Help! I've been REINCARNATED as a BEAR

[whatisitgoodfor]

AuraSeer:

Sorry, I don't have a cite for it. IMO, its just common sense. If Dragons get to use their spell casting abilities without having hands, then why wouldn't other critters.

Unless you only allow humans to cast spells IYC, then it's a bit unfair to say that a character loses all spell-casting ability just because they aren't shaped like a human. Requiring that the character spend some time getting used to the new body would be fair, but it should be applied across the board (meaning that he should get penalties to attacks and everything else while adjusting).

The most important reason, however, is to encourage your players to keep their character. (So I've just gone from being the party's mobile artillery platform to being less than half a fighter? ... Just give me the d6's I'm rolling a new character.)
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Buddah:

The MM entry is wrong. In order to use a mixture of natural and artificial weapons, you must use TWF. IIRC, the Sage was clarifying this in the MotW issue of Dragon; I think it was also covered in the issue dealing with Saurials.

Multiattack only applies to natural weapons.

 

[Van Dyksun]

Well, I hate to disagree with someone who's trying to give my character the benefit, but the spell description does say:

Some bodies may make it impossible for the reincarnated character to use some of his class abilities. For example, a caster reincarnated as a hawk can’t cast spells with somatic components because he doesn’t have hands.

Now, a bear has "paws," so the question comes down to is that enough of a hand to use somatic components. The opposable thumb mention above was pretty strong in saying "no."

 

[SheepLord]

We had a party member die in one of our campaigns as well. I played a druid, and had a scroll of reincarnate. Thanks to Use Magic Device, I was able to bring him back from the dead... as a centuar.

The character was a half-orc with 22 str at this time, which was raised to 28 due to the bonus that a centuar gets. Wow, he used a huge admantium warhammer and really, really whooped alot of butt.

He recently died again however, and wanted to be reincarnated again. This time he's back as a boar. I'm just glad his alignment already is party chaotic, cus that'd be hell on any lawful character. It's also funny that all his old equ was large or huge, now he's medium sized.

 

[Sejs]

Level up ranger until you get Polymorph Self, then take a level in Shifter?


^_^

 

[Mistwell]

Well, I hate to disagree with someone who's trying to give my character the benefit, but the spell description does say:



Now, a bear has "paws," so the question comes down to is that enough of a hand to use somatic components. The opposable thumb mention above was pretty strong in saying "no."

See now, if only your bear-type had been Panda Bear, you would have that opposable thumb.

(And before all you "Panda's are not bears" and "Panda's do not have an opposable thumb" people come trouncing in here, let me just say I met with one of the world's leading experts in Panda Bears a couple of weeks ago at the San Diego zoo, talked at length about the cute fellows, and was told that 1) while there was scientific confusion for a while, they are now 100% positive Panda's are from the bear family, and 2) Yes, that thumb is opposable, and I even saw a picture of the skeletal structure and watched the Panda's use the thumb. They are just as agile with their thumbs, if not more so, than we humans.)

http://groups.msn.com/Tekken/tekken.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=154

 

[the Jester]

What's your favored class as a bear?

On a related note, say an elf fighter 2/wizard 10 dies and is reincarnated as a halfling.

Does she suffer the xp penalty for multiclassing from now on? Sucks, doesn't it?

 

[Saeviomagy]

According to the dragon article on saurials (and the only article anywhere which really covers the topic properly), you have a few choices for your attack routine.

1) Use your natural attack routine. Which means you attack at full attack bonus for your primary weapons (two claws) with full strength bonus to damage. You also attack at your full attack bonus -5 for your secondary weapons (bite), with half strength bonus to damage.

2) Use normal weapon rules, treating any free natural attacks (ie - if you use a one-handed weapon as a bear, your bite and one claw are free) as off-hand weapons (to which multidexterity and multiweapon fighting apply)

In addition, you may treat one of your natural weapons as if it were a regular weapon (and gain your full attack progression with it). If it's the only natural weapon you use, you may even treat it as a two-handed weapon (1.5 times normal strength bonus to damage).

Next up - I'd suggest rather than being polymorphed, you get a hold of a persistant alter self item (not too different from a hat of disguise...) which grants you hands, or just get a wand of alter self to do the same. Otherwise you'll need still spell (natural spell technically doesn't work - it only allows you to cast while wildshaped).

 

[Kibo]

I'm not sure I like this Masters of the Wild book.

Well you've got a great excuse to go the Bearlord PrC route. I might alter the requirements, since you're a magical bear now. And maybe alter the wildshape ability to allow you to shape back into your former self, as well as other bear forms should they become available. Significant alterations maybe, but it's a prestige class and would have a pretty good story behind it. I might be inclined to tie it in with the desires of your patron God if that fit, but that's me.

 

[LostSoul]

My Question:

Without hands, can the bear still drink beer?

 

[Kibo]

My Question:

Without hands, can the bear still drink beer?

If a goat with out hands (or nuts) can drink beer AND be the mayor of a town in Texas, a guy reincarnated as a bear can drink beer.