The 4th of 5 bullet points under the Druid's wildshape:
You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.
I agree with theredwind, I don't believe the Bugbear's reach fits the "if the new form is physically capable of doing so" caveat to the feature retention statement.
The "if the new form is physically capable of doing so" caveat is intended to cover physical characteristics of the character's base race such as an Aarakocra wild shaped into a bear can't still make use of its flight or talons, since the bear doesn't have wings or talons. In the case of the Bugbear, wild shapes don't have reach unless the stat block say they do therefore, since the Bugbear's physical characteristics are those of a different creature, it would not have its absurdly long arms and, therefore, the character would not have the Bugbear's reach as the form is not capable of doing so.
tl;dr - RAW the answer is "no" since wild shape forms are incapable of making use of the Long-Limbed feature.
since the bugbear naturally has these long limbs, any wildshape he uses would have them too and be able to keep to the RAW and use racial features like it was quoted in the wildshape RAW
This post still shows up for google searching. So, sorry flr the necropost.
RAW, it depends on which particular animal. Take a brown bear for instance. Bears typically get on their hind legs to have weight behind their claws. If you take the smaller brown bears, aka grizzly bears, they stand at 9+ feet on their hind legs. The larger Kodiak brown bear is often 10+ feet on their hind legs. This means that uaing the reach of their arms, they can easily hit something 10 feet away.
A giant scorpion would also fit the bill for pinchers and tail.
However, a wolf, snake, spider, etc. Is a much longer list one that are not physically suitable.
The more interesting question is if Sneaky carries over to the Wildshape form. is the ability to squeeze into small openings a biological trait or some sort of fey magical trait?
Imagine opening a large suitcase and a massive bear pops out.
OKay while I think it is hillarious to imagine a bear in a suitcase I don't think that it would work. I assume part of the thinking behind Sneaky is "those are gangly long limbed fluffy boys and girls, they can squeze a size down" it's not reflected in the RAW in any way, but I think you could argue for "Can fit 1 size lower if I squeeeze" but not "small place regardless of size"
Well now I'm just picturing a PC holding out a Bag of Holding for someone to inspect the contents and then a pair of bear arms reach out and drag that person in, kicking and screaming.
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If a Bugbear Wild Shapes into a beast does its long limbed racial feat transfer over giving the beast form attacks an additional 5 ft reach?
The 4th of 5 bullet points under the Druid's wildshape:
Because it's a physical characteristics associated with a bugbear , I would say No, it does NOT carry over in wildshape.
I agree with theredwind, I don't believe the Bugbear's reach fits the "if the new form is physically capable of doing so" caveat to the feature retention statement.
Sounds like an RAW vs RAI. Probably just have to leave it up to the DM.
The "if the new form is physically capable of doing so" caveat is intended to cover physical characteristics of the character's base race such as an Aarakocra wild shaped into a bear can't still make use of its flight or talons, since the bear doesn't have wings or talons. In the case of the Bugbear, wild shapes don't have reach unless the stat block say they do therefore, since the Bugbear's physical characteristics are those of a different creature, it would not have its absurdly long arms and, therefore, the character would not have the Bugbear's reach as the form is not capable of doing so.
tl;dr - RAW the answer is "no" since wild shape forms are incapable of making use of the Long-Limbed feature.
I mean... I can imagine a bear with long limbs. Would be kinda funny :D
since the bugbear naturally has these long limbs, any wildshape he uses would have them too and be able to keep to the RAW and use racial features like it was quoted in the wildshape RAW
To be fair, the bugbear long limb feat doesn't make much sense anyhow since they only get it on their turn instead of all the time.
Probably why T- rex is beyond the range of shape changing.
Can you image a T-rex with long arms?
...Isn't that just an Indominable-Rex?
I mean, either way we're screwed if it exists
With the right DM, who knows?
This post still shows up for google searching. So, sorry flr the necropost.
RAW, it depends on which particular animal. Take a brown bear for instance. Bears typically get on their hind legs to have weight behind their claws. If you take the smaller brown bears, aka grizzly bears, they stand at 9+ feet on their hind legs. The larger Kodiak brown bear is often 10+ feet on their hind legs. This means that uaing the reach of their arms, they can easily hit something 10 feet away.
A giant scorpion would also fit the bill for pinchers and tail.
However, a wolf, snake, spider, etc. Is a much longer list one that are not physically suitable.
The more interesting question is if Sneaky carries over to the Wildshape form. is the ability to squeeze into small openings a biological trait or some sort of fey magical trait?
Imagine opening a large suitcase and a massive bear pops out.
Now imagine a killer whale.
OKay while I think it is hillarious to imagine a bear in a suitcase I don't think that it would work. I assume part of the thinking behind Sneaky is "those are gangly long limbed fluffy boys and girls, they can squeze a size down" it's not reflected in the RAW in any way, but I think you could argue for "Can fit 1 size lower if I squeeeze" but not "small place regardless of size"
Well now I'm just picturing a PC holding out a Bag of Holding for someone to inspect the contents and then a pair of bear arms reach out and drag that person in, kicking and screaming.