Polymorph

[Rhiel]

Hmm...is it going beyond? Or is it creative use of a limited system?

Again, we can't really compare everything in FK to P&P. In tabletop, anything is possible. In FK...we have to work with codes, digits, connections, etc, so on...the imagination is give a little "umph" by the code, but the code poses its own restrictions. We react dynamically to this by creating new ways to do things. I think this is a perfect example. And whoever did this, (thereby starting the issue) is worthy of a pat on the back for creativity. Ingenious, methinks.

[Lathander]

There hasn't been any imm discussion on this point per se so my comments are mine in my role as imm, but not as an FK rule.

Polymorph does not allow you to take the exact personae of an individual. It allows you to assume the form of the race you choose when casting the spell. An elf ploymorphed into a human would be human, yet likely keep some characteristics of the caster (e.g. eye color, hair color, pronunciation of words, etc.). I also don't think it should grant abilities you don't have (e.g. if you couldn't speak orcish before the polymorph, making yourself LOOK like an orc shouldn't give you the ability to know the language).

[Caelyvar]

So your saying that a PC could not look like another PC or a mob?

Just a general person?

[Rhiel]

I agree, Lathander. If you polymorph into someone else, you don't magically gain their abilities. BUT, for RP purposes, is it unnacceptable to ATTEMPT to portray that person via the polymorph spell? Id est, would it be ok to take on their exact *physical* appearance, but beyond that is up to the caster to fake?

[Horace]

In FK...we have to work with codes, digits, connections, etc, so on...the imagination is give a little "umph" by the code, but the code poses its own restrictions.

In this case it may be difficult to code the restriction...a restriction that should exist by the nature of the spell. With this in mind, it should be our responsibilities as players, to avoid using the spell in a way that it wasn't intended. There are plenty of other spells in the game where this is exactly the case.

[Caelyvar]

I must say that I am of two minds about this. On the one hand someone could go around as Caelyvar and kill people and then once more Caely would be in trouble and cause for some great RP

But second, isnt this forcing someone into an RP that they may not want to be involved in?

[Glim]

Polymorph
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Willing living creature touched
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell functions like alter self, except that you change the willing subject into another form of living creature. The new form may be of the same type as the subject or any of the following types: aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, plant, or vermin. The assumed form can’t have more Hit Dice than your caster level (or the subject’s HD, whichever is lower), to a maximum of 15 HD at 15th level. You can’t cause a subject to assume a form smaller than Fine, nor can you cause a subject to assume an incorporeal or gaseous form. The subject’s creature type and subtype (if any) change to match the new form.

Upon changing, the subject regains lost hit points as if it had rested for a night (though this healing does not restore temporary ability damage and provide other benefits of resting; and changing back does not heal the subject further). If slain, the subject reverts to its original form, though it remains dead.

The subject gains the Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores of the new form but retains its own Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. It also gains all extraordinary special attacks possessed by the form but does not gain the extraordinary special qualities possessed by the new form or any supernatural or spell-like abilities.

Incorporeal or gaseous creatures are immune to being polymorphed, and a creature with the shapechanger subtype can revert to its natural form as a standard action.
Material Component

An empty cocoon.

Alter Self
Transmutation
Level: Brd 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 min./level (D)

You assume the form of a creature of the same type as your normal form. The new form must be within one size category of your normal size. The maximum HD of an assumed form is equal to your caster level, to a maximum of 5 HD at 5th level. You can change into a member of your own kind or even into yourself.

You retain your own ability scores. Your class and level, hit points, alignment, base attack bonus, and base save bonuses all remain the same. You retain all supernatural and spell-like special attacks and qualities of your normal form, except for those requiring a body part that the new form does not have (such as a mouth for a breath weapon or eyes for a gaze attack).

You keep all extraordinary special attacks and qualities derived from class levels, but you lose any from your normal form that are not derived from class levels.

If the new form is capable of speech, you can communicate normally. You retain any spellcasting ability you had in your original form, but the new form must be able to speak intelligibly (that is, speak a language) to use verbal components and must have limbs capable of fine manipulation to use somatic or material components.

You acquire the physical qualities of the new form while retaining your own mind. Physical qualities include natural size, mundane movement capabilities (such as burrowing, climbing, walking, swimming, and flight with wings, to a maximum speed of 120 feet for flying or 60 feet for nonflying movement), natural armor bonus, natural weapons (such as claws, bite, and so on), racial skill bonuses, racial bonus feats, and any gross physical qualities (presence or absence of wings, number of extremities, and so forth). A body with extra limbs does not allow you to make more attacks (or more advantageous two-weapon attacks) than normal.

You do not gain any extraordinary special attacks or special qualities not noted above under physical qualities, such as darkvision, low-light vision, blindsense, blindsight, fast healing, regeneration, scent, and so forth.

You do not gain any supernatural special attacks, special qualities, or spell-like abilities of the new form. Your creature type and subtype (if any) remain the same regardless of your new form. You cannot take the form of any creature with a template, even if that template doesn’t change the creature type or subtype.

You can freely designate the new form’s minor physical qualities (such as hair color, hair texture, and skin color) within the normal ranges for a creature of that kind. The new form’s significant physical qualities (such as height, weight, and gender) are also under your control, but they must fall within the norms for the new form’s kind. You are effectively disguised as an average member of the new form’s race. If you use this spell to create a disguise, you get a +10 bonus on your Disguise check.

When the change occurs, your equipment, if any, either remains worn or held by the new form (if it is capable of wearing or holding the item), or melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When you revert to your true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on your body they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items you wore in the assumed form and can’t wear in your normal form fall off and land at your feet; any that you could wear in either form or carry in a body part common to both forms at the time of reversion are still held in the same way. Any part of the body or piece of equipment that is separated from the whole reverts to its true form.

Disguise (Cha)
Check

Your Disguise check result determines how good the disguise is, and it is opposed by others’ Spot check results. If you don’t draw any attention to yourself, others do not get to make Spot checks. If you come to the attention of people who are suspicious (such as a guard who is watching commoners walking through a city gate), it can be assumed that such observers are taking 10 on their Spot checks.

You get only one Disguise check per use of the skill, even if several people are making Spot checks against it. The Disguise check is made secretly, so that you can’t be sure how good the result is.

The effectiveness of your disguise depends in part on how much you’re attempting to change your appearance.
Familiarity Viewer’s Spot
Check Bonus
Recognizes on sight +4
Friends or associates +6
Close friends +8
Intimate +10

If you are impersonating a particular individual, those who know what that person looks like get a bonus on their Spot checks according to the table below. Furthermore, they are automatically considered to be suspicious of you, so opposed checks are always called for.

Usually, an individual makes a Spot check to see through your disguise immediately upon meeting you and each hour thereafter. If you casually meet many different creatures, each for a short time, check once per day or hour, using an average Spot modifier for the group.

See also: epic usages of Disguise.
Action

Creating a disguise requires 1d3×10 minutes of work.
Try Again

Yes. You may try to redo a failed disguise, but once others know that a disguise was attempted, they’ll be more suspicious.
Special

Magic that alters your form, such as alter self, disguise self, polymorph, or shapechange, grants you a +10 bonus on Disguise checks (see the individual spell descriptions). You must succeed on a Disguise check with a +10 bonus to duplicate the appearance of a specific individual using the veil spell. Divination magic that allows people to see through illusions (such as true seeing) does not penetrate a mundane disguise, but it can negate the magical component of a magically enhanced one.

You must make a Disguise check when you cast a simulacrum spell to determine how good the likeness is.

If you have the Deceitful feat, you get a +2 bonus on Disguise checks.
Synergy

If you have 5 or more ranks in Bluff, you get a +2 bonus on Disguise checks when you know that you’re being observed and you try to act in character.

Just for everyone to read, that is the definition of the two spells as well as the d20 3rd edition definition of the disguise skill. This is just so anyone who doesn't want to bother looking it up can see all the relevant information here.

Now my comments:

'As alter self..... Alterself (snip)...You are effectively disguised as an average member of the new form’s race. If you use this spell to create a disguise, you get a +10 bonus on your Disguise check.

You're not suppose to be able to polymorph into specific people.

You can freely designate the new form’s minor physical qualities (such as hair color, hair texture, and skin color) within the normal ranges for a creature of that kind. The new form’s significant physical qualities (such as height, weight, and gender) are also under your control, but they must fall within the norms for the new form’s kind. You are effectively disguised as an average member of the new form’s race. If you use this spell to create a disguise, you get a +10 bonus on your Disguise check.

With that quotation right there, it basically says that you can control minor and significant qualities. Meaning you can pretty much control exactly what you look like. And besides, +10 on your disguise check is VERY good when most normal commoners and guards usually have no more than +5 or what not in spot checks.

[Horace]

Just because it doesn't specifically say you can't do it, doesn't mean you can do it. It very blatantly says an average person of the race. And while you can alter hair/eye/skin color/texture...that in no way suggests a magical replica is possible...and a plus 10 skill modifier is what, a minor magical item? Plus 10 isn't much in d20. And it's talking about a disguise as in a +10 to disguise while trying to infiltrate an enemy races town...the +10 represents having the physical characteristics of the race, not looking exactly like one of it's members (which should be impossible through the polymorph spell).

In 3.0 it actually specifically stated you could not duplicate someone. Those wordings were taken out for their new wave of DM interpretation, but it still uses wording that heavily suggests this is the case. If the admins and imm's decide it can be used to create magical replica's of people, that's cool...it's their show. But I'd feel irresponsible not speaking up, when I know for a fact that you aren't suppose to be able to duplicate someone. It is, 100%, outside the scope of that spell.

[Rhiel]

Hmm. Horace, you may or may not be correct. It may or may not be outside the scope of the spell...in D&D.

While FK uses a host of D&D inspired rules, settings, and personae, it is *not* D&D. It is an electronic game. Not a dice rolling RPG whose license WotC holds.

FK is a totally different animal. A loose adaptation is the *best* that can be said of it in terms of faithfulness to the 3.5ed d20 system. Apples and oranges, IMO.

Just because it's out of scope for D&D should not immediately eliminate it for having such abilities in FK. I think, in the end, this is indeed an issue for the imms. They are DM's here, they get to decide.

[Kregor]

+10 on your disguise check is VERY good when most normal commoners and guards usually have no more than +5 or what not in spot checks.

To say +10 is good would depend on the person using the polymorph and their ability to actually pull off the disguise. As well as the acquaintance level of the person being fooled (being a good friend of the person almost totally negates this bonus.)

The Disguise skill is not only a skill to mock one's likeness visually, but also the ability to mock voice, mannerisms, etc.

In D&D, if you are untrained in Disguise as a skill, you only get a d20 + CHA mod roll to pull it off. adding +10 to the roll in this case is only giving you a fairly decent skill in the ability. In short, you could have a masterful likeness, but totally suck at pulling off acting like the person you're impersonating.

In current FK code, if you don't know disguise, you can't disguise yourself at ALL. So if we want to hit a happy medium...

Consider how well your disguise holds when you are only an apprentice at the disguise skill to others who look at you in current FK code. Consider this when you want to consider how effective you are at actually impersonating someone with Polymorph without any trained skill in disguise.

And in response to the argument of "So what, it's RP, why would you criticize someone stimulating RP?" Because, if it is a RP where you are in essence forcing someone else into playing it the way you want (for example, telling other people that they have to believe you are who you are impersonating, simply because you're using polymorph, even if the other person chooses to disbelieve), then you're leaving no other players with any out or say in how the RP should go. You can't enforce it codally, and yes, it borders on the edge of RPing powers you don't have.

FK is a totally different animal. A loose adaptation is the *best* that can be said of it in terms of faithfulness to the 3.5ed d20 system. Apples and oranges, IMO.

Just because it's out of scope for D&D should not immediately eliminate it for having such abilities in FK. I think, in the end, this is indeed an issue for the imms. They are DM's here, they get to decide.

Discussion is currently going on to make the orange even more like the apple. FKMUd is moving closer to D20, not diverging from it. Meanwhile, it is dependent not only on DM administration and ruling, but the courteous common sense of the players to help moderate what is rationally acceptable and believable in the scope of the skills as they currently stand. Much like, just because I am a GM at hide, does not mean I can smote picking up salt shakers on your table and making them dance in the air as if they were levitating, Having a skill in Polymorph would not make you a grandmaster in disguise.

[Horace]

Magic Missile doesn't turn you into a spaceship, it's little force balls that shoot from your hand

Stoneskin doesn't allow you to skin yourself and use your skin to fill cracks in sidewalks...it's just protection.

Almost every single spell in FK, has the spirit behind the spell intact. And yet, we aren't pen and paper...I don't have a hard time grasping this. I'm just very specifically saying, that Polymorph is not suppose to allow you to magically replicate another PC's image. That is outside the nature of the spell...and overpowering. Any wizard capable of casting a 4th level spell could pretty much drain anyone's bank account (IC wise, not code wise).

If you look at other spells that would allow you to do this, but are also banned on PC use. Dominate Person, very legitimately would allow one PC to have that PC do whatever they wanted...but it's banned from this usage, even though it is within the scope of the spell. It's banned, because it can be abusive, and no one likes their PC's being mind controlled by someone just trying to stir trouble (in the name of RP or otherwise).

Please believe me that I have no difficulty differentiating from the two mediums. I understand the needs and nature of both games. It's just in this case, a spell is being used very clearly outside it's intended use.

[Rhiel]

Fair enough. You win.

[Lathander]

My main points would be these:

1. Regarding Disguise - You can disguise yourself. You make yourself appear very different than you are so that people don't recognize you. It does not allow you to assume someone else's appearance. IMO that would be an "assume identity" skill, if such a thing were to exist.

2. Thank you for posting the text on the polymorph spell. My assumption is that if the people who wrote the spell intended to allow for the replication of another specific person, the spell description would address the issue.

[Glim]

In 3.0 it actually specifically stated you could not duplicate someone. Those wordings were taken out for their new wave of DM interpretation, but it still uses wording that heavily suggests this is the case.

Im sorry, Horace, I dont mean to keep pointing you out like this, but I feel you are wrong again. Here is the 3.0 spell. Nowhere in here does it state you cannot duplicate someone.

Polymorph Self
Transmutation
Level: Rgr 4, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target: The character
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
The caster is changed into another form of creature. The new form can range in size from Diminutive to one size larger than the caster’s normal form. Upon changing, the character regains lost hit points as if having rested for a day (though this healing does not restore temporary ability damage and provide other benefits of resting for a day; and changing back does not heal the caster further). If slain, the character reverts to his or her original form, though the creature remains dead.
The polymorphed character acquires the physical and natural abilities of the creature he or she has been polymorphed into while retaining his or her own mind. Physical abilities include natural size and Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores. Natural abilities include armor, natural weapons, and similar gross physical qualities. A body with extra limbs does not allow a character to make more attacks (or more advantageous two-weapon attacks) than normal. Natural abilities also include mundane movement capabilities, but not magical flight and other magical forms of travel. Extremely high speeds for certain creatures are the result of magical ability, so they are not granted by this spell. Other nonmagical abilities (such as low-light vision) are considered natural abilities and are retained.
Any part of the body or piece of equipment that is separated from the whole reverts to its original form.
The character’s new scores and faculties are average ones for the race or species into which he or she has been transformed.
The character retains his or her Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, level and class, hit points (despite any change in the character’s Constitution score), alignment, base attack bonus, and base saves. (New Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores may affect final attack and save bonuses.) The character retains his or her own type, extraordinary abilities, spells, and spell-like abilities, but not its supernatural abilities. The character can cast spells for which he or she has components. The character needs a humanlike voice for verbal components and humanlike hands for somatic components. The caster does not gain the spell-like abilities of the new form. The character does not gain the supernatural abilities or the extraordinary abilities of the new creature.
The new form can be disorienting. Any time the polymorphed character is in a stressful or demanding situation (such as combat), the caster must succeed at a Will save (DC 19) or suffer a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, saves, skill checks, and ability checks until the situation passes. Characters who are polymorphed for a long time (years and years) grow accustomed to their new form and can overcome some of these drawbacks (DM’s discretion).
When the polymorph occurs, the character’s equipment, if any, transforms to match the new form. If the new form is a creature that does not use equipment, the equipment melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. Material components and focuses melded in this way cannot be used to cast spells. If the new form uses equipment, the caster’s equipment changes to match the new form and retains its properties.
The character can freely designate the new form’s minor physical qualities (such as hair color, hair texture, and skin color) within the normal ranges for a creature of that type. The new form’s significant physical qualities (such as height, weight, and gender) are also under the character's control, but must fall within the norms for the new form’s species. The character can be changed into a member of his or her own species or even into itself. (If changed into itself, it does not suffer the abovementioned penalties from the disorientation of a new form.)
The character is effectively disguised as an average member of the new form’s race. If the character uses this spell to create a disguise, the character gets a +10 bonus on the character's Disguise check.
Incorporeal or gaseous forms cannot be assumed, and incorporeal or gaseous creatures are immune to being polymorphed. A natural shapeshifter can take its natural form as a standard action.
The character can change form as often as desired for the duration of the spell simply by willing it so. Each change is a full-round action. The character regains hit points as if having rested for a day only from the initial transformation, however.

+10 on your disguise check is VERY good when most normal commoners and guards usually have no more than +5 or what not in spot checks.

To say +10 is good would depend on the person using the polymorph and their ability to actually pull off the disguise. As well as the acquaintance level of the person being fooled (being a good friend of the person almost totally negates this bonus.)

The Disguise skill is not only a skill to mock one's likeness visually, but also the ability to mock voice, mannerisms, etc.

In D&D, if you are untrained in Disguise as a skill, you only get a d20 + CHA mod roll to pull it off. adding +10 to the roll in this case is only giving you a fairly decent skill in the ability. In short, you could have a masterful likeness, but totally suck at pulling off acting like the person you're impersonating.

In current FK code, if you don't know disguise, you can't disguise yourself at ALL. So if we want to hit a happy medium...

Consider how well your disguise holds when you are only an apprentice at the disguise skill to others who look at you in current FK code. Consider this when you want to consider how effective you are at actually impersonating someone with Polymorph without any trained skill in disguise.

And in response to the argument of "So what, it's RP, why would you criticize someone stimulating RP?" Because, if it is a RP where you are in essence forcing someone else into playing it the way you want (for example, telling other people that they have to believe you are who you are impersonating, simply because you're using polymorph, even if the other person chooses to disbelieve), then you're leaving no other players with any out or say in how the RP should go. You can't enforce it codally, and yes, it borders on the edge of RPing powers you don't have.

Yes, you are right. A close friend does negate the bonus. I was basing my stats upon guards or what not to refute the idea that someone couldn't duplicate another and commit a crime to frame the other person.

But to say that ANYONE is allowed to just refute the claim I believe leaves way too much room for abuse of OOC knowledge. It is the same as people who give false names or do not greet. I cannot automatically sense motive that they are bluffing about their name just because it does not appear on the who list. I really have to RP that that is what I believe their name to be. So if someone is impersonating someone else, just because you KNOW OOC it is someone else polymorphed, I dont think you should be allowed to use the OOC knowledge to "automatically" know that it isnt the real person.

And disguise, really, doesn't work on the game as it should in D&D. There are no checks and balances for it. It just makes someone very confused when they try and RP with said disguise person. Hense, my signature and the reason behind it.

Magic Missile doesn't turn you into a spaceship, it's little force balls that shoot from your hand

Stoneskin doesn't allow you to skin yourself and use your skin to fill cracks in sidewalks...it's just protection.

And polymorph doesnt allow you to... change into something, while controlling all minor physical qualities (such as hair color, hair texture, and skin color) and significant physical qualities (such as height, weight, and gender)? In my opinion, I dont think the analogies really fit.

EDIT: Sorry, Lath, your post came up while I was writing mine, heh.

Feedback is always welcome,

[Glim]

1. Regarding Disguise - You can disguise yourself. You make yourself appear very different than you are so that people don't recognize you. It does not allow you to assume someone else's appearance. IMO that would be an "assume identity" skill, if such a thing were to exist.

Just a small comment, Lath. I believe the different things like intimate +10, close friend +8. etc are all if the person doing the spot check is intimate with who you are trying to disguise yourself as, not if they are intimate with yourself the character. Just want to clear up any misconceptions, if there are any, that might have led you to this decision.

Thank you for your comments

[Kregor]

Nah, Lath is still a 2E dude. This is why we're arguing about evil rangers!

[Arothian]

I have been playing D&D quite regularly since 3rd ed came out. In 3.5, polymorph has been changed so many times it is almost unrecognizable.

Polymorph is not meant to be used (Alone) to disguise yourself as someone else. The key lies in the quote that keeps getting thrown around:

The character can freely designate the new form’s minor physical qualities (such as hair color, hair texture, and skin color) within the normal ranges for a creature of that type. The new form’s significant physical qualities (such as height, weight, and gender) are also under the character's control, but must fall within the norms for the new form’s species. The character can be changed into a member of his or her own species or even into itself. (If changed into itself, it does not suffer the above mentioned penalties from the disorientation of a new form.)
The character is effectively disguised as an average member of the new form’s race. If the character uses this spell to create a disguise, the character gets a +10 bonus on the character's Disguise check.

Average member of that form's race. You can do things like change your hair color, eye color, etc. However, you cannot perfectly mimic another being with just Polymorph.

(Edit because I don't know how to use quote properly. )

[Arothian]

I will not delete my above post because I still continue to stand by my belief on how Polymorph works. However, I'd like to clarify a few things:

1) Polymorph in 3.5 is significantly different than in 3.0. It has been changed and updated so many times it is practically unusable, as it is way too powerful for any campaign.

2) If polymorph is supposed to work as it does in 3.0, there is an errata/post by Skip Williams which does clarify this a bit. I shall quote and link to the wizards website.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040518a

You are effectively disguised as an average member of the new form's race. If you use this spell to create a disguise, you get a +10 bonus on your Disguise check.

To any casual viewer, you are a typical specimen of the kind of creature whose form you have assumed. If someone is paying close attention to you, the character can attempt a Spot check to note something odd about your appearance, as noted in the description of the Disguise skill. Use the +10 modifier on your Disguise check rather than the modifiers shown on the first table in the skill description. The Disguise check you make reflects how accurately you have reproduced your assumed form. If you use alter self to masquerade as a particular individual, anyone studying you might also get a Spot bonus as noted in the Disguise skill description.

Make of this as you will. My theory is that if you use JUST the spell to disguise yourself, you have a disguise check of 10 (0 + 10 from spell) which is pretty easy. Using the disguise skill afterward, you could alter that to be higher. However, as using two skills like that is not exactly in the game.... polymorph would not be optimal. A 10 spot check is pretty easy, even at low levels. Anyone with a fairly high wisdom has a decent chance.

[Horace]

Can you tell the difference between Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears? Of course, we all can. We're also all human. An orc, however, may not be able to because they only look at chest and rear...in which case I'm probably the only one who can tell them apart.

Changing minor physical properties, does not equate to exact replica. Disguise on top of that would be adding additional things like glasses/hats/wigs to obscure the obvious imperfections. But polymorph alone won't create a passable image.

Sorry about the misquote, I sincerely thought it was there...I read a lot of errata as well, and will find where I saw it.

[Glim]

Changing minor physical properties, does not equate to exact replica.

Why not? You change enough minor physical properties and you will look just like someone else. There is no limit in the PHB as to what physical properties you can change.

The only reason, IMO, that anyone would be able to tell they are not who they look to be, and this is a very obvious reason, is because they wouldn't act, talk like, or have the same experiences as their target.

Also, dopplegangers have a supernatural ability similar to polymorph, change shape, which also adds a +10 to disguise when they are trying to disguise themselves as a certain person with this ability. One would think that if change shape let's you make the exact form, but polymorph does not, then there would be different bonuses to disguise for the two spells. Also, I don't think anyone can say that dopplegangers cannot take the exact visual form of the person they are trying to imitate.

A 10 spot check is pretty easy, even at low levels. Anyone with a fairly high wisdom has a decent chance.

It is not just a 10 spot check. It is anywhere from a 10-30 spot check. That, in no way, is easy. I also think people are thinking about disguise as the person putting on makeup, body paste (or something), and clothing etc and it is, just not in this case (ok, maybe clothing). But really, the +10 to disguise is to reflect that you ALREADY look like the person, so now all you have to do is be able to act, talk, and convince others that you are that person.

Edit: Decided to add a bit more to this. Someone intimate and close friends to a character will almost negate this bonus. Why? Because they know the person very well and could easily see something was up because maybe the person is treating them different or speaking different or cannot recall something that he/she should have been able to. They wouldn't necessarily know that OMG it's a polymorphed wizard! But they would be suspicious/concerned about their friend.

Feedback is always welcome,