Polymorph Self Nerfed?

[Hypersmurf]

So the elemental qualities of the pyro- and cryohydra are just noise.

If you like.

I maintain that if you were offering a chocolate fish for your challenge, I'd be putting in an invoice.

Since no reward was offered, I'll have to settle for a sense of satisfaction.

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

Since no reward was offered, I'll have to settle for a sense of satisfaction.

At the current exchange rate, a sense of satisfaction is worth about 0.25 Austrian dollars.


Hong "or about 0.00000562 euros, aka Real Money" Ooi

 

[Hypersmurf]

At the current exchange rate, a sense of satisfaction is worth about 0.25 Austrian dollars.

Austrian Schillings.

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

Austrian Schillings.

Well, yes. All us Austrians know there are 100 Austrian schillings per Austrian dollar. (It used to be 12 Austrian schillings per dollar and 20 Austrian pence per schilling, but that was before Metricisation.)

Trust a Kiwi not to be aware of these salient facts.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Trust a Kiwi not to be aware of these salient facts.

Given that they've metricised all the way to the Euro now...?

-Hyp.

 

[Plane Sailing]

BTW, I wonder why the constriction rules use hit points damage and ignore the real way that constriction works in the real world - by suffocating a foe?

Ah yes, that would be because the suffocation rules are instant death, isn't it, and we wouldn't want to address *that*, eh?

 

[WizarDru]

BTW, I wonder why the constriction rules use hit points damage and ignore the real way that constriction works in the real world - by suffocating a foe?

Ah yes, that would be because the suffocation rules are instant death, isn't it, and we wouldn't want to address *that*, eh?

Or it might be because this is a game, and that if we bring the 'how it works in the real world' argument, we'll be here a long, long time.

 

[Iku Rex]

But anyway, do you think that allowing Constrict (Ex) to a polymorph PC would unbalance your game? Would allowing blindsight to a bat PC be that much of a detriment to your game?

Not really.

But I have several problems with allowing "natural" extraordinary abilities:

1) Balance. Polymorph is IMO one of the most overpowered spells in the PH. (Anyone who thinks otherwise will have to face one of my "polymorph wizards" in melee combat. And I don't care if you bring a maxed out fighter.)

Making it even more powerful is not a good thing. Even a seemingly innocent ability like blindsight can be extremely useful. In some situations it's better than the 6th level spell true seeing.

2) Where do you draw the line? Is improved grab "natural"? Rend? Spell resistance? Regeneration? Fast healing? The rules do not make any distinction between "natural" and "unnatural" extraordinary abilities. The DM has to decide about each and every one of them. (The "if it could exist in RL it's natural" approach is a good compromise, but it still leaves you with some very powerful abilities and a number of borderline cases.)

 

[hong]

2) Where do you draw the line?

Sheer DM competence.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Or it might be because this is a game, and that if we bring the 'how it works in the real world' argument, we'll be here a long, long time.

Not a worthy answer

I just raised it because I have a beef with the suffocation/drowning rules - hp damage is used for so much else, including an attack which is basically about suffocating (constriction), I'm astonished that they didn't make suffocation do hp damage. I think it was a slip-up on the designers part, and I'd hope to see it addressed in the next version (hope <> certainty!)

Cheers