Shapeshifter spellcasting and initiating dialogue with NPCs?

[czarnyfolk]

Ok, a search on "shapeshifter" was informative about the history of tweaks, bugs and fixpacks concerning the druid kit 'shapeshifter', but it didn't quite lay out the answers to my two questions. I'm running Big World Project v9.10 with the default install options, which, as far as I can tell, turns off any shapeshifter fixes or tweaks.

 

As the thread title states, I'm trying to figure out how to allow shapeshifted druids the ability to a) cast spells and b) initiate dialogue. My gut is telling me that changing settings to allow them to cast spells is going to be easier than letting them initiate dialogue while shapechanged, but I'm a relative newbie to modding so we'll see.

 

Currently I'm using NearInfinity and ShadowKeeper as my tools, but if there is something else that would help with this problem I'm willing to learn to use a different tool.

 

Thanks!