Hi guys.
I've been busying myself converting this campaign over to Pathfinder for my gaming group, and I've seemed to reach a snarl with the rules. More specifically, the Red Mantis assassin's Death Mantis Form. According to the old 3.5 D&D rules, the spell functions like polymorph, however in Pathfinder polymorph has been significantly altered so that it now performs the functions of three spells, beast shape II, elemental body I, and alter self. Unfortunately, none of these transformations permit the caster to shift into vermin (which is what the Giant Mantis is typed as and thus would be the ability modifiers I would want to use).
I assumed that the stat bonuses would be similar to the effects of polymorphing into a large animal with beast shape II, so I'm using that for now, but what is this exactly about the +4 Str and Con? Is that buff in addition to gaining the mantis stat modifiers, or is that the only bonus imparted by the shape change?
This is what I have so far:
Death Mantis Form (Su) Once per day the Red Mantis Assassin can assume the form of a blood red giant praying mantis as per the spell beast shape II. She becomes large-sized with a reach of 10 ft., gains a climb speed of 30 ft., and a fly speed of 40 ft. (poor), gains darkvision 60 ft., the mantis' bite and claw natural attacks, and the grab and lunge special attacks. In this form, the Red Mantis Assassin also gains a +4 size bonus to strength and a -2 size penalty to Dex, as well as a +4 natural armor bonus. She does not gain the mantis' racial bonus to Stealth checks in foliage, but she does gain a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution in this form.
In Death Mantis form, she gains three additional abilities: she might cast a quickened still silent fear spell once per hour, she deals 2 points of Constitution damage in addition to normal damage when she makes a successful bite attack, and her first successful attack in a round imparts a negative level (DC 10 + class level + Con modifier save 24 hours later to remove this level). Each negative level heals 5 points of damage for the Red Mantis Assassin. While in death mantis form she gains DR 10/good. She can remain in Death Mantis form for a number of hours equal to her Red Mantis Assassin class level.
Hmmmm, I thought someone had done a conversation. Ponder, ponder, ponder...time to do some digging.
Try this
Try this
Thanks
By precedent from the desert druid archetype in the APG, I would consider a vermin to be an animal and use the various beast shape spells to reflect the various versions of the mantis form.