Greater Metamorphosis: The Golem Chronicles

[Carpe DM]

So, now one of my players is using Greater Metamorphosis to turn into various things, all of which are enormous fun, but the one that gives me true logical headaches is the Prismatic Golem.

Here's my question: what happens when you use magic to turn into something with the special ability (which G-M grants) of being immune to magic? Does it automatically cancel the effect? Or is it more like anti-magic shell -- magic itself creates the non-magic effect? After all, magic can grant near total immunity to magic.

Thoughts? As always, citations to actual rules / Sage columns, etc. are wonderful.

best,

Carpe

 

[Corsair]

Technically Metamophosis doesn't allow SR/PR. So therefore it would have no issues with Magic Immunity (which is treated as infinite SR).

Yay for RAW!

 

[Alzrius]

Technically Metamophosis doesn't allow SR/PR. So therefore it would have no issues with Magic Immunity (which is treated as infinite SR).

Greater metamorphosis explicitly states that it does grant all extraordinary and supernatural abilities of the new form. Since immunity to magic (and spell resistance, for that matter) is extraordinary, the PC does gain it if he becomes a prismatic golem.

I'd say that the immunity to magic does not shut down the greater metamorphosis that the PC is using to take that form in the first place. The prismatic golem's magic immunity only functions on spells that allow spell resistance. The power has a target of "You" and according to SRD section on The Target listing for a psionic power (emphasis mine):

If you manifest a targeted power on the wrong type of target the power has no effect. If the target of a power is yourself (the power description has a line that reads “Target: You”), you do not receive a saving throw and power resistance does not apply. The Saving Throw and Power Resistance lines are omitted from such powers.

Hence, the PC can become a prismatic golem, no problem.

 

[Corsair]

So then we agree? Thanks for finding the base rules text in question though.

 

[Carpe DM]

Ok, then as I understand it: Greater Metamorphosis certainly does grant SR / PR. But, that SR / PR does not apply to self-cast psionic abilities. That's my current understanding. Cool.

It actually works pretty well. It just means that Church Inquisitors really finally have a huge role to play in the campaign. When one spell is that broken, having a single class designed to take it out suddenly makes sense. I always wondered why Church Inquisitors were anti-shapechange more than anti-demon or devil. Having taken this campaign to 17th level, now I know.

Carpe

 

[Corsair]

When one spell is that broken,

Yet strangely you seem to not be referring to the core Shapechange, which is better than Gr. Metamorphosis in many key ways, with the exception of turning into objects.

 

[Carpe DM]

Sure, Shapechange is also at issue -- the party wizard, a Wizard / Ur-Priest / Mystic Theurge, will be casting it. But on my reading of the text, Shapechange doesn't let you turn into constructs. Hence, no purpose really in discussing it for purposes of determining whether a golem's immunity to magic prevents magic from being used to turn into a golem.

best,

Carpe