Tenser Transformation and BAB

[Philip]

We are having a bit of disagreement in our group about the workings of Tenser's Transformation in the epic levels. As the spell stands, a 25th level wizard casting it gets a +25 BAB and gets to add an epic attack bonus of +3 to that for a total of +28, while a 25th level fighter remains stuck at +23.

From the SRD:

You gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, a +4 natural armor bonus to AC, a +5 competence bonus on Fortitude saves, and proficiency with all simple and martial weapons. Your base attack bonus equals your character level (which may give you multiple attacks).

The Epic Level Handbook says you don't get BAB beyond lvl 20 as a result of gaining levels, but this spell bypasses that. This seems a little weird to me, I thnk Tenser's Transformation should have a +20 limit to the BAB it provides. Thoughts, opinions?

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I'd give him the BAB of a 25th level Fighter, not a BAB of 25. It's an oversight really, for the writeup of the spell only considers non-epic levels.

 

[DanMcS]

The Epic Level Handbook says you don't get BAB beyond lvl 20 as a result of gaining levels, but this spell bypasses that. This seems a little weird to me, I thnk Tenser's Transformation should have a +20 limit to the BAB it provides. Thoughts, opinions?

No, it doesn't bypass the ELH rule. He gets a +20 BAB and +3 EAB, total 23. His original BAB and EAB (which is treated as BAB for everything except determining extra attacks) are overwritten for the course of the spell.

Or you could just say that he gets the BAB of a fighter of his level, which is 20. Keep his own EAB of +3, and you get the same effect.

 

[Pax]

What Dan and Kae Yoss have described is precisely how it's handled in the Exodus, which is specifically a 25th level game (see SIG below). Ditto for Divine Power, for what it's worth.

 

[The Iron Mark]

We are having a bit of disagreement in our group about the workings of Tenser's Transformation in the epic levels. As the spell stands, a 25th level wizard casting it gets a +25 BAB and gets to add an epic attack bonus of +3 to that for a total of +28, while a 25th level fighter remains stuck at +23.

From the SRD:


The Epic Level Handbook says you don't get BAB beyond lvl 20 as a result of gaining levels, but this spell bypasses that. This seems a little weird to me, I thnk Tenser's Transformation should have a +20 limit to the BAB it provides. Thoughts, opinions?

You think that's bad? Think about us people still in 3.0, where it added to BAB, while Divine Power changed it. It was easy to tell what was better at high levels, especially if you could increase your caster level. Now using both of them...