"Alter Self" and disguise.

[Ysgarran]

Just curious as to how the rules experts would parse this about the alter self spell:

You are effectively disguised as an average member of the new form’s race. If you use this spell to create a disguise, you get a +10 bonus on your Disguise check.

So if an elf did an 'alter self' on himself to be appear as a typical ('average') human would characters get a spot roll against it? My reading of the spell says no.

Just curious if people agree or not.

thanks,
Ysgarran.

 

[Pbartender]

Just curious as to how the rules experts would parse this about the alter self spell:

So if an elf did an 'alter self' on himself to be appear as a typical ('average') human would characters get a spot roll against it? My reading of the spell says no.

Sure they do... Assuming they are suspicious. It's just like any other disguise.

If you don’t draw any attention to yourself, others do not get to make Spot checks. If you come to the attention of people who are suspicious (such as a guard who is watching commoners walking through a city gate), it can be assumed that such observers are taking 10 on their Spot checks.

So, the elf would get a -2 for disguising himself as another race, and a +10 for using alter self, for a total of a +8 modifier to his disguise check. If he disguising himself as a specific human, those familiar with that human are automatically suspicious and gain a +4 to +10 bonus on their spot checks.