Alter Self question.

[nighttree]

I'm a little confused (OK I'm a lot confused but that's not the point of this specific post)......

The Alter Self spell states that if you assume a small humanoid form, you gain a +2 Dex.

OK no problem, your getting the normal adjustment for a decrease in size.

However it also states that if you assume the form of a medium humanoid, you gain a +2 Str......

I assume that this is only if your normally/base form is small sized correct ?

A medium sized character, using Alter self wouldn't get a +2 Str would they ???

[Mauril]

By RAW, you do gain the bonus going from Medium to Medium or from Small to Small. Jason gave a reason for this in another thread, but it's just how it works. Don't fret too much over why.

[James Risner]

Mauril wrote:

By RAW, you do gain the bonus going from Medium to Medium or from Small to Small.

+1

It makes it less complex if you don't need to work out all the implications of the size change and just use what is in the spells.

[nighttree]

That was how it read to me, but I assumed I must be mistaken.

Thanks guy's ;)

[jocundthejolly]

nighttree wrote:

I'm a little confused (OK I'm a lot confused but that's not the point of this specific post)......

The Alter Self spell states that if you assume a small humanoid form, you gain a +2 Dex.

OK no problem, your getting the normal adjustment for a decrease in size.

However it also states that if you assume the form of a medium humanoid, you gain a +2 Str......

I assume that this is only if your normally/base form is small sized correct ?

A medium sized character, using Alter self wouldn't get a +2 Str would they ???

Yes, you get the bonuses listed, even if you end up about the same size. The weirder part about this spell is that you need 'a piece of the creature whose form you plan to assume.' The phrasing is rather odd and imprecise.

[JoelF847]

jocundthejolly wrote:

nighttree wrote:

I'm a little confused (OK I'm a lot confused but that's not the point of this specific post)......

The Alter Self spell states that if you assume a small humanoid form, you gain a +2 Dex.

OK no problem, your getting the normal adjustment for a decrease in size.

However it also states that if you assume the form of a medium humanoid, you gain a +2 Str......

I assume that this is only if your normally/base form is small sized correct ?

A medium sized character, using Alter self wouldn't get a +2 Str would they ???

Yes, you get the bonuses listed, even if you end up about the same size. The weirder part about this spell is that you need 'a piece of the creature whose form you plan to assume.' The phrasing is rather odd and imprecise.

I don't see that as a big issue, unless your GM decided to make it one. As a material component without a gp value, you're assumed to have it in your spell component pouch, just like any other material component.

[Twowlves]

jocundthejolly wrote:

Yes, you get the bonuses listed, even if you end up about the same size. The weirder part about this spell is that you need 'a piece of the creature whose form you plan to assume.' The phrasing is rather odd and imprecise.

That doesn't sound weird to me at all. If you want to assume the form of an orc, you need some orc hair or an orc tooth. If you want to become a lizardman, you need a scale from a lizardman, etc. Seems reasonable to me.

[Farabor]

The silliest part of this spell/ruling, is that you can take a hair off yourself, then cast alter self to turn into...yourself. And get a +2 dex or strength bonus. Now, system wise, this isn't at all broken for the level of the spell..but it is pretty silly.

On the other hand, it's been discussed on the previously mentioned thread _why_ they did it like this, and for simplicity's sake, its a good implementation.