Good Medium size creature for Polymorph?

[Artoomis]

I disagree with this. The same line of logic why the pcs agree to this would work on your cohort. The only way he wont get turned back is if everyone is dead except him.(absurdly unlikely) Unless there is some rule in the DMG that says cohorts have a largely reduced int when ever it would screw the pcs over, I don't see this as a hard sell. There's a reason many people think poly other is still broke.

The big difference is that the DM should decide if the cohort agrees to be polymorphed, not the player. The mere fact that the cohort becomes technically more powerful is not sufficient reason for him to agree to be polymorphed, even if it might be for a PC that is totally controlled by a player.

And if he loses some of his monkish abilities- no way!! Besides that, changing shape is not the most lawful thing around. The monk should be a bit close-minded (read: lawful) about this and not want to change his shape, even to a "better" one.

"Law" implies honor, trustworthiness, obedience to authority, and reliability. On the downside, lawfulness can include close-mindedness, reactionary adherence to tradition, and a lack of adaptability.

 

[smetzger]

The big difference is that the DM should decide if the cohort agrees to be polymorphed, not the player. The mere fact that the cohort becomes technically more powerful is not sufficient reason for him to agree to be polymorphed, even if it might be for a PC that is totally controlled by a player.

This is highly dependant on the type of game you play and there are no hard and fast rules to determine this.

It is my opinion that the player would choose.

And if he loses some of his monkish abilities- no way!! Besides that, changing shape is not the most lawful thing around. The monk should be a bit close-minded (read: lawful) about this and not want to change his shape, even to a "better" one.

Or you can interpret Lawful as being completly commited to your purpose and goal. Maybe this Monk is completly comitted to his master. or maybe this Monk is completly commited to being the best grappler there is and would be willing to 'transcend' his own body to this end, after all at 20th level they trancend aging at 17th level and they transcend into Oustiders at 20th level. Using alignment to justify or restrict an action such as this is questionable at best.

Oh BTW, the Monk will not lose any EX or SU abilities; he just doesn't gain any new ones from the new form.

 

[Vuron]

IMC Cohorts are in fact independent NPCs that just happen to serve the PC in some fashion, that means they have lives and motivations of thier own. In my mind that pretty much requires them to be under DM control.

As to your Polymorphed creatures keeping supernatural abilities the SRD says thus

The subject retains its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, level and class, hit points (despite any change in its Constitution score), alignment, base attack bonus, and base saves. (New Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores may affect final attack and save bonuses.) The subject retains its own type (for example, "humanoid"), extraordinary abilities, spells, and spell-like abilities, but not its supernatural abilities. The subject can cast spells for which it has components. It needs a humanlike voice for verbal components and humanlike hands for somatic components. The subject does not gain the spell-like abilities of its new form. The subject does not gain the supernatural abilities (such as breath weapons and gaze attacks) or the extraordinary abilities of the new creature.

 

[Artoomis]

This is highly dependant on the type of game you play and there are no hard and fast rules to determine this.

It is my opinion that the player would choose.

If the player is allowed full choice on cohort actions, this greatly increases the power of having a cohort. A cohort should be someone who willingly (even enthusiastically) follows and supports the PC in the cohort's own way, not necessarily in the way the player wants, exactly.

A cohort is not a slave.

Allowing the player full control is like giving the player two PCs to play.

Now, a DM may let a player have most of the control over a cohort, including most battle decisions, but, when it comes to decisions about what the cohort will or will not allow to be done with his body, that's a DM call all the way for sure.

Also, a monk is pretty much a type of character who would generally refuse changes to his basic nature. It's just not monk-like to do such things.

 

[Xeoble]

How about some kind of dragon, lots of attacks

 

[0-hr]

The same line of logic why the pcs agree to this would work on your cohort.

No, because NPC's cannot be metagaming munchkins.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Speaking as a non-metagaming munchkin, if one of my best friends could turn me into a dragon, and then turn me back, and it would help our situation out-- damn right I'd let him turn me into a dragon for awhile.

I might even let him do it for fun, if the change itself weren't too traumatic.

 

[Dash Dannigan]

IMC for friendly multiple polymorphs I like to introduce the random chance of permanent mutation

 

[Shannon Shanshan]

The best medium size polymorph I can find is the Ambush Drake:
*7HD
*30 speed, 40 fly (poor)
*+6 Natural Armour
*16 Str, 15 Dex, 18 Con (effectively gives a HD amount of temp HP)
*Racial +4 Hide checks, Sleep and Paralysis Immunity
*Attk: bite (+3+BAB, d8+3+poison)
*Full Attk: bite (+3+BAB, d8+3+poison) and 2 claws (-2+BAB, d6+1)
*poison: Fortitude save DC17 (Con based), d6 Dex (initial and secondary)
*has hands and speech: performs somatic & verbal components, can wear gloves of Dex
*No forehead: cant wear headband of Intellect, unfortunately



...Why the heck does anyone think a cohort would object to being polymorphed into something super kickass in a dangerous situation?! He'd love the Natural Armour boost (etc) as much as anyone, and appreciate the spellcaster for it, no less than any other buffing spell, no less than the spellcaster appreciates casting it on itself.

 

[Shannon Shanshan]

Oread is also good:

7HD
30 speed, 30 burrow speed
13 Dex, 18 Con
Natural Armour +9
Can speak, has hands (for spellcasting)