Shapechange question - semiurgent

[TheBadElf]

I really need an answer to this before my game this evening, so I'm turning to the best source I can...the all-knowing EN World.

I love Shapechange; it's the high-level Druid's best friend. Anyways, my DM (Hi, Ed) lets me add a form a week to my repertoire. Before I pick what to annoy him with this week I need to know if the supernatural abilities that the spell lets you duplicate include spell-like abilities or not. I think so (based onthe MM 3.5 glossary section), but I wanted to see if this has been ruled on somewhere or if there's a concensus one way or another.

Bill
(player of Tobbin Greencap, Gnome Druid 15 / Loremaster 7)

 

[youspoonybard]

There are 3 types of abilities, EX, SU, and SP.

Shapechange gets you EX and SU. Not SP.

 

[Grant_Stoom]

If you have 22 caster levels (from your sig) then turn into a Balor. Their vorpal sword is SU.

 

[ruleslawyer]

Oh, no.

TBE: youspoonybard is right. There are three categories applied to special abilities: Extraordinary, or (Ex); Supernatural, or (Su); and Spell-like, or (Sp). Shapechange confers (Ex) and (Su) abilities, but not (Sp).

IMHO, the best forms are the tarrasque (if this is in fact permitted by your DM) and the solar. The pit fiend is a close second, since it has regeneration that is notoriously difficult to stop, especially if you face evil opponents.

 

[youspoonybard]

The Tarrasque is a unique creature, and as such cannot be Shapechanged into.

 

[WingOver]

The shapechange spell has been erratted as well:

Shapechange
Player's Handbook, page 277
Second sentence of spell description is in error.
Change “more than twice your caster level in Hit Dice”
to “more than your caster level in Hit Dice.” Also,
change “50” to “25”

So it's impossible to change into the Tarrasque, even if it wasn't unique, given its HD. That's obviously a huge change from the "twice your caster level" that it used to be. This came up a few weeks ago in my game. The DM foiled my shapechanging abuses.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I'm still a fan of the Choker, especially if you're not planning on going into melee

And don't forget the Dragon-Breathe-Dragon-Breathe-Dragon-Breathe cycle

-Hyp.

 

[youspoonybard]

Can chokers cast?

Sure, Eschew, Still would help...but Natural wouldn't...

 

[Hypersmurf]

Can chokers cast?

Why on earth not?

They speak Undercommon, so they've got verbal covered.

Their Monster Manual entry mentions hands, and - in 3E, at least, though I can't speak for the 3.5 flavour text - even describes their fingers.

Voice plus fingers covers all the components, right?

-Hyp.

 

[youspoonybard]

I'm not clear on the rules of "casting or not"...although if that is what is required to cast, the choker's descriptive text does mention "hands and feet".