| Denmark |
I just discovered Pathfinder with Alpha 3 and just read through it in the last hour. I like a lot of what has been done, especially with Polymorph. I just think that the polymorph spells should be made completely independent of published or known monsters.
I'm talking about these lines from Giant Form I:
If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability: darkvision 60 feet, rend (2d6 damage), regeneration 5, rock catching, and rock throwing (range 60 feet, 2d6 damage). If the creature has immunity or resistance to any elements, you gain resistance 20 to those elements. If the creature has vulnerability to an element, you gain that vulnerability.
So, let's say there is a Giant Munchkin of the Giant type that is Large. This Giant Munchkin has darkvision 60 feet, rend (2d6 damage), regeneration 5, rock catching, and rock throwing (range 60 feet, 2d6 damage), immunity to all elements, and vulnerability no elements. Except where trying to impersonate a hill giant or somesuch, the Giant Munchkin is the giant to become when casting Giant Form I. While this is far less of a problem than the old WotC polymorph, it still hasn't completely solved the problem. Why not go all the way? Let's change the polymorph spells to something like this:
You gain your choice of three of the following abilities: darkvision 60 feet, rend (2d6 damage), regeneration 5, rock catching, and rock throwing (range 60 feet, 2d6 damage). If the form you assume has any of the above abilities, you must choose from those before choosing any ability not possessed by the assumed form. You gain resistance 20 to one element. If the creature has immunity or resistance to any elements, you must choose from those. If the creature has vulnerability to an element, you gain that vulnerability and also gain resistance 20 to one additional element.
While the flavor bits that restrict choices along the lines of the assumed form aren't strictly necessary, I put them in in case we want to make sure that when a wizard polymorphs into a frost giant, we can deduce that fire is a good idea to kill him. Also, unless we want to force everyone to take a vulnerability when taking Giant Form, I figure there should be a reward to taking a form with a vulnerability.