Silly Wizard, Polymorph is for Metagamers

[interwyrm]

I was reading the thread about a player wanting to shapechange into a shadow, and it got me thinking...

The polymorph chain of spells is so weird... I mean, iirc it doesn't mention a required knowledge roll to know the characteristics of the creature you are turning into. Also... if a wizard can turn into a goat or a scorpion or an eagle, why shouldn't he be able to mix and match turn into a goatscorpeagle with horns pincers a tail and wings?

I wonder if it might be preferrable to allow the polymorph chain of spells to instead allow a character to adjust certain things about their characters with set limits, such as:
size
natural armor
movement modes
bite/claw/slam/etc. attacks
move speed
resistance/immunity to damage types
physical appearance

and the ability to turn into a creature that the character has either encountered, or can make a knowledge check about.

 

[Felnar]

i like the idea, but it needs fleshing out and limits on enhancments
maybe something like each polymorph spell gives you a certain amount of "morph points" *lame name*, which can be spent on enhancing features (ie. tougher skin/scales/shell, size adjustments, addition appendages)
needs fleshing out

 

[Sledge]

Alter self goes half way there by stating the limits to which many things can be changed...
I think that this method makes about a thousand times more sense than the current one. I'd love to see shapechange about the physical and not the supernatural.

So who wants to work it out?

 

[Li Shenron]

I think you guys may really enjouy reading this:

http://www.giantitp.com/Func0012.html

 

[nharwell]

This is old now -- I used it in my 3.0 game a couple years ago and made some modifications after posting this -- but you may find it useful:


http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1194

 

[Thanee]

HERE's my house rule idea from a while ago. Maybe it's useful for you.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Storyteller01]

A while ago I found a SHifter core class. Operated on the same pronciple: you use points to change form from two options. One was imprinted or bonded (you bonded with an animal, which made it cheaper to turn into something similar) and free-form (the only thing stopping you was imagination a shifter points.

Can't find the site, so I'll try to scan it in and post it.

 

[GreatLemur]

i like the idea, but it needs fleshing out and limits on enhancments
maybe something like each polymorph spell gives you a certain amount of "morph points" *lame name*, which can be spent on enhancing features (ie. tougher skin/scales/shell, size adjustments, addition appendages)
needs fleshing out

Yeah, I think this is probably the best direction, inevitable griping about "bookkeeping" be damned. I've never liked the idea that a shape-changing spellcaster would be limited to transforming into creatures (and taking on ability sets) that actually exist, instead of exploding into nameless horrors or just making utilitarian changes to his own form. And with Hit Dice (rather than, say, CR) as the only factor limiting one's choice of monster forms, the spells are absurdly abusable the way they are.

I'd definitely like to see that Shifter core class...