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10 posts (51 including aliases). No reviews. 1 list. No wishlists. 1 alias.


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Alter Self and merfolk shape

It does give you the ability to breathe water. Unfortunately this is an spell that you need to look into well.

Transmutation Polymorph:
Polymorph: A polymorph spell transforms your physical body to take on the shape of another creature. While these spells make you appear to be the creature, granting you a +10 bonus on Disguise skill checks, they do not grant you all of the abilities and powers of the creature. Each polymorph spell allows you to assume the form of a creature of a specific type, granting you a number of bonuses to your ability scores and a bonus to your natural armor. In addition, each polymorph spell can grant you a number of other benefits, including movement types, resistances, and senses. If the form you choose grants these benefits, or a greater ability of the same type, you gain the listed benefit. If the form grants a lesser ability of the same type, you gain the lesser ability instead. Your base speed changes to match that of the form you assume. If the form grants a swim or burrow speed, you maintain the ability to breathe if you are swimming or burrowing. The DC for any of these abilities equals your DC for the polymorph spell used to change you into that form.

In addition to these benefits, you gain any of the natural attacks of the base creature, including proficiency in those attacks. These attacks are based on your base attack bonus, modified by your Strength or Dexterity as appropriate, and use your Strength modifier for determining damage bonuses.

If a polymorph spell causes you to change size, apply the size modifiers appropriately, changing your armor class, attack bonus, Combat Maneuver Bonus, and Stealth skill modifiers. Your ability scores are not modified by this change unless noted by the spell.

Unless otherwise noted, polymorph spells cannot be used to change into specific individuals. Although many of the fine details can be controlled, your appearance is always that of a generic member of that creature's type. Polymorph spells cannot be used to assume the form of a creature with a template or an advanced version of a creature.

When you cast a polymorph spell that changes you into a creature of the animal, dragon, elemental, magical beast, plant, or vermin type, all of your gear melds into your body. Items that provide constant bonuses and do not need to be activated continue to function while melded in this way (with the exception of armor and shield bonuses, which cease to function). Items that require activation cannot be used while you maintain that form. While in such a form, you cannot cast any spells that require material components (unless you have the Eschew Materials or Natural Spell feat), and can only cast spells with somatic or verbal components if the form you choose has the capability to make such movements or speak, such as a dragon. Other polymorph spells might be subject to this restriction as well, if they change you into a form that is unlike your original form (subject to GM discretion). If your new form does not cause your equipment to meld into your form, the equipment resizes to match your new size.

While under the effects of a polymorph spell, you lose all extraordinary and supernatural abilities that depend on your original form (such as keen senses, scent, and darkvision), as well as any natural attacks and movement types possessed by your original form. You also lose any class features that depend upon form, but those that allow you to add features (such as sorcerers that can grow claws) still function. While most of these should be obvious, the GM is the final arbiter of what abilities depend on form and are lost when a new form is assumed. Your new form might restore a number of these abilities if they are possessed by the new form.

You can only be affected by one polymorph spell at a time. If a new polymorph spell is cast on you (or you activate a polymorph effect, such as wild shape), you can decide whether or not to allow it to affect you, taking the place of the old spell. In addition, other spells that change your size have no effect on you while you are under the effects of a polymorph spell.

If a polymorph spell is cast on a creature that is smaller than Small or larger than Medium, first adjust its ability scores to one of these two sizes using the following table before applying the bonuses granted by the polymorph spell.

The Line you are looking for is "If the form grants a swim or burrow speed, you maintain the ability to breathe if you are swimming or burrowing."

Personally I take this as if your form has a the ability to breath water, but the rules do not state it that way.

You also gain a +10 bonus to disguise (Used to be +20), and any natural attacks your new form has, including proficiency.
Thousand Faces and Alter Self

So here is the thing, I am playing an urban druid, and well there are some things about thousand faces that have left me quite confused. Unfortunately after looking through the board I cannot find any clarification to my confusion.

So first off the Rules.

Thousand Faces:
A Thousand Faces (Su): At 13th level, a druid gains the ability to change her appearance at will, as if using the alter self spell, but only while in her normal form.

Alter Self:
When you cast this spell, you can assume the form of any Small or Medium creature of the humanoid type. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability: darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, and swim 30 feet.

Small creature: If the form you take is that of a Small humanoid, you gain a +2 size bonus to your Dexterity.

Medium creature: If the form you take is that of a Medium humanoid, you gain a +2 size bonus to your Strength.

So here is the thing I am having a hard time wrapping my head around. Thousand Faces is an at-will supernatural ability, and as such is not the same as casting a spell, from my understanding. It says it that you change shape as if using the alter self spell. So does Thousand Faces have a duration. Does it last 1/minute per level, at which point the druid has to come out of it, and reuse it, since it says that they can only use this ability in their normal form. Or can you maintain this ability indefinitely and only change forms by dropping back to your normal form.

My thoughts is that you can just indefinitely maintain it, since it is a 13th level ability (Urban Druid has to give up wild shape, a 1/hour per level ability for 4 levels to get Thousand Faces early). Otherwise this is a really weak ability, and the Urban Druid would be a much weaker archetype then most people think it already is.

It is not even that strong of a spell, just granting you a +2 to one stat. You cannot even take the form of a specific individual. You can get close, but not exact.
Flame blade, Gozreh's Trident, and Weapon Finesse

Guess it's something that I can house rule if nothing else, but thank you for the clarification with the RAW at least.
Flame blade, Gozreh's Trident, and Weapon Finesse

Hmm yeah, but they are energy weapons that are not physical in nature. And while it is wielded like a scimitar or trident they do not deal damage like them, they seem to have only an natural 20 crit range with a x2 modifier, since they are technically spells that deal damage.
Flame blade, Gozreh's Trident, and Weapon Finesse

So I was wondering if Flame Blade and Gozreh's Trident are considered light weapons for the purpose of weapon finesse. They are welded as a weapon, but you do not add your strength to damage, and are touch attacks. So I think that it would, but just wanted a second opinion.
Native Outsiders and "Person" spells

Yes I might have exaggerated by saying a lot, and yes you are all right by saying that it is not really that strong of an immunity. I just found it strange that several races where Native Outsiders rather then Humanoid. I suppose it is easy enough to house rule it that "Person" spells work on these races as well.

Anyways like I said that you for helping clarify this question.
Native Outsiders and "Person" spells

Well I have gotten my answer at lease. Thanks everyone for helping clarify this rule for me.
Native Outsiders and "Person" spells

Like I said in some campaigns these races would almost seem like default. A lot of low to mid CR enemies have dominate person as a racial spell-like ability. In a group that is all native outsider races this messes up the CR for these enemies. Suddenly a lot of delay tactics don't work.
Native Outsiders and "Person" spells

I suppose that is the case. This is not the first time I have run into this though. It just seems that having a first level PC that is immune to these spells can be quite powerful, and while not being able to gain the benefits of Enlarge and Reduce is a draw back, it does not seem to be enough to counter that you are immune to Dominate person. This makes these races seem almost default when you are doing a campaign which features any number of creatures with Dominate Person as a spell-like ability.

It really also does not make sense when one looks at the Advanced Race Guide's section on building new races. It only lists Outsider (Native) as costing 2 racial points, the same amount that darkvision is.

Edit: Actually it costs 3 racial points, but still seems a little low for what it does.
Native Outsiders and "Person" spells

So I have a question for everyone. According to the spell text of spells like charm, hold, dominate, etc person it only affects creatures of the humanoid type. The thing is playable races such as Aasimars, Tieflings, Undines, etc are of the Outsider (Native) Type. So does that mean that these spells would not affect these races. Would you have to use the much higher level "monster" spells to effect them.