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<blockquote data-quote="Iku Rex" data-source="post: 2450921" data-attributes="member: 752"><p>Glass is right on all counts. (This is something of a pet subject of mine, so I'll be modifying/copying some bits from an earlier discussion.)</p><p></p><p>According to the core rules and published game supplements, your hit points don't change when you change form with polymorph, wild shape or alternate form. </p><p></p><p>The polymorph spell (through alter self) specifies that "<strong>your hit points remain the same</strong>". The DMG (errata) description of the polymorph effect repeats this rule - "<strong>polymorphed creatures retain their original hit points</strong>." The same rule in confirmed in the MM description of alternate form (works like polymorph, with some exceptions): "<strong>The creature retains its hit points </strong> ..."</p><p></p><p><em>This is the rule WotC's game designers use.</em> See Complete Warrior page 65 or Complete Arcane page 53 for official examples of polymorphed/wild-shaped NPCs. (Their hit points remain the same despite a changed Con in their new forms.)</p><p></p><p>There are two common objections to these published rules: </p><p></p><p>Objection 1: "While the rules <em>do</em> say that your hit points remain the same, the rule in question only applies if there no reason (such as a changed Con) for your hit points to change." </p><p></p><p>I'm sure most people can see the absurdity of this interpretation. A rule doesn't become "ambiguous" just because it doesn't add a clarifying note explaining that it does indeed mean what it says. </p><p></p><p>This interpretation is also contradicted by Skip Williams, who makes it clear in his articles that the phrase "[you] retain [your] hit points" means that your hit points don't change despite a changed Con. (See his discussion of alternate form in part 4 of the polymorph articles.) </p><p></p><p>Finally it makes the rule in question rather pointless, as it won't prevent your hit points from changing if you can think of any reason (such as different Hit Dice) for your hit points to change. :\ </p><p></p><p>Objection 2: " 'Hit points' refers to 'base hit points', and those remain the same."</p><p></p><p>This is contradicted by Skip Williams, who says that "the subject's hit points change". </p><p></p><p>More importantly, it is also directly contradicted by the definition and usage of the game term "hit points" in the rules. </p><p></p><p>A changed Con modifier (barring exceptions like polymorph, alternate form or familiar hit points) increases or decreases (or "changes") a creature's hit points, regardless of whether the change is permanent or temporary. See the DnD glossary, the PH page 9 (under "Constitution") or the PH page 136 (under "hit points") if you need this fact confirmed. There is no term called "base hit points" in the game.</p><p></p><p>(Those familiar with 3.0 will find this interpretation especially absurd, as it assumes that they copy-pasted wording from the 3.0 spell intending for a defined game term - "hit points" - to mean something different in the exact same context in the 3.5 spell...)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Iku Rex, post: 2450921, member: 752"] Glass is right on all counts. (This is something of a pet subject of mine, so I'll be modifying/copying some bits from an earlier discussion.) According to the core rules and published game supplements, your hit points don't change when you change form with polymorph, wild shape or alternate form. The polymorph spell (through alter self) specifies that "[B]your hit points remain the same[/B]". The DMG (errata) description of the polymorph effect repeats this rule - "[B]polymorphed creatures retain their original hit points[/B]." The same rule in confirmed in the MM description of alternate form (works like polymorph, with some exceptions): "[B]The creature retains its hit points [/B] ..." [I]This is the rule WotC's game designers use.[/I] See Complete Warrior page 65 or Complete Arcane page 53 for official examples of polymorphed/wild-shaped NPCs. (Their hit points remain the same despite a changed Con in their new forms.) There are two common objections to these published rules: Objection 1: "While the rules [I]do[/I] say that your hit points remain the same, the rule in question only applies if there no reason (such as a changed Con) for your hit points to change." I'm sure most people can see the absurdity of this interpretation. A rule doesn't become "ambiguous" just because it doesn't add a clarifying note explaining that it does indeed mean what it says. This interpretation is also contradicted by Skip Williams, who makes it clear in his articles that the phrase "[you] retain [your] hit points" means that your hit points don't change despite a changed Con. (See his discussion of alternate form in part 4 of the polymorph articles.) Finally it makes the rule in question rather pointless, as it won't prevent your hit points from changing if you can think of any reason (such as different Hit Dice) for your hit points to change. :\ Objection 2: " 'Hit points' refers to 'base hit points', and those remain the same." This is contradicted by Skip Williams, who says that "the subject's hit points change". More importantly, it is also directly contradicted by the definition and usage of the game term "hit points" in the rules. A changed Con modifier (barring exceptions like polymorph, alternate form or familiar hit points) increases or decreases (or "changes") a creature's hit points, regardless of whether the change is permanent or temporary. See the DnD glossary, the PH page 9 (under "Constitution") or the PH page 136 (under "hit points") if you need this fact confirmed. There is no term called "base hit points" in the game. (Those familiar with 3.0 will find this interpretation especially absurd, as it assumes that they copy-pasted wording from the 3.0 spell intending for a defined game term - "hit points" - to mean something different in the exact same context in the 3.5 spell...) [/QUOTE]
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