Baleful Polymorph

[Kaaurk]

I was wondering what it would take for this spell to be added to a druids spell list. I think it would be wonderful addition to the game that would add RP instead of just PKing.

Level: Drd 5, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates, Will partial; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
You change the subject into a Small or smaller animal of no more than 1 HD (such as a dog, lizard, monkey, or toad). The subject takes on all the statistics and special abilities of an average member of the new form in place of its own except as follows:

The target retains its own alignment (and personality, within the limits of the new form’s ability scores).
The target retains its own hit points.
The target is treated as having its normal Hit Dice for purpose of adjudicating effects based on HD, such as the sleep spell, though it uses the new form’s base attack bonus, base save bonuses, and all other statistics derived from Hit Dice.
The target also retains the ability to understand (but not to speak) the languages it understood in its original form. It can write in the languages it understands, but only the form is capable of writing in some manner (such as drawing in the dirt with a paw).
With those exceptions, the target’s normal game statistics are replaced by those of the new form. The target loses all the special abilities it has in its normal form, including its class features.

All items worn or carried by the subject fall to the ground at its feet, even if they could be worn or carried by the new form.

If the new form would prove fatal to the creature (for example, if you polymorphed a landbound target into a fish, or an airborne target into a toad), the subject gets a +4 bonus on the save.

If the subject remains in the new form for 24 consecutive hours, it must attempt a Will save. If this save fails, it loses its ability to understand language, as well as all other memories of its previous form, and its Hit Dice and hit points change to match an average creature of its new form. These abilities and statistics return to normal if the effect is later ended.

Incorporeal or gaseous creatures are immune to baleful polymorph, and a creature with the shapechanger subtype (such as a lycanthrope or a doppelganger) can revert to its natural form as a standard action (which ends the spell’s effect).

[Nylo]

The main problem I see with this, is that it's permanent by canon if you fail your saves. It sounds great in theory, and could create some fun rp, I think. But people would quickly get tired of being stuck in that shape. I could see it with a limited duration, perhaps.

[Kaaurk]

Not everything in this game is to Canon, so I don't see a reason we can't have it on a timer like normal polymorph well maybe a little longer then the normal one.

[Gwain]

I'd turn everyone into squirrels if I could.

[Kaaurk]

I was thinking mice or toads myself!

[Hrosskell]

Personally, I'd rather not see this spell come into the game without a damage-breaks-this stipulation. Crowd control has long been a staple of RPGs, and I think we lack that right now, but newer iterations in other games have done this spell better for PvE and PvP by adding that clause; it helps balance it in both situations, and severely tones down possible abuse and the general anti-fun idea of losing control of your character. It also makes for intuitive counter-play (i.e. self-damaging, usually with set up abilities to break out).

That being said, I think this one deserves to hit druid and wizard spell lists with those considerations in mind.

[Anguin]

I do not like this spell. It strikes me as being the classic "she turned me into a newt" (or frog) spell of the fairy tales. That might be nice for story-driven tales, but it seems less appropriate for a fantasy RPG. If someone wanted to turn me into a squirrel for an extended period of time, I think we should discuss and agree on it OOC first, then submit an application.

[Kaaurk]

I agree with Cahir I was actually thinking about that earlier.

And it is a Role Play site if you get turned into a frog Role play it out and find someone to turn you back or do your time. If you're messing with a character that can do it, there is no difference in waiting out your return to normal and waiting in the realms of the dead.

[Tyeslan]

I would much rather run around collecting acorns, and chittering at people for being a squirrel, or croaking as a toad, instead of sitting dead with possible negative stats, or losing a level, and getting to RP. Seems much more appropriate, and pretty good idea with a timer, just like polymorph now.

[Casamir]

This might work better in WoW style, where it is just a temporary negative buff, similar to curse or poison. 'You are affected by baleful polymorph, you look like a sheep to others.' And then your stats are just really low. It might bypass the pitfalls of race changing you find with polymorph, which often seems to be under perpetual revision. (Though, I am also all for converting everyone into an army of Krogan- I mean Hezrou.)

[Tamryn]

I would much rather run around collecting acorns, and chittering at people for being a squirrel, or croaking as a toad, instead of sitting dead with possible negative stats, or losing a level, and getting to RP.

True, but... PK is generally a last resort situation, and subject to a lot of rules on how it works (and IC considerations as well).

I wouldn't really want to end up with this sort of situation:

Code: Select all

Tamryn says: Your god is stupid and you smell like a hamster.
Randompriest begins to chant.
Randompriest has turned Tamryn into a frog!

Code: Select all

Tamryn says: You are stupid, stop talking to me before I stab you.
Randomwizard begins to chant.
Randomwizard has turned Tamryn into a squirrel!

Code: Select all

Tamryn says: After this long, rp'd confrontation in which we established our characters as enemies, I hope I do not see you again, for verily, I shall definitely stab you many times!
Randomwizard begins to chant.
Randomwizard has turned Tamryn into an aardvark!
Randomwizard says: Ha ha ha, try to stab me now!

etc. etc...

[Nylo]

I don't see the problem with that. If the character would ICly do it, and it doesn't permanently affect the character, then by all means it's an option. I see it sort of like the 'change sex' spell. Yeah, nobody likes it, but it's not permanent. With the revert on damage stipulation, it's an alternative to pk, not a spell to automatically win a pk. Personally I'd rather be polymorphed than deal with a character death. I suppose it's personal choice on that, though.

[Tyeslan]

I like it more for the RP prospective, Tamryn. If you can't handle what someone dishes out, then perhaps you shouldn't get into a situation where you might end up a frog for being mouthy? I think it would be a fun addition to FK, that isn't permanent, but can give alternatives to a PK, and be RP'd out.

I think what Casamir suggests could be a good implement to it, as long as an animal could be chosen?

[Enig]

It's true; baleful polymorph can be resisted by making a fortitude save. If you're not confident of that save it may be a good idea to not threaten a wizard who can cast it (or phantasmal killer, finger of death, weird, circle of death, etc) by saying you're thinking of stabbing them a whole bunch.

At the very least you could smack them in the face if you hear them casting baleful polymorph (fighers do get spellcraft).

[Gwain]

If I get turned into a monkey, I'd simply become a librarian. I'm all for this spell if its codeable, only thing I'd change is that all our items don't drop on the ground but go into inventory instead.

[Kaaurk]

and possible keep str the same so that you can move around with the items