L^: mu6	-	R#: 0	-	D^: 1r*
C^: v.s.m	-	CT: 6	-	S^: None
A^: Personal	-		-	-

Effect: Tenser's Transformation is a sight guaranteed to astound any creature not aware of its power,
for when the magic-user casts the dweomer, he or she undergoes a startling transformation.

The size and strength of the magic-user increase to heroic proportions,
so he or she becomes a formidable fighting machine,
for the spell causes the caster to become a berserk fighter!
The magic-user's hit points double, and all damage he or she sustains comes first from the magical points gained;
so if damage does not exceed original hit points, none is actually taken,
but if damage beyond the additional amount is sustoined,
each point counts as 2 (double damage).
The armor class of the magic-user is a full 4 factors better than that he or she possessed prior to casting the spell
(AC 10 goes to 6, AC 9 to 5, AC 8 to 4, etc.),
all attacks are at a level equal to those of a fighter of the same level as the magic-user
(i.e., the spell caster uses the combat table normally restricted to fighters),
and although he or she can employ a dagger only in attacking,
damage inflicted by the weapon is at +2 additional hit points,
and 2 such attacks per round are mode by the magic-user.
However, it is worth noting that this spell must run its full course,
and the magic-user will continue attacking until all opponents are slain,
he or she is killed, the magic is dispelled, or the Transformation duration expires.

MC: A potion of heroism (or superheroism)
which the magic-user must consume during the course of uttering the spell.


ADQ: Can a FTR|M-U who casts a 
Tenser's Transformation spell use weapons 
other than a dagger? 
ADA: No, the spell restricts the caster to use of 
the dagger only, no matter what other weapons 
the character could normally employ. Note that a 
multi-classed FTR|M-U would have to be 
using a scroll to employ this spell, since a character 
must be at least a 12th level caster to use it 
and elves are limited to 11th level as M-Us. <revise> 
A human dual-classed character of the proper 
level could acquire the spell normally, though. 
(Polyhedron #19)

chrisspiller wrote:
    Gary,

    I was wondering if any of the name-specific spells in the PHB and UA were actually the result of PC research on your original campaign.
For instance, did Bigby come up with any of the various hand spells that carry his name?

    I am sure some (most?) did not come about this way but I'm curious as to whether or not all of them were made up by you.
I'm fairly sure, for example, that "Serten's Spell Immunity" wasn't the result of PC research as Serten was a Cleric, iirc.

    Thanks in advance!

Pax,
Chris
 

Heh, Chris...
You ask that of the game's designer, campaign DM, and the player of the character?

the answer to many is a simple, yes because i wanted my PC to have that sort of spell. some of the others were named for a PC who would have loved to have such a spell but didn't think of creating it, so i did in the name of the PC. Tenser's Transformation, for instance, was simply the magical expression of what son Ernie would do with his PC when Tenser had cast his last spell and still wanted to be in on the action 

Cheers,
Gary

chrisspiller wrote:
Cool, thanks Gary!

Hey, as a follow up question: you mentioned Ernie's playing Tenser as a Mage that would enter melee when out of spells. Did Tenser ever employ the spell that was named after him or did he simply throw caution to the wind and have at it? I've always wanted to use that spell but never had a PC Magic-User find it 

Pax,

Chris
 

Welcome!

He never used Tenser;s Transformation, just went hell for breakfast into battle.
however, he did use Tenser's Floating Disk on every occassion it would enable the party to haul out more loot 

Cheerio,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally posted by ScottGLXIX
I've had more TPK in The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun than anywhere else, and the all happen in the first room of the temple.
The difficulty of the encounter is fiendishly disguised by the trickling in of monsters after the first round, and my players often forgets about running away to fight another day.

The talk of barbarians reminds me of a question I've had for some time, Ernie the Barbarian, did Ernie play a barbarian character (besides his magic-users who were prone to fits of barbarian berserker rage) or was this just a nickname he picked up?
Scott
 

Howdy Scott 

Right you are. Groups not used to my DM style tend to lose many, if not all, their PCs because they don't have their characters flee when things are looking grim.
"He who runs away lives to fight another day."
Of course The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun reflects my DMing 

Ernie got the nickname of "Barbarian" because of his play style.
Even as a mage his character would go full bore to defeat the foe without regard to danger.
That was indeed the inspiration for the spell "Tenser's Transformation," as Ernie would risk all thus.

It was me who loved to play a barbarian and disconcert the players with characters who desired magical items... 

Cheers,
Gary