MM3: Warforged Charger

[Shin Okada]

Does a Warforged Charger considered to have hands for the purpose of spellcasting or wielding manufactured weapons? The MM3 says it looks like an ogre-sized gorilla. And it has natural weapons called Adamantine Fists. But I am not sure if it can manipulate material components or wield manufactured weapons.

I am thinking about making a Warforged Wizard who uses Alter Self spell to change into a Warforged Charger.

 

[emoplato]

1. Weapons, yes, so long as your arms don't retract into your body.
2. Spells, yes, as long as your fists don't fuse and you can speak normally. Otherwise you need some feats to compensate.

 

[Shin Okada]

Thank you for a reply emoplato.

Well, then next question. Assuming a warforged uses Alter Self spell to change into a Warforged Charger,

1) How should Warforged feats interact with the new Warforged Charger Form?

Say, feats such as Adamantine Body, Jaws of Death, etc.

Should those feats applied when changed into a Warforged Charger?

One of the specific issue is about the AC of Warforged Charger. According to MM3, Warforged Charger is gaining it's Armor Bonus to AC from it's Adamantine Body feat, which usual Warforged Charger gains as a bonus feat.

Usually, when using Alter Self, a character does not gain feats which a monster usually has. And usually, the caster retains his selection of feats and can use them unless the new form cannot use those feats physically.

What happens if the said Warforged mage has Adamantine Body, Mithral Body, or non of such feats? Should he automatically gain Adamantine Body feat when changing into Warforged Charger? Or should the mage's feat selection applied (say, he will become a Warforged Charger with Mithral Body). Or, should such feats are all ignored and he will become a Warforged Chargere without such feats (ie, Armor bonus of 3)?

And, should other Warforged feats, such as Jaws of Death, Silver Tracery, etc., be carried over when changing into Warforged Charger?

2) How should Warforged components interact with the new Warforged Charger Form?

I guess Warforged Charger can use large-sized version of Warforged component items, and thus those items should be carried over (and becomes large-sized version). But I am not sure.

 

[emoplato]

Well, you do gain any racial bonus feats of the new form. I would say if you don't have a Warforged body feat you are stuck with the new one, however if you do have a body feat of your own you can use the other if it is advantageous to use. I'm not sure if it is RAW but as far as I know it complies with D&D rules, interpretation of law of enhancements if something of the same bonus the higher or the one most beneficial applies. However, from the rules of the polymorph school you would have to choose at beginning and not be able to change until the spell ends.
Sure, a bite attack is always good it doesn't disturb casting or fighting. As for the components that depends if they are feats, items, or inherently racial abilities. If feats, of course they transfer. If items well then you should look at a wild clasp, an attachment one can place on an item so that it remains for use. It was designed for wild shape, but the same laws apply, the only difference is wild shape is a supernatural ability. If inherently racial no, you have assumed a new body therefore you use that body, unless you want to be master transmogrifist but it is a non-optimal casting and fighting class. It also can be a class of broken combinations, ie Pun-Pun, especially if the user has access to many monster books.

 

[Shin Okada]

Thank you again. It seems that I can make a Beast Wars-like warforged fighter-mage.