Polymorphing into a Hydra gives no extra attacks?

[thorian]

Polymorph is as per Alter Self, and Alter Self states:

A body with extra limbs does not allow you to make more attacks (or more advantageous two-weapon attacks) than normal.

So when a character polymorphs into a hydra or a giant octopus would they only get their normal number of attacks?

 

[Thanee]

That's only for extra limbs.

I actually don't think this applies to Polymorph at all, but you can never be sure with the mess there, which are the Alter Self/Polymorph rules.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Tatsukun]

Well, you get the extra hydra heads (or whatever) but you still have your own mind. Maybe your brain can't run that many limbs at once very well (like singing a song, snapping your fingers to another, tapping your foot to a third...).

In the end, your brain can only really be effective with one or two at a time, thus no extra attacks.

Just a thought...

-Tatsu

 

[Darklone]

And especially with Giant Octopi (latin), it balances things a lot. Animal Growth (shudder).

 

[Someone]

I think that it´s not speaking about natural attacks, but attacks using more than two weapons (for example morphing into a creature with six arms don´t allow to use six weapon fighting, but you could make six claw attacks.)

 

[Scion]

I also feel that it is speaking more about making more attacks with a weapon or the like. The attacks with all heads at once is a natural attack form of the creature.

 

[beeber]

i'd rule it literally--no extra attacks. if the player asked why, then i'd have to use tatsukun's explanation. when in doubt, don't read too much into it.

if a player could show me current errata or an official faq that stated otherwise, then i'd change my position on it.

 

[Scion]

there goes the 'multiple ways to rule it literally'

anyway, I figure that getting the natural attack routine is something of compensation in this case for likely not being able to cast any spells and being able to use nearly no equipment and poor ac. Since casters have a pretty poor bab then having several attacks is unlikely to help much, for fighter types there are still 'much' better forms even with the natural attack routine.

is there a creature somewhere near core where getting the natural attack routines will be horribly unbalanced? (having heard too many horror stories about mm3 in this regard staying near core sounds safer )

 

[Darklone]

Scion: Druid wildshaping into the abovementioned giant octopus with 8 tentacles? It's worse than hydras.

Add Animal Growth and have fun

 

[rtaylor@cmc.net]

Scion: Druid wildshaping into the abovementioned giant octopus with 8 tentacles? It's worse than hydras.

Add Animal Growth and have fun

Remember, multiple effects that increase size do not stack. Wild shape is an effect that increases size, so is animal growth. So that trick doesn't work unless your natural size is the same as a giant octupus's.