped with no shield (probably also a bug)
Two-Handed Fighting feats never work in wolf form

What I haven't been able to find info on:

Which Improved Critical feat do I need? The one for the weapon I have equipped, or slashing for my bite?
If I splash Fighter for the Kensai tree, which type of weapon do I need to specialize in? Unarmed, or the one for the weapon I have equipped under the form?
If I do have a shield equipped in wolf form, do I get any of the benefits? The AC? Shield bashes?
Does the Shintao Monk enhancement Deft Strikes ever affect attacks in wolf form? If so, does it require dual-wielding/handwraps, or does any weapon work?

Any info on these questions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[unbongwah]

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...orking-with-it

Which Improved Critical feat do I need? The one for the weapon I have equipped, or slashing for my bite?

Wolf / bear / tree forms are considered unarmed atks, so you take IC:Blunt for all of them. Note that if you equip an Impact weapon, the crit range bonus carries over to your shifted form - or at least it did the last time I checked - but does not work with Keen (i.e., piercing or slashing) weapon.

If I splash Fighter for the Kensai tree, which type of weapon do I need to specialize in? Unarmed, or the one for the weapon I have equipped under the form?

AFAIK, Keen Edge is (still) bugged and doesn't work in wolf form. But the unarmed benefits from either Druidic Weapons or Martial Arts should apply.

If I do have a shield equipped in wolf form, do I get any of the benefits? The AC? Shield bashes?

Shield bashing doesn't work, which includes DPS effects like Improved Shield Bashing. Passive bonuses like Spellpower, AC, Seeker, etc. will apply. If you have Shield Mastery feats, you will gain those PRR & doublestrike bonuses. EDIT: I don't know if the Vanguard bonuses to atk speed apply to animal forms, but I know they don't stack with SWF.

Note that there is an interesting quirk to Skirmisher in the Swashbuckler PrE; namely that the "you may use a Buckler and still benefit from the Single Weapon Fighting line of feats" effect does not require Swashbuckling be active nor wearing light armor - only that you use a buckler in your offhand. So while you wouldn't get Swashbuckling bonuses, it's possible to make a druid / bard / rgr wolf build who has SWF, TWF, Shield Mastery, and Natural Fighting feats all at once (and actually benefits from them). This is, of course, exploit-y as hell, but so are all wolf DPS builds these days.

Does the Shintao Monk enhancement Deft Strikes ever affect attacks in wolf form?

Not AFAICT - same goes for the Tempest core bonuses - but it's not like I've tested every possible combo of ki weapons & feats with every update!