Items and Polymorph

[Xellous]

In one of the games Im currently playing in, we have a mage who likes to use polymorph. Im wondering what the rules for items changing shape are? Can a breastplate concievably turn into barding for an animal? Or how about rings turning in braclets for horses or wearing a necklace around a brach while in plant form? Basically, is there a list of item slots for each for that can be changed into? Thanks

 

[griff_goodbeard]

Any items that are inappropriate for his new body, meld into him and become non-functional. ie: wizard polymorphed into a horse, then his breastplate melds and provides no protection. Same wizard polymorphs into a troll, then the breatplate resizes to fit his new form.

See Skip's rules of the game articles. It clears things up... kind of
Rules of the Game 1
Rules of the Game 2
Rules of the Game 3
Rules of the Game 4

 

[PrinceZane]

I have to agree with griff... but more because there are rules to make items "different" then they normally are for the purpose of giving monster pcs items (such as armor for dragons), so unless he got some specially crafted horse armor to put on after he polymorphed I don't think his would work

 

[Prism]

Generally items are kept if they can be worn by the new form. However items do not normally resize if you take on a form that is of a different size. As far as I am concerned Skip has it wrong here in his Rules of the Game. The only items that could resize are certain bits of magical jewelry and clothing but this is up to the DM. Weapons and armour certainly do not resize

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Armor and weapons do not magically resize to fit their wearer.

Most other magical clothing - cloaks, hats, boots, rings, etc. - resize.

 

[griff_goodbeard]

Generally items are kept if they can be worn by the new form. However items do not normally resize if you take on a form that is of a different size. As far as I am concerned Skip has it wrong here in his Rules of the Game. The only items that could resize are certain bits of magical jewelry and clothing but this is up to the DM. Weapons and armour certainly do not resize

I accually agree with you, in my campain unless you polymorph into another biped that is the same size all your equipment melds and I've found that this really curbs the "brokeness" of the poymorph chain.

 

[Prism]

I accually agree with you, in my campain unless you polymorph into another biped that is the same size all your equipment melds and I've found that this really curbs the "brokeness" of the poymorph chain.

We play that if you remain in humanoid shape and the same size everything stays. If you remain humanoid but change size then armour and non magic clothes/items merge, magical jewelry and clothing resizes and weapons in hand remain the same but are the wrong size. If you change shape, which mainly crops up with druid wildshape we take it on a case by case basis depending on if you become a snake, shark or bear etc

 

[Chaldfont]

This comes up in our game all the time. Our druid is a wildshaping madman. We had to refigure his stats for all his favorite animal shapes and his equipment. Figuring out which magic items work and which don't for a 13th level druid is a pain.

I wish there were an easier way to do wildshape/polymorph--something that does not require hours of stats-wrangling.

 

[pbd]

What about slotless items?

So I know the rules on slotted items, but what about unslotted ones?

What about a slotless item such as a "stone of goodluck" or a "pearl of power"? The activated "ioun stone" is a no brainer, but what about unactivated?

 

[moritheil]

So I know the rules on slotted items, but what about unslotted ones?

What about a slotless item such as a "stone of goodluck" or a "pearl of power"? The activated "ioun stone" is a no brainer, but what about unactivated?

Are they appropriate for his new body? Probably not; thus, they meld. You could argue that he can keep them in saddlebags or something, but then he'd have to have the saddlebags on him at the time of his transformation.