Shapechange

[Cret]

Apon looking at the skill, shapechange, many questions arrise. Though I have more so taken in the 'natural' skill question then the Magical nature of it.

1. Does the shapechanged character assume the mentality of the Creature? Where a cat would be arrogent and aloof, a bird flighty and easily scared, or a dog loyal to the end. Opposed to being a creature of said race with the mannerisms of the person morphed.

2. When polymorphed would the person be able to 'think' (tell) another person with any language they previously know? Or would they think in 'animal' as well?

2.b. Along the lines of thought, when polymorphed, would a person who polymorphed with an amulet of comminucation on be able to use such (being they put it on once more)?

3. Besides thoese whom might know you with a close, perhaps intimate sence would a common person or a magicker be able to tell whom you are?

In time I shall ask more questions, but these four stand out the most.

[Aegir]

I couldn't say with any sort of certainty, but one of the Drizzt novels has a creature that was polymorphed into a hook horror by some loony mage. The polymorph was of a permanent variety, and while the creature remembered who he was and his life before being polymorphed, the instincts of the hook horror slowly overwrote his mind to the point where he would have blackouts and be a hook horror through and through.

Now you can take what you want from that; perhaps a temporary polymorph saves your mind from being changed to that which you morph into, but the mentality of your new body is always lurking under the surface and could come out at any time.

[Mele]

As for one, I don't think ALL cats are aloof and arrogant, nor all birds flitty and scared. My cat is such a far thing from arrogant, his is completely loving and cuddly at all times. I would think a shapechanged animal, would be something that A: Kept to a similar personality to it's natural form, and B: was something the person was comfortable with, and enjoyed. As for tells, I don't think there's much problem with it, afterall, changing your shape does not mean changing your brain. I once as a cat, told Llanthyr as a cat he smelled like cat. Annnnd, recognizing a person depends. Like, whenever I shapechange, I use the same exact form, and I use the same sentence about my eyes as in my original desc. So with that, I think people who know me, or recognize that particular trait, could tell.

Erk. Wow. So those are my thoughts.

Danica

[Tempus]

The polymorphed creature acquires the physical and natural abilities of the creature it has been polymorphed into
while retaining its own mind. Physical abilities include natural size and Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores.
Natural abilities include armor, attack routines (claw, claw, and bite; swoop and rake; and constriction; but not
petrification, breath weapons, energy drain, energy effects, etc.), and similar gross physical qualities (presence or
absence of wings, number of extremities, etc.). Natural abilities also include mundane movement capabilities, such as
walking, swimming, and flight with wings, but not magical flight and other magical forms of travel, such as blink,
dimension door, phase door, plane shift, teleport, and teleport without error. 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 an owl’s 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 creature’s new scores and faculties are average ones for the race or species into which it has been transformed.
You cannot, for example, turn someone into a mighty weight lifter to give the subject great Strength.

The subject retains its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, level and class, hit points (despite any change in its
Constitution score), alignment, base attack bonus, and base saves. (New Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores may affect
final attack and save bonuses.) The subject retains its own type (for example, “humanoid”), extraordinary abilities, spells, and
spell-like abilities, but not its supernatural abilities. The subject can cast spells for which it has components. It needs a
humanlike voice for verbal components and humanlike hands for somatic components. The subject does not gain the spell-like
abilities of its new form. The subject does not gain the supernatural abilities (such as breath weapons and gaze attacks) or the
extraordinary abilities of the new creature.

The new form can be disorienting. Any time the polymorphed creature is in a stressful or demanding situation (such
as combat), the creature 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. Creatures 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 creature’s equipment, if any, transforms to match the new form. If the new form is a
creature who does not use equipment (aberration, animal, beast, magical beast, construct, dragon, elemental, ooze, some
outsiders, plant, some undead creatures, some shapechangers, or vermin), 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 (fey, giant, humanoid, some outsiders, many shapechangers, many undead creatures), the subject’s equipment
changes to match the new form and retains its properties. If in doubt about the new form’s ability to use equipment, refer to its
entry in the Monster Manual.
...
The subject is 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.

The above quote is relevant to the spell polymorph self, which shapechange can be taken to be modelled upon, with the restriction that only natural forms should be taken.

From this, I would say the answers to your questions are:

1. The mentality of the shapechanged creature is that of the original character. The exception being if shapechanged for a period of many years, when some characteristics of the form may meld into the original personality (this would require an application IMO).

2. For forms which do not use equipment, all eq carried should be considered to have melded into the new form. The only exception being a holy symbol. This means that for most forms accessible through shapechange, an amulet of communication would not be able to be used for transmission of thoughts.

3. Some shapechangers copy one of their characters physical traits into the forms they use - this would allow intimate acquaintances to tell the originator fo the form, if they were aware the person had this ability. General members of the public would not be aware, except in so far as the creature may show extraordinary intelligence for its race, if played as such. (This answer is personal opinion).

[Ilissa]

I was under the impression though that the shapechange ability of a druid was more like the wizard spell "Shapeshift" than "Polymorph Self". The main distinction between the two is that Shapeshift allows the person doing so to retain the abilities of the creature. For eg. If you Polymorph into a winter wolf you cannot unleash the blast of cold, but if you shapechange you can. These changes also include other specials (apart from physical ones) which as Tempus's exert showed polymorph self does not (polymorph into a weightlifter does not give you great strength). Of course Polymorph Self is a 4th level spell where Shapechange is level 9 so this makes some sense

I personally do not know much of Druids and how their shapechanging works, but am curious. As for how FK treats it, I am sure that is up to the discretion of the IMM's and the above post by Tempus covering polymorph self is probably the best guideline.

For Aegir - the part you mentioned in the book about the Pech loosing his mind into that of the Hook Horror he had be transformed into is actually a side effect of a different spell. "Polymorph Other" has this effect. Over time the creature makes checks as to its resistance to being overcome by the spell completely versus retaining its own personalitity. A creature who fails and becomes that creature mentaly remains that way even after a dispel magic has been applied to remove the polymorph other spell. There for, if the hook horror got dispell'ed it would have believed it was a hook horror in the shape of a pech....

As far as I can see the polymorph self spell is as Tempus showed and fully safe to the caster (assuming druids are the same). The longer you have been in the form, the more proficient you become at using it (that is simple use such as walking!). That RP and the traits as the creature you polymorphed into is as Tempus said, is a persons RP and is subject to everyones different opinions.

Hoping that helps rather than confuses
Ilissa

[Tierney]

And one important thing to remember. If a polymorphed pc starts talking to you in a language you don't understand, most likely they are speaking animal. So please don't ask them, 'Speak common please.'

[Tempus]

The 3rd edition transmutation spell shapechange is level 9 and has a very short duration relative to the existing shapechange skill we have in the game.

Your new form works like a polymorph other form. You still do not gain the supernatural or spell-like abilities of your
new form, though you do gain its extraordinary abilities while keeping your own. You also gain the type of the new
form (for example, “dragon” or “magical beast”) in place of your own. The new form does not disorient you. Parts of
your body or pieces of equipment that are separated from you do not revert to their original forms. Thus, a new form’s
poison bite is effective.

Again, spell-like abilities of new forms are not granted to those shapechanged. A caster must also be familiar with the form he is taking - you could not assume the form of a gold dragon if you had never seen one. I can find no direct analogue to our existing shapechange skill, but given its relative level it is my personal opinion that appropriate and relevant restrictions would be similar to those given for polymorph self.

[Rhytania]

Straight from the Horses mouth at WOTC. I know the shapechange mirrors polymorph code wise, but when pertaining to the ability given to Rangers and Druids they should look here for guidelines.

USING WILD SHAPE
"They tickle and itch, but you get used to feathers. Never quite get used to the eggs, though."

-- The druid Kelliana of Blue Tribe

Wild shape is one of the druid's most useful and flexible class features. The following version of this ability supersedes the one presented in the Player's Handbook.

Wild Shape
At 5th level, a druid gains the spell-like ability to turn herself into a Small or Medium-size animal (but not a dire animal or a legendary animal) and back again once per day. The druid may adopt only one animal form per use of this ability.

The creatures available as wild shape forms include some giant animals (as described in Appendix I of the Monster Manual but not beasts, magical beasts, or anything with a type other than animal. The druid may use wild shape to become a dog or a giant lizard, for example, but not an owlbear. The form chosen must be that of an animal she is familiar with. For example, a druid who has never been outside a temperate forest could not become a polar bear.

The druid can freely designate the new form's minor physical qualities (such as fur, feather, or skin color and texture) within the normal ranges for an animal of that kind. The new form's significant physical qualities (such as height, weight, and gender) are also under her control but must fall within the norms for the animal's species. The druid is effectively disguised as an average member of the new form's species, gaining a +10 bonus on her Disguise checks as long as she maintains the form.

This change of form never disorients the druid. Upon changing to an animal form, she regains lost hit points as if she had rested for a day, though this healing does not restore temporary ability damage or provide any other benefits of resting for a day, and changing back does not heal her further. If slain, the druid reverts to her original form, though she remains dead.

When the change occurs, the druid's equipment, if any, melds into her new form and becomes nonfunctional. Material components and focuses melded in this way cannot be used to cast spells. When the druid reverts to her true form, any objects previously melded into the animal form reappear in the same locations they previously were and are once again functional. Any new items the druid wore in animal form (such as a saddle, rider, or halter) fall off and land at her feet; any that she carried in a body part common to both forms (mouth, hands, or the like) at the time of reversion are still held in the same way.

The druid acquires the physical and natural abilities of the creature whose form she has taken while retaining her own mind. Physical abilities include size as well as Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores. Natural abilities include armor, natural weapons (such as claws, bite, or gore), sensory abilities (such as low-light vision), and similar gross physical qualities (presence or absence of wings or gills, number of extremities, and so forth). Natural abilities also include mundane movement capabilities, such as walking, swimming, and flying with wings. The druid also gains all the racial bonuses and feats of the animal form selected. She does not gain any supernatural or spell-like abilities (such as breath weapons or gaze attacks) of her new form, but does gain all the form's extraordinary abilities. All these alterations last until the wild shape ends.

The druid's new scores and faculties are average ones for the species into which she has transformed. She cannot, for example, turn herself into a wolf with a Strength of 20. Likewise, she cannot change into a bigger or more powerful version of a creature (or a smaller or weaker version).

The druid retains her own Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, level and classes, hit points (despite any change in her Constitution score), alignment, base attack bonus, and base save bonuses. (New Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores may affect final attack and save bonuses.) The druid also retains her own type (for example, humanoid), extraordinary abilities, and spell-like abilities, but not her supernatural abilities. She loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)

Though the druid retains any spells she previously carried, her new form may not permit her to use them. Unless the chosen form is one with prehensile hands (such as a monkey or an ape) or some other manipulative appendage, the druid may not be able to manipulate material components and focuses for spells -- even if those are not melded into her new form. Likewise, her lack of a humanlike voice means she cannot cast spells with verbal components or activate command word items. In the same manner, the lack of appropriate appendages may prevent her from using manufactured weapons and magic items. If the usability of a particular spell or item is in doubt, the DM makes the decision.

The druid can use this ability more times per day at 6th, 7th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level, as noted on Table 3-8 in the Player's Handbook. In addition, she gains the ability to take the shape of a Large animal at 8th level, a Tiny animal at 11th level, and a Huge animal at 15th level. At 12th level and beyond, she can take the form of a dire animal.

At 16th level, the druid may use wild shape to change into a Small, Medium-size, or Large elemental (air, earth, fire, or water) once per day. She gains all the elemental's special attacks and special qualities when she does so, regardless of ability type (that is, she gains the supernatural and spell-like abilities of the elemental as well as extraordinary ones). She also gains the elemental's feats and racial skill bonuses for as long as she maintains the wild shape while retaining her own creature type (humanoid in most cases). At 18th level, she can assume elemental form three times per day.

Choosing a Wild Shape
Beginning at 5th level, the druid gains the ability to use wild shape. During her career, a variety of choices present themselves as she masters larger and smaller forms, and eventually she can assume the form of a dire animal or an elemental. The array of options can be downright bewildering.

The primary consideration in selecting an animal form is what you want it for. Here are some factors a druid should consider when approaching this decision.

Detecting: Because the druid can use the extraordinary abilities of the form chosen, she can gain blindsight as a dire bat or a porpoise. Most animals have low-light vision, and a few (such as the snake and the owl) also have racial Spot or Listen bonuses.

Escaping: One of the best ways to escape a troubling situation through wild shape is to take to wing as a hawk or an eagle. The fly speeds of those creatures are 80 and 60 feet respectively, and that's usually fast enough to escape from an advancing army or a land-bound monster. The owl, despite its popularity, doesn't fly especially fast (only 40 feet). In a dungeon, or against some airborne foes, the cheetah or horse may be a more appropriate choice. A light horse has a respectable land speed of 60 feet; the cheetah moves only 50 feet normally but can also travel 500 feet in a sprint (see the cheetah entry in the Monster Manual). Escape doesn't always require fast movement, though -- a high-level druid can use wild shape to take the form of a Tiny animal and use the Hide skill to avoid enemies.

Fighting: Wild shape can make the druid a formidable opponent. Until 8th level, when she can use wild shape to become a Large animal, her best choices are the wolverine, black bear, or leopard, with three attacks each. Of these, the black bear offers the highest Strength score and the leopard the highest AC. The wolverine's rage ability grants it the same Strength bonus as the black bear, plus a few additional hit points. The form of a constrictor snake might also prove very useful, especially against enemy spellcasters.

For an 8th-level druid, the polar bear reigns supreme with its Strength score of 27. The heavy horse is weaker in combat but a lot less conspicuous, if that's a concern. The only other options worth considering are the big cats -- lions and tigers -- whose pounce and rake abilities are a fair trade for the polar bear's higher strength. The tiger is uniformly tougher than the lion, but both can hold their own in combat. Finally, reach provides a significant advantage in a fight, and the druid can gain that in the form of a Large viper.

At 12th level, the druid can use wild shape to become a dire animal. As a dire bear with a Strength of 31, she can do 30 or more points of damage in a single round. The dire lion is her second-best choice.

When the druid reaches 15th level, the dire tiger becomes available, but the dire bear may still be a better decision. The dire tiger's Huge size makes it easier to hit than the dire bear, and the addition of pounce and rake attacks may not entirely compensate for that disadvantage.

At 16th level, the druid gains a significant new option -- elemental form. This allows the druid access to all the special abilities of the chosen elemental, including whirlwind, drench, vortex, push, and burn. Because of its high Strength score, the earth elemental is probably the best choice, though the water elemental has a better AC. If AC is not a factor, however, the dire bear is still a better fighter than any elemental simply because of its higher strength.

Impressing Foes: Bears, lions, and elementals impress the local populace and frighten even veteran mercenaries. A DM may allow a +2 circumstance bonus on Intimidate checks for a druid using an impressive form.

Impressing Other Animals: The druid usually relies on her Animal Empathy skill to calm hostile or hungry animals and reassure them that violence is not necessary. The druid who takes the time to use wild shape to assume the target animal's form often has an easier time in this negotiation, even though she doesn't gain the ability to speak with the creature directly. To represent this advantage, the DM may allow the druid a +4 circumstance bonus on Animal Empathy checks made against an animal whose form she has assumed.

Scouting: Avian forms are good for scouting, but don't overlook subterfuge as an option. An old story tells of a druid who learned all her enemies' plans when she assumed the form of a heavy horse and served a day as the steed for the commander of the evil army. Most people pay little attention to horses, livestock, or passing frogs, and the druid can profit from that.

Training Animals: The training process becomes much easier if the druid can simply assume the animal's form and demonstrate the behavior or action she wants. The DM may allow the druid a +4 circumstance bonus on her Handle Animal checks when she uses wild shape in this fashion.

Traveling: Because of their good fly speeds, birds are the obvious choices for travel. Should travel by ocean, sea, or river be an option, the dire shark moves at an impressive speed (90 feet) that even the eagle cannot match. At 15th level and higher, the druid should seriously consider the form of an air elemental for travel because of its incredible fly speed (100 feet).

This was pulled of the WOTC site and the references are the PHB 3ed and Masters of the Wild.

[Belose]

In Tempus' post, it was stated that shapechanged people need a humanlike voice for verbal components and humanlike hands for somatic components.... but what if they have the silent and still feats? Wouldn't they be able to cast spells then, without a voice and no hands?

I think that's the 64,000 dollar question..heh....<then he starts to wonder how many people actually remember that game show and wonders if his age is starting to show...>

[Mele]

Question: Is Shapechange supposed to hurt?

Danica

[Mingus]

I would imagin it would be like in the “An American werewolf in London” movie, the scene where the star is in his apartment and starts to change and where they shoot all the differnt growth changes. All those shots looked pretty painful. Bones and joints reshaping; skin muscle and tendants being pulled stretched and tweaked. Let alone the accelerated hear growth or feather popping all over the place.

[Glim]

Shapechange is not supposed to hurt, though it might be a bit unnerving. The magical part of the shapechange negates any pain while changing. Think about it, if they could feel the pain from organs changing, bones popping out and changing places, muscles ripping and moving, the pain alone would kill them, and do you honestly think anyone would ever do that EVER again?

[Rhytania]

To answer Mele's question:

Does shapechange hurt?

This change of form never disorients the druid. Upon changing to an animal form, she regains lost hit points as if she had rested for a day, though this healing does not restore temporary ability damage or provide any other benefits of resting for a day, and changing back does not heal her further. If slain, the druid reverts to her original form, though she remains dead.

Shapechange actually helps you out and simulate's a full day of rest...

As far as spell casting goes heres what they say:

Though the druid retains any spells she previously carried, her new form may not permit her to use them. Unless the chosen form is one with prehensile hands (such as a monkey or an ape) or some other manipulative appendage, the druid may not be able to manipulate material components and focuses for spells -- even if those are not melded into her new form. Likewise, her lack of a humanlike voice means she cannot cast spells with verbal components or activate command word items. In the same manner, the lack of appropriate appendages may prevent her from using manufactured weapons and magic items. If the usability of a particular spell or item is in doubt, the DM makes the decision.

Keep in mind these are the tabletop rules and even there it says up to th DMs discretion.

[Tierney]

But the way it's coded into the game, your hitpoints do change. When you become a larger animal, such as a horse or bear, you end up hurt after the change because your number of total hitpoints increases, but your numer of current hitpoints stays the same. Maybe it could be rped as exhaustion from growing so big so fast. The same thing happens in reverse when you are shifting to a smaller animal, such as a bird or a rat. You have full hp as a bird, but when you revert, since the bird had fewer total hitpoints, you end up wounded.

[Aegir]

The same thing happens when you cast trollish vigor on yourself, so I'd say its not damage so much as a higher max health because of higher constitution.