Suggestions for Polymorph at 8th level

[Li Shenron]

For the starting underdark campaign (The City of Spider Queen) I am going to play either a Drow Rogue/Assassin or a Human Sorcerer - it is not clear yet if the other players want to be drows or non-drows, therefore I have made 2 caracters.

I have gathered many suggestions in a previous thread about a Human Sorcerer, and now I am left with "finishing touches" such as... in which creatures should I ploymorph myself into?

I am going to print out the stats of a few sample creatures, but not too many because I don't want to be overwhelmed . I suppose you can only polymorph into base creatures, so templates are not allowed. I want only creatures from the Monster Manual. My caster level is 8, which means that I have the opportunity to shape into a creature which is up to 8 HD. the only other limitation is that it cannot be an outsider, undead, construct or elemental.

Currently I think I am going to "learn" to polymorph into a Treant for combat purposes. It has Str 29 and Con 21! Dex is very low, only 8 (it's a decrease from my normal Dex 14) but the AC is boosted by a +13 natural armor! The treant has huge size (15ft reach), good natural weapons (slam 2d6, double damage against objects, can trample opponents), and normal speed of 30ft. Since it can speek, I can still cast spells while polymorphed, however I think the magic equipment gets meld into the new shape and stop working.

Second choice for combat would be the Annis Hag, with lesser stats and 2 claw attacks (1d6 + rend if both hit). Could be good against spellcsaters because of large size and improved grab. Also it may be impossible sometimes to shape into the treant since we are in the underdark and space may be limited.

Another creature I will surely print out is the Pegasus for transportation: with a 60ft on ground and 120ft when flying it seems very useful! The increased load capacity may allow me to carry more than one rider.

Finally, I will consider small animals forms for scouting, such as Bat, Owl or Rat

Do you have any polymorph favourites up to 8 HD to suggest me?

 

[Otterscrubber]

My sorceror often liked to turn into an Umber Hulk. Good physical form and it can be handy to tunnel when you need to. Would work especialy well if you were going into the Underdark.

 

[Eraslin]

Currently I think I am going to "learn" to polymorph into a Treant for combat purposes. It has Str 29 and Con 21! Dex is very low, only 8 (it's a decrease from my normal Dex 14) but the AC is boosted by a +13 natural armor! The treant has huge size (15ft reach), good natural weapons (slam 2d6, double damage against objects, can trample opponents), and normal speed of 30ft. Since it can speek, I can still cast spells while polymorphed, however I think the magic equipment gets meld into the new shape and stop working.

Hi there,
Sorry to inform you, but unless your human sorc is naturally a large creature, you can't polymorph into a treant. You're limited to a max size of 1 step greater than your own size -- a real pain in the arse if you're playing a gnome wizard, let me tell you!

That said, I don't recall how many hit dice it is, but you might consider a troll. IIRC, there's a giant or two which'll make a nice choice after you gain a couple hit dice.

-Eraslin

 

[Thanee]

Yeah, too bad with the treant, I always thought it's large for some reason as well. Would be a nice form to bash down barriers.

Best combat form is probably the annis hag. Large, reach, Improved Grab and Str 25, natural armor +10 plus 3 natural attacks (bite + 2 rakes) in a grapple. Nasty!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Scion]

use enlarge person first, become large sized. Now polymorph into treant

 

[Thanee]

Nice try.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Scion]

if you have a rules reason why it wouldnt work I am all ears

 

[Shadeus]

From SRD:

Enlarge Person
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 1, Strength 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One humanoid creature
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell causes instant growth of a humanoid creature, doubling its height and multiplying its weight by 8. This increase changes the creature’s size category to the next larger one. The target gains a +2 size bonus to Strength, a –2 size penalty to Dexterity (to a minimum of 1), and a –1 penalty on attack rolls and AC due to its increased size.
A humanoid creature whose size increases to Large has a space of 10 feet and a natural reach of 10 feet. This spell does not change the target’s speed.
If insufficient room is available for the desired growth, the creature attains the maximum possible size and may make a Strength check (using its increased Strength) to burst any enclosures in the process. If it fails, it is constrained without harm by the materials enclosing it— the spell cannot be used to crush a creature by increasing its size.
All equipment worn or carried by a creature is similarly enlarged by the spell. Melee and projectile weapons affected by this spell deal more damage. Other magical properties are not affected by this spell. Any enlarged item that leaves an enlarged creature’s possession (including a projectile or thrown weapon) instantly returns to its normal size. This means that thrown weapons deal their normal damage, and projectiles deal damage based on the size of the weapon that fired them. Magical properties of enlarged items are not increased by this spell.
Multiple magical effects that increase size do not stack,.
Enlarge person counters and dispels reduce person.
Enlarge person can be made permanent with a permanency spell.
Material Component: A pinch of powdered iron.

The bolding I think covers the reason why you can't stack polymorph and enlarge person. Polymorph isn't specifically a size altering spell (like Righteous Might), but I think the size modification portion of the spell would qualify it as a spell effect that "increases size."

 

[Scion]

and I feel exactly the opposite, enlarge person changes your size, polymorph does not. It gives you a new form, that may or may not be a different size, but it does not change your size. So it is not a size changing magical effect, so there is no stacking difficulties.

This is very important for the topic at hand, viable choices of what form to take. Of course people will take both sides of the camp, and both sides will have decent reasons (as has happened before with this very topic), so listing things that work on both sides should be all right. So long as it is mentioned that it only works in whichever set of circumstances.

 

[Thanee]

Is Polymorph a magical effect?
Is your size increased after you Polymorph from a medium size to a large size?

If you can answer these questions with yes, then you probably can also answer the question "Is Polymorph a size-increasing magical effect, if it increases your size?" in the only way possible. Yes, of course it is.

Besides, after you cast Polymorph, becoming a large creature, you are no longer a humanoid, so Enlarge Person doesn't work on you anymore.

Bye
Thanee