Shapechanging for Dragons, or Help, I'm Trapped in My Own Body

[Lurker 2.0]

So Alter Self lets you assume the form of "a creature of the same type as your normal form,... within one size category of your normal size... maximum of 5 HD at 5th level. You can change into a member of your own kind or even yourself". How, then, might this apply to Half-Dragons, specifically a Half-Dragon Human Sorcerer? Does the (Augmented Humanoid) subtype mean they can also assume humanoid forms up to 5 HD, or are they stuck with Dragons only (from the MM, only the Green Wyrmling qualifies). Also, how does the "your own kind" apply, especially with the normal restrictions on polymorphing and templates? Is it any half-dragon that otherwise meets the requirements? Any individual of the exact same initial race (Half-Dragon Human)? Can it be a different kind of half-dragon?

I'm personally inclined to just say they can become any kind of Humanoid or Dragon that fulfills the requirements, but can't become any kind of half-dragon other than a Half-dragon Human of the same ancestry, but I'm looking for other opinions/options here. Post away.

 

[Knight Otu]

How, then, might this apply to Half-Dragons, specifically a Half-Dragon Human Sorcerer? Does the (Augmented Humanoid) subtype mean they can also assume humanoid forms up to 5 HD, or are they stuck with Dragons only (from the MM, only the Green Wyrmling qualifies).

By my reading, you are indeed stuck with the Dragon type. The [GLOSSARY]Augmented subtype[/GLOSSARY], as you noted, is a subtype, not a type. The original type, before the template, usually only matters for the features (HD size, BAB and save progression, etc). You're no longer a humanoid, so you cannot assume the form of a humanoid.

Also, how does the "your own kind" apply, especially with the normal restrictions on polymorphing and templates? Is it any half-dragon that otherwise meets the requirements? Any individual of the exact same initial race (Half-Dragon Human)? Can it be a different kind of half-dragon?

By my reading of the definition of [GLOSSARY]kind[/GLOSSARY], your kind would be a half-dragon human of the appropriate color.

At least, that's how I would read it.

 

[Diirk]

Except half-dragon is a template, and you can't alter self into templated creatures

 

[Knight Otu]

Which means that he cannot change into his own kind - and interestingly, he cannot change into himself, since he is a templated creature.