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<blockquote data-quote="Pielorinho" data-source="post: 489216" data-attributes="member: 259">A couple of points:-This tactic, which is obviously way-unbalancing, requires a newly-researched spell.&nbsp; This is the most obvious place for the DM to put the kibosh on it:&nbsp; simply don't allow a spell that instantaneously changes one's type to animal.-Although I agree that awaken can technically be empowered in the way you describe, I think this goes against the spirit of the rules.&nbsp; The intent is to give the animal a standard humanoid INT score, not to raise its existing score.&nbsp; I'd say that the 3d6 is an explanation of how one derives a standard humanoid INT score, and that empowering doesn't affect it.&nbsp; This would be a house rule, of course.&nbsp; Given that I play the only druid in either of our D&amp;D groups, I think I'd not be biased in this rule.-Technically, animals have an INT of 1 or 2, and so either folks can't gain the animal type through shapechange, or else when shapechanging, folks gain the INT of the animal they change into.&nbsp; I'm inclined to the latter.&nbsp; Someone in WOTC made a suggested compromise, which we use in my campaign:&nbsp; there's a new type called Magical Animal, which applies to any animal with an INT score of greater than 2.&nbsp; Most spells which affect animals work on such creatures, with the notable exception of awaken:&nbsp; this means you cannot cast Awaken multiple times on the same creature (which is another rules-hole).&nbsp; A character who shapechanges into an animal would gain the type Magical Animal, and be subject to the spell animal growth but not to awaken.The main point, however, is that this is an unbalancing trick that uses a combination of a rules-loophole and a custom spell designed specifically to exploit the rules-loophole.&nbsp; I'd recommend that your DM disallow this combination, and that you not pursue it.Daniel</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Pielorinho, post: 489216, member: 259"] A couple of points: -This tactic, which is obviously way-unbalancing, requires a newly-researched spell. This is the most obvious place for the DM to put the kibosh on it: simply don't allow a spell that instantaneously changes one's type to animal. -Although I agree that awaken can technically be empowered in the way you describe, I think this goes against the spirit of the rules. The intent is to give the animal a standard humanoid INT score, not to raise its existing score. I'd say that the 3d6 is an explanation of how one derives a standard humanoid INT score, and that empowering doesn't affect it. This would be a house rule, of course. Given that I play the only druid in either of our D&D groups, I think I'd not be biased in this rule. -Technically, animals have an INT of 1 or 2, and so either folks can't gain the animal type through shapechange, or else when shapechanging, folks gain the INT of the animal they change into. I'm inclined to the latter. Someone in WOTC made a suggested compromise, which we use in my campaign: there's a new type called Magical Animal, which applies to any animal with an INT score of greater than 2. Most spells which affect animals work on such creatures, with the notable exception of awaken: this means you cannot cast Awaken multiple times on the same creature (which is another rules-hole). A character who shapechanges into an animal would gain the type Magical Animal, and be subject to the spell animal growth but not to awaken. The main point, however, is that this is an unbalancing trick that uses a combination of a rules-loophole and a custom spell designed specifically to exploit the rules-loophole. I'd recommend that your DM disallow this combination, and that you not pursue it. Daniel [/QUOTE]

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