Polymorph Other
(Alteration)
(Nature)
Polymorph Other
(Alteration)
(Nature)
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Effect: The polymorph
other spell is a powerful magick which completely alters the form and
ability,
and possibly the personality
and mentality, of the recipient.
Of course, creatures with
a lower intelligence cannot be polymorphed into something with a higher
intelligence,
but the reverse is possible.
1. The creature polymorphed must make a "system shock" (cf. CONSTITUTION) roll to see if it survives the change.
2. If it is successful, it
then acquires all of the form and abilities of the creature it has been
polymorphed into.
A. There
is a base 100% chance that this change will also change its personality
and mentality
into
that of the creature whose form it now possesses.
B. For each 1 point of intelligence of the creature polymorphed,
subtract 5% from the base chance.
C. = Additionally, for every HD of difference between the original form
and the form it is changed into by the spell,
the polymorphed creature must adjust the base chance percentage by +/-5%
per hit die below or above its own number
(or level in the case of characters).
D = A
+ B + C.
3. The chance for assumption of the personality (D) and mentality of the new form must be checked daily until the change takes place. (Note that all creatures generally prefer their own form and will not willingly stand the risk of being subjected to this spell!)
However, the new form of
the polymorphed creature may be stronger than it looks,
i.e. a mummy changed to
a puppy dog would be very tough,
or a brontosaurus changed
to an ant would be impossible to squash merely from being stepped on by
a small creature or even a man-sized one.
DMG:
As is continually pointed out, henchmen and hirelings will NOT desire to
be subjected to the effects of this spell!
Furthermore, level of experience
is not a part of a character's form,
so it
is quite foolish and totally impossible to attempt to polymorph a creature
into an nth level character.
Likewise, profession is
not form, so attempting to polymorph to a fighter, thief, etc. results
in human form and nothing more.
Shape changers (lycanthropes,
deities, druids, vampires, certain dragons, jackalweres, dopplegangers,
mimics, et al.) will be affected for but one round, then will return to
their former form.
Spell.dispel magic: The magic-user must use a dispel magic spell to change the polymorphed creature back to its original form, and this too requires a "system shock" saving throw.
MC: A caterpillar cocoon.
Effect.example: If
a one hit die orc of 8 intelligence is polymorphed into a white dragon
with 6 hit dice, for example, it is 85%
(100% - [5% X 8 intelligence]
+ [(6 - 1) X 5%] = 85%) likely to actually become one in all respects,
but in any case it will have the dragon's physical and mental capabilities;
and if it does not assume the personality and mentality of a white dragon,
it will know what it formerly knew as well.
Effect.example: Another
example: an 8th level fighter successfully polymorphed into a blue dragon
would know combat with weapons and be able to employ them with prehensile
dragon forepaws if the fighter did not take on dragon personality and mentality.
Q: Are there any limits
on the polymorph
other spell? It seems
that
this spell is easily abused.
For example,
a magic-user could turn
himself
into a gold
dragon. Since the spell
grants all the abilities
of the new
form, the magic-user could
assume
human form again whenever
it
wasn't convenient to be
a dragon
and still be able to fly,
use breath
weapons, etc. Would such
a character
lose his character class
abilities?
Can he still earn experience?
Would
an adult magic-user be turned
into
an adult dragon by this
spell? Would
the character then age as
his original
race, or would he age as
a
dragon? Could he reproduce
with
other gold dragons? What
would
happen if a fire lizard
or other unintelligent
creature were polymorphed
into a gold dragon?
A: To start, polymorph
other means just
that; a caster may not use
the spell on
himself. A polymorph other
spell can turn
any creature into any other
creature type
that is not unique. Remember
the system
shock survival roll; the
DM must assign
the polymorphed creature
a constitution
score if one isn?t listed.
Even if the systemshock
check is successful, the
polymorphed
creature retains its own
mind
and tends to act like the
original. Exceedingly
stupid creatures might not
even
notice the change.
This fourth-level spell is
not powerful
enough to establish a connection
between
a recipient creature and
another plane,
nor can it bestow magical
abilities (a character
turned into a vampire, for
example,
could not drain energy levels).
It cannot
give the recipient any skill
or ability that
must be learned ? such as
spells, psionic
abilities, or languages.
The recipient, however,
physically becomes the creature
into
which he has been polymorphed,
and he
could breed with others
of his new ilk.
Furthermore, the recipient
can think like
the type of creature into
which he has
been polymorphed, and has
certain
instinctive knowledge such
as what he
should eat, how to use the
new body?s
locomotion and physical
attack capabilities,
and how to interpret what
his new
senses tell him. This is
not the same as
actually becoming the creature
in mind,
which happens with a failed
intelligence
check as noted in the spell
description on
page 78 of the Players
Handbook.
As long as the recipient
keeps his mind,
he can use his character
class abilities
(provided that this is physically
possible)
and may draw upon his own
knowledge.
The Players Handbook
indicates that a
polymorphed player character
can
hold and use tools and weapons
only if his
new ?hands? have digits.
Items carried by
a character when polymorphed
become
part of the creature when
the change
takes place, and cannot
be recovered until
the creature reassumes its
normal form. A
polymorphed character can
earn experience
as long as he keeps his
own mind.
In the example you have
provided
(assuming that the recipient
of the spell is
another magic-user), the
caster of the spell
would have to decide how
big a gold
dragon the recipient magic-user
will
become. When the spell takes
effect, the
recipient must make a constitution
check.
As you suggest, the adult
magic-user
would become an adult dragon
with
appropriate hit points (if
he makes his
constitution check). When
determining the
character?s chance to assume
a gold
dragon?s mentality, divide
the dragon?s
total hit points by 4 to
determine its effective
hit dice (see the Monster
Manual, page
31, Dragon's
Saving Throws). There should
be at least a 1% chance
per day that the
recipient will assume the
creature?s mentality,
regardless of adjustments.
This magic-user would be
able to speak
(in the magic-user?s languages
only), fly
(and carry passengers),
and use the
dragon?s breath weapons.
The magic-user
could use his spells provided
that material
components were still at
hand, and he
could still read his books
and renew spells.
He does not gain the ability
to speak a gold
dragon?s native tongue,
nor use any of an
adult dragon?s spells, and
he cannot polymorph
himself as a gold dragon
can. A fire
lizard cannot be polymorphed
into a gold
dragon because it is not
as intelligent as a
gold dragon (see the second
sentence of
the spells description in
the Players Handbook);
the spell would fail. In
the example
involving the magic-user
above, the recipient
is assumed to be at least
as intelligent
as an average gold dragon
(intelligence 17
or better).
If a polymorphed creature
assumes the
mentality of his new form,
however, all of
the originals abilities
and memories are
lost, and the creature gains
the full spectrum
of its new form?s abilities.
You may
rule that the acquisition
of these abilities
will take time and perhaps
instruction, but
you can assume that the
creature will
eventually learn them. If
the new gold
dragon in the above example
ever learned
to use a gold dragon?s polymorph
self
ability, however, any change
of form will
dispel the polymorph other
spell. The
creature will return to
normal and must
make a system shock survival
roll. Shapechanging
creatures who are the unwilling
recipients of polymorph
other spells can
negate the spell in a similar
manner (see
the DMG, page
45).
The polymorphed gold dragon
in our
example would grow as a
gold dragon
would, but he would age
as a human as
long as he kept his mind.
Aging in the
AD&D game is sometimes
a function of
the mind, not the body.
(133.73)
Wu
Jen: This spell completely alters the form, ability, and possibly
personality and mentality of the target creature.
Creatures of low Intelligence
may not be polymorphed into creatures of high Intelligence, and any creature
polymorphed must make a "system shock" roll to survive the transfer.
A successful polymorph gains
all the abilities of the creature (though not talents such as profession
or character class), and may become one of those creatures as well.
The base chance is 100%
of taking on the mentality of the creature as well,
-5% for every point of Intelligence
of the original creature and + /-5% for every level the final form is higher
or lower than the original level.
This check is made daily
until it takes place.
A polymorphed creature
may be returned to original by a dispel magic, and the return also
requires a system shock roll.
Wu Jen.MC: The wings of a moth wrapped in silk.
Quote:
Originally
Posted by merelycompetent
And
we thought we were clever for polymorphing fire giants into ants, back
in G3. We didn't think of the followup dispel until later on when a drow
used one on us in a narrow hall -- and we discovered that our party magic-user
had been collecting the ants! (Our DM's description of the ensuing wrestling
match stopped the game for over an hour while we mopped up spilled drinks
and recovered from laughing so hard.)
Hydra
snails are the specialty of Mordenkainen, many attacks in one, as it were.
There
is a danger of having the polymorphed critters released by a hostile spell
caster, so a container within an anti-magic
shell is advised.
Otherwise
a debacle such as you mention is all too likely 
Quote:
Originally
Posted by BOZ
ooh,
hydra flail snails would be wicked nasty! that's a few dozen clubbing attacks
per round isn't it? 
Depends
on the hydra, typically five,
seven,
or nine heads.
Of
course the most desirable sort to polymorph is that with the most heads!
Cheers,
Gary
A wily old man named Pops
Polymorphed men 'mong the treetops.
When accosted by thieves
With no tricks up his sleeves,
He would smile, and call for the copse
-Toni Leigh Perry
