Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 9550942" data-attributes="member: 4937">I'm not as restrictive as you but do agree that shapechanging is problematic in play both for balance reasons and speed of play.I therefore require a player who could shapechange (or summon creatures) to have already prepared an adjusted character sheet (or stat block) for each and every form that they wish to assume and further require that the form be one the character is familiar with through study or experience.&nbsp; They can't just flip through a monster manual and pick out forms.&nbsp; They either have to be acquainted with the creature from personal experience or find a suitable library for conducting research and spend time studying and researching forms.&nbsp; Unpracticed and ad hoc forms would generally require a spellcraft check to get &quot;right&quot; with failure indicating penalties to effective dexterity and unusual appearance that would readily cause anyone actually familiar with the form to recognize it as false and assumed.&nbsp; And again, I wouldn't even allow it unless the player can immediately provide the adjusted character sheet.The real reason for this of course is speed of play, but it does also have some in universe lore about it as well limit somewhat the impact of such spell use.&nbsp; Shapechanging of self I generally have little problem with provided some sense is applied to the spell as to what you can copy given the spell's level such that it is balanced with similar &quot;buff&quot; spells of that level.&nbsp; The real problem 3.5e introduces is beneficial shape changing for minions or fellow party members, leading to everyone running around changed into stone giants or some such.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Celebrim, post: 9550942, member: 4937"] I'm not as restrictive as you but do agree that shapechanging is problematic in play both for balance reasons and speed of play. I therefore require a player who could shapechange (or summon creatures) to have already prepared an adjusted character sheet (or stat block) for each and every form that they wish to assume and further require that the form be one the character is familiar with through study or experience. They can't just flip through a monster manual and pick out forms. They either have to be acquainted with the creature from personal experience or find a suitable library for conducting research and spend time studying and researching forms. Unpracticed and ad hoc forms would generally require a spellcraft check to get "right" with failure indicating penalties to effective dexterity and unusual appearance that would readily cause anyone actually familiar with the form to recognize it as false and assumed. And again, I wouldn't even allow it unless the player can immediately provide the adjusted character sheet. The real reason for this of course is speed of play, but it does also have some in universe lore about it as well limit somewhat the impact of such spell use. Shapechanging of self I generally have little problem with provided some sense is applied to the spell as to what you can copy given the spell's level such that it is balanced with similar "buff" spells of that level. The real problem 3.5e introduces is beneficial shape changing for minions or fellow party members, leading to everyone running around changed into stone giants or some such. [/QUOTE]

Verification