Baleful Polymorphing Shapechangers

[andrew_kenrick]

An interesting conundrum cropped up in last night's game. The baddie, the queen of a plant hive mind, cast baleful polymorph on the party monk, who is also a lycanthrope. He fluffed both saving throws and wound up as a toad, mind and body.

Now, the rules seem to conflict. Firstly, it says that all supernatural abilities (shapechange is Su) are lost. Right, so he can't shapechange as he has lost the ability.

But then it says that anyone with the shapechanger subtype can revert to their normal form as a standard action.

But how can he shapechange into their normal form if he has lost the supernatural ability to do so? Which rule takes precedent?

 

[Thanee]

He could only change back, if he hadn't also failed the Will save IMHO.
Because of that, he bevaves just like a real toad.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Li Shenron]

The specific rule takes precedence: he could revert back freely, but it's the current mindset which IMO prevents that.

 

[Hypersmurf]

But then it says that anyone with the shapechanger subtype can revert to their normal form as a standard action.

Baleful Polymorph is 'as Polymorph'; in Polymorph, it states "The subject’s creature type and subtype (if any) change to match the new form."

Your monk, when baleful polymorphed into a toad, changes from Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger) to Animal.

He is no longer a creature with the shapechanger subtype. When he was polymorphed, his subtypes changed to match that of a toad.

Since he doesn't have the shapechanger subtype, the line in Baleful Polymorph is inapplicable.

... as the spell is written, at any rate.

-Hyp.

 

[andrew_kenrick]

Well I'm glad that you've all agreed with my tentative ruling ... The player is happy with the result anyway, thinking it's pretty funny, and there's a cleric with break enchantment floating around somewhere too. Well, floating around Baator actually, thanks to a prismatic spray, but that's by the by.

Thanks guys.