Polymorph

[Ketjana]

With both shapechange and polymorph when you use them your adjective changes to end with the race that you have chosen. While there is a wide selection of avialable races it is also limiting. I would like to know if it is possible to code an 'animal race' where the caster would be able to set the whole adjective string? This would allow people to polymorph shapechange into many different animal races without each race being created in code. That way we could see tigers, squirrels, chipmunks, armadillos and every variety of normal animal. For stats they would just remain at the casters level and resists there would be nothing given, and for damage of attacks perhaps make a small and a large 'animal race' so that small animals would not do the same damage as large if that is how races are done currently.

I just think this would add to the rp possibilities of those with these skills. A player could find an RP animal form that could become their signature form. Think of the possibilites for RP if The Warden changes into a skunk!

[Thenwood]

It would be great to be able to polymorph and select your natural race, altering only adjective and description.

[Isolrem]

so using polymorph as a form of magical disguise? it can even be a new spell! I think it's not unreasonable.

[Solaghar]

Just a suggestion for a low-level variant spell for mages of the illusionist bent to cast on themselves or others. The basic gist of the spell would be an illusion that would alter someone's appearance slightly to allow them to appear like a similar race, but would not actually change their race like a polymorph spell. An example might be a human making themselves look like an Elf or Half-elf, a Halfling making themselves look like a gnome, a dwarf making themselves look like a derro or duergar, things along those lines.

You could only change something to look like one of it's associated races, and the major changes would be nothing but illusions that would be penetrable by magical sight spells like truesight, but it would allow say, an Elf to masquerade as a Drow, or a Human as a Half-elf, without actually conferring the racial abilities. It could not change anything into a monstrous race, or something very much different than the way they look now, but it could do things that the disguise skill can't really do. Would probably require some hardcode change, so I dunno how feasiable this is, but it seems like a nice idea and would allow some interesting new spells, items and RP possibilities, without going into all of the ways that people can take advantage of code when they alter their actual race attribute.

[Gratey]

Looking at the help files on polymorph and seeing some use it, I was wondering, What about Polymorph when you cast it, like polymorphing into a ape, or a dragon, or something bigger than the average Human it damaging your armour. Like

PC polymorph's into a Ape!
crude arm guards get damaged

Because your polymorph into something larger would damage anything that would be a perfect fit for you.

Like a rather large green fellow I am thinking of, when he gets hungry he gets very large and rips his shirt and his pants.

I just think this will add more RP to being a wizard with Poly.
Please, Post suggestions.

[Athon]

From what I've seen with polymorph, it magically shifts your clothes to fit your body or disappear until you revert back to normal. Most forms your armour isn't on you when you polymorph; rather it's in your inventory.

[Kregor]

From what I've seen with polymorph, it magically shifts your clothes to fit your body or disappear until you revert back to normal. Most forms your armour isn't on you when you polymorph; rather it's in your inventory.

Correct, in the book definition of polymorph, shapechange, et al, your belongings are magically transformed to become part of the creature you transform into.

This is why it's considered code abuse to steal from a shapechanged char, because the items aren't *really* in the char's inventory IC, there's just no way in code to "absorb" them into the body of the char, and spit 'em out back in place when he reverts.

Also why it makes no sense to RP a person who reverts from being shapechanged as being naked... the objects would morph back into their proper place, so one should be able to do a quick "wear all" OOCly to be ICly reverted.

[Telk]

If you polymorph does your symbol of faith 'meld' into your body like the rest of your belongings?

[Telk]

I was wondering if a addition of the polymorph spell could be to change your gender for the duration of the spell?

c 'polymorph' <race> <adjective> <gender>

There would be the either female or male option.

[Lorion]

As far as I have seen, it does not. The symbol can still be seen when looking at the animal/demon/whatever. I have heard you can hide your symbol though

[Lorion]

Technically maybe it should, but that#s what the change sex spell is good for, no? if you want to be a female in polymorphed form you could just use the change sex spell before polymorphing

[Telk]

The symbols I was wondering because although you may be able to conceal a symbol whilst shapechanged codewise, should you if it does not meld into your body ICly?

Yes, however the sex change spell only lasts for a certain amount of time, more often than not shorter than the polymorph spell, as well as the random factor of you not being able to change your sex.

[Telk]

From what I've seen with polymorph, it magically shifts your clothes to fit your body or disappear until you revert back to normal. Most forms your armour isn't on you when you polymorph; rather it's in your inventory.

Do the clothes shift to match the shape of the polymorphed creature on some humanoids, or does it entirely meld into your body no matter what?

[Lathander]

I do not agree that using polymorph to change yourself into your existing race is a good idea. I also disagree with adding gender change to the spell. Use the "change sex" spell. So what if the durations are different? Spell combinations make the master caster.

I do think the idea of eliminating the gender from the adjective in polymorph/shapechange is a good idea. It would help people to rp with the changed person as what they are and not as "Oh, that's really so and so in polymorphed form."

One last thing. Use spells like these responsibly. Rangers lost a lot of possible "shapechange" forms because they were misused. Be aware of your faith. Do you find it acceptable to polymorph into a demon if you serve a good god? There are other examples of course.

[Telk]

I would have to agree with you Lathander on some issues. However, I think that the gender shouldn't be hidden for all races.

I also don't understand why you wouldn't agree with not being able to shapechange into your own race.

[Glim]

Druids view themselves as one with nature, so say, a deer is no better or worse than a halfelf, or elf, or an orc. They are all animals in nature, so I dont really see why a druid would differentiate from a PC race than an animal.

I dont really agree with shapechanging into another gender though, while shapechangers (druids & rangers) can control the form they shapechange into, they cant control minor details, such as gender or appendages. Else why would you shapechange into an entire animal, and not just sprout a pair of wings if you wanted to fly and a pair of claws if you wanted to fight.

[Thenwood]

Bringing this subject up again.
Why does polymorphing into your own race sound like a bad idea? This could be very useful in some situations. As far as I am aware, this is also a viable use of the spell.
Also, will the spell be changed to reflect the newer classes, in particular elven sub-races?