Polymorph Self Nerfed?

[Dash Dannigan]

Gee this thread would be a whole lot nicer if Hong didn't "pretend" to contribute to it with his unwanted commentaries. Sheesh. I just skip over those nitpicking parts that contributed oh so very little to the thread discussion. Annoying.

 

[Iku Rex]

I reply to this thread for my own reasons. YOUR task, if you choose to accept it, is to figure out what they are.

Hong, I am tired of your antics. I am going to take your advice and stop wasting my time.

 

[hong]

Hong, I am tired of your antics. I am going to take your advice and stop wasting my time.

I'm waiting.

 

[Baron Von StarBlade]

Long Live the King

Man there were so many Gems of Hong in this thread it wasn't funny.

Hong: One thing. I noticed that you typed ThADVANCEnks. Wouldn't that be Advanced in Thanks. . not Thanks in Advance? I recommend that you change that to AdvTHaNKSnce.

Otherwise I have nothing constructive to add other than Hong is and always will be the king.

 

[Silver Griffon]

Just to open the whole can of worms back up, the SRD still states that Polymorph Self allows multiple transformations. If they really meant to remove that, why did they not update the SRD?

 

[Asmo]

from the SRD:

"The new form can be disorienting. Any time the polymorphed character is in a stressful or demanding situation (such as combat), the caster must succeed at a Will save (DC 19) or suffer a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, saves, skill checks, and ability checks until the situation passes."

Why did they bring this back? They removed it in Tome & Blood,and now it´s back? I don´t get it...

Asmo

 

[Iku Rex]

Why did they bring this back? They removed it in Tome & Blood,and now it´s back? I don´t get it...

It hasn't been "brought back". That part of the SRD has not been changed for a long time - it doesn't even incorporate the PH errata from 2000.

 

[jmucchiello]

Unless you can point to a specific definition of "Special Ability" as a term of art, I don't think your argument has any support in the rules. If you can find any, I'd love to see it. (And if you could stop being condescending long enough to post it, that'd be great. But I wouldn't want to ask too much of you.)

Try the DMG where it describes what Ability score drain and poisons are. It is under a section (in chapter 2 or 3 (I don't have my book here)) called Special Abilities. Try in the front of the MM where it describes both Special Attacks and Special Qualities and most of them are also in the DMG list of Special Abilities. These are entries in most monster entries. Does that make Special Ability a defined term for you?

Hong has be asking for someone to find an ability on a monster where the ability is listed as either a Special Attack or a Special Quality which does not have the Ex, Sp, or Su modifier. No one has given one. Natural armor is listed in the AC line, movement is in the Speed line.

I am hoping that (Na) gets added to the specials list so that the constrict ability of certain snakes becomes useful as a polymorph. I doubt they will make this change for 3.1 edition next summer, though.


I think this as a better question:

From the SRD @ http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/srdspellsp.rtf under Polymorph Self
Natural abilities include armor, natural weapons, and similar gross physical qualities. A body with extra limbs does not allow a character to make more attacks (or more advantageous two-weapon attacks) than normal. Natural abilities also include mundane movement capabilities, but not magical flight and other magical forms of travel. Extremely high speeds for certain creatures are the result of magical ability, so they are not granted by this spell. Other nonmagical abilities (such as low-light vision) are considered natural abilities and are retained.

Do you get 200 feet of flight if you polymorph into an young adult white dragon? I'm sure some of that speed is magical. How much is though? Sure would be nice if the MM were more explicit about this.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

First of all, I'd like someone to point me to the definition of "term of art." I graduated with a degree in English, and I've never heard it before. I'd be interested in expanding my vocabulary.

Secondly, I think this whole problem is the results of the game designers not truly appreciating the extent to which D&D players are anal retentive. The quote by jmucchiello basically says, "take a look at a creature's abilities, and figure out the ones which are the result of its natural form and not magic or skill. You get those." They didn't realize that many D&D players either need or want things spelled out explicitly.

Me, I've never had a problem with it. *shrug*

 

[maddman75]

I'm not exactly sure Lord P., but I believe the term "word of art" means a word that has special meaning within a certain context. Such as "Extraordinary Ability." This means an ability that is beyond the mundane obviously, but within the context of 3e rules it has additional meaning as well.

Anyone disagree with this?

PS - Hong, I think I love you. This thread is Comedy Gold.