Does an Undead with Wild Shape gain a Constitution score during Wild Shape?

Question

Build

Race: Half Drow
Template: Necropolitan
Classes: Drow Transition Template Class 2 / Wizard 5 / Arachnomancer 2

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**References**

Spider Shape (Su): This ability functions as wild shape.

Wild Shape (Su): This ability functions like the alternate form special ability.

Alternate Form (Su): The creature gains the physical ability scores (Str, Dex, Con) of its new form. It retains the mental ability scores (Int, Wis, Cha) of its original form. Apply any changed physical ability score modifiers in all appropriate areas with one exception: the creature retains the hit points of its original form despite any change to its Constitution.

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**Question**

Would the character gain the spider's constitution score for the duration of the spider shape?

Concern

Poison (Ex): A monstrous spider has a poisonous bite. The save DCs are Constitution-based.

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**Additional Information**

The Dungeon Master said he may allow Charisma to be used rather than Constitution for the purposes of the poison DC. He is basing his decision on the fact that a Ghoul's disease and paralysis are Charisma based.

But he is also awaiting to see what Stack Exchange comes up with before making that decision.

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**Campaign Background**

I am playing this character for fun and flavor. Our campaign consists of:

• Human Necropolitan: Ex-Paladin 4 / Human Paragon 2 / Bone Knight 1
• Human: Rogue 4 / Vampire 1 / Legacy Champion 3
• Half Drow Necropolitan: Drow Template Class 2 / Wizard 5/ Arachnomancer 2
• Frost Giant: Monster Class 9
• Succubus: Monster Class 9

My character (the Arachnomancer): Escaped his slavery of the web pits in the Underdark at venerable years of age (for mental ability increases) and ended up at death's door in a city run by necromancers. For servitude he was "gifted" a second chance as a necropolitan. One of the NPC necromancers was a surface drow as well, and... understood my predicament. He wants to pursue arachnomancy to spite Lolth and use his ancestral knowledge plus gifts of undeath to pursue retribution upon his priestess slavers in the future.

It is an evil campaign. We wanted to have "monsters" as something out of the norm. And I, for once, am not DM'ing this time around.

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**Update** 2/7/2015 (8:29 PM +3 GMT)

Corrupted Wild Shape

You have learned to use the necromantic energy that powers your undead form to overcome the inability of undead creatures to wild shape. You can assume the form of an undead, rotten creature with the use of your wild shape ability.

Prerequisite: Undead type, wild shape class feature

Benefit: You can use your wild shape ability even though you are undead. The ability functions just as if you were a living creature using the ability, with the following exceptions. You do not gain a Constitution score in the new form, and you retain all the immunities of the undead type while in your new form. The form you assume looks half-decayed, with missing patches of fur and rotted, worm-eaten flesh. While you are in this form, the rank odor of death hangs around you. Normal

Since it is based on the polymorph spell, wild shape works only on living creatures.

Means the answer would have been "No."

Answer 1

To my mind, the overriding rules here are these:

Alternate Form

The creature retains the type and subtype of its original form.

Undead Type

• No Constitution score.

You cannot have an undead that has a Constitution score, so since Alternate Form has you retain your type, you cannot gain a Constitution score. I believe this is “more specific” than the general rule that you gain the target creature’s physical ability scores when using Alternate Form.

You could argue the opposite way, however, that Alternate Form is a more specific case than the general rule that undead do not have a Constitution score. But note that this results in a living (has a Constitution score) undead (retains that type), which to me is a good enough reason to side the other way.

As for using Charisma in place of Constitution, this is a common feature for undead, but not a universal one. In some places, that privilege requires a feat (e.g. Undead Meldshaping in Magic of Incarnum). Depending on your build, I might want to tax you for it; Cha-to-everything is a fairly potent strategy as it is, and undead is a desirable type anyway. Getting to use Charisma for yet more things, and avoiding the “weakness” of the undead type’s lack of Constitution, might be problematic. But if you weren’t already pursuing a Cha-to-everything build, I’d probably give it freely.