Herpes Cineplex
First Post
I'm playing a halfling wizard in our ongoing Scarred Lands game, and just got my tiny little hands on a spellbook that contained "Polymorph Self." My selection of 4th level spells is small enough that I'm anxious to get the most out of each one, but I'm not sure how to best use this spell.
To remind people, the final 3rd edition version of this spell lets you change into another form of creature, ranging in size from Diminutive to one size larger than your normal form, with no more hit dice than you already have or 15 HD, whichever's smaller. You can't become a construct, an elemental, an outsider, or undead unless you're already one of those types. You get the new form's physical and natural abilities (natural armor, natural weapons, wings, etc.), but you don't get any of the supernatural or extraordinary abilities of the new form. Oh, and if the new form had any magical form of travel or could become incorporeal or could assume a gaseous form, you don't get to do that, either. But you do get to heal hit points as if you'd rested for a day.
The spell's duration is 1 hour per level, and post-errata, you're not allowed to change forms as often as you like during that time: you polymorph into the new form, and that's the one you're stuck with until the spell runs out or you dismiss it.
Now, I can imagine using this spell as part of a disguise, but that's not immediately useful to my character; our group's out in the middle of the desert fighting evil and we won't have any opportunity for trying intrigue or deception for a good long while. I could imagine it being useful when you really need to be in a body that has gills or wings, but we're in a desert and "Fly" is only 3rd level, so I don't see how that'd help right now, either.
Mostly what I've been needing are new ways of beating up enemies, and looking at Polymorph Self from a purely combat-centered perspective, it looks like a big woofing dog of a spell. Combing through the Monster Manual, I don't see anything that's worth polymorphing into.
But I figure I can't be right about that, so I'll ask wiser people for the truth. Is there something cool that can be done with Polymorph Self in a fight? Some first-rank choices for things to polymorph into? My character is restricted to creatures ranging from Diminutive to Medium in size without also using an Enlarge spell, but if you've got a larger creature in mind, share it anyway. I'm not picky. Bonus points if the new form can still cast spells (i.e., it has hands, a mouth, and can carry spell components).
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if polymorph self really is as bad as it looks, i guess i'll just stick with ice storm
ryan
To remind people, the final 3rd edition version of this spell lets you change into another form of creature, ranging in size from Diminutive to one size larger than your normal form, with no more hit dice than you already have or 15 HD, whichever's smaller. You can't become a construct, an elemental, an outsider, or undead unless you're already one of those types. You get the new form's physical and natural abilities (natural armor, natural weapons, wings, etc.), but you don't get any of the supernatural or extraordinary abilities of the new form. Oh, and if the new form had any magical form of travel or could become incorporeal or could assume a gaseous form, you don't get to do that, either. But you do get to heal hit points as if you'd rested for a day.
The spell's duration is 1 hour per level, and post-errata, you're not allowed to change forms as often as you like during that time: you polymorph into the new form, and that's the one you're stuck with until the spell runs out or you dismiss it.
Now, I can imagine using this spell as part of a disguise, but that's not immediately useful to my character; our group's out in the middle of the desert fighting evil and we won't have any opportunity for trying intrigue or deception for a good long while. I could imagine it being useful when you really need to be in a body that has gills or wings, but we're in a desert and "Fly" is only 3rd level, so I don't see how that'd help right now, either.
Mostly what I've been needing are new ways of beating up enemies, and looking at Polymorph Self from a purely combat-centered perspective, it looks like a big woofing dog of a spell. Combing through the Monster Manual, I don't see anything that's worth polymorphing into.
But I figure I can't be right about that, so I'll ask wiser people for the truth. Is there something cool that can be done with Polymorph Self in a fight? Some first-rank choices for things to polymorph into? My character is restricted to creatures ranging from Diminutive to Medium in size without also using an Enlarge spell, but if you've got a larger creature in mind, share it anyway. I'm not picky. Bonus points if the new form can still cast spells (i.e., it has hands, a mouth, and can carry spell components).
--
if polymorph self really is as bad as it looks, i guess i'll just stick with ice storm
ryan
